September 19, 2006 

LIBERATED YET?

NOTICE TO READERS:
YOU ARE BEING REDIRECTED TO THE NEW SITE
HTTP://LIBERATEDYET.BLOGSPOT.COM

In a few moments you will be redirected to the new site. Both of OldManRivers blogs are now being funneled into one major blog: liberatedyet.blogspot.com

Thank you for visiting and enjoy the new site.

  • My Thoughts And Voice will not have new posts.
  • My Actions and Secrets will not have new posts.
  • Liberated Yet? will by far be of better caliber then either of these blogs combined. Think of it as Farther-Son (Anakin-Luke) combining to conquer the galaxy, except in this case it's just expression of mind. (slight difference...or is there?)
It also means:
  • quality posts
  • more updates
  • more blogging
  • and over-all an almost free OldManRivers.
Here is the link


and if you missed it, here it is again.

http://liberatedyet.blogspot.com

and one final time.

http://liberatedyet.blogspot.com

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September 17, 2006 

Mysterious Ways

Just after 9 o'clock saturday night, Marie Baker (Nee Jefferies) passed on to the next world. My beloved grandmother, the mother of my mother, and true friend and ally in my struggle. She loves her grandchildren with her heart, and raised her children the best she could. Forever will she be rememberd as a "strong woman", who fought to the end. Raised 10 brothers and sisters at the age of 14, then 5 of her own children later on in life. As she walked through life being half-paralyzed, she still marched on with a witty attitude, and loving heart.



Last week I took the time to work on myself and help others at Choices. On Saturday during the fun day, I recieved word from my gramma Audrey Rivers that my gramma Marie was having troubles and it doesn't look good. I left early from the event to head to the hosptial. Fortunatly I was able to "halakasla" or "farewell" in my grandmothers mother tounge. With her last ounce of strength she opend her eyes and let one final tear of love for her family, friends and the ones who loved her. In her final moments on this plain of exsistance I was able to send her off with a song. My mother asked me to sing a song with all the family there and by the time I finished singing, my grandmother had moved on.



I thought I would post this on here for a very simple reason. I use the internet to communicate with many people, readers, chatters and just plain fans. With that I wanted to let you all know, all my friends, brothers, sisters and family. I humbly ask for your prayers; for myself; for my mother; for my siblings; for my family; for my grandmother.



I thank those who have prayed for myself and my grandmother, and I thank you from deeply in my heart.



chen kwen men tumiyap

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September 10, 2006 

The Aristocrats [Film]


"Funnyest movie I've rented, ever!"
- OldManRivers

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September 09, 2006 

Question For Readers?

With myself Coaching Choices next week, then my backpack for school, then programs for this brand spanking new computer, I don't think I'll be able to get my own domain website, (I was really excited about www.thesexyomar.com . OMAR being the short version of OldManRivers), but it looks like that won't happen soon. I have to also save up for Super Choices next month, and Hawaii in a couple months. Although money for me hasn't been an issue lately, some pre-planning (minimal if possible) is ideal for me. But it seems money just floats into my hands. I get asked to do different things and they thank me with money (canoes with blankets would be more ideal though).

Now, I won't be able to create my own website, with my own domain, with my own blog. But with the complications of having two blogs (en nta7awn i nekwelten & my actions and secrets) I'm thinking of creating one main uber-blog. It would be all about me, and wouldn't be serpeate thought. I would change the address and name, possibly the look, of a new blog. It would be something simpler and I would be able to pump it up more.


Now my question for my readers is: Should I create one new blog?
(Post your answers in the comments page)

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September 02, 2006 

Guest Post: A call for the great Canadian homework ban

This guest post is from a friend and ally, Chris Corrigan. I appreciate his words and I agree completely. I felt strongly enough to have his post featured on here to illustrate my own intentions and thoughts on the subject. I am currently going into grade 12 and I feel discouraged by the way things are with Colonial Education. The current colonial school system is set up for a lose-lose situation. No one wins in this school system. I hope to learn more about Mr.Corrigan's "unschooling" as he calls it, in the hopes to educated my people in a way that's freeing and not enabling. I now introduce Chris Corrigan�s post titled "A call for the great Canadian homework ban". (Original post here)

Also for more check these links out:
http://chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/?p=1013
http://www.chriscorrigan.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.ParentsRebellingAgainstHomework


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My friend Alex Kjerulf today has a post about homework that I am in complete agreement with. He points to this TIME magazine story which, to an unschooling parent, is no news at all.
I already don�t send my kids to school, which we can do here in Canada. It�s called unschooling. BUT if for some reason my kids did go to school I would do what I have advocated others do and that is, I would refuse to allow the school to assign them homework. It is not simply the fact that kids are overworked. There are four other reasons why homework would be banned at my house.1. They learn nothing from doing it. It is not homework that reinforces an idea or a skill, it is developing a passion for something and then having the time to follow it through that does the trick. Homework is a waste of time.

2. Schools already steal six hours or more a day from a child�s life. If they can�t do what they need to do in six hours, it is not my child�s responsibility to gives them more time. It seems to me that homework is not for kids to learn, it�s for schools to shift the responsibility. Teachers don�t get marked on how useful classroom time is, but kids get marked on whether they did their homework or not. That means a lot of classroom stuff that isn�t working is allowed to continue as long as kids do their homework.

3. Homework is an infringemnent on family time. Many of the big media that would otherwise say that homework is important also decry the fact that kids aren�t spending enough time talking with their families. It is not possible to create an atmosphere of deep family connection when parents and the kids are all working three or four hours a night at home. You need many hours together, playing games, reading books, fixing the house together, going to movies, conversing and cooking for friends to have a healthy and balanced family life. Being together only on weekends is like getting a two day pass from prison.

4. Homework robs children of the time they need to develop real skills and passions. When I was in school for example, I taught myself music theory and theology during my grade 11 year. I wasn�t taking either of these subjects at school, and I set aside a lot of homework to learn them. I failed several exams at Christmas 1985 because instead of studying, I was writing four part harmony arrangments of Queen songs and reading Martin Buber. Both of those experiences have stayed with me long after I can even remember what classes I took at school that year, and both continue to be useful in my life.

So, as we enter another �school year� my radical proposal is that those of you who want that time back with your kids, claim it back. And once you�ve gone a year without homework, it might give you the steel to rise up next year and opt out of standardized testing (which in British Columbia you can do, you know�with the support of teachers too, who really know the costs of this stuff).

And don�t forget parents, you need to set the example. Leave work at work! It�s no good having kids come home expecting some family time and have you under house arrest by your boss too!

Update: Rob Paterson has taken up the call and there are some great comments in his post from folks campaigning to ban homework in Atlantic Canada. I weighed in on a second post he has made

Update: A commenter at Rob�s site pointed to a nice post from Brian Alger from a couple of years ago on this topic as well. There�s nothing new about this, obviously!

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About me

  • I'm Rivers
  • From the village of Xwemelch'stn, Sḵwxwú7mesh-ulh
  • Dustin Rivers is a writer and community organizers of indigenous origins. He is of two tribes: Sḵwxwú7mesh and 'Namgis. He has a flare for action and contemplative meme's. He offers indigenous polemics, simply because he does not want a myopic political future for his people. Objective number one is to give breath to the noble way; a decolonize pose in life. Life, culture, and the writings of an inspired-youth.
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