Prairie Struggle

Seen as I appear to be promoting certain periodicals I'll go ahead and add Prairie Struggle to that list.

I just picked up the latest issue (also available as a PDF) and although it's not as flashy as a lot of the "new media" sites, it's aim to spread the ideals of anarchism is an honourable one.

I recommend reading Prairie Struggle's Aims and Principles, but I particularly like the paragraph regarding social revolution:

We recognize that any deeply entrenched system based on power and privilege will not allow itself to be peacefully abolished. True liberation can only be attained by social revolution. For us, the concept of a social revolution is not an abstract metaphor, but, rather a very real social war against every form of oppression. While we don't fetishize violence or armed struggle, we understand it will require revolutionary force on the part of the working class to bring about social emancipation. Such a revolutionary situation can only emerge from social movements and the radicalization of the working class. We advocate radicalization of every struggle. By means of this radicalization and of our involvement in the various resistance movements in which we participate, we encourage the development of an autonomous class consciousness, the only safeguard against political recuperation. We defend, everywhere and always, the autonomous organization and revolutionary self-activity of the working class.

You can pickup a physical copy of Prairie Struggle at Mondragón.

Spectator Tribune

Robert Galston, writing at Spectator Tribune:

This is the Winnipeg I get excited about; the Winnipeg that has little to do with the Official Version of progress which measures things in simple, quantitative terms. The organic, gradual and integral will always do more than the engineered, immediate and artificial to make this a better place.

If you didn't already know, Spectator Tribune just launched and already have some really nice content. Robert Galston's optimistic-yet-realistic look at Winnipeg is a great headpiece for the new periodical.^* If you're more cynical Julijana Capone's interview with Pip Skid is probably more up your alley.

It has yet to be seen how Sepctator Tribune will pan out, but if today's content is any indication things are looking good.

^*Not sure if periodical is the right terminology, but it's close enough.

Bus Safety

Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasis, quoted in The Uniter:

“If we want our transit system to grow and encourage more environmentally friendly transportation we need a transit system people feel safe riding,”

I disagree with many of the points made in this article. I am not in favour of a transit police. Although union leaders are claiming a rise in violence "not just related to fares,” significant data proving this has yet to be disclosed.

As a regular transit user I often see minor conflicts arise while riding the bus. I've seen people verbally assault the driver or other riders, but these instances are few and far between and rarely result in physical violence. That's not to say that doesn't ever happen, but I doubt the risk of violence is enough to necessitate turning Winnipeg's transit system into an Orwellian themed dark ride.

Rather than calling on the Cadets, Winnipeg Transit should be looking at improving its service in order to quell potential conflicts.

The report detailed efforts on technological modifications to buses, including cameras, fare counters and safety shields

City buses already utilize surveillance cameras, and implementing safety shields will only protect the driver. Fare counters certainly won't do anything to help the problem, as has been seen with turnstiles, these types of fare collection/enforcement methods only lead to further frustration and the potential for confrontation.

Perhaps improving service and ensuring the safety of riders would have a positive impact and deter violence. Adding more frequent buses to higher traffic routes; improving bus shelters (more whether proofing, better lighting), little improvements that go a long way in making the service more pleasant.

Yearly transit passes

Amy Groening, writing at The Uniter:

The Universal Transit Pass, or U-Pass, would provide eligible students with unlimited access to Winnipeg Transit services during the fall and winter semesters, in exchange for a tuition fee increase of an estimated $150 to $200 for the year.

Why just eligible students, I'm a wage worker and a tax paying resident, why can't I buy a yearly transit pass?

I hate buying transit passes. I usually buy monthly passes, but often forget to get a new pass on the first of the month. A yearly pass would be ideal.

The proposed cost of a "U-Pass" mentioned in the article is $150 - $200, that seems pretty low considering monthly passes for students currently cost $61.60.

Because I'm pretty awful at math I've always assumed buying a monthly pass (at full rate because I'm not a student) was the most economical option. After reading the above article I decided to investigate the fares a little bit more to determine the approximate yearly cost.

I was surprised to learn that tickets are the cheapest way to ride, they are also my least favourite to use. Despite this knowledge I'm unlikely to start buying up rolls up tickets like I'm swooping in on the silent auction at a Saturday night social. I'll stick with passes.

But why the discrepancy in price in the first place?

Does Winnipeg Transit keep the cash price lower than passes because they count on the fact that most nobody has a Toonie, a Quarter, and two Dimes and will reluctantly drop $2.50 down the hole because it's more convenient? I know I do (unless I'm short, in which case I'll dump whatever configuration of change I can pass off as the right amount.

With a yearly pass I'd never have to worry about buying a new pass on the first, and I'd never have to fish for change after I forgot to buy a pass and I'm almost late for work.

My experiment in arithmetic also taught me that if Winnipeg Transit allows the U-Pass they will be losing over $500 per student (assuming each student would have purchased a bus pass). This information reinforces my skepticism of the proposed "U-Pass" price.

Given Winnipeg Transit's current pricing scheme it seems more likely that a yearly pass would run the average citizen somewhere in the $900 - $1,000 range and students falling somewhere between $700 - $800.

UPDATE:

I'm glad to see you're all better at math than me as many of you have pointed out I forgot to account for round trips when paying cash. If you're a student or worker transfers won't do you much good for round trips most of the time. Below is a slightly adjusted table of fares that include round trips.

I also forgot to account for the tax rebate that passes qualify for, but I won't bother doing that math.

---

So tickets and cash are NOT cheaper if your trips are to and from work/school because transfers would have expired.

That being said, cash can sometimes work out to be a better deal if you don't ride the bus everyday and are able catch the occasional ride home.

Comfortable in our own skin

I've been a little behind in my local news reading lately as I've had my nose in more fictional reads than I'm accustomed to, so I nearly missed this gem by one of the few really good writers left at the Free Press.

Bartley Kives, writing at the Winnipeg Free Press

I've long argued the civic despair in the mid-1990s was not just about the loss of the Jets, but a vestigial sense of entitlement displayed by a city that never quite got used to fact it wasn't important any more. Many times since then, I've argued Winnipeg must get over itself and finally grow comfortable within its medium-sized, ordinary-city skin.

And now that the Jets are back, I wonder whether this will ever happen. I wonder whether the jingoism of the "True North!" chant has subsumed our collective capacity for self-reflection.

Although I think Bartley's concerns are justified, I continue to find solace in the small community of Winnipeggers who don't need or care about the camera eye of the outside world. It is in this community that Manitoba's real DIY spirit lives and thrives, where questions about the prevailing order can be asked without suffering immediate knee jerk reactions, where the most honest and earnest art is being created.

A handbook for rebellion

Michael Welch, writing at The Uniter

Whatever the cause, be it climate justice, indigenous solidarity, labour activism, Palestine solidarity, feminism, etc., there is very often a book or books that have helped to shape the dialogue around today’s societal challenges and moulded today’s shit disturbers.

I wasn't able to attend this years Anarchist Bookfair, it's too bad it's only an annual event. I would have loved to take part in the type of discourse that took place with so many activists and causes all in the same place.