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| rick mercer canada explained: Talking to Canadians Rick Mercer, 2021-11-02 INSTANT #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER Canada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time. What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question on everyone's lips when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons—and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared. And then Covid-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he's been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that's as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy (in his reports the word 'disappointment' appeared a fair bit) to the heights of TV fame. Along the way came an amazing break when, not long out of his teens, his one-man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It. Or, Charles Lynch Must Die, became an overnight sensation—thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That's one story you won’t soon forget, and this book is full of them. There's a tale of how little Rick helped himself to a tree from the neighbours' garden that's set to become a new Christmas classic. There's Rick the aspiring actor, braving the scariest thing I have ever done in my life by performing with the Newfoundland Shakespeare Company; unforgettable scenes with politicians of every variety, from Jean Chretien to George W. Bush to Stockwell Day; and a wealth of behind-the-scenes revelations about the origins and making of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, and Talking to Americans. All leading of course to the greenlighting of that mega-hit, Rick Mercer Report . . . It's a life so packed with incident (did we mention Bosnia and Kabul?) and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to What is Rick Mercer going to do now? is: Write volume two. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Desiring Canada Patricia Cormack, James F. Cosgrave, 2013-01-01 This lively, engaging book investigates the relationship between some of our more beloved popular expressions of national identity and the extent to which the interests of the state appeal to the pleasures of citizens, thus shaping our understanding of what it means to be Canadian. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Rez Rules Chief Clarence Louie, 2021-11-16 A common-sense blueprint for what the future of First Nations should look like as told through the fascinating life and legacy of a remarkable leader. In 1984, at the age of twenty-four, Clarence Louie was elected Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band in the Okanagan Valley. Nineteen elections later, Chief Louie has led his community for nearly four decades. The story of how the Osoyoos Indian Band—“The Miracle in the Desert”—transformed from a Rez that once struggled with poverty into an economically independent people is well-known. Guided by his years growing up on the Rez, Chief Louie believes that economic and business independence are key to self-sufficiency, reconciliation, and justice for First Nations people. In Rez Rules, Chief Louie writes about his youth in Osoyoos, from early mornings working in the vineyards, to playing and coaching sports, and attending a largely white school in Oliver, B.C. He remembers enrolling in the “Native American Studies” program at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in 1979 and falling in love with First Nations history. Learning about the historic significance of treaties was life-changing. He recalls his first involvement in activism: participating in a treaty bundle run across the country before embarking on a path of leadership. He and his band have worked hard to achieve economic growth and record levels of employment. Inspired by his ancestors’ working culture, and by the young people on the reserve, Chief Louie continues to work for First Nations’ self-sufficiency and independence. Direct and passionate, Chief Louie brings together wide-ranging subjects: life on the Rez, including Rez language and humour; per capita payments; the role of elected chiefs; the devastating impact of residential schools; the need to look to culture and ceremony for governance and guidance; the use of Indigenous names and logos by professional sports teams; his love for motorcycle honour rides; and what makes a good leader. He takes aim at systemic racism and examines the relationship between First Nations and colonial Canada and the United States, and sounds a call to action for First Nations to “Indian Up!” and “never forget our past.” Offering leadership lessons on and off the Rez, this memoir describes the fascinating life and legacy of a remarkable leader and provides a common-sense blueprint for the future of First Nations communities. In it, Chief Louie writes, “Damn, I’m lucky to be an Indian!” |
| rick mercer canada explained: Talking to Canadians Rick Mercer, 2021-11-02 Canada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time. What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question on everyone's lips when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons—and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared. And then Covid-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he's been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that's as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy (Rick still owes 15 dollars to the chocolate bar fundraiser was one of the less brutal items on a typical report) to heights of TV fame, by way of an amazing break as a teenager when his one-man show, Show Me the Button, I'll Push It. Or, Charles Lynch Must Die, became an overnight sensation—thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That's one story you won't soon forget, and this book is full of them. There's the tale of how little Rick stole a tree from the neighbours that's set to become a new Christmas classic. There's Rick the aspiring actor—hitting the road as a new young punk in a vanload of hippies and appearing on stage in Shakespeare—and a wealth of behind-scenes revelations about This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, Talking to Americans and the coming of the mega-hit Rick Mercer Report. It's a life so packed with incident and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to What is Rick Mercer going to do now? is: Write volume two. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Rick Mercer Final Report Rick Mercer, 2019-10-22 Canada's pre-eminent satirical commentator brings down the curtain on his hugely successful show in this instant #1 national bestseller. Rick Mercer startled the nation when in 2017 he announced that the 15th season of Canada’s most-watched and beloved comedy show the Rick Mercer Report would be the last. As this book reminds us, he quit while he was way, way ahead. Final Report includes blisteringly good rants from the final five seasons and some of the very best rants from the show’s early years. And in three brilliant new essays that include a love letter to Parliament Buildings, how Doug Ford became Ontario premier (hint: it had nothing to do with talent) and how he managed not to freak out in the year after the RMR wrapped, Rick, a recipient of a 2019 Governor General’s Performing Arts Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award, reveals himself as a comic writer and entertainer at the very top of his game. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Rick Mercer Report: The Paperback Book Rick Mercer, 2009-06-05 Rick Mercer Report: The Paperback Book is an updated, expanded remix of its bestselling predecessor, Rick Mercer Report: The Book, containing 10,000 words of new material from the show’s fifth season. Rick’s celebrated rants are some of the sharpest political commentary to be found anywhere in the country’s media, and certainly the funniest. They are featured here, along with other moments from the show—including encounters with Conrad Black, Jean Chrétien, and Anne Murray—and many additional pieces, some of which first appeared on his website. Because when he’s not jumping into a lake with David Suzuki or Bob Rae, or helping the leader of the Green Party kill a tree, Rick Mercer likes to relax by blogging. From Kabul, say. Or the bearpit of a leadership convention. Rick Mercer Report: The Paperback Book will help you make sense of five extraordinary years in the life of Canada—or at least laugh despite them. |
| rick mercer canada explained: For Today I Am a Boy Kim Fu, 2014 Peter, the only boy among four siblings born to Chinese immigrants, is convinced he is a girl and must fight the confines of a small town as well as the expectations of his parents to forge his own path into adulthood. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Don't Vote P. J. O'Rourke, 2010-10-05 “[A] merciless but often humorous look at the shortcomings of American politics” by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Parliament of Whores (Booklist). Don’t Vote: It Just Encourages the Bastards is a brilliant, disturbing, hilarious, and sobering look at why politics and politicians are a necessary evil—but only just barely necessary. Read P. J. O’Rourke on the pathetic nature of our attempts to govern ourselves and laugh through your tears or—what the hell—just laugh. “Whether readers agree with O’Rourke’s politics or not, his style is funny, cutting, and insightful.” —Booklist “P. J. O’Rourke is like S. J. Perelman on acid.” —Christopher Buckley “The funniest writer in America.” —The Wall Street Journal |
| rick mercer canada explained: A Car to Die For John Wing Jr., 2022-01-20 A novel full of wit, drama, iconic lines, powerful characterization, drama and much more. This vastly experienced author knows how to write and engage the readers!Clarence , 45, is a keeper of secrets. He toils as a jack-of-all-trades lawyer in the small town of Elder, Michigan, on the southwestern shore of Lake Huron. It' s 1975 and Clarence is engaged to defend a burglar, a career criminal who has stolen more than just money and jewels. He is offered a classic automobile as his retainer. A 1954 Studebaker Starlight Coupe. The case turns out to be more complicated than it looks on its face, involving some of the town' s dark secrets, as well as one of Clarence' s, long held. A story that is both dramatic and comical, set in a town filled with iconic characters all revolving around a man just trying to keep his head above water, do the right thing, and live with his conscience as well as his demons.John Wing Jr. has been a standup comedian for four decades, appearing hundreds of time on television, including six times on The Tonight Show, ten times at the Juste Pour Rire Comedy Festival in Montreal, he reached the semifinals on America's Got Talent, has spent innumerable seasons on cruise ships, has been a frequent performer on CBC Radio's acclaimed series The Debaters, was the creator and star of the CBC Radio sitcom Man, Woman & Child, he now has his own podcast The Bad Piano Player. He is a Canadian born in Sarnia and lives in Sunland California. You can always find him on Twitter and Instagram as @JohnWing5. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Son of a Critch Mark Critch, 2018-10-02 NOW A CBC TELEVISION SERIES WINNER OF THE MARGARET AND JOHN SAVAGE FIRST BOOK AWARD FOR NON-FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE RBC TAYLOR PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE STEPHEN LEACOCK MEMORIAL MEDAL FOR HUMOUR A hilarious story of family, getting into trouble, and finding one's place in the world. What could be better than growing up in the 1980s? How about growing up in 1980s Newfoundland, which—as Mark Critch will tell you—was more like the 1960s. Take a trip to where it all began in this funny and warm look back on his formative years. Here we find a young Mark trick-or-treating at a used car lot, getting locked out of school on a fourth-floor window ledge, faking an asthma attack to avoid being arrested by military police, trying to buy beer from an untrustworthy cab driver, shocking his parents by appearing naked onstage—and much more. Best known as the roving reporter for CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Mark Critch has photo-bombed Justin Trudeau, interviewed Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle (while impersonating Alan Doyle), offered Pamela Anderson a million dollars to stop acting, and crashed White House briefings. But, as we see in this playful debut, he's been causing trouble his whole life. Son of a Critch captures the wonder and cluelessness of a kid trying to figure things out, but with the clever observations of an adult, and the combination is perfect. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Communities in Action National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, Committee on Community-Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States, 2017-03-27 In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Where I Belong Alan Doyle, 2015-10-13 From the lead singer of the band Great Big Sea comes a lyrical and captivating musical memoir about growing up in the tiny fishing village of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, and then taking to the world stage. Singer-songwriter and front man of the great Canadian band Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle is also a lyrical storyteller and a creative force. In Where I Belong, Alan paints a vivid, raucous and heartwarming portrait of a curious young lad born into the small coastal fishing community of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, and destined to become a renowned musician who carried the musical tradition of generations before him and brought his signature sound to the world. He tells of a childhood surrounded by larger-than-life characters who made an indelible impression on his music and work; of his first job on the wharf cutting out cod tongues for fishermen; of growing up in a family of five in a two-bedroom house with a beef-bucket as a toilet, yet lacking nothing; of learning at his father's knee how to sing the story of a song and learning from his mother how to simply be good; and finally, of how everything he ever learned as a kid prepared him for that pivotal moment when he became part of Great Big Sea and sailed away on what would be the greatest musical adventure of his life. Filled with the lore and traditions of the East Coast and told in a voice that is at once captivating and refreshingly candid, this is a narrative journey about small-town life, curiosity and creative fulfillment, and finally, about leaving everything you know behind only to learn that no matter where you go, home will always be with you. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Off the Record Peter Mansbridge, 2021-10-05 With humour and heart, Peter shares never-before-told stories from his distinguished career, including reporting on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the horror of 9/11, walking the beaches of Normandy with Tom Brokaw, and talking with Canadian prime ministers from John Diefenbaker to Justin Trudeau. But it's far from all serious. Peter also writes about finding the 'cure' for baldness in China and landing the role of Peter Moosebridge in Disney's Zootopia. From the first (and only) time he was late to broadcast to his poignant interview with the late Gord Downie, these are the moments that have stuck with him. |
| rick mercer canada explained: How Canadians Govern Themselves Eugene Alfred Forsey, 2016 Explores Canada's parliamentary system, from the decisions made by the Fathers of Confederation, to the daily work of parliamentarians in the Senate and House of Commons. Useful information on Canada's constitution, the judicial system, and provincial and municipal powers is also gathered together in this one reference book. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders Greg Malone, 2014-01-28 The true story, drawn from official documents and hours of personal interviews, of how Newfoundland and Labrador joined Confederation and became Canada's tenth province in 1949. A rich cast of characters--hailing from Britain, America, Canada and Newfoundland--battle it out for the prize of the resource-rich, financially solvent, militarily strategic island. The twists and turns are as dramatic as any spy novel and extremely surprising, since the official version of Newfoundland history has held for over fifty years almost without question. Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders will change all that. |
| rick mercer canada explained: How I Became a Quant Richard R. Lindsey, Barry Schachter, 2011-01-11 Praise for How I Became a Quant Led by two top-notch quants, Richard R. Lindsey and Barry Schachter, How I Became a Quant details the quirky world of quantitative analysis through stories told by some of today's most successful quants. For anyone who might have thought otherwise, there are engaging personalities behind all that number crunching! --Ira Kawaller, Kawaller & Co. and the Kawaller Fund A fun and fascinating read. This book tells the story of how academics, physicists, mathematicians, and other scientists became professional investors managing billions. --David A. Krell, President and CEO, International Securities Exchange How I Became a Quant should be must reading for all students with a quantitative aptitude. It provides fascinating examples of the dynamic career opportunities potentially open to anyone with the skills and passion for quantitative analysis. --Roy D. Henriksson, Chief Investment Officer, Advanced Portfolio Management Quants--those who design and implement mathematical models for the pricing of derivatives, assessment of risk, or prediction of market movements--are the backbone of today's investment industry. As the greater volatility of current financial markets has driven investors to seek shelter from increasing uncertainty, the quant revolution has given people the opportunity to avoid unwanted financial risk by literally trading it away, or more specifically, paying someone else to take on the unwanted risk. How I Became a Quant reveals the faces behind the quant revolution, offering you?the?chance to learn firsthand what it's like to be a?quant today. In this fascinating collection of Wall Street war stories, more than two dozen quants detail their roots, roles, and contributions, explaining what they do and how they do it, as well as outlining the sometimes unexpected paths they have followed from the halls of academia to the front lines of an investment revolution. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Groundswell Ezra Levant, 2015-09-29 From a bestselling author comes a provocative exploration of the next big thing in energy--fracking--and its profound impact on geopolitics and the global economy. In a few short years, the discovery of vast reserves of until now unreachable natural gas, and the adoption of a process to get at it, have brought about a shale-gas revolution that is transforming Canada and the United States. In Groundswell, Ezra Levant looks at fracking's enemies--who they are, and what they don't want us to know--and debunks claims about contaminated groundwater, fracking chemicals, and earthquakes. And he also looks at fracking's benefits: significant job and wealth creation, lower CO2 emissions, and, most importantly, increased political freedom. With natural gas in abundance, prices fall and the stranglehold of energy companies such as Russia's Gazprom loosens. Countries such as Ukraine, Poland, France, Israel, and China have vast reserves of shale gas, and accessing it could mean a monumental shift in energy politics. In this timely and provocative book, Levant explores the promise of natural gas that fracking has made possible and provides an eye-opening look at a subject of growing international importance. |
| rick mercer canada explained: The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet Reif Larsen, 2009 When twelve-year-old cartography genius T.S. Spivet receives a prestigious award, he leaves his quiet ranch home in Montana for Washington, D.C., and he learns more about himself and the world around him on his journey. |
| rick mercer canada explained: How Canadians Communicate IV David Taras, Christopher Robb Waddell, 2012 A comprehensive, up to date, and probing examination of media and politics in Canada. |
| rick mercer canada explained: A Matter of Principle Conrad Black, 2012-09-11 I never ask for mercy and seek no one's sympathy. I would never, as was once needlessly feared in this court, be a fugitive from justice in this country, only a seeker of it. —Conrad Black, in his statement to the court, June 24, 2011 In 1993, Conrad Black was the proprietor of London's Daily Telegraph and the head of one of the world's largest newspaper groups. He completed a memoir in 1992, A Life in Progress, and great prospects beckoned. In 2004, he was fired as chairman of Hollinger International after he and his associates were accused of fraud. Here, for the first time, Black describes his indictment, four-month trial in Chicago, partial conviction, imprisonment, and largely successful appeal. In this unflinchingly revealing and superbly written memoir, Black writes without reserve about the prosecutors who mounted a campaign to destroy him and the journalists who presumed he was guilty. Fascinating people fill these pages, from prime ministers and presidents to the social, legal, and media elite, among them: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, George W. Bush, Jean Chrétien, Rupert Murdoch, Izzy Asper, Richard Perle, Norman Podhoretz, Eddie Greenspan, Alan Dershowitz, and Henry Kissinger. Woven throughout are Black's views on big themes: politics, corporate governance, and the U.S. justice system. He is candid about highly personal subjects, including his friendships - with those who have supported and those who have betrayed him - his Roman Catholic faith, and his marriage to Barbara Amiel. And he writes about his complex relations with Canada, Great Britain, and the United States, and in particular the blow he has suffered at the hands of that nation. In this extraordinary book, Black maintains his innocence and recounts what he describes as the fight of and for my life. A Matter of Principle is a riveting memoir and a scathing account of a flawed justice system. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Rethinking Free Speech Peter Ives, 2024-11-12T00:00:00Z Clashes over free speech rights and wrongs haunt public debates about the state of democracy, freedom and the future. While freedom of speech is recognized as foundational to democratic society, its meaning is persistently misunderstood and distorted. Prominent commentators have built massive platforms around claims that their right to free speech is being undermined. Critics of free speech correctly see these claims as a veil for misogyny, white-supremacy, colonialism and transphobia, concluding it is a political weapon to conserve entrenched power arrangements. But is this all there is to say? Rethinking Free Speech will change the way you think about the politics of speech and its relationship to the future of freedom and democracy in the age of social media. Political theorist Peter Ives offers a new way of thinking about the essential and increasingly contentious debates around the politics of speech. Drawing on political philosophy, including the classic arguments of JS Mill, and everyday examples, Ives takes the reader on a journey through the hotspots of today’s raging speech wars. In its bold and careful insights on the combative politics of language, Rethinking Free Speech provides a map for critically grasping these battles as they erupt in university classrooms, debates around the meaning of antisemitism, the “cancelling” of racist comedians and the proliferation of hate speech on social media. This is an original and essential guide to the perils and possibilities of communication for democracy and justice. Clashes over free speech rights and wrongs haunt public debates about the state of democracy, freedom and the future. While freedom of speech is recognized as foundational to democratic society, its meaning is persistently misunderstood and distorted. Prominent commentators have built massive platforms around claims that their right to free speech is being undermined. Critics of free speech correctly see these claims as a veil for misogyny, white-supremacy, colonialism and transphobia, concluding that it is a political weapon to conserve entrenched power arrangements. Rethinking Free Speech will change the way you think about the politics of speech in the age of social media. Peter Ives offers a new way of thinking about the essential and increasingly contentious debates around the politics of speech. Drawing on political philosophy and everyday examples, Ives takes the reader on a journey through the hotspots of today’s raging speech wars. This book provides a map for critically grasping these battles as they erupt in university classrooms, debates around the meaning of antisemitism, the “cancelling” of racist comedians and the proliferation of hate speech on social media. This is an original and essential guide to the perils and possibilities of communication for democracy and justice. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Streeters Rick Mercer, 1998 The more than one million Canadians who watch This Hour Has 22 Minutes will recognize Rick Mercer's streeters--the caustically funny rants that have become one of the best-loved segments of the show. Often called Parliament's Unofficial Opposition, Rick Mercer writes all his rants and is also one of the primary writers for the show. Photos and an eye-catching design set off Mercer's memorable exposes of the pretensions of politicians and the foibles of our society. RICK MERCER RANTS ABOUT QUEBEC If Quebec separates it's only gonna get worse... The first thing they're gonna do once they leave is come over. They'll be like the next door neighbour with an Amway catalogue. How are you? I'm fine. No hard feelings, let's start a carpool, can I stay in the guest room, use your currency, go halves on the army, by the way I'm a king now. RICK MERCER RANTS ABOUT JEAN CHRETIEN I wish people would just get off Jean Chretien's back. The man goes to China, he makes a few deals, makes us a pile of cash and what happens? Everyone is all up in arms just because of a few minor human rights violations. Look, Chretien has no choice. My next door neighbour and I, we go halves on firewood, I save money. It's a great deal for me. But there's some soft liberals out there would prefer if I didn't even talk to the man. Okay so he ran over a couple of kids in his car because they were making a racket out on the cul-de-sac. And yes he's got a bunch of youngsters chained to the furnace because they talked back. But hey, it's not like I haven't made my feelings known to the man. I've done my part. One time I said That's bad. He changed the topic, we went on with our business, had abeer, whatever. My conscience is clear and like Jean Chretien, I cannot afford to jeopardize this very special mutually profitable relationship with my neighbour just because of a few people chained up in his basement. And don't give me any grief here. Hey, I'm only following my Prime Minister's lead. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Mooncalves Victoria Hetherington, 2019 Mooncalves follows the bloody implosion of a cult in Sainte-Pétronille, Quebec, understood through the urgent voices of the living and a ring of ghostly, shape-shifting watchers. Sensing the impending dissolution of society by technological progress, the charismatic, utterly unhinged Joseph Reiser forms Walden, a collective of Luddite devotees--most still in their teens. A vicious act of sexual violence shatters the collective, and devotee Erica Strickland barely escapes with her life. Through its tale of buried crime in rural Quebec and the mechanism of cult leadership, Mooncalves explores the unshakable hold of first love, the warped influence of unchecked ambition and sexual obsession, and the uncomfortable gaze of the accumulating dead. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Kanye West Owes Me $300 Jensen Karp, 2017-05-02 In this “triumphantly funny” (AV Club) memoir, comedian Jensen Karp tells the story of how, as a Jewish kid from the L.A. suburbs, he became a rap battle legend—and then almost became a star. “The funniest person I follow on Twitter finally got smart and wrote about his unlikely—and hilarious—odyssey as teenage rapper Hot Karl.”—Kevin Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Tough Sh*t When twelve-year old Jensen Karp got his first taste of rapping for crowds at his friend’s bar mitzvah in 1991, little did he know that he was taking his first step on a journey that would end with a failed million-dollar recording and publishing deal with Interscope Records when he was only nineteen. Now, in Kanye West Owes Me $300, Karp finally tells the true story of his wild ride as “Hot Karl,” the most famous white rapper you’ve never heard of. On his way to (almost) celebrity, Jensen shares his childhood run-ins with rock-listening, Southern California classmates, who tell him that “rap is for black people,” and then recounts his record-breaking rap battling streak on popular radio contest “The Roll Call”—a run that caught the eye of a music industry hungry for new rap voices in the early ’00s. He also introduces his rap partner, Rickye, who constitutes the second half of their group XTra Large; his supportive mom, who performs with him onstage; and the soon-to-be-household-name artists he records with, including Redman, Fabolous, Mya, and will.i.am. Finally, he reveals why his album never saw the light of day (two words: Slim Shady), the downward spiral he suffered after, and what he found instead of rap glory. Full of rollicking stories from his close brush with fame, Karp’s hilarious memoir is the ultimate fish-out-of-water story about a guy who follows an unlikely passion—trying to crack the rap game—despite what everyone else says. It’s 30 Rock for the rap set; 8 Mile for the suburbs; and quite the journey for a white kid from the valley. |
| rick mercer canada explained: How Propaganda Works Jason Stanley, 2015-05-26 How propaganda undermines democracy and why we need to pay attention Our democracy today is fraught with political campaigns, lobbyists, liberal media, and Fox News commentators, all using language to influence the way we think and reason about public issues. Even so, many of us believe that propaganda and manipulation aren't problems for us—not in the way they were for the totalitarian societies of the mid-twentieth century. In How Propaganda Works, Jason Stanley demonstrates that more attention needs to be paid. He examines how propaganda operates subtly, how it undermines democracy—particularly the ideals of democratic deliberation and equality—and how it has damaged democracies of the past. Focusing on the shortcomings of liberal democratic states, Stanley provides a historically grounded introduction to democratic political theory as a window into the misuse of democratic vocabulary for propaganda's selfish purposes. He lays out historical examples, such as the restructuring of the US public school system at the turn of the twentieth century, to explore how the language of democracy is sometimes used to mask an undemocratic reality. Drawing from a range of sources, including feminist theory, critical race theory, epistemology, formal semantics, educational theory, and social and cognitive psychology, he explains how the manipulative and hypocritical declaration of flawed beliefs and ideologies arises from and perpetuates inequalities in society, such as the racial injustices that commonly occur in the United States. How Propaganda Works shows that an understanding of propaganda and its mechanisms is essential for the preservation and protection of liberal democracies everywhere. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Uncovering Texas Politics in the 21st Century Eric Lopez, Marcus Stadelmann, Robert E. Sterken, Jr., 2020-01-13 |
| rick mercer canada explained: Introduction to Information Retrieval Christopher D. Manning, Prabhakar Raghavan, Hinrich Schütze, 2008-07-07 Class-tested and coherent, this textbook teaches classical and web information retrieval, including web search and the related areas of text classification and text clustering from basic concepts. It gives an up-to-date treatment of all aspects of the design and implementation of systems for gathering, indexing, and searching documents; methods for evaluating systems; and an introduction to the use of machine learning methods on text collections. All the important ideas are explained using examples and figures, making it perfect for introductory courses in information retrieval for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in computer science. Based on feedback from extensive classroom experience, the book has been carefully structured in order to make teaching more natural and effective. Slides and additional exercises (with solutions for lecturers) are also available through the book's supporting website to help course instructors prepare their lectures. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Ethical Oil Ezra Levant, 2011-05-03 Canada's no. 1 defender of freedom of speech and the bestselling author of Shakedown makes the timely and provocative case that when it comes to oil, ethics matter just as much as the economy and the environment. In 2009, Ezra Levant's bestselling book Shakedown revealed the corruption of Canada's human rights commissions and was declared the most important public affairs book of the year. In Ethical Oil, Levant turns his attention to another hot-button topic: the ethical cost of our addiction to oil. While many North Americans may be aware of the financial and environmental price we pay for a gallon of gas or a barrel of oil, Levant argues that it is time we consider ethical factors as well. With his trademark candor, Levant asks hard-hitting questions: With the oil sands at our disposal, is it ethically responsible to import our oil from the Sudan, Russia, and Mexico? How should we weigh carbon emissions with human rights violations in Saudi Arabia? And assuming that we can't live without oil, can the development of energy be made more environmentally sustainable? In Ethical Oil, Levant exposes the hypocrisy of the West's dealings with the reprehensible regimes from which we purchase the oil that sustains our lifestyles, and offers solutions to this dilemma. Readers at all points on the political spectrum will want to read this timely and provocative new book, which is sure to spark debate. |
| rick mercer canada explained: To the Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America's Foreign Policy Disconnect Mary Thompson-Jones, 2016-07-12 A former American diplomat reveals a disconnect between Washington policymakers and those who work in US embassies. When the world awoke on November 28, 2010, and read the first of the 251,287 State Department cables made public by WikiLeaks, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini warned, “It will be the September 11th of world diplomacy.” The WikiLeaks scandal certainly stirred tempers around the world, but it was not the implosion that many leaders expected: rather, it shed a new spotlight on the work of the U.S. foreign service. In To the Secretary, Mary Thompson-Jones explores the most fascinating and overlooked of these cables to offer an unparalleled window into the day-to-day work of U.S. diplomats, demystifying the lives of those who implement America’s foreign policy across the globe. From the story of Bulgaria’s Aleksi “the Tractor” Petrov to disappearing ballot ink in Ukraine, a Honduran coup d’état, or disaster relief for a devastated Haiti, To the Secretary depicts the work of ambassadors and foreign service officers through their firsthand narratives dealing with crises, corruption, and testy world leaders. Negotiating distinctly un-American customs and corridors of power, these shrewd brokers in embassies from Argentina to Zimbabwe worked tirelessly to promote American diplomacy in a world frequently hostile to the United States. To the Secretary also reveals the disconnect that diplomats face at home, guided by conflicting approaches from multiple Washington stakeholders intent on their own agenda, often unaware of realities on the ground. In an honest assessment of America’s foreign policy challenges, Thompson-Jones describes the deepening gulf between decision makers in Washington and their diplomats in the field. From misinterpreted analyses of anti-Americanism to Washington’s unwillingness to send resources to support diplomatic activities that could make a difference, To the Secretary shows what policymakers can learn from diplomats abroad—and how this can strengthen America’s place in an unstable world. |
| rick mercer canada explained: The Emperor of All Maladies Siddhartha Mukherjee, 2011-08-09 Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, adapted as a documentary from Ken Burns on PBS, this New York Times bestseller is “an extraordinary achievement” (The New Yorker)—a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” of cancer. Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, and a biographer’s passion. The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with—and perished from—for more than five thousand years. The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out “war against cancer.” The book reads like a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist. Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Slavery and the University Leslie Maria Harris, James T. Campbell, Alfred L. Brophy, 2019-02-01 Slavery and the University is the first edited collection of scholarly essays devoted solely to the histories and legacies of this subject on North American campuses and in their Atlantic contexts. Gathering together contributions from scholars, activists, and administrators, the volume combines two broad bodies of work: (1) historically based interdisciplinary research on the presence of slavery at higher education institutions in terms of the development of proslavery and antislavery thought and the use of slave labor; and (2) analysis on the ways in which the legacies of slavery in institutions of higher education continued in the post-Civil War era to the present day. The collection features broadly themed essays on issues of religion, economy, and the regional slave trade of the Caribbean. It also includes case studies of slavery's influence on specific institutions, such as Princeton University, Harvard University, Oberlin College, Emory University, and the University of Alabama. Though the roots of Slavery and the University stem from a 2011 conference at Emory University, the collection extends outward to incorporate recent findings. As such, it offers a roadmap to one of the most exciting developments in the field of U.S. slavery studies and to ways of thinking about racial diversity in the history and current practices of higher education. |
| rick mercer canada explained: The Circle Dave Eggers, 2013-10-08 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A bestselling dystopian novel that tackles surveillance, privacy and the frightening intrusions of technology in our lives—a “compulsively readable parable for the 21st century” (Vanity Fair). When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO. Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Crossing the Quality Chasm Institute of Medicine, Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, 2001-08-19 Second in a series of publications from the Institute of Medicine's Quality of Health Care in America project Today's health care providers have more research findings and more technology available to them than ever before. Yet recent reports have raised serious doubts about the quality of health care in America. Crossing the Quality Chasm makes an urgent call for fundamental change to close the quality gap. This book recommends a sweeping redesign of the American health care system and provides overarching principles for specific direction for policymakers, health care leaders, clinicians, regulators, purchasers, and others. In this comprehensive volume the committee offers: A set of performance expectations for the 21st century health care system. A set of 10 new rules to guide patient-clinician relationships. A suggested organizing framework to better align the incentives inherent in payment and accountability with improvements in quality. Key steps to promote evidence-based practice and strengthen clinical information systems. Analyzing health care organizations as complex systems, Crossing the Quality Chasm also documents the causes of the quality gap, identifies current practices that impede quality care, and explores how systems approaches can be used to implement change. |
| rick mercer canada explained: The Doolittle Family in America William Frederick Doolittle, Louise Smylie Brown, Malissa R Doolittle, 2022-10-27 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
| rick mercer canada explained: The Book Review Digest , 2007 |
| rick mercer canada explained: Working Effectively with Aboriginal Peoples Robert P. C. Joseph, Cynthia F. Joseph, 2007 The changing legal, political and economic landscape of Aboriginal Peoples represent some of the biggest change, challenges, risks and exciting opportunities for individuals and organizations today. Whether you're just starting out or want to increase your knowledge, this book is written to help individuals and organizations to work more effectively with Aboriginal peoples. The information in this book has been field tested with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples and will help readers get beyond background information and aboriginal awareness and into understanding and guidance that can be applied in innovative ways wherever you find Aboriginal peoples. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Taking Care of Baby Dennis Kelly, 2015-04-14 This tale of a mother accused and convicted of the deaths of her two young babies is a horrific yet powerful. By adopting a form commonly associated with verbatim theatre, the subject is imbued with a clarity that is at once both unrelenting and utterly engaging, as it slowly emerges that these events are not truth at all, but Kelly masquerading theatrical illusion as truth. What unfolds is a bleak yet tender exploration of grief, exploitation, and the innate hypocrisies of reportage. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Understanding the Manitoba Election 2016 Christopher Adams, Jillian Austin, Richard Balasko, Curtis Brown, Colleen Bytheway, Emmet Collins, Sid Frankel, Joan Grace, Rory Henry, Derek Kornelsen, Kiera L. Ladner, Allen Mills, Aaron Moore, Jim Mulvale, Susan Prentice, Kelly Saunders, Todd Scarth, Wayne Simpson, Dan Smith, Paul G. Thomas, Mary Agnes Welch, Lori Wilkinson, Jon Young, 2016-05-05 The 2016 Manitoba election campaign began after more drama than any in the past two decades. Yet, the province basks in prolonged economic growth and Winnipeg continues to experience a public renaissance. So why does political discontent roil through the province? The governing New Democrats have weakened and demoralized themselves. The opposition Progressive Conservatives foresee victory but project little assurance of success. The Liberals ride a wave of popularity in Winnipeg, though appear fragile. What is going on and what will the campaign amount to? A team of two dozen political experts—academics, policy experts, and journalists—is following the campaign and will contribute their findings to Understanding the Manitoba Election 2016: Parties, Leaders, Campaigns, and Issues. Contributions will cover a wide range of themes, including public opinion, media coverage, voter turnout, Indigenous issues, fiscal and social policy, and the relation of Manitoba politics to recent developments across Canada. To be released on May 6, 2016, two weeks after the election, the open-access publication will provide early analysis and insights into the decision that Manitoba voters have made. Published in association with the University of Manitoba’s Duff Roblin Chair in Government. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Burke's Law Brian Burke, Stephen Brunt, 2020-10-13 #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER The gruffest man in hockey opens up about the challenges, the feuds, and the tragedies he's fought through. Brian Burke is one of the biggest hockey personalities--no, personalities full-stop--in the media landscape. His brashness makes him a magnet for attention, and he does nothing to shy away from it. Most famous for advocating pugnacity, truculence, testosterone, and belligerence during his tenure at the helm of the Maple Leafs, Burke has lived and breathed hockey his whole life. He has been a player, an agent, a league executive, a scout, a Stanley Cup-winning GM, an Olympic GM, and a media analyst. He has worked with Pat Quinn, Gary Bettman, and an array of future Hall of Fame players. No one knows the game better, and no one commands more attention when they open up about it. But there is more to Brian Burke than hockey. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and an accomplished businessman with hard-earned lessons that comefrom highly scrutinized decisions made at the helm of multi-million-dollar companies. And despite his brusque persona on camera and in the boardroom, he is nevertheless a father with a story to tell. He lost his youngest son in a car accident, and has had to grapple with that grief, even in the glare of the spotlight. Many Canadians and hockey fans knew Brendan Burke's name already, because his father had become one of the country's most outspoken gay-rights advocates when Brendan came out in 2009. From someone whose grandmother told him never to start a fight, but never to run from one either, Burke's Law is an unforgettable account of old beefs and old friendships, scores settled and differences forgiven, and many lessons learned the hard way. |
| rick mercer canada explained: Financial Management , 2009 |
Watch Rick and Morty on Adult Swim
Rick is a mad scientist who drags his grandson, Morty, on crazy sci-fi adventures. Their escapades often have potentially harmful consequences for their family and the rest of the …
Rick Sanchez | Rick and Morty Wiki | Fandom
Richard "Rick" Sanchez of Dimension C-137, commonly referred to as Rick C-137, is the titular main protagonist of Rick and Morty. He is a megagenius[16] scientist whose alcoholism and …
Rick and Morty (TV Series 2013– ) - IMDb
Rick and Morty: Created by Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland. With Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, Sarah Chalke, Justin Roiland. The fractured domestic lives of a nihilistic mad …
Rick and Morty - Wikipedia
Rick and Morty is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Cartoon Network's nighttime programming block Adult Swim.
Battle of the Ricks | Rick and Morty | adult swim
Rick, Morty, and Evil Morty join forces to take on Rick's greatest nemesis, the vengeful Rick Prime. Catch all-new episodes of Rick and Morty …
Watch Rick and Morty on Adult Swim
Rick is a mad scientist who drags his grandson, Morty, on crazy sci-fi adventures. Their escapades often …
Rick Sanchez | Rick and Morty Wiki | Fandom
Richard "Rick" Sanchez of Dimension C-137, commonly referred to as Rick C-137, is the titular main protagonist …
Rick and Morty (TV Series 2013– ) - IMDb
Rick and Morty: Created by Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland. With Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, Sarah …
Rick and Morty - Wikipedia
Rick and Morty is an American adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon …
Battle of the Ricks | Rick and Morty | adult swim
Rick, Morty, and Evil Morty join forces to take on Rick's greatest nemesis, the vengeful Rick Prime. Catch all-new …
