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Saturday May 20, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday May 20, 2017

Americans are camping in record numbers, but they still want Wi-Fi

According to a report released by Kampgrounds of America (KOA), a group of privately held campgrounds, more and more Americans are now spending their leisure time camping.

July 2, 2008

Since 2014, the percentage of campers of who say that they take three or more camping trips a year has increased by more than 36 percent. Infrequent campers (those who go just once a year) have simultaneously dropped by 10 percent. In 2017 half of all campers surveyed said that they’re planning to spend even more time camping this year.

More than half of millennials surveyed (51 percent) said that they planned to go camping more often in 2017. Millennials also mark the age range to most enjoy the activity in large groups–10 or more travelers.

But neither millennials – nor campers in general – are completely cutting the cord. According to the study, 95 percent of people who go camping bring some sort of technology with them while 37 percent of campers said that some sort of tech was actually required for their trip in order to spend more time outdoors. About half of survey respondents indicated that least free Wi-Fi was a big factor when deciding where to stay.

And when it comes to sleeping, conventional tents were the most popular, according to the study. But the number of campers electing to use RVs or cabins is also increasing. (Source: Fox News) http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/03/21/americans-are-camping-in-record-numbers-but-still-want-wi-fi.html

long weekend, holiday, camping, family, campground, gadgets, devices, social media, Internet, technology, tradition, vacation, media, laptops, addiction (Source: Fox News)

The Western Star, Corner Brook, Nfld., May 23, 2017

Wednesday April 12, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday April 12, 2017

Twitter skewers United with #NewUnitedAirlinesMotto

A day after viral videos of a bloodied man being dragged off an overbooked United flight at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport by aviation security fueled criticism of the airline, Twitter users poked fun at the airline’s tactics.

September 22, 2015

“We overbooked but you pay the price,” ”We Put The Hospital In Hospitality” and “We’ll drag you all over the world” were among the faux slogans being offered up on social media under #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos.

Others posted memes imagining Negan, the bat-wielding villain from “The Walking Dead,” patrolling the plane’s aisle. Another meme repurposed Monday’s viral image of a Florida sheriff denouncing drug dealers while surrounded by menacing officers by making the group appear to be standing in front of a United customer service counter.

September 17, 2015

United had offered vouchers worth $800 to anyone who would volunteer to give up their seat on the flight Sunday, but found no takers. Merriam-Webster says searches for the definition of “volunteer” in its online dictionary jumped 1,900 percent Monday. Merriam-Webster defines the term as “someone who does something without being forced to do it.”

Jimmy Kimmel quickly reacted to the controversy on his ABC late-night show Monday, with a fake United commercial that showed a flight attendant armed with brass knuckles.

United Airlines’ parent company CEO Oscar Munoz said he’s “upset” by the incident but believes his employees took the right action. (Source: Chicago Tribune) 

 

Friday January 20, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 20, 2017

President Trump’s Twitter plans: Tweet as usual

President-elect Donald Trump is well on his way to be an entirely new kind of “Tweeter in Chief,” with no plans to cut back on his frequent use of Twitter despite the disapproval of the majority of Americans and a range of security risks.

January 20, 1997 second inauguration of U.S. President Bill Clinton. Graphite sketch (Prisma filtered)

He’s tweeting despite the fact that this week a new NBC/WSJ poll reported that 69 percent of Americans believe Trump’s Twitter habits are a “bad thing” and want him to cut back. Just 26 percent of respondents said Trump’s use of Twitter is good, agreeing with the statement that “it allows a president to directly communicate to people immediately.” It’s no surprise that Democrats overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s tweets — just 8 percent say it’s good. And Republicans are divided, with 47 percent calling his tweets a bad idea.

January 20, 2001

Though Trump will inherit the @POTUS handle President Barack Obama established in May 2015, along with its 13.2 million followers, Trump won’t give up his personal account, which has 20.3 million followers, and plans to keep tweeting from it. The Obama administration’s “digital transition” team will wipe the timelines clean of @POTUS accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and will archive all that content. (Source: CNBC) 

 

Tuesday September 22, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Tuesday September 22, 2015 Stephen Harper 'playing a very divisive game' with niqabs, Tom Mulcair says Stephen Harper is "playing a very divisive game" with his government's effort to impose a ban on niqabs during the citizenship oath, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday, just days before a French-language debate in Quebec Ñ a province in which identity politics continues to drive a wedge between voters. "I'm not about the politics of fear and division. Mr. Harper is going to always go after that. If he senses that there's something there that can divide Canadians one against the other, he'll do it," said Mulcair during a morning campaign stop in Nova Scotia. The Bloc QuŽbŽcois has also taken up the issue, saying it would go even further than the Tories and impose a ban on face coverings during citizenship ceremonies and in the voting booth. For his part, Mulcair has had to negotiate a tricky path on the issue. His party needs to retain the hard-won votes it secured in Quebec in 2011, but cannot risk losing support in the diverse suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver, where voters appear to be opposed to the government's effort to impose a ban. Part of his approach has been to accuse Harper of dog-whistle politics. "He talks about 'old stock Canadians,'" Mulcair said this morning, alluding to a comment Harper made during last week's leaders' debate in Calgary. "That's a code word. He knows what he's doing when he does that." Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that the Grits have "always been crystal clear" about their opposition to a ban on niqabs and other veils. (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-niqab-bloc-1.3236837 Canada, Stephen Harper, dog whistle, politics, dogs, social media, old stock Canadians, code, hidden agenda, racism, Lynton Crosby, twitter, facebook

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 22, 2015

Stephen Harper ‘playing a very divisive game’ with niqabs, Tom Mulcair says

Stephen Harper is “playing a very divisive game” with his government’s effort to impose a ban on niqabs during the citizenship oath, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday, just days before a French-language debate in Quebec — a province in which identity politics continues to drive a wedge between voters.

Friday March 13, 2015“I’m not about the politics of fear and division. Mr. Harper is going to always go after that. If he senses that there’s something there that can divide Canadians one against the other, he’ll do it,” said Mulcair during a morning campaign stop in Nova Scotia.

The Bloc Québécois has also taken up the issue, saying it would go even further than the Tories and impose a ban on face coverings during citizenship ceremonies and in the voting booth.

For his part, Mulcair has had to negotiate a tricky path on the issue. His party needs to retain the hard-won votes it secured in Quebec in 2011, but cannot risk losing support in the diverse suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver, where voters appear to be opposed to the government’s effort to impose a ban.

Part of his approach has been to accuse Harper of dog-whistle politics.

“He talks about ‘old stock Canadians,'” Mulcair said this morning, alluding to a comment Harper made during last week’s leaders’ debate in Calgary.

“That’s a code word. He knows what he’s doing when he does that.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that the Grits have “always been crystal clear” about their opposition to a ban on niqabs and other veils. (Source: CBC News)

Saskatoo Star Phoenix, September 23, 2015

Saskatoo Star Phoenix, September 23, 2015