Allen Braude (he/him) 🏳️‍🌈

I’ve been silent recently as I navigate living with ALS. But I have great news. I got married to my husband Ken on our tenth anniversary - May 21. Photo by Shay Markowitz.

I been silent for a while as in late February I was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) which is genetic due to a faulty gene - a C9orf72 expansion.
I am fortunate to be very well supported as I face this illness.
I welcome words of encouragement.

Can anyone provide an example where tax cuts for the very wealthy helped anyone other than the very wealthy? I’m not aware of a single one.

Hey Ontario - please vote!
So far only 6% of eligible voters have cast a ballot.
In the recent German election a record 83.5% voted. Something to aspire to!
No voter card? No worries - you can still vote! The link has all the info you need.
And yes, I voted.
www.elections.on.ca/en/voting-in...

Mister Wallace - It Girl (Official Music Video) YouTube video by FUTUREHOOD

It's #MusicMonday and each week in 2025 I'm celebrating #LGBTQ+ music artists.
Mister Wallace is a rapper, DJ and producer. I love the song IT GIRL from the FAGGOT EP and its sexy fabulous video. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEnm...

A congestion czar, fewer lane closures, more cameras: How Toronto's board of trade wants to tackle traffic | CBC News The Toronto Region Board of Trade released its congestion action plan with five key recommendations to help alleviate Toronto's congestion crisis today.

This so-called 'Congestion Action Plan' from the Toronto Region Board of Trade completely misses the best way to reduce congestion - reduce the number of cars on the road!
That means more public transit, more bike lanes & more affordable housing close to jobs.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

We asked three experts about Doug Ford’s plan to build a Highway 401 tunnel. Here’s why it won’t stop congestion and why you might be retired before it’s done Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford said the tunnel will reduce highway gridlock. Transportation experts, however, say it might just cost a lot of money.

The experts agree: a tunnel under the 401 is a terrible idea. Here's how to reduce congestion now:
1. Improve public transit, especially Bus Rapid Transit
2. Expanding bike lanes
3. Build more homes close to public transit
4. Congestion pricing
www.thestar.com/politics/pro...

Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) YouTube video by SylvesterVEVO

It's #MusicMonday and I'm celebrating #LGBTQIA+ music artists.
Today it's the super fabulous Sylvester and their timeless classic queer dance floor anthem: You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).
Get dancing!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD6c...

As a youth I read a book titled “Small is Beautiful”
Time to apply that to cars to make life safer for all.
Also, invest in public transit, separated bike lanes and wider sidewalks so that it’s easier to not drive at all.

OTTAWA'S UNREALITIC TARGET: Study - Canada Must Build 840 Solar-Power Stations or 16 Nuclear Power Plants to Meet Ottawa’s 2050 Emission-Reduction Target

The new climate denial
File this under "The task is too daunting, so let's give up"
I say let's go for it and do as much as we can, except for nuclear, which is far too expensive & has a waste problem
Also, no mention of offshore wind, hmm.....
energynow.ca/2025/02/unre...

Due to travel plans made before Ontario called an election, I had to vote early. So early I had to write in the name of the person I was voting for. I quite liked voting this way. I might do it again for a future election.

Me'shell Ndegeocello - I'm Diggin' You (like n old soul rec) YouTube video by julesfrominglewood

It's #MusicMonday and I'm celebrating #LGBTQIA music artists. Today it's Meshell Ndegeocello. I first listened to her back in '93 when I got her debut album Plantation Lullabies. Here's a live version of my favourite track: I'm Diggin' You (Like An Old Soul Record)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AN...

Billy Porter - Children YouTube video by BillyPorterVEVO

I'm back after a personal break
I'm here to celebrate #LGBTQIA+ musicians this #MusicMonday
Black Mona Lisa is the most recent album from the multi-talented Billy Porter.
CHILDREN is my favourite song on the album and has a super fabulous video. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4aq...

Unfortunately she hasn’t shown to be very supportive of the level of climate action we need. This is not about the carbon tax - it’s about her support as finance minister of propping up the oil & gas industry.

In 2001, I saw a weekday matinee screening of Mulholland Dr.
There were two older conservative-looking women a couple of rows in front of me. At the end, one woman said to the other: “Wasn’t that just fantastic!”
A moment as Lynchian as the film.
R.I.P. David Lynch

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope (feat. Big Boi) [Official Music Video] YouTube video by Janelle Monáe

Week two of #MusicMonday celebrating LGBTQ+ musicians features Tightrope by Janelle Monae. I've been fortunate to see them in concert twice, each time proving what an outstanding performer they are!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwne...

Why We Must Talk About Climate Change When Things Are on Fire - Environmental Defence This blog was updated on July 24, 2024 to reflect the increase in wildfires in Alberta, the evacuation of the town of Jasper and the closing of Jasper

While this blog is about fires this past summer, it applies to the current ones:
Staying silent about the connection between climate change & natural disasters won’t lead to the action needed to address these tragic events. It simply perpetuates the crisis.
environmentaldefence.ca/2024/05/15/w...

Elton John - I'm Still Standing YouTube video by EltonJohnVEVO

For 2025, every #MusicMonday I'll post a song by an artist in the #2SLGBTQ+ community.
To start, here's I'm Still Standing by Elton John, featuring an iconic music video and a fantastic anthem to start the year. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwV...

Canadian forests primed for more severe wildfire days, new research warns | CBC News The country is increasingly primed for severe, uncontrollable wildfires, a study published Thursday said, underlining what the authors described as a pressing need to proactively mitigate the "increas...

New research shows that climate change is leading to more wildfires in Canada. As temperatures increase so will fires. What the article doesn't say is that the main cause of climate change is the use of fossil fuels: oil, gas & coal.
Time to phase out fossil fuels!
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Happy New Year! A reminder that if Canada gets rid of the carbon tax this year, most Canadians will be worse off (no more carbon tax rebates), except for the very wealthy who will be better off. So if you care about income inequality (and the environment) don’t get rid of the carbon tax.

Poster for Tangerine, a 2015 film directed by Sean Baker

This Christmas Eve, I'll be watching an excellent Xmas film that isn't It's A Wonderful Life or Die Hard (both solid choices).
It's TANGERINE! If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it.

Destroy this myth. Please share if you have visited and researched in a library this past year! RT And give a shout out to your favorite library you have ever visited.

Although it’s important for governments to phase out electricity generated from fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) and move to a fully renewable energy grid, I do think balcony solar is great.

One of may favourite things when Friday is the 13th day of a month is I get to use the word triskaidekaphobia as in "No, I don't suffer from triskaidekaphobia but have sympathy for those who do."
Happy Friday the 13th!

Why AI isn’t always helpful proofreading:
Yesterday I received an email that meant to say: Our main focus is a sustainable environment.
Instead it said: Our main fuc&s is a sustainable environment.
And the & was actually a k

I love not love how the fossil fuel lobby, which for decades hid research that showed that fossil fuels would create a climate crisis and then worked to convince people that fossil fuel are not a problem, keeps saying that the environmental movement runs disinformation campaigns

Trudeau government’s carbon price has had ‘minimal’ effect on inflation and food costs, study concludes Carbon pricing had a small impact on the rate of inflation over the past five years, when the climate policy was responsible for a "small fraction" of the surge in

New research shows that the carbon tax caused 0.5% of inflation since 2019
In other words, the carbon tax is NOT driving inflation
I repeat: the carbon tax is NOT driving inflation
www.thestar.com/politics/fed...

Just read that Ontario has seen the largest increase in the number of whooping cough cases in 17 years due a large number of people not getting the vaccine against the disease.
Vaccines prevent illness and death. Please get vaccinated if you can.

Queer In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student,…

I saw & loved the film Queer. Here are 5 reasons why:
1. Beautiful cinematography
2. Daniel Craig is outstanding
3. Sexy
4. Funny
5. A moving look at longing & loneliness

a24films.com/films/queer

One of the impacts of climate change is rising food prices. That’s why climate actions such as increasing renewable energy and capping oil & gas pollution will make life more affordable.

www.cbc.ca/news/busines...