Although boredom is common, it is neither trivial nor benign, according to John Eastwood, a psychologist at York University. Eastwood is the joint author of The Unengaged Mind, a major new paper on the theory of boredom. Boredom, he points out, has been associated with increased drug and alcohol abuse, overeating, depression and anxiety, and an increased risk of making mistakes. Mistakes at work might not be a matter of life and death for most of us, but if you are an air traffic controller, pilot or nuclear power plant operator, they most certainly can be, reported The Guardian in the UK Oct. 14. Read full story.
Failed refugee claimants find sanctuary in Toronto churches
There have been four cases of sanctuary in the Toronto area over the past year, said Michael Creal, a retired York University professor and founder of the Southern Ontario Sanctuary coalition. Police and border security officials have not intervened in any of them, he said, reported the Toronto Star Oct. 14. Read full story.
Somali-Canadian murders: With their sons dying, a community seeks action — and help
Farhia Abdi, a Somali-Canadian woman who recently completed a thesis on the subject for York University’s masters of education program, says she believes the school board is failing in its mandate. “The statistics are shocking,” she says, adding that the problem begins in elementary school. The data, she says, show that about 60 per cent of kids are coming into high schools performing below average in reading, writing, math and science, with many failing, reported the Toronto Star Oct. 15. Read full story.