Friday Post Stamp Parade

science

I have decided that i am really happy i watched a lot of Bill Nye, and read too many Magic School Bus episodes. But seriously people DO YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SCIENCE.
I know very little about science, but i feel like other people know less.
apparently people believe that if you put warmer water in a freezer it will turn to ice faster. WRONG! physics people. PHYSICS!
Second apparently noise only travels up, or down. or something that sounds totally absurd to me.
Thank god for educational children's programing and books.

Travel Diary

I am so bad at diary-keeping. I spent a semester in London a couple years ago, and the journal I promised to store my memories in is ridiculously skimpy and vague.

One page reads,

Sunday September ?
Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath:

I am so tired. A man said "Jolly Good" to me.

Keats House:

[Just a smudge of soil on the page labelled "Keats Dirt!"]

The only time I got some serious ink down on the page was while I was trapped on a long bus ride from London to the Lake District. Even then, the diary mainly consists of strange ramblings, rather than insightful travel logging

October 17, 2006

Here I am again, setting out on yet another crazy lone adventure [...]I'm feeling like a bit of an idiot for taking a coach to Keswick. Christ, this is going to be a long ride. Also, I stink of orange.
NO! I am determined to enjoy myself like never before!!!!
Weee! Hurrah!

- omg, these seats recline! GLORY HALLY-LU-YA! This improves things immensely

- I'm so lazy. My brain is a blob of mush.
[drawing of a brain, with sections labelled:

• sleepin'
  
• slackin'
  
• procrastinatin'
• chillin'
  
• messin'
  
• skivin'
  
• thinkin']

- There are so many old ladies doddering about these North London streets. What's up with that?

- The woman behind me doesn't care for dimly lit cafes. She likes to see what's on her plate!

- I want my first husband to be named George, so that if I'm widowed I can mourn "Darling George" for years, just like Amelia Sedley in Vanity Fair, or Rose Nylund in Golden Girls

- I wonder how much the drivers earn?

Agghh! I want to not be on this bus anymore, thanks. This has been a total old ladies wagon. When the old ladies get off at their stops they have people waiting for them with hugs and probably cars and hot dinners.
Bleh. I am jealous of old ladies because at best I'll find a McDonalds, then walk in the rain and dark to a mysterious hostel which may be difficult to find.
And I'm ALONE, ALOOOONE!

Starting to get motion sickness!
FUCK WHY IS THIS ROAD SO WINDING? I bet it is charming in daylight, but right now I FUCKING DESPISE IT."

Can't wait to show this writing to my grandchildren. Although, in a later entry on the same journey I describe the scenery as "outrageously bucolic." I think that turn of phrase alone should get me some offers from the travel mags.

P.S. I have just looked it up, and contrary to my statement in October 2006, George was Blanche's husband, not Rose's.

Jil Sander how you slay me!

orgasmic? for me, pretty darn close. Thank you Jil Sander.

Friday Post Stamp Parade

Flight of the Conchords Season 2

Letter from Planned Parenthood

Minutes ago, President Bush’s rule limiting the rights of patients to receive complete and accurate reproductive health information when they visit a federally funded health care provider was made official. And, unfortunately, it will take a great deal of work to reverse it — starting today. Please help.

We knew this was coming, of course. With your help, we’ve been fighting it for months. The rule is clearly a parting gift from Bush to the anti-choice fringe that supported him all these years.

Now, anti-choice medical staff can withhold information about abortion, birth control, and sex education from their patients. Facilities that receive family planning funding, like Planned Parenthood, will have to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control. For example, a doctor who opposes pre-marital sex could refuse to provide a prescription or even information about emergency contraception to an unmarried woman.

Frankly, we're livid. We believe that tricking women when they are most vulnerable is wrong — and the federal government shouldn't pay people to do it. Especially now, when so many people are already in crisis as a result of the economy, We can’t help but feel that this rule is a particularly low blow to the people who need our help, our support, and our most accurate and effective care the most.

Even with a new president and administration coming in soon, this won’t be easy to fix. It’s going to take more than a simple signature to reverse it. We’re starting our work today and we need your help. Please ask the Obama administration to reverse the new rule immediately.


Sincerely,
Planned Parenthood Action Fund

P.S. This is a particularly challenging time for so many. More and more people are turning to Planned Parenthood as they lose their jobs and their health insurance — and at a time when donations are down. Your financial support of the Action Fund’s advocacy efforts, if you can spare it, is much appreciated. Thank you.

Zara Union

My mom likes to send me emails about issues she thinks i would be interested in because they are more relevant to my life. Mostly young women work at ZARA. Really its not that different from my place of employment. H&M is not unionized. If it was there are a verity of complains i would have already made about conditions. I would at least do something about that bloody cash beeping.

Zara workers joined UNITE HERE in Fall 2007 in order to improve working
conditions at their store. They were tired of their unpredictable
schedules, working shortstaffed, bosses' favoritism, and disregard for
seniority.

Instead of respecting employees' right to join a union, since Fall 2007,
ZARA has engaged in conduct which may have violated the Quebec Labour
Code, including:

* *Firing four employees* who supported the union at ZARA's Rockland
Mall store in April and May 2008
* *Demoting two employees* who led a union drive at ZARA's downtown
Montreal store in August 2007
* Holding anti-union meetings at three Montreal stores in 2007-2008,
*in one case telling employees that joining a union is "treason"
against the company*.

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Send a message to David Pastrana, President of Zara Canada, add your name to the petition.

Hey guys, I should share this important discovery!

I feel like I've shown off this video in the fairly recent past, but I certainly haven't posted it here yet. Every second of it is pure gold.

EDIT: I just realized that I should probably contextualize this better, in case you didn't grow up in Canada in the late 80s/ early 90s, or aren't a Rufus Wainwright fan. This is a song written and performed by young Rufus for the Canadian film Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller. I remember enjoying it as a very small child, but I haven't seen it since then.

Equal Pay

loved this.

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Wile watching this video i could not help but think of all the places and incidents where these rights are not respected. Maybe if everyone knows their rights we can all work to have them realized for everyone everywhere.

Friday Post Stamp Parade

In the spirit of Sweet Juniper's Friday Morning Street Urchin Blogging, which I have enjoyed for a few years now, I'm starting this as an Official Thing. Enjoy the visual delights of my stamp collection! (I call it mine, but I have actually contributed nothing to it, and basically just admire the pretty pictures.)

Mike Huckabee on Jon Stewart

John Stewart has some great quotes in this part of the interview. Chchchcheck it out!

I just read an article about transparency in salaries to ensure women are not getting payed to little. Basically it advocated that women make pacts with each other and to always disclose how much they make. I am constantly surprised at how secretive people are about how much they make. My parents have very strong socialist and feminist values and for me these values have always been a given. It is not only to ensure women are payed freely that I believe salaries should be transparent, but because EVERYONE should have fair salary, and everyone should know if someone is not pulling their weight for the work they do, and likewise someone is not being payed enough to maintain a decent standard of living.
The end of the article urged readers to make this pact, or better yet, make a pact with yourself to always be open and honest when discussing your salary especially if you feel it could help someone else gain leverage and receive a more fair wage. who's with me?

Women and Advertising

Guest post! This piece comes from the illustrious keyboard of our friend Alex Lyons.

Advertising. Bill Hicks used to say, “if you work in advertising, kill yourself.” Haha, right? He wasn’t kidding, and I’m starting to realize why. At least once a day I’m flabbergasted by how women are portrayed in adverts, especially television commercials.

In the world of television commercials, women are relegated to either the kitchen, or to a Swiffer WetJet. They are subhumans who prepare nachos for her husband and his jock-douchebag friends while they watch “the game”. Also, women are the only ones who use a paper towel, and know how to bake some Tater Tots.


Tim just told me about Ford’s new campaign, it’s called: “Women Ain’t Aughta Drive!”

Oh, and by the way, did you see the one with the girl and her boobs? The blond one. With the impossible body, and botox smile? Yeah, well, she told me to drink Diet Coke. I suggest you do the same.

To be fair, the bulk of the commercials I’m referring to, and have a major fucking problem with, are for domestic products. That is, cleaning products, house decor, and things you stick in the oven. It’s true that I have seen women portrayed positively in commercials before, but when it comes to the domestic market, women are pigeonholed into replacing the toilet paper roll. Why are women still portrayed as the domestic goddess? Sure some women embrace the Victorian notion of domesticity, but as a man, I buy paper towels too. I like to put food in the oven. I’m sure I’m not the only one. So why, I ask you, do these companies only cater to the female demographic?

Because they’re sexist.

There is frequent discussion about the standards of beauty the media portrays, and while I have a problem with that, I think people generally ignore the gender roles some of these companies propagate.

I’d like to see a man in a store, thinking about what to make for dinner. I’d like to see a man dancing around his home, Risky Business style, cleaning up some dust. I actually wouldn’t care to see that, but you know what I mean.

What I want is balance. Not because I feel men are underrepresented in these kinds of adverts, but because women are being stereotyped. Certainly that kind of domestic woman exists, and that’s fine, but it’s not ALL women. How about some variety, Mr. Corporation? Is that too scary for you?

Get your head out of the middle ages, you sexist suckers of Satan’s serpent. And by serpent, I mean evil. You are all evil.

For Bill Hicks’ views on marketing and advertising, see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo

How Condoms are made!

This is reassuring!

Ping/Pong

Celebrities love table tennis!

the Christmas Spirit!

Kate Beaton

We constantly talk about how advertisements give us a terrible image of reality, and how that leads to people feeling bad about themselves. I believe that despite this, we still don't fully understand how drastic unreal image is. Multiple articles on the internet (sent to me by Molly) show the before and after photos of Jessica Alba for a recent alcohol add. This is not the first time I have seen Photoshop before and after photographs. it is rather easy to find portfolios for photoshopers. Looking at Alba's waist makes me sick. Based on this second photo, women (and men) constantly believe their bodies can look like that. Yet Alba is actually double the size. Photoshop has gone so far that even her saucy expression is desperately different. Join me in feeling sick. Maybe after seeing this I will be less jealous of fashion photos. I think the point is not, very few people can look like that, but nobody will look like that without a photoshoper present.

Stalin and Layton

I was just on blogTo.com and got freaked out... does any one else see the creepy poster of Stalin and Layton. I don't even know how to understand that.
BlogTO.com has videos about the rallies in Toronto, if you want to learn more. I didn't go because i already had a full day.

I also found a TTC music Video, so i thought i would share the Top 3 TTC songs.

mini Feminists

in this episode of "smart girls at the party" Ruby talks about her interests and talents and how they are informed by feminism. It is super cute and relatable. Especially when Ruby sings the song she wrote. It reminds me of my sister and I and the feminist songs we wrote not much other than Ruby. Though i do still harbor a love for Barbie myself, i am disappointed that the show has been sponsored by Barbie.



For the record; High School Musical! all the way!

Charming

Tammi's little dance at 00:40.

I'm trying to reprogram my brain by watching this video repeatedly. Hopefully I can erase the damage caused by Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, and Whoopie.

the Hills

and now for something more lighthearted, photos from the honeymoon.

More Canada

I think North America has somehow fallen victim to a bizarre wormhole of political insanity.
Just a few short years ago, I remember being proud of my government for all the great, progressive things they were standing up for. Kyoto, gay marriage, not joining the Iraq war... At the same time I pitied the U.S and their disaster of a President.

How the tables have turned!

The election of Prime Minister Harper back in 2006 ruined my birthday, but at least it was aboveboard. What I've witnessed today has astonished and disgusted me. I can't believe the Governor General has sanctioned his craven behavior and allowed Parliament to be shut down for weeks, just to save his hide. He says this is for the good of Canada.

Thanks, Mr Harper, but I believe that in our constitutional democracy, it is not up to you to decide independently what is good for Canada. You aren't a king. We VOTED for our representatives (Remember that unwanted election you called just the other day? Remember how the Canadians you are supposedly appealing to did NOT give you a majority?) Our representatives have the prerogative to voice their lack of confidence in your leadership, and you have the responsibility to face criticism and the will of the majority of parliamentarians. You can't just shut down debate and democracy just because you are losing, and expect me to believe this is for my own good.

What a sick joke. To paraphrase Richard Harris' Oliver Cromwell: "God damn this [Prime Minister]!"

Or maybe I'll go with "You are no more capable of managing the affairs of this nation than you are of running a brothel!"

Canada

For your BIG FAT information...
Canada is no longer a democracy. We Canadians are living in some alternate world where Parliament has been disabled until mid January. Harper has power will out the vote of the House. If you want to learn more... turn on the tv, open a paper, or read this article. I don't even fully understand what is going on, but from what I gather Harper is doing nothing to help the economy except take away the fragile rights of working families, women, and all other marginalized groups. Layton, and Gills got mad, they decided to make a coalition. the coalition acually included Jack and Stephane Dion. They had plans to vote out Harper's government on grounds of mistrust on Monday. Yesterday evening Harper talked to the people... except he said nothing. Dion later released a super embarrassing video.

Isn't that embarrassing?
This morning Harper groveled and begged Governor General Michaelle Jean to let him dissolve the house. She agreed, heaven knows why. And now we live in some odd dictatorship.
We are all waiting to see what happens next. Oh Canadian Politics how you slay me.

Prop 8 the Musical

I laughed, I cried, I really really wanted to share this with everyone i know!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Julio

A good friend Julio left for Argentina yesterday.

today Molly and i dressed up as Julio. I am sure This will be a common occurrence since we have acquired a lot of his stuff.

In this photo we are both wearing Julio sweaters, Molly has Julio glasses, and is holding an advent calendar left by Julio.

ps; does this not look like a Christmas morning photo.

Fashion ICON

my new Fashion icon is Lady GaGa. Check out those shoulder pads, seriously creative and HOT.

Nirvana the Band

This show appears to kick ass! It is set and filmed in Toronto, and rather blaitant about that fact in i assume is only a humorous way.

Nirvana the Band the Show.com

oral sex

recently in conversation with a few different friends of mine, the issues of oral sex and it's virginal status. It is a sensitive topic and i often feel weird about imposing my understanding and beliefs about it on women who are still navigating their virginal status. Please read this blog entry feministing.com

"I am currently enrolled in an online psychology class about human sexuality. Since it is an online course there are message board discussions for class participation grades. The questions given are opinion based and meant to be controversial. I have been increasingly agitated by the responses by the class to some of these questions. The most recent question is as follows:

Does oral sex qualify as “sex?” Bill Clinton didn’t seem to think so, and a number of teens today see oral sex as a “loophole” of sorts—a safe alternative to intercourse. What is your opinion? Does the definition of sex differ in different contexts or situations to include or exclude oral sex?

I had to chuckle when I first read the question because, for me, if it has sex as part of it’s name, then yes, oral sex is sex. It’s like asking “is the hot tea, tea?”

I soon discovered that a majority of board posters personally defined sex as penetrative, favouring penis in vagina penetration with a specific bent on virginity. I pointed out that such a definition of sex is heterocentric and phallocentric and that it excludes individuals, such as lesbians. I also thought that it was a dangerous definition that in the past has been used to define what actions are and are not rape, therefore disregarding and devaluing experiences of sexual assault.

It turns out the class wasn’t having any of my explanation. Even when one individual who agreed with me went to Webster’s Dictionary to find an “official” definitions which read as follows:

SEX - 3 a: sexually motivated phenomena or behavior b: sexual intercourse

SEXUAL INTERCOURSE - 1 : heterosexual intercourse involving penetration of the vagina by the penis : coitus
2 : intercourse (as anal or oral intercourse) that does not involve penetration of the vagina by the penis

Individuals still held to claims of sex only meaning that which includes a penis penetrating something. People have flat out written that they do not think lesbians are having or can have sex. I am most disturbed with the fact that these individuals do not see what is wrong with their argument.

The bottom line is that it is heterocentric and phallocentric to define sex around the “all mighty” penis. These arguments logically lead to understandings of sexual behaviour that centre around men and their pleasure. If the penis is the tool that defines when sex is occuring, that this means that men alone are “having sex” while women “have sex done” to them. This definition ignores any number of sexual experiences and behaviours that include sexual orientation, preference, and physical ability and it is harmful to devalue these experiences of others.

I don’t know why I am so surprised that a majority of people posting define and want adherence to a definition that is heterosexual and sexist… All I have to do is glance at the front cover of a Cosmo magazine and remember how our society defines sex and who is favoured within that definition."

If you look at both maxim and cosmo, though for different sex's are both about heterosexual pleasure of the man.

things i learned instead of doing homework

1. The Swedes now have a prescription heroin for addicts. I interpret it as an extension of a needle exchange, and personally my possition is 'pro'.

2. The NDP does not like Harper's new budget. Not a surprise but maybe you are interested in why. Well because it does not adequately deal with the ever present concern of most Canadians 'stimulating the economy'. In other political news if the NDP and the Bloc over through the current minority government Dion will be PM. now sure how that works, but i trust fakejacklayton to tell me the truth.

3. Some peoples priorities are; have a baby, call JJ GO!, eat a sandwich to regain strength.

4. Humans can do amazing things...
seriously SO amazing!

5. One could still have a career as a Pirate.

6. Some interesting person's thoughts on the forced end to the Kinder Cafe.

7. i was to lazy to learn about why i should not continue to be 'in love' with Obama. Can someone else read it and summarize? I have homework to do.

Feminist Songs!

proposition 8

Art Blog

Acey Thompson's Almost Phony Art Blog

I found this while looking for some ink wash inspiration, and I really, really like her art. She's doing one of those drawing-a-day projects I've been kind of tempted to do myself, and I'm impressed by how much variety of style she shows. If I ever do it, I expect it to be 365 ballpoint pen doodles.

She can also draw dogs! Wow!

Maybe I just enjoy shouting

I haven't been this annoyed by TV in a while.

I think the last time I spluttered with so much indignation was around the time of the first Bazillion $ bailout, when that ass Lou Dobbs kept complaining about 'foreign meddling' and 'an outrageous threat to U.S sovereignty' when some leaders in the EU or something had the audacity to express their concern that America was flushing the world's economy down the shit hole.

"SHUT UP LOU DOBBS. STOP BEING A BLUSTERY, XENOPHOBIC JERK," I believe I shouted.

Today's annoyance was actually on a similar theme. My mother has a disturbing addiction to Home and Garden television. I don't know why she enjoys watching boring people buy boring houses. The only show I like on that channel is EXTREME HOMES, because they are sometimes unique. Usually not all that EXTREME, but they generally have at least one slide in the place of a staircase to capture my attention. I'm also fond of that Phil Spencer, but even his show is a bit dull.

Tonight I saw some show about a young woman purchasing her first home. I tuned in just as she was saying something to the effect of "Normally I wouldn't even look at this house because it's out of my budget, but this time I'll put in a low offer and see what happens."
Now, I've seen enough of these shows to know that this is a stupid plan, because the idiot is going to omg totally fall in looooove and have to buy this overpriced house, at any cost. And, of course, this happened. The woman went on to purchase the house for $385, 000, absolutely no money down, with monthly mortgage payments of $2, 800. And I exploded with rage.

While the show played life-affirming music, while the agents and woman smiled and signed the papers, while the voice-over told me to never settle and that we all deserve our dream house, I sat in my chair fuming that THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS RUINED THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND SADDLED US ALL WITH THIS RECESSION. Jerks like her who think they need and deserve a huge house right off the bat, the greedy banks who would give someone such a large loan without any down payment, the television shows that encouraged this attitude of reckless materialism, and chumps like me who watched the damn shows and accept them as entertainment and a reasonable portrait of reality

I'm going to live in a gypsy caravan, paid for in cash.

Cheerleaders gone WILD!

Loved this article! read and comment here, or there.

Today i discovered a woman who might freak me out more than Sarah Palin!

"if you forget everything i say today, if there is only one think you take from me today let it be this, this is what i want you to here, if you have sex outside of marriage, one permanent, monogamous, (and monogamy does not mean one at a time) one partner, who has only been with you, if you have sex outside of that contact you will pay, there is a cost, no one has ever had sex outside of marriage and not paid!"
Pam Stenzel



I am too angry to even talk about her. What a... so frustrated!
I don't even know if can watch more video's or read the website. comment?

"I'd Come For you!"

Last week, at my friend Evan's Birthday Party, (probably the most entertaining party ever!) Evan informed me that he has been specially asked by his boss at Chart magazine to write the review of the new Nickleback album! I think it might have been the best birthday present ever for Evan.
Evan Dickson is a hilarious man and i think you should all take a gander. Its enlightening to know what persistently is being consumed by the mass of population, and what music represents Canada to the world.

Evan also interviews my friends Bryan and Corey for an article about their group, and the changing Toronto music scene called Dreaming in Binary Code. They are two of the members in the group Opopo. It was a wile back now, but i believe the statements are relevant and humorous.

Word up

pavonine. adj.
Of, relating to, resembling,
or characteristic of a peacock.

Horrifying Collectibles

Reborn Dolls.

My Fake Baby.

I wish I weren't aware that these things existed, but now that my innocence has been destroyed, you must share the knowledge.

BEHOLD! Dolls altered to look like "real" newborn babies! Newborn babies who have subsequently died and been laid out for burial, in my opinion.

It seriously looks like a sad little baby morgue.

I'm also creeped out by the store's F.A.Q:

Q) What do you weight your babies with?

A) I weight my babies with baby fat and small glass beads.

Aiee! Baby fat!!

I just looked them up on wikipedia and found this information:
"A purple color wash is applied to the inside of each vinyl part to give the appearance of realistic baby skin undertones. (This was commonly done until recently when it was found that the blue or purple has the tendency to bleed or seep through the vinyl, causing a 'bruised' appearance.)"

Yeah... probably not good for your dolls to look like murder trial recreations.

Apparently people also might add "a battery powered heartbeat simulator, breathing simulator, and heat packs."
WHY? Newborns are generally hideous (props to some of those artists for staying true to that, at least), but those crazy hormones we have and the promise of cuteness to come at least make them bearable. This, I just don't understand.

But I do like the idea of offering to sell babies in a grocery store...

"its so Gay"

there seems to be a large attempt to eliminate that phrase from common colloquial language. As i posted earlier their is a advertising campaign, and now a highschool campaign, where students can be penalized for using derogatory words.

in theory this seems a like good idea. It should help student think about the consequences of the language they use and reevaluate their motives behind them. I fear that since is it peers and adult doing the centering it is likely to back fight when students feel another part of their life is being controlled and monitored by adults.

the intention is to monitor students, and edit their behavior eventually leading to self censorship where students stop themselves from being derogatory before the words come out of their mouth.

I hope it works.

perhaps it is okay?

Attractive Girls Union Refuses To Enter Into Talks With Mike Greenman

this video from the Onion, brightened my day, until at the end of the video there was an advertisement that i found offensive. disappointing.

Abortions could be Healthy? apparently this could be a legitimate argument. Molly discovered on Jezebel.com that pre-eclampsia is reduced the more abortions a woman has. The study suggests that women who have had two or more induced abortions reduced their risk for pre-eclampsia by 60 percent! turns out pre-eclampsia is an increasing risk for women during pregancy. I think it is what happened to my mom when i was born, we both came super duber close to death! I guess i can possibly draw the conclution that my mother had not had an abortion prior to her pregancy with me. Based on the way my parents discribe the ordeal of my birth, pre-eclampsia is scary, and idealy avoided.

I don't want to advocate randome abortion but it does give reason for debate and conversation. Maybe one could argue "Dear Christian Right, abortion is okay, God doesn't mind, it protects future wanted Babies" or something. Maybe not.

Feminist Songs!

But first a Rasputin song!



and now for some Feminist Songs! i totally took this list from Feministing.com. a personal favorite would be "Everyone Else" by S.

Queen Latifah, UNITY



Bikini Kill, Suck My Left One



Nellie McKay, Mother of Pearl



Salt n Pepa, None of Your Business



Beastie Boys, Song for the Man

Overheard on a train

"He looks cool, but he's kinda bad. But good is better than bad. And he's gooder than he is bad."

- Young boy, describing the complexities of a Yu-Gi-Oh! character


"I see the mountain of doom!"

- Same boy, looking out the window at Montreal

"I see the mountain of history!"

- His twin sister

These kids were great, until about half an hour into the ride, at which point I wanted to gag their mouths.

Poster Boy NYC

there is a guerrilla graffiti artists in New York city, named Poster Boy. anyone heard anything about him?
Personally i feel a lot of it is crap, but sometimes i think they are need and have interesting political statements. Here are a couple i liked.

STAR TREK!

thinkB4youspeak.com

another reason i love Hilary Duff!

is it wrong that at the end of the ad, i really want them to show the jeans. what jeans? are they actually cute? ug.

the exchange.

the internet was not being as entertaining this evening, so molly and i were attempting to come up with things to do. Eating might solve the problem. and with that went started our mission to 'the corner store". We bundled and set out around the corner. Upon arriving we realized it was closed. We had not gone to our regular corner store, knowing it would be closed, but the equity close, but much more sketchy. Standing outside for a few second, the man from the corner store asked through the bars on the door, "what you want?", "chips", we replied! "what kind?" "all dressed" after negotiating the prince through the bars, "the corner store man" met us at the side wall and did the exchange. it was dark and exciting. lots of giggling n our side. I hope people saw, and wondered what was up.

oh Jesse Thorn

goodnight

MarsPhoenix

we will miss you. Sadly MarsPhoenix will nologer be entertaining me with adventures in science on twitter. read about the legend.

SuperPost

Rachel and I have set up a heck of a lot of categories in this here blog. Time to cram them all into one SUNDAY SUPER POST, random point-form style.

AFRICA

• As much as I agree with Palin that her fellow republicans are jerks for spreading rumours about her dumb questions during her debate prep, I have to profusely thank Americans for not electing a V.P with such a pitful understanding of Africa.

ART

• Hey! art’s great! Am I right?

BOOKS

• Currently reading Watchmen, thanks to Rachel. It’s starting up pretty slowly so far, and I’m looking forward to more action. I have to say that Rorschach was a great idea for a character, visually.
  

CAILIN

• I wonder how many people are actually called Cailin in Ireland? (It’s Irish for “girl”)

COMEDY


COMIC

• If it is at all possible that you are not yet aware of The Perry Bible Fellowship, get reading.

ENGLISH

• I had NO IDEA James Joyce was such a dirty, dirty man. If you’ve seen his love letters to Nora Barnacle, you know what I’m talking about.

ENVIRONMENT

• I wonder if the fact that my new low-flow shower head requires me to take about three times as long to wash my hair as it used to cancels out the water I’m supposed to be saving in the first place...

FASHION

• You know how JFK destroyed the hat industry by strutting around bare-headed? I’m hoping Obama also makes some huge male fashion impact. At the moment, I’m rooting for him just bringing the hat back.

GOSSIP GIRL

• haven’t seen the show yet, but that one brunette looks like a doll. This is my insightful observation!

JAMIE TUBBS

• I just accidentally typed “Jamir Tibbs.” That would make a great alter ego.

JOKES

• D.L Hughley’s are not funny.

LOGO

• At least if you got McCain's campaign logo tattooed on your body you can pretend you were in the navy or something...

MOVIES

• Anybody seen that “Nick and Nora” Micheal Cera one? How was it? I can’t see it because the title alone enrages me. Nick and Nora Charles forever!

MUSIC

• It’s been pretty great listening to civil rights movement music this week.

POLITICS

• I missed the last Liberal leadership convention since I was abroad at the time, so I never saw how handsome that Gerard Kennedy is. I mean, he’s no Justin Trudeau, but you take what you can get.

• Also, did anyone ever chant Hur-RAE, Hur-RAE for Bob Rae?

POLL

• Ah, how I will miss CNN’s POLL of POLLS.

QUOTES

• “ Just had a great lunch. Wham, bam, thank you ham!” - Jordan Morris, via twitter. He makes me laugh.

RACHEL

• What a pal! What an asset to civilization!

ROMANCE

• So many great romantic tales seem to hedge on circumstances that could have been altered by the slightest thing, like missing a certain bus or leaving a party early. Makes one wonder if, say, an ill-timed Steve Irwin impersonation might have cost one one’s soul mate. One would feel like a real jackass if that were true. One would indeed.

Good thing God doesn’t ever confirm such things. "THOU HAST TOTALLY BLOWN THY ONE CHANCE FOR TRUE LOVE, THOU IDIOT.”


SARAH PALIN

• She should get to keep the clothes. Come on!

TELEVISION

• I miss Mad Men.

TRAVEL

• I just watched a video of Obama playing basketball, and it looks like his buddies are letting him win. Unless he is the best at all things?

• The travel connection: I’m pretty sure traveling is something basketballers do.

VIDEO GAMES

• I could go for some treasure mountain.

ZIMBABWE

• is Ewbabmiz backwards!

Phew, this was difficult. Good Night.

Birthday

It is rather disappointing but since early november is Election season, almost everything that has happened today is "someone got elected"

On Nov. 6, 1860, former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the U.S. presidency.

1879 Ottawa Ontario - The Canadian Thanksgiving Day is officially observed for the first time on this day. The holiday is moved to the week of Armistice Day after World War I, then fixed as the second Monday in October in 1957.

1962 - Apartheid: The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies and calls for all UN member states to cease military and economic relations with the nation.

links i found this information;

BBC, Wikiipedia, sympatico, on this day,

Ivory

A large, legal sale of stockpiled ivory is going on in South Africa today. Sanctioned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the money raised is supposed to help fund conservation efforts in southern Africa. Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe have already sold off their stock of tusks in the last two weeks, and CITES plans to monitor buyers so that they don't mix the legal ivory with that gained from poaching. 45% of the ivory comes from elephants culled for population control in Kruger park during the eighties and nineties, and the rest died of natural causes. South Africa expects to raise $8m from the sale.

Even with all the rational arguments in favour of this sale, and the good intentions behind it, something just doesn't sit well with me. At first I was under the impression that these were confiscated tusks being sold, which gave me the easy protest that it's akin to say, police confiscating child porn and then selling it to raise money to fight child abuse. That comparison is of course a bit silly and, now that I have more information, unusable. I think my compulsion to make the comparison in the first place is simply because it seems morally wrong. People fighting to protect elephants shouldn't be dealing with the sick market that caused their slaughter in the first place. It's tainted money, even if it doesn't actually encourage the illegal market, like some animal protection groups have argued.


(Thank goodness China won't run out of ivory cellphones, though! )



(P.S. Happy Birthday Rachel! A happy post for a happy day!)

USA Election 2008 (a.k.a possibly the only post in which I will be entirely sincere and sentimental)

It completely goes without saying, but what an amazing, beautiful thing this US election has been. Today (yesterday) feels like a bizarro 9/11 in which the world is finally facing good rather than evil.

BBC's North America editor says:

On every level America will be changed by this result - its impact will be so profound that the nation will never be the same. In a sense the policy changes could be the least of it. It's the way the nation sees itself that will change. And the way outsiders see America.

Precisely! It's incredible how much power attitude and perspective has on the lives of nations and their people. Sometime around the year 2003 I think we all looked at America and despaired. Where were the rational, confident people we thought would have the sense to see through a sham war and a shitty president? How could America so ignore the protestations of the world, the reason and value of the United Nations, and just trample over truth in favour of warfare? Why was America suddenly a bigoted, insane theocracy on a medieval-style crusade? How could a man who had the heads of his enemies delivered to his office be in charge of the most powerful nation in the world? And then to be elected AGAIN in 2004!

Bad times. Bad years to grow up in, absorbing the overwhelming negativity and pessimism the era.

This election, however, will go a long way to calming that despair and wiping away the manure smeared on America's reputation.

And what this means for African-Americans is beyond words, of course. It was so touching to see the tears on Rev. Jesse Jackson's face, and to hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter speak at Obama's church. Thinking about MLK jr today makes me wish that there really is an afterlife and that all the people who've suffered and died because of their skin colour can somehow enjoy this moment.

I can't say I actually believe that's so, and I know racism will continue, and that Obama now has the worst job in the world and probably won't do things perfectly, and that America will make me shout in rage again, but at least for now, I think we've finally joined Martin Luther King Jr on his mountain top.

Smart Girls at the Party

Amy Poehler is my Hero. Amy is coming out with a new digital series with ON networks that celebrates young girls who are changing the world by being themselves. The show - Smart Girls at the Party - aims to help girls find confidence in their own aspirations and talents, and to prove that you don't have to be famous to be interesting.This is super cute and inspiring. Let us get our children to watch this great online show.

America Votes

cbc is doing a great job with the election coverage check it out.

Fashion from the Hill

one of the original intentions for this blog was to occasionally talk about fashion, but i have not said much, so here is a short update.

has anyone seen either the Lauren Conrad, or Heidi Montag fashion lines? Lauren, boring as hell. Heidi, sluty as hell. Even the name is sluty, Heidiwood. yuck. Heidiwood is priced from $10-$60, where Lauren Conrad is in the tripple digits. Also has everyone heard her song Fashion. It is as bad as it sounds, perhaps worse. Turns out according to Dose magazine, Heidi has given up her fashion line "in order to concentrate on her shudder - music "career." I enjoyed when during the second season of the Hills they would pop-up-vidio the disirers they were wearing during the aftershow.

also i totally love Bona Drag, currently i want the feature dress.

OUTRAGES UPON OUTRAGES

I am steaming mad!

I just saw an ad saying that if you walk into a Starbucks in the USA on Tuesday and tell them you voted, you'll get a free tall coffee.

EXCUSE ME, WE HAD AN ELECTION HERE TOO, YOU KNOW. Where the hell was MY free coffee on October 14th?

Hardly anyone voted, so it wouldn't have cost much anyway. (Just 59.1%, or 13,832,972 people. That's like, Pennsylvania, for any American readers.)

This is the straw (or absent stir-stick) that broke this camel's back. We put up with a lot from our friends down south, and purchase many coffee-related products in this country. Why will no massive coffee merchants, be they Starbucks or Tim Horton's, step up to the plate and reward me for doing my civic duty? Americans are all charged and excited to vote without the incentive. Canadian voters, however, are so damn lazy that they were probably all in coffee shops that day anyway. If dear Starbucks cared so much about democracy, it would have been nice if they had encouraged those who were actually appallingly apathetic this election season, instead of those who are already having all the fun.

But seriously, I'd like a free coffee.

emails from mothers.

after molly shared with me a silly email from her mother, we wondered if there was a database of emails from mothers to children. Success! thanks goggle!
the website was called Postcards From Yo Momma!

some choice posts are:

Obama’s favourite food is pie…just like you.
Mummy

We have been in the woods almost every weekend working on the camp. Murdering trees, shredding the evidence, splitting murdered trees, stacking split murdered trees, burning murdered trees. Generally the whole tree murdering cycle.
And drinking at the bar.

Me: I’m watching the employee screening of High School Musical 3, so be really jealous…
Mom: Slap urself, ur not a high schooler anymore…it’s illegal to look at those kids like that.
Me: I’m not interested in zac efron
Mom: you should be he’s a cutie

Obama on the left, McCain on the right.

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

(McCain supporters)
McCain’s the best candidate
With Palin as his running mate
They’ll fight for gun rights, pro life,
The conservative right
Our future is bright
Better economy in site
And all the world will feel our military might

(Obama supporters)
But McCain and Bush are real close right
They vote alike and keep it tight
Obama’s new, he’s younger too
The Middle Class he will help you
He’ll bring a change, he’s got the brains
McCain and Bush are just the same
You are to blame, Iraq’s a shame
Four more years would be insane

Lower your Taxes - you know Obama Won’t
PROTECT THE LOWER CLASS - You know McCain won’t!
Have enough experience - you know that they don’t
STOP GLOBAL WARMING - you know that you won’t

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA
Stick with McCain and you’re going to have some drama
We need it
HE’LL BRING IT
He’ll be it
YOU’LL SEE IT
We’ll do it
GET TO IT
Let’s move it
DO IT!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

I’m talking big pipe lines, and low gas prices
Below $2.00 that would be nice

But to do it right we gotta start today
Finding renewable ways that are here to stay

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA,
Stick wit McCain you gone have some drama
MORE WAR IN IRAQ
Iran he will attack
CAN’T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK
We gotta vote Barack!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

Because the Fundamentals of your Hearts are Strong, and there is No Recession of your Affection

Hello readers.
You all love me very much, right? Why not express your love in the form of a fancy new camera for me, and some expensive hair products?

In these trying economic times, you owe it to yourself to invest in me, because I have secret financial advice which may save all stock markets. I certainly can't share it, however, with dull, dry hair and no fancy camera to capture world leaders' astonished and relieved faces.

YOU can make this happen!

Birthday

I want this t shirt, and i want to wear it and run into the Vangart. Turthfully i would take any Kate Beaton t shrit.

FANTASTIC!

I just found out that Wes Anderson is making an animated movie of Roald Dahl's THE FANTASTIC MR FOX.

You would not believe how happy and excited this makes me.

• ROALD DAHL.
• MR FOX.
  
• WES ANDERSON.
  
• GEORGE CLOONEY AS MR FOX.

November 2008, why the hell aren't you November 2009?

I just hope the animation doesn't suck. I associate this story with this kind of illustration, and it would be pretty disappointing if the movie had a heartless, shiny, computer animation feel (not that I dislike all computer animation. I just don't want to see it here). But Wes Anderson's aesthetic always pleases me, so I'm sure it'll be okay.

Also, I haven't thought about this in a while, but I still really want that Darjeeling Limited luggage...

Sarah McCain

Won't it suck to be this kid

Shame Cartoon

This is disturbing.

This article talks about how new advertisemenst are taking blaming women for sexual harassment to the extreme.

This video was moving. I have new crazy respect for Colin Powell!




Obama is not a huge improvement on Gay rights, but for good measure I will include the second video.

Pepsi

Pepsi's new Logo

I don't like it. maybe the campaign will help it make more sense.

Mad Men

Just a quick note to let everyone with a love of good things know that they should be watching Mad Men. Are you watching watching Mad Men? If not, why in God's name are you not watching Mad Men? If this show gets cancelled prematurely, like so many excellent shows are, I will go Mad. Man!
(hahahahaha. Well done, Cailin)

I think next Sunday is the season finale, so maybe don't jump in now. But take some time to catch up and JOIN ME in welcoming it back for season three.

election

did anyone just watch the newest Family Guy?
I loved the moment when Stewie after beating up a World War two era Nazi realized there is a pin on his SS jacket "McCain - Palin"
I can't wait for that part to make it's way all over the internet.
I hate Nazi jokes, but this was just so unexpected and subtle. lets compare more evil people with Fascists.
Why isn't SNL that awesome.

In other news,
political bad mouthing is ridiculous. Check out how outrageous this Radio add bad mouthing Obama is.

Check out Planned Parenhood Cecile Richard's take on McCain's air quoting "health of the mother" on Hardball.

I also discovered that this Dan Savage character for those of you who don't know is a frequent visitor on the Colbert Report.

Palin

Palin as President

EDIT by Cailin:
Michael Palin for President
(Not because this is particularly funny, but because it would actually be a much, much better choice.)

Merch

So. Who's going to buy me this weird Rufus Wainwright bust, huh?

Breastfeeding

while surfing the internet just now, feministing.com brought it to my attention that we have made an breakthrough! W magazine promotes breastfeeding. Considering the H&M controversy, and the fact that in Toronto Businesses do have the right to kick out women who breastfeed on their property, i am happy to see this!

Fairness

Driving around Guelph with my parents today we saw federal elections signs saying "We believe in Fairness" (or something like that) fairness.com. We were all curious and could not figure out what it was about. In the dark light we thought it was maybe the Family Coalition Party, due to the Green colour of the signs. (I discovered tongiht that the FCP is only in Ontario)
Turns out it is Premier Dalton McGuinty pleading with Ontarian to vote against Harper! Fascinating.
Obviously i am also on the anti-Harper bandwagon but i don't know if that means i want to sign the petition. Ontario is a 'have' province, and i believe in equality. But i don't want Ontarian's to be 'shortchanged'. I reached the conclution that really this information reaffirms that NDP is the party for me. I trust the NDP to work moral equity and fairness, and to be fair to Ontario.