Lily Cole for Elle Canada

 

I’m not loving her in this one if i’m honest, especially the close up, she looks drunk!

Photography by Rankin

[Via http://nickskellington.wordpress.com]

Jani Jakovac 2004 CD

Artist: Jani Jakovac

CD Release: Take Cover

Year: 2004

Home: Chatham Ontario

Resides: Vancouver

Notes: Jani records a collection of songs by other artists that she likes, which makes “Take Cover” a great  name for this collection of covers.

Bio:

Who is this Jani anyhow? Where has she been hiding? Well, actually it is Jani (jay-nee) Jakovac (jack-o-vack) but who she is can be as tricky as the name. Because she is many things. She is a singer, songwriter, pianist, actor and an athlete to name a few. She’s funny, she’s intense, she’s energetic, she’s controlled, she’s sweet, but don’t ever get on her bad side…not so sweet. She is chic while she owns 6 pairs of slippers and wears flannels to bed. Clearly, she is a Gemini with issues.

          She studied drama and played varsity volleyball at the University of Guelph in Ontario. The day after graduating, she moved to Vancouver to pursue an acting career. This led her to few acting roles and many bartending jobs. She then moved to Europe to benefit from something else she had put many years into…. volleyball.  She played and coached professionally in Denmark for three years.

          So, that was where she’s been “hiding”. If hiding was her intent, this would be about the only place this 6 foot blonde could have remained inconspicuous. But inconspicuous she definitely was not when she was hopping up on stages in Copenhagen and joining bands in impromptu performances.

          Growing up in a house that thrived on music, it was always a part of her, a necessary element of her being. She knew she could sing, but strangely enough, she did not think it was “a big deal”. And since the only people that had ever heard her sing were friends and family, Jani assumed that they were merely being polite when they told her that she had talent. Belting out the blues or luring people into a trance with her sultry sounds was just her own act of passion. But the response to her music made it undeniably clear that people wanted to hear more. The music she writes is a soulful mix of the different styles she grew up listening to. The diverse music she appreciated were just a turn of the radio dial away from one another. The stations were numerous. The stations were from Detroit.

          She grew up in the small city of Chatham, Ontario, 45 minutes over the border from the Motown.  Her influences, ranging from classical to funk, are revealed in every song that she writes. Her often autobiographical lyrics leave audiences thankful for the living she has done. No, music has not been the only part of Jani’s life, but it has been the strongest, most dynamic, most necessary, always with her, traveling to every place she has been. The ever positive, vibrant, energetic Jani, admits that her music is a therapeutic device that she has used for many years to keep the smile on her face.  Audiences are thrilled she has lived enough life to have stories to tell with her songs and young enough to make it interesting.

Visit Jani online. Visit her website to order the CD.

http://thejanireview.tripod.com

___________

[Via http://demokidblog.wordpress.com]

All Hail, Canadian Retail!

Forever 21 at Metrotown, Burnaby

Over the past few years, Vancouver has been blessed with an avalanche of affordable fashion retail from around the world.

Labels such as Hollister, H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters and Sephora were once only accessible by a trip down South to the States. Things are however quickly changing; today we see these very names in local malls and shopping centres with even more still queued for arrival.

This by all means is not bad news for shopping enthusiasts like me. I welcome the influx of greater retail options closer to home. But still, it does make me wonder how Canadian retail outlets are doing and how well they are putting up in the competitive fashion retail world.

Aritiza

Of course, Aritzia has to be first (duh).

Half my closet is stuffed with articles from this trendy boutique conceived from the upscale Vancouver department store, Hill’s at Kerrisdale. Aritzia has flowy tops that flatter and designer jeans that compliment overly-round behinds; however, it’s more than just chic apparel.

Aritzia has created a unique culture of its own with its focus on urban art and indie lifestyle and if you have immersed yourself among any young women in the Lower Mainland of B.C., well then you will already know the Aritzia brand is all-the-rage.

The retailer operates 35 locations across Canada and is now infiltrating the states with outlets in Portland, Seattle, Short Hills (NJ), San Jose, San Francisco and Chicago. It has also collaborated with the Olympics to create the exclusive 2010 line, Parklife. Aritzia threads have been spotted on oodles of stylish celebs including Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, Vanessa Hudgens, and Hillary Duff.

Lululemon Athletica

Everyone knows the West Coast is all about staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, so it should be no surprise this yoga and activewear company kicked off in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver.

Similar to Aritzia, Lululemon has its own successfully established brand centered on exercising the mind, body and soul. The retailer even offers free in-store yoga lessons and helpful tips on keeping a fit and wholesome lifestyle.

Lululemon is an international brand with over 40 stores across Canada, 38 stores and showrooms in the US, seven stores and showrooms in Australia and one showroom in Hong Kong.  Although the apparel was originally advertised as yogawear, it is often sported as casual attire and a comfortable, more stylish alternative to sweats.

Jacob

Let’s not forget East Coast contribution to the realm of Canadian retail. The inexpensive women’s and girls’ clothing chain, Jacob, was born out of Montreal, Quebec and features over 200 stores across Canada.

On top of its central brand, Jacob, the company also runs under the labels Jacob Connexion, Jacob Lingerie, Josef and Danz. These brands vary from focus on casual comfort (Jacob Connexion), intimates (Jacob Lingerie) to formal/business attire (Jacob).

Although Jacob has not penetrated any international markets, it has experienced tremendous success in Canada. The Jacob Jr. label was what in fact sparked my love for retail shopping at the tender age of eleven (See below at the popularity of the oh-so-haute Jacob Jr. fleece sweater and fleece short-sleeve in my sixth grade class photo).

Guido and Mary

Despite the dominance of Italian and American brand names in the world of high-fashion denim, Montreal-based Guido and Mary have made quite the impression among the “titans” of jeans wear.

The brand was founded by Winnie Wong and Yaniv Moyal who ventured into the fashion world without any design school experience!

Although Guido and Mary do not operate its own stores, its products are featured in some of the trendiest retail outlets across Canada and the U.S.

The $150+ cost for a pair or Guido’s might sound steep but considering each pair is handmade with a unique fit, it is well worth the investment.

I was lucky enough to find some G&M’s at a Winner’s outlet in Vancouver. With its amazing ability to contour-enhance and offer stretch comfort, it has since become my favourite pair of denims.

I’m sure there’s a ton of major Canadian names that I have missed, but the retailers listed above are ones that I particularly adore and have come into contact with

Looking mainly at fashion retail for young women, I can say despite the invasion of popular foreign labels, Canadian retailers have managed to become fierce competitors in the retail marketplace with high prospects on influencing their brands across the world.

[Via http://misonani.wordpress.com]

<a href="http://wp.me/pdbZj-3W">Forgotten </a> convicted ones - 4 <a href="http://wp.me/pdbZj-4E">Jews </a>

Joshua Fattal (27) - American Jew hicker in Iran

Sara Shourd   (31) - American Jew hicker in Iran 

Shane Bauer (27)-American Jew  hicker in Iran

Yaghoghil Shaolian   (19) – Local Iranian Jew 

Accused of acting against national security – Espionage

It has been 120 days since three American hikers were detained in Iran.

The trio reportedly crossed over to Iran during a hiking trip near Kurdistan Iraq.

The Iranian government has accused them of espionage.

It has been 166 days since Yaghoghil Shaolian was detained in Iran, a member of Iran’s Jewish community, was not an activist, did not join the protests, but got caught up in the moment and threw some stones at a Tehran bank branch, in central Tehran on June 14, 2009, during unrests after June 12 presidential election in Iran.

Yaghoghil was arrested, accused of acting against national security – Espionage, resulting in his conviction and was sentenced to two and half years in prison.

An international effort is seeking more information about the FOUR defendants, and will raise concerns with the Iranian authorities, since those convicted and sentenced appear to have been denied a fair trial.

The Iranian government has accused them of espionage.

For more detailed information, photos, videos/audios, and links

click –> HEAR

and –> HEAR

[Via http://lionpuppyheart.wordpress.com]

North Naples Middle “Kick A Jew Day”

Ten North Naples Middle School students were suspended after they participated in “kick a Jew day.” The students received a one day, in-school suspension. The parents of the 10 students were also called. Parents of the students who were kicked were also notified of what happened. The Collier County School District has a policy on bullying and harassment. The students were disciplined in accordance with the bullying and harassment policy, which can range from “positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion, as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct.” What do you think should happen to these students?

Click On Links:

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama And Jews

The Race Card

Swastika Next To Obama On Golf Course

American Nazis

Alabama County Celebrates Official Obama Holiday

Children Singing To Hitler vs Obama

Rev. Jeremiah Wright “Home Of The Slave”

Neo Nazi Immigration Rallies

White America Hate Barack Obama

The Race Card

Black People Don’t Like Black Conservatives

Obama, 100th Anniversary Of NAACP

Barack Obama A Muslim

Michelle Obama Chimp Image On Google

 

 

[Via http://emptysuit.wordpress.com]

Thanksgiving Day Facts: Pilgrims, Dinner, Parades, More

From http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

It may be called Turkey Day, but the U.S. Thanksgiving Day is about more than just the bird. Learn about a holiday myth—the first “real” Thanksgiving wasn’t until the 1800s—and how we celebrate Thanksgiving dinner today.

Key to any Thanksgiving Day menu is a fat turkey and cranberry sauce.

Some 250 million turkeys were raised in the U.S. in 2009 for slaughter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Those birds were worth about U.S. $4.5 billion.

About 46 million will end up on U.S. dinner tables this Thanksgiving. (See the Green Guide’s suggestions for having a greener—and more grateful—Thanksgiving.)

Minnesota is the United States’s top turkey-producing state, followed by North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and California.

These “big six” states produce two of every three U.S.-raised birds, according to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.

U.S. farmers will also produce 709 million pounds of cranberries, which, like turkeys, are native to the Americas. The top producers are Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

The U.S. will also grow 1.8 billion pounds of sweet potatoes—many in North Carolina, California, and Mississippi—and produce 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins.

Contrary to legend, the amount of the organic protein tryptophan in most turkeys isn’t responsible for drowsiness.

Instead scientists blame booze, the sheer caloric size of an average feast, or just plain old relaxing after stressful work schedules.

What Was on the First Thanksgiving Menu?

Little is known about the first Thanksgiving dinner in the Plimoth (also spelled Plymouth) Colony in October 1621, attended by some 50 English colonists and about 90 native Wampanoag men in what is now Massachusetts.

We do know that the Wampanoag killed five deer for the feast, and that the colonists shot wild fowl—which may have been geese, ducks, or turkey. Some form, or forms, of Indian corn were also served.

But Jennifer Monac, spokesperson for the living-history museum Plimoth Plantation said the feasters likely supplemented their venison and birds with fish, lobster, clams, nuts, and wheat flour, as well as vegetables such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and peas.

If you want to eat like a Pilgrim yourself, try some of the Plimoth Plantation’s recipes, including stewed pompion (pumpkin) or traditional Wampanoag succotash.

Where Did Thanksgiving Come From?

American Indian peoples, Europeans, and other cultures around the world often celebrated the harvest season with feasts to offer thanks to higher powers for their sustenance and survival.

In 1541 Spaniard Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and his troops celebrated a “Thanksgiving” while searching for New World gold in what is now the Texas Panhandle.

Later such feasts were held by French Huguenot colonists in present-day Jacksonville, Florida (1564), by English colonists and Abnaki Indians at Maine’s Kennebec River (1607), and in Jamestown, Virginia (1610), when the arrival of a food-laden ship ended a brutal famine.

But it’s the 1621 Plimoth Thanksgiving that’s linked to the birth of our modern holiday. The truth is the first “real” Thanksgiving happened two centuries later.

Everything we know about the three-day Plimoth gathering comes from a description in a letter wrote by Edward Winslow, leader of the Plimoth Colony, in 1621, Monac said.

It had been lost for 200 years and was rediscovered in the 1800s, she added.

In 1841 Boston publisher Alexander Young printed Winslow’s brief account of the feast and added his own twist, dubbing it the “First Thanksgiving.”

In Winslow’s “short letter, it was clear that [the 1621 feast] was not something that was supposed to be repeated again and again. It wasn’t even a Thanksgiving, which in the 17th century was a day of fasting. It was a harvest celebration.”

But after its mid-1800s century appearance, Young’s designation caught on—to say the least.

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day a national holiday in 1863. He was probably swayed in part by magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale—the author of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—who had suggested Thanksgiving become a holiday, historians say.

In 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt established the current date for observance, the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Turkey-in-Waiting

Each year at least two lucky turkeys avoid the dinner table, thanks to a presidential pardon—a longstanding Washington tradition believed to have originated with U.S. President Harry Truman.

Since 1947 the National Turkey Federation has presented two live turkeys—and a ready-to-eat turkey—to the President, according to federation spokesperson Sherrie Rosenblatt.

“There are two birds,” Rosenblatt explained, “the presidential turkey and the vice presidential turkey, which is an alternate, in case the presidential turkey is unable to perform its duties.”

Those duties pretty much boil down to not biting the President during the photo opportunity with the press.

In 2008 the vice presidential bird, “Pumpkin,” stepped in for the appearance with President Bush after the presidential bird, “Pecan,” had fallen ill the night before.

After their presidential encounter, the birds share the same happy fate as Super Bowl winning quarterbacks.

“For the last five years,” Rosenblatt said, “They’ve gone to Disneyland”—living out their days at Big Thunder Ranch in the California theme park’s Frontierland.

Talking Turkey

Pilgrims were familiar with turkeys before they landed in the Americas.

That’s because early European explorers of the New World had returned to Europe with turkeys in tow after encountering them at American Indian settlements. Indians had domesticated the birds centuries before European contact.

A century later Ben Franklin famously made known his preference that the turkey, rather than the bald eagle, should be the official U.S. bird.

But Franklin might have been shocked when, by the 1930s, hunting had so decimated North American wild turkey populations that their numbers had dwindled to the tens of thousands from a peak of at least tens of millions.

Today, thanks to reintroduction efforts and hunting regulations, wild turkeys are back.

(Related: “Birder’s Journal: Giving Thanks for Wild Turkey Sightings.”

Some seven million wild turkeys are thriving across the U.S., and many of them have adapted easily to the suburbs.

Wild turkeys, Meleagris gallopavo, can run some 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 kilometers) an hour and fly in bursts at 55 miles (89 kilometers) an hour. Domesticated turkeys can’t fly at all.

Pass the Pigskin

For many U.S. citizens, Thanksgiving without football is as unthinkable as the Fourth of July without fireworks.

NBC Radio broadcast the first national Thanksgiving Day game in 1934, when the Detroit Lions hosted the Chicago Bears.

Except for a respite during World War II, the Lions have played—usually badly—every Thanksgiving Day since.

Consumers Rejoice!

For those who love marching and music, turkey takes a backseat to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, originally called the Macy’s Christmas parade because it kicked off the shopping season.

The tradition began in 1924, when employees recruited animals from the Central Park Zoo to join the parade.

Helium-filled balloons made their debut in the parade in 1927 and, in the early years, were released above the city skyline with the promise of rewards for their finders.

The parade, first televised nationally in 1947, now draws some 44 million viewers—not counting the 3 million people who actually line the 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) Manhattan route.

Thanksgiving weekend also boasts the retail version of the Super Bowl—Black Friday, when massive sales and early opening times attract frugal shoppers.

The National Retail Federation reports that some 130 million Americans, give or take a few million each year, brave the crowds to shop on Black Friday or on the following weekend.

Planes, Trains, and (Lots of) Automobiles

It may seem like everyone in the U.S. is on the road on Thanksgiving Day, keeping you from your turkey and stuffing.

But just 33 million of about 308 million U.S. citizens drive more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from home on the holiday, according to the American Automobile Association.

Thanksgiving North of the Border

Cross-border travelers can celebrate Thanksgiving twice, because Canada celebrates its own Thanksgiving Day the second Monday in October.

As in the U.S., the event is sometimes linked to a historic feast with which it has no real ties—in this case explorer Martin Frobisher’s 1578 ceremony, which gave thanks for his safe arrival in what is now New Brunswick.

Canada’s Thanksgiving, established in 1879, was inspired by the U.S. holiday.

Dates of observance fluctuated, sometimes coinciding with the U.S. Thanksgiving or the Canadian veteran-appreciation holiday, Remembrance Day—and at least once it occurred as late as December.

But Canada’s colder climate eventually led to the 1957 decision that formalized the October date.

[Via http://nealbinnyc.wordpress.com]

Tar Sands

There’s a fantastic video here about tar sands oil extraction. Sounds boring, but it’s actually crucial. This video stands out not just because it’s about an important issue, but also because of how impressed I was with the production values. If we have any shot at motivating people to change the world, it’s going to be because of smart and creative people making videos like this one. It’s catchy and informative without being too data heavy. It inspired me to learn more and to consider ways that I could get involved. The bold among you might want to peep this PDF study. Kudos to Agit-Pop Communications for their work.

[Via http://toxicculture.wordpress.com]

Michelle Obama Chimp Image On Google

If you search on for Michelle Obama in Google Image Search you will see a image a chimpanzee. Google removed the image but not its back. This time, Google bought a search ad explaining why the result is there and why Google cannot remove it:

Explanation:

Sometimes Google search results from the Internet can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries. We assure you that the views expressed by such sites are not in any way endorsed by Google.

Search engines are a reflection of the content and information that is available on the Internet. A site’s ranking in Google’s search results relies heavily on computer algorithms using thousands of factors to calculate a page’s relevance to a given query.

The beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google, as well as the opinions of the general public, do not determine or impact our search results. Individual citizens and public interest groups do periodically urge us to remove particular links or otherwise adjust search results. Although Google reserves the right to address such requests individually, Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority. Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it. We will, however, remove pages from our results if we believe the page (or its site) violates our Webmaster Guidelines, if we believe we are required to do so by law, or at the request of the webmaster who is responsible for the page.

We apologize if you’ve had an upsetting experience using Google. We hope you understand our position regarding offensive results.

Sincerely,

The Google Team

What do you think about a Chimpanzee representing Michelle Obama on search engines? Don’t bring in your racist opinions George Bush has the same images floating around search engines also. Why do we suppress creative art related to the OBAMAS

Click On Links:

Michelle Obama Hula Hoop

Big Bird And Michelle Obama On Sesame Street

Michelle Obama Called Ghetto Girl

Michelle Obamas Weight Problem

Michelle Obamas Pot Belly

Mayara Tavares

Michelle Obama Ruffle Collar Blouse

Obama, Looking at woman in Italy

Michelle Obama’s Arms

Michelle Obama’s Short-Shorts

Michelle Obama’s New Hair Style

Michelle Obama Wax figure

Michelle Obama’s Fashion

Michelle Obama Touches Queen Elizabeth

Michelle Obama On The Cover Of Glamour Magazine

[Via http://emptysuit.wordpress.com]

The Wheat Board In Canada Doesn't Know What It's Doing...

The Canadian Wheat Board has been sending “confidential personal financial data” to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)…and it doesn’t know why.

The title says it all: “Wheat board couldn’t explain to auditor why producers’ ‘personal data’ sent to companies.”

The auditor who found the above notes, “during the course of our review, through numerous inquiries, we were unable to determine why this sensitive information is being sent out.”

The board, however, is contesting the findings…and, if my reading is correct, accusing the auditors of not knowing what they’re doing.

The board has noted that it does not give out personal data on farmers.  It has admitted doing so until 2006, but that this practice was discontinued.

[Via http://datasecurityguy.wordpress.com]

Picture of the Day: Miduhyo

Aghh this is for Friday’s post, lol. I’m sorry I forgot to put my picture up yesterday XD

Can you believe that that (-points at picture-) happened only a month ago?? Time passes by so quickly, it’s amazing. I don’t really have much to say about this picture… But… I mean, the Chinese Cassies are amazing (along with other Cassies as well)! I feel so proud to be a TVXQ fan because of their heart-warming support for our 5 boys.

Congratulations to them for winning an award at the MAMA’s yesterday! They truly are Asia’s Best Stars. <3

[Via http://tvxqcanada.wordpress.com]

Chil-lax

Today I did nothing!!!  Well that’s not entirely true.  Woke up to NO RAIN.  That meant I could stop production on the ARK and go for a light jog.  Mehdi did not need me as he was working with the boxing coach. I was a little sore so I had to drop some BioFreeze on my body.  I know Carolyn from UST would be disappointed that I’m using a topical pain reliever, but trust me she would peak if I used Bulleit Bourbon with my daily Aspirin for medicinal purposes.

Afterwards I did some work with the Kombat Arts via Skype.  It’s cool how I can still keep an “eye” on things at the club with this useful tool.  After all of my paperwork it was time to visit the various lounges, cafes and restaurants with Josip.  I also did some research on various Yoga places.  Thinking of taking a few private lessons to stretch me out. I finished the evening at the evening at the Cactus Club.

It was nice of Ivano to give me call during dinner and to also talk to my athletes Lee and Jacques as they mellow out before they go to war tomorrow.  Again, good luck my friends.  Remember:  Be first and be last.  We never take without giving-Jd

P.S. Take a look at the pik of the back of the truck.  What’s the “suicide” for?  Explain that to me-Jd

The Art of Wrestling - Heart Failure

Digging the hearts out of the snow was part of the Hart Dungeon training.

The pink and black attack has been back for quite a while now so the WWE decided to trot out a t-shirt for the Hart Dynasty. It is a head scratcher to me though considering the booking of this threesome. Natalya lost to Mickie James last week and I’ve stopped counting the times that some combination of this threesome has lost to Cryme Tyme or Eve. Yet another example of the WWE taking people out of ECW too early.

These articles are about the clothes though so on to reviewing the shirt. It’s not too surprising that it is centered on a maple leaf since it’s the main symbol of the Canadian flag. The leaf is pink with black and white trim which creates a great contrast for the main field of black. This color combination is of course a staple of the Hart Foundation. I have no idea why there is a sheen to the upper left side of the leaf though. The heart in the middle of the leaf has white and then black trim which keeps the contrasting colors separated. The black trim on the outside is also too thick which cuts into the trim around the leaf. The wings connected to the maple leaf are reminscent of the old Hart Foundation t-shirts which is a nice nod to the past. The Hart Dynasty text at the bottom of the shirt is a nice little touch. The text and the leaf have gaps in the pink which I don’t particularly care for because it doesn’t serve a purpose. If it were left solid like the wings, it creates more of a contrast with the black field color. The back of shirt is an after thought and should have been left off the shirt.

If you think pink is a manly color and like the lineage, I say buy the shirt because it’s a solid design that takes good nods to the past and doesn’t make you look like a tool like the Hart Dynasty does because of their booking. -Kevin

IMAGENS INESQUECÍVEIS DE UM GRANDE PAÍS

Canadá, o segundo maior país do mundo em extensão territorial, grande parte em região ártica. Muitos problemas foram enfrentados em sua história, incluindo vários conflitos étnicos e muita xenofobia.

Não me canso de admirar esse povo que construiu uma grande nação, uma das primeiras em IDH do mundo, hoje de braços abertos aos imigrantes que os ajudaram a erguer este país de sonho…

Centro de Toronto

Rochosas, no caminho para o parque de Jasper

Maligne Canyon, Jasper

Charmosa cidade de Banff, dentro do parque de mesmo nome

Ancoradouro no Stanley Park, em Vancouver, British Columbis

Parlamento em Victoria, capital de British Columbia

Rio Thompson, visto na viagem no Rocky Mountaineer

Topo da Whistlers Mountain, parque nacional de Jasper

The Great Lakes Rock

From the round surf-polished rocks of Lake Superior’s shore to the sand dunes of Lake Michigan, I have roamed and picked up stones: agates, pudding stones and some bearing copper or fossils.  And I hiked the alvars on the Door Peninsula and Ontario’s Bruce with their layered limestone shores bearing fossils of ancient salt seas.   Lake Huron’s green waters pour into Lake St. Clair and its silty marshes and then to Lake Erie teeming with birds and fish. The waters pick up speed in the Niagara River to take a tremendous plunge over Niagara Falls.  The rock underlying the falls will wear away in time I am told, but not in my life time.  Lake Ontario’s flat shores have good soil for vineyards and farm lands.  Sailors and sports fishers enjoy Lake Ontario’s riches and the lake flows out through the St. Lawrence River with a myriad rocky islands.
Read more about the Great Lakes in my critically acclaimed book, The Dynamic Great Lakes.

TWoL 9: Ummmmm

As we gear up to hit as many lots as possible on Phish Fall Tour, we’re coming at you with some random news from across the jam band scenes.

We just can’t seem to shake Fest 8, it’s haunting us like any good Halloween show should! Hidden Track published Best Costumes at Festival 8 and we just cannot disagree with the profoundly impeccable taste of one Mr. Scott Bernstein. Be sure to check out #6 and put some faces to the voices you hear every week!

In other Phish news, we have the most recent ticket prices for shows on Fall tour. From the absurdly cheap ($10?!?!) to the not so absurdly cheap, ticket prices are looking much different as Phish 3.0 rolls on.

We here at This Week on Lot are all about expanding our musical horizons. We’re always happy to hear new bands and pass the good ones your way. This week, we have the band Must Stash Hat for you to sample and explore. Check ‘em out!

As if Umphrey’s McGee didn’t have enough members in their band, their 3 day run at the Higher Ground in Burlington showcased 4 guest musicians. The most prominent guest, Mr. Micheal Gordon of the Phish from Vermont, sat in for a 16+ minute jam at his alleged favorite venue.

Update: Our friend and yours, Willie Pritts of the Church of Universal Love and Music is officially shut down in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Granted, we didn’t get the name of the establishment right in the podcast (we’re tired and Steve’s drinking vodka…give us a break!), we LOVE this place and wish Mr. Pritts the best of luck in finding a new venue for his congregation.

And last but not least, we need to start making our NYE plans. Will we have TWoL: Fiji? TWoL: Miami? TWoL: NYC? Well, we don’t have $4200 each so there goes Fiji. But maybe if we start saving now….?

Don’t forget to enter our MSG Phish ticket giveaway! We’ll see you on lot!

Sponsor for this this week is PhanArt.net. Be sure to stop by and tell them we sent you.

episode 9

Cash, Tears, and Cinder-Block Earrings

So I continue with the wedding that wasn’t mine, in my attempt to give my noble readers the full “Indian Wedding” experience.

Will the story conclude here? Will there be a final post? Well I’ll just write and see, because I’m literally transferring “real time” brainwaves into word count (adventure baby, that’s why I blog).

We left our bride and groom in a park for some lame-ass “gaze in distance” photos, and the rest of us rushed back home for the main event.

And yes, there is a major main event before reception time.

For the bridal side of the family, it’s where the groom returns with his wife, and he has to be “let in” by all her female family members.  It starts with a big satin ribbon tied across the doorway,  plus a bunch of cash (and maybe jewelry) he has to offer up, before we’ll ever let him in. On the groom’s side, he’ll then take his wife to HIS house, so she can be welcomed by his clan (again involves cash, Indian sweets, and middle-aged aunties patting her on the head).

Since bride-chick was my sister, I’ll stick with OUR side of the happenings.

In simple terms, he offered up fistfuls of cash, and complimented me and my cousins just enough to get his chance to cut the ribbon.

Although the scene inside the house was a happy one—my family, extended family, and lots of middle-aged aunties craving one-on-one access to the bride—there was a very ominous undertone:

-the taking of the bride

In other words, after some tea and Indian sweets, the husband quickly ushers the bride from the house; back into the limo and out of our lives.

And everybody…fucking…weeps.

I’m not going to go into detail, since I prefer to be invincible robot-girl who laughs at those silly “emotion” things, but let’s just say that seeing my mom and dad hug her, and watching all of them cry? It killed me!

By the time it was my turn to hug her, I was already in tears.

Like what?!?!

Never in a million years would I have thought the removal of my sister from my life would bring me anything but joy.  In hindsight the crying still feels weird and unnatural.  Basically it makes me feel dirty so I’m moving on.

Once she was gone, my aunties hauled ass to the kitchen to console my mom. Meanwhile the hair and make-up girls had arrived.  Almost instantly my tears dried up, as I imagined how awesome I wanted to look, and how these girls would help me get there.

Overall I was pleased with their work. They curled my hair in the sort of coils I’d never known, and they provided me with KICK-ASS eyeshadow colours. The sort of eyeshadow that would’ve NEVER worked on the street due to its gaudiness, but for an Indian wedding it was perfect.

I also had the girls apply fake lashes, which I had never tried before in my life. I didn’t NEED fake lashes, and in fact most girls seem to envy my lashes the way I envy big-breasted girls (thanks God, that’s a totally fair trade). But I sort of wanted to look my best…to show my sister she’s a moron.

I know that sounds horrible, but when she found out I was getting my hair and makeup done, she was not what you would call supportive:

“Why don’t you just put on a tiara and call yourself the BRIDE!” Followed by her running into her room and slamming the door. Exact quote.

To add to that, she’d been a big time “B word” for weeks as I’d catered to her every slave task. Overall, I knew how stupid she was to think I could ever upstage a bride covered in jewels, so I just wanted to stretch it to the limit to prove her wrong.

And also, I’m vain.

Once my make-up was done and I’d been properly wrapped up in a sari (which due to its embroidery was ten times heavier than a regular one), I added the last detail:

-heavy-ass earrings.

I’d been wearing heavy earrings all week for the various pre-wedding events, but these were like cinder-blocks attached to my earlobes. And they had to be, because the wedding reception was the last hurrah. I was so afraid that by the end of the night my earlobes would stretch down to my shoulders, like how you sometimes see on the tribal women in National Geographic.

But alas, my earlobes still have reasonable elasticity, and are as juicy and biteable as ever (what?).

Well it seems that my stream-of-consciousness has brought me to the end of this post, leaving one more installment for the insider’s view of the reception.

And even though I speed-type blog posts and publish them without much thought, I am not omniscient.  As in I DID do a proofread for grammar.

(and if I still missed a bunch of grammar-type stuff, well I’m a moron…)

The life of a journalist

The world of journalism is a pressurised one, with continuous deadlines, job insecurity and challenging interviewees. But what makes the difference between a competent and a great journalist? Good writing skills, the confidence to say what one want no matter how many feathers they ruffle, and, of course, fabulous interview skills. These are a given. Something often overlooked is having the determination to succeed, something which Susan Swarbrick, a 31-year-old senior features writer for the Herald and Times Group definitely has.

 On what first inspired her to become a journalist, Susan Swarbrick said: “From the age of 12 or 13, I wanted to be a journalist, but I changed my mind to medicine. Then in my late teens, it went back to journalism. Then when it came to going to university, I completed a degree in communication and media.

 “I did still want to do journalism so I did a lot of work experience. I got references from editors, then went on to do a post-grad journalism degree at the University of Strathclyde.

 “I love the variety. The world is constantly evolving, and you need to think on your feet. You can go from writing a celebrity piece, to being at the scene of a crash. There are constant challenges which I love.”

 Many journalists often want to get into the industry because they aspire to be like a current worker. Susan said: “I first wanted to be a sports journalist. I really liked Lynn Barber and Andrew Smith, who worked for the Scotland on Sunday. Many people I met through work experience and working as a journalist also inspired me. Making contacts through editors was good part of it.”

 Travel is a major part in being a journalist. Breaking news stories happen all over the world, and obviously without notice. A journalist must be able to travel at a drop of a hat – often to some exotic locations. Susan, who lives in Glasgow – which is also know as the soul of Scotland – has had the chance to work all over the world.

 “I spent a year in Canada working for the National Post. I’ve also be to North and South America, Australia, South Africa, Morocco, Zambia, Ukraine, France, Bosnia and Spain. I happened to be in London for the 7/7 bombings, which I of course covered.”

 The credit crunch has been affecting everyone, in all industries. Less money is available to accommodate larger staffs, travelling in order to do interviews, especially when the interviewee is demanding.

 “It has severely impacted the industry. Everyone seems to be tightening their belts. Celebrity interviews are more often done over the phone as we cant afford to travel as often. Everyone needs to compromise. The quality of work can sometimes be limited – not as polished as you’d like, but we just have to work around it.”

 

Susan reminisced about one of her favourite, but most challenging interviews: “It would have to be David Hasselhoff. We interviewed him in Leeds of all places. He kept changing his mind about the way he wanted things to go. High pressure interviews like that can be quite unpredictable.

“I’ve also interviewed Gok Wan, but I was quite disappointed by him. He just didn’t have that sparkle you see on TV.”

In February, it was announced that the Herald and Times Group had suffered major declines in circulation over the past year, since January 2008. The Herald, a daily paper suffered a drop of 9.7%, and the Sunday Herald suffered a drop of 12.25% in circulation. So what does the future hold for journalism? Susan Swarbrick said: “Multimedia is on the rise. The internet is a big part of it. Blogging and pod casts also a major advantage in this technological era. Camera and video work will be more prominent, as will cross promoting news and feature stories to increase readership.

 “You need to be articulate in the way you explain yourself, and most importantly, be proactive!”

Irish Music - Food - Recipes Squidoo - St Patricks Day Lens

I’m not sure who this band is but they are fantastic!

I was updating my Idea Girl St Patrick’s Day lens with some recipes, music and pictures for all your Irish fans out there.

I love Irish food and music.

There is a lovely restaurant in Niagara on the Lake called The Irish Tea Room and I like to visit there every now and then.

It’s located in the back of Irish Design.

I did a post about them this past summer, and I’ve loaded videos about it on Idea Girl Consulting Youtube.

 

 

Canadian by-elections 2009

Four Canadian federal by-elections yesterday were held in four vacant seats: one in Nova Scotia, two in Quebec and one in British Columbia. Two of them had Bloc incumbents, one had an NDP incumbent and one was held by a formerly Conservative Independent. As a result of the by-elections, two are held by the Conservatives, one by the Bloc and one by the NDP. These elections were spectacularly under-the-radar, even more than usual (2007 had the Outremont-Mulcair thing, 2008 had the Bob Rae-Toronto Centre thing, but these were eerily silent).

Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley

A by-election was held in the rural Nova Scotian riding of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, located in western Nova Scotia. Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley (CCMV) is the most conservative area of Nova Scotia, rural and WASP territory at its best. However, being in Nova Scotia, its brand of conservatism is more in line with old Progressive Conservatism than the Conservative Party’s dominant Reform-Alliance brand. It’s a Red Tory area, some might say, and its former MP was just that. Bill Casey, first elected as a PC MP in 1988, defeated in 1993 by a Liberal, elected in 1997 for a second stint and MP since then, joined the Conservative Party after the PC-Alliance merger but he left the party in 2007 due to a rift over the Atlantic Accord. Massively popular, and facing weak Conservative and Liberal opposition in 2008, he was re-elected with a sky-high 69%, higher than what he had ever won running for the PC or Conservatives. He took not only the large majority of Conservative votes, but also a lot of NDP and Liberal votes (as well as Green votes, the Greenies, although irrelevant here, did not oppose him in 2008).

Casey resigned to become a lobbyist for the provincial government, vacating his seat. The Conservatives nominated Scott Armstrong, the NDP nominated Mark Austin, the Liberals nominated Jim Burrows, the Greenies nominated Jason Blanch and Christian Heritage Party leader Jim Hnatiuk also ran.

Scott Armstrong (Conservative) 45.84% (+37.01%)
Mark Austin (NDP) 25.73% (+13.41%)
Jim Burrows (Liberal) 21.32% (+12.87%)
Jason Blanch (Green) 3.30% (+3.30%)
Jim Hnatiuk (CHP) 3.19% (+3.19%)
Kate Graves (Ind) 0.61%

A predictable Conservative victory, but remarkably weak, despite what other say. Casey won over 45% of the vote in all elections since 1997, when he won 43.6% (and 14% for Reform). It might either be a result of low turnout (a whooping 35.7%, still second highest), lower results for non-incumbents lacking a personal vote, or real reticence by some to vote Conservative. The NDP and Liberals returned to better levels, gaining back votes which they had lost to Casey in 2008. Despite the seemingly good Liberal performance, it’s below their result in 2006 (already low), which was the last normal election in CCMV.

Hochelaga

A by-election was held in the eastern Montreal riding of Hochelaga, one of the Bloc’s safest seats. The constituency covers some of the city’s poorest and most working-class areas, and the area, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is often known infamously as the city’s ghetto. It’s very white Francophone, thus strongly nationalist. The Bloc has held this seat with huge majorities since 1993.

Incumbent Réal Ménard, who has represented the area since 1993, resigned to run (and win) in the Montreal municipal elections. The Bloc nominated, with some controversy, a rather right-leaning candidate in this left-wing district: former PQ cabinet minister Daniel Paillé. The NDP nominated former trade union leader Jean-Claude Rocheleau, who also ran for the party in 2008. The Liberals nominated Robert David, the Conservatives nominated Stéphanie Cloutier, the Greenies nominated Christine Lebel. The neorhino.ca and Marxist-Leninist nominated candidates, and perennial candidate John C. Turmel chose to run here.

Daniel Paillé (BQ) 51.2% (+1.47%)
Jean-Claude Rocheleau (NDP) 19.5% (+5.06%)
Robert David (Liberal) 14.3% (-6.36%)
Stéphanie Cloutier (Conservative) 10.2% (+1.01%)
Christine Lebel (Green) 3.3% (-0.95%)
Gabrielle Anctil (neorhino.ca) 0.7% (+0.2%)
Christine Dandenault (Marxist-Leninist) 0.5% (+0.12%)
John C. Turmel (Independent) 0.4%

The rumours of a massive discontent with the Bloc candidate and a subsequent massive switch to the NDP was nothing but the usual uneducated rumours spread around, since such things are unlikely to happen. Hochelaga is no Outremont. Bloc support here is solid nationalism or socialism.

Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup

A by-election was held in the rural Quebec riding of Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup (MIKR). The riding is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, a rural region east of Quebec City on the opposite shore. The riding includes, amazingly enough, the counties (MRC) of Montmagny, L’Islet, Kamouraska and Rivière-du-Loup. The riding, very Catholic and French, is traditionally nationalist, but like most nationalism in this area, it’s a rather soft sentiment (and much more conservative than Bloc nationalism, which leans left) and the provincial Liberals hold all seats representing this area, including the seat of Rivière-du-Loup, the old seat of ADQ leader Mario Dumont. This is a conservative seat, but was not a Conservative seat. Its MP, the Bloquiste Paul Crête, resigned to run (and lose) in the Rivière-du-Loup by-election. The BQ nominated Nancy Gagnon, the Conservatives nominated well-known local mayor Bernard Généreux, the Liberals nominated Marcel Catellier, the NDP nominated François Lapointe and the Greenies nominated Charles Marois.

Bernard Généreux (Conservative) 42.7% (+12.07%)
Nancy Gagnon (BQ) 37.7% (-8.33%)
Marcel Catellier (Liberal) 13.2% (-2.15%)
François Lapointe (NDP) 4.8% (-0.65%)
Charles Marois (Green) 1.7% (-0.49%)

Turnout was highest in MIKR, a whooping 36.6%. The result is not all that surprising, if you look at the hard facts: the Conservative candidate was well-known locally, Mayor of La Pocatière, so one supposes he had a personal vote. He had the support of the provincial Liberals and all their MNAs in this area. The Bloc candidate was only some staffer or something to former MP Paul Crête, who reportedly had a large personal vote in this rather soft nationalist-conservative riding. The area is of course conservative and soft-nationalist, with aspects similar to Beauce (it’s right-wing economic views, in favour of free enterprise and the like). In addition, the Bloc’s vote against the scrapping of the locally unpopular Liberal government’s gun registry may have helped the Conservatives, who voted in favour of scrapping it, a position popular in this rural riding with some hunters.

New Westminster-Coquitlam

A by-election was held in New Westminster-Coquitlam, a BC riding in suburban Vancouver. The riding is a traditionally swing riding, though it’s safe to say that it leans NDP. It is around 70% white, not very affluent but not poor either and not very working-class. It is largely residential middle-class, safe to say. The NDP has held this seat since 2006, the Conservatives having won the seat in 2004 primarily due to the fact that the Liberals still polled very well then. The NDP MP, Dawn Black, resigned to run (and win) in the BC provincial election held earlier this year.

The NDP nominated Fin Donnelly, the Conservatives nominated Diana Dilworth, the Liberals nominated Ken Lee and the Greenies nominated Rebecca Helps.

Fin Donnelly (NDP) 49.6% (+7.8%)
Diana Dilworth (Conservative) 35.8% (-3.0%)
Ken Lee (Liberal) 10.3% (-1.3%)
Rebecca Helps (Green) 4.3% (-2.9%)

The Conservative candidate seems to have run a poor campaign, thus this result. Of course, it could be caused by the 30% turnout as well. Unarguably, a strong win for the NDP in a rather marginal NDP area. The Conservatives, of course, did very well in BC in the 2008 election, pretty much maxing out according to most, so they probably had little room for even more growth. The Liberals and Greens did badly, and I suspect most of their lost voters (who did vote yesterday) voted NDP.

Overall, the Conservatives won 35.7%, the NDP 24.4%, the Bloc 20.8%, the Liberals 14.8% and the Greenies 3.1%. In 2008, the Bloc came on top of the overall vote. The numbers indicate a strong night for the Conservatives, who gained two seats, and also the NDP, which had an almost perfect night (except for a small loss in percentage in MIKR, but who cares they’d say). The Liberals and Bloc had a bad night. I would put emphasis on the bad night for the Liberals, who despite actually gaining a bit from their 2008 result in these seats (thanks to CCMV), did really poorly elsewhere, even in seat like New Westminster-Coquitlam where they had already done awful in 2008. It’s a poor reflection on Michael Ignatieff, the leader of the Liberal Party. Also a bad night for the Greens, but they always do poorly in by-elections, so no biggie. Though I do predict they won’t gain much in the next federal election, whenever it will be.

In Flanders Fields

In Canada, November 11 is known as Remembrance Day and marks a pivotal day in history when World War I ended.  On the eleventh day of the eleventh month on the eleventh hour, Canadians all over remember the price of freedom and the blood that was spilt on their behalf.

Remembrance Day always evokes memories of singing in the cold, dressed in black, for the cenotaph in Downtown Vancouver.  Hundreds would gather at similar cenotaphs nationwide with citizens dressed in black with red poppies.  As members of the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir, we would sing old war songs, Abide With Me and In Flanders Field.

In Flanders Field is a stirring poem written Lieutenant Colonel John McRae (1872 – 1918) who served in the Canadian Army.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If we break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

May we always remember and never forget their great sacrifice.

Less Travelled: Travel Discount Sites

In addition to our old time classical favourites: of Expedia, TripAdvisor or Priceline. The Toronto Star brings us a few extra websites that offer the same services with even better deals according to niche markets.

1) Fly From Canada: Designed by Canadians for Canadians, this page supplies helpful tips varying from traveler’s vaccinations and visas, to travel reviews and deals. Worth a look, Eh?

2) Canadian Affair: This Company has ads in the travel section of The Toronto Star every Saturday and Sunday, with targeting lines such as: “UK for $99″. This UK generated website promises to offer the lowest air fares from Canada to any destination in the UK available. (A few months ago I found a roundtrip for under $300- taxes included)

3) Cheapo Stay: Besides its catchy name, the website is super too easy to manoeuvre. You just type in the city you are visiting and then pops up a list of the best hotel deals in and around the city.

4) Hotwire: Possibly the best feature for travellers who are just antsy staying at home for too long and need to get the *F* out. Hotwire offers the “Today’s Top Deal” feature where you could find yourself sipping margaritas in the Caribbean or hiking the Rockies in British Columbia.

5) Where’s Cool?: My favourite website hands down. You find yourself in a city with no guide book and you’re not sure what there’s to do? This site is a budget oriented network that connects you to the most surprising spots in any city, guaranteed cool times

Now all you need to do is pack your bags, grab your map and click submit on your next travel search!

High Court to Look at Life in Prison for Juveniles

In Monday case, Supreme Court weighs whether life in prison for juveniles is cruel and unusual.

Joe Sullivan was sent away for life for raping an elderly woman and judged incorrigible though he was only 13 at the time of the attack.

Terrance Graham, implicated in armed robberies when he was 16 and 17, was given a life sentence by a judge who told the teenager he threw his life away.

They didn’t kill anyone, but they effectively were sentenced to die in prison.

Life sentences with no chance of parole are rare and harsh for juveniles tried as adults and convicted of crimes less serious than killing. Just over 100 prison inmates in the United States are serving those terms, according to data compiled by opponents of the sentences.

Now the Supreme Court is being asked to say that locking up juveniles and throwing away the key is cruel and unusual — and thus, unconstitutional. Other than in death penalty cases, the justices never before have found that a penalty crossed the cruel-and-unusual line. They will hear arguments Monday.

Graham, now 22, and Sullivan, now 33, are in Florida prisons, which hold more than 70 percent of juvenile defendants locked up for life for nonhomicide crimes. Although their lawyers deny their clients are guilty, the court will consider only whether the sentences are permitted by the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s latest look at how to punish young criminals flows directly from its 4-year-old decision to rule out the death penalty for anyone younger than 18.

In that 2005 case decided by a 5-4 vote, Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion talked about “the lesser culpability of the juvenile offender.”

“From a moral standpoint it would be misguided to equate the failings of a minor with those of an adult, for a greater possibility exists that a minor’s character deficiencies will be reformed,” Kennedy said.

Yet Kennedy also acknowledged the possibility that for the worst crimes and the worst offenders, “the punishment of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is itself a severe sanction, in particular for a young person.”

Both sides point to the same basic facts — the rare imposition of Draconian prison terms on people so young — to make their point.

The state of Florida, backed by 19 other states, argues it should retain flexibility in sentencing so that “particularly heinous acts that stop short of causing death” can be punished vigorously.

Life without parole “is appropriately rare and reserved only for the worst of the worst offenders,” crime victims’ groups said in court papers.

Most victims of juvenile violence also are young, the victims groups said, citing Justice Department statistics. “Softening sentences for juvenile offenders puts actual children in harm’s way — innocent ones, not those who have committed violent crimes,” the victims’ groups said.

Opponents of such sentences said, however, that most states have in practice rejected life terms for juveniles when no one was killed. The 109 juveniles serving terms of life without parole are in Florida and seven other states — California, Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska and South Carolina — according to a Florida State University study. More than 2,000 other juveniles are serving life without parole for killing someone.

Only 9 people in the country are serving life sentences for crimes committed when they were 13. The number rises to 73 when 14-year-olds are added in.

No other country allows life sentences for young offenders, opponents say.

Beyond the infrequency of such punishment, lawyers for Graham and Sullivan argue that it is a bad idea to render a final judgment about people so young.

“They are unfinished products, works-in-progress,” said Bryan Stevenson, who will argue Sullivan’s case at the high court.

Actor Charles Dutton, former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson and others who committed crimes as teenagers have weighed in against life without parole sentences. Corrections officials, psychologists, educators and even some victims also have taken Graham’s and Sullivan’s side.

“The crimes that these guys committed were grotesque,” Simpson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “I’m sure people will say Simpson’s gone soft in the head.”

The Wyoming Republican served 18 years in the Senate, but as a teenager, he pleaded guilty to setting fire to an abandoned building on federal property and later spent a night in jail for slugging a police officer.

Simpson said he sees no good argument for refusing even to review their sentences after the passage of time.

“When they get to be 30 or 40 and they been in the clink for 20 years or 30 or 40 and they have learned how to read and how to do things, why not?”

If a prisoner shows he is not fit to be released, “throw him back in,” he said. “That’s better than saying ‘Sorry, we can’t look at that file because you were sent here for life.’”

As their cases come to the court, Sullivan’s and Graham’s interests are not strictly aligned. The justices could, for example, decide that life sentences may be inappropriate for 13-year-olds, but allow them for older teenagers.

Such a decision could help Sullivan and another Florida inmate, Ian Manuel, who wounded a woman in a shooting when he was 13. But it could leave Graham with his sentence unchanged.

The cases are Sullivan v. Florida, 08-7621, and Graham v. Florida, 08-7412.

Super Saw!

Sorry – sometimes I just can’t think of a title!

This is going to be the last post for about a week as I have officially packed up my craft room (except for the goodies I need for the 4 classes I’m teaching this week!). I just had to squeak one more project in!

The colour combination for this project was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts challenge this week and the sketch from Stamping 411.

The set Totally Tool was one of those that I really wanted and got it and then have a hard time using. However, when I saw this colour combo, I was drawn to this particular set.

The base of the card is Taken with Teal and all the layers are matted with Basic Gray. The layer in the furthest background is Whisper White and on it I stamped the various tools from the stamp set in coordinating colours. Oh, this is a good tip! If you want matching designer paper to suit a project, use coordinating images and colours and make your own.

The next closest layer is a piece of Nouveau Chic designer paper. I added two star brads from the Styled Silver HodgePodge Hardware on the outer corners and then adhered over the back layer with a couple of dimensionals.

Then, for the piece in the foreground. I knew I wanted to try using tin foil to make the saw blade so that part was easy. I embossed the saw on the tin foil and cut it out. I then embossed the saw again on some Ruby Red and cut it out and paper pierced it onto the foil.

For a “sawed” up look, I cut a piece of Taken with Teal cardstock in a jagged pattern and sponged it with some Basic Gray ink. I then added it onto some Whisper White cardstock with dimensionals and placed the saw.

Lastly, I had a hard time deciding what to do for a saying, then I just decided to stamp the saying with the saw stamp a few times on various scrap pieces and cut it out. All the pieces are affixed with dimensionals.

I sat and looked at this card for a while thinking it needed something else. I took my Black Stampin’ Write marker and ran it along the outer edges and on the Whisper White layer. Not sure if I like it (too late now) but I’ll go with it.

So, I hope to still possibly post but I’ll highlight some great blogs of friends and gals from my downline!

Download Strong DC++

Download Strong DC++

If you are familiar with ‘DC++’, you should know what ‘Strong DC++’ is. Unlike ‘DC++’, ‘Strong DC++’ is a file sharing client application, which can download files from multiple alternate sources. Thus, if you want to DOWNLOAD, from a hub, a file that more users have, this program will find those users based on a TTH root. This reduces the time needed to DOWNLOAD the file. If you need a file quickly, I think this is the right choice. Among other things, you can chat with users from a hub in a private or main chat. In the hub list, which is downloaded by the program, there are many hubs from which to choose.

 

Download

Not Your Momma's Bagels

Somehow the apparent phenomena known as the Montréal-style bagel has heretofore completely passed me by. Wikipedia has kindly informed me that a large portion of Montréal’s Jewish community  — from which the bagel’s originated — gradually left for other North American locations, including one Houston, Texas. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve never, ever seen a Montréal -style bagel shop in the city. Lucky for me, I moved from Houston, Texas to Toronto, Ontario two years ago, a city which I know with 100% certainty has actual Montréal-style bagel shops, being that we’re approximately 5.2 minutes1 from Québec.

I was in the lunchroom at work making my morning Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal today when my colleague said “hey Carmen, we brought in Montréal-style bagels”. I smiled and thanked him, but though ”ew”, mostly because I’m just not a bagel girl. I never have been. I’m really not a “bread” girl at all, unless it’s mixed with chocolate and sugar and called cake. However, always one to try new things, I thought “what they hey, I’ll try it!”. Upon asking what “Montréal-style bagel” actually meant, I was told that it’s sweeter and more dense than a regular bagel. Hmm, sweet and dense? This might be something I could get used to. I bebopped my way in, picked up my bagel and schmear, dropped said bagel and schmear face down on the way to my desk as I was poorly managing two coffee cups, said bowl of oatmeal and the bagel. In honour of the “five second rule”, though, I picked it up, stared at the seeds strewn across the floor, dusted my bagel off, and went on my merry little way. For a brief moment, I considered not eating it at all. Then I considered eating just the bottom since it plopped down on its top. I finally concluded that I would likely not die from the pig flu, nor from any other overly-hyped disease, just from it sitting face down for three seconds. I bit in.

Sweet and dense, indeed! The bread had a sweet scent on the nose, and was completely flavourful, while almost donut-like. It was flaky and not nearly as thick as the bagels I have always had. My understanding is that Montréal-style bagels don’t include egg or salt, unlike regular bready bagels; that honey is added to the water prior to the bagels being boiled (or poached, to be more specific); and they are baked in wood-fired ovens, unlike regular bready bagels which seem to be nary baked at all.

I only managed to eat about half of the bagel, though, because I’d gotten to work slightly later than normal2 and didn’t want to spoil my lunch3. But the bottom line is that I *loved* it and may or may not have found a new favourite food. I never knew a kosher food could be so satisfying, but it hit the spot. Matzah ball soup, anyone?

 

1Well, more like 5.2 hours.
2I’m not a morning person, which may be why I don’t like bagels. I’m never up early enough to finish them. As a matter of fact, my colleagues like to tease me by saying I work the “afternoon shift”. I really loathe getting up early. Really. And lately, the traffic has seriously sucked.
3Lunch that I usually eat around Noon, even though I’ve only been at work for 2.5 hours at that point. What?

The Fine Art of Permaculture

… a podcast with Graeme Calder

Culture and Permaculture

Culture is one of the prime reasons we travel; and as a concept and a practice it is always a process rather than a single event.

In the world of travel and tourism we often talk about intercultural understanding, and travel as a means of achieving universal aims and objectives.

Permaculture is also a conceptual and pragmatic way of interacting productively with the many “systems” inherent in the universe and in human communities. It is therefore a philosophical endeavour, a mindset, but above all it is a common sense approach to land management.

It is therefore not difficult to draw parallels between the Permaculture movement and the travel and tourism industry, given especially the regeneration of the Heritage Movement in which a return to a grassroots and meaningful form of travel is emphasized.

In addition, the increasing emphasis on responsible tourism (often referred to as green tourism or sustainable tourism) is also for many people a preferred method of travel which follows similar principles and ethics to that of the Permaculture movement.

Permaculture emphasizes the designing of human settlements and sustainable agricultural systems which in turn reflect the natural relationships found in the universe. The movement began as an agricultural phenomenon and quickly became an international movement, and for many a way of life.

Increasingly in the world of travel journalism — a corollary “system” to travel and tourism — many are also striving to go beyond the “Where’s the beach?” school of solely consumer-oriented travel. By emphasizing the advantages of a more integrated, reciprocal, and participatory approach to travel, the travel experience is re-affirmed as the most experiential form of learning.

And as you will hear Graeme Calder explain in this podcast, there are many opportunities throughout the world to “travel” in a Permaculture mode.

Permaculture Resources

Pacific Permaculture

The 9th International Permaculture Conference

“Common Circle Education – Permaculture Design Course” (Youtube)

“Permaculture in Action – Greening The Desert” (Youtube)

A Pair of Brown Shoes in a Room Full of Tuxedos

Are you ever left wondering where you actually fit in to all of this? I am. It doesn’t haunt my thoughts always, but from time to time it, the wondering where I still fit in, does pop up. The last time it did was about 2:30 this afternoon, right after puking my guts out; I thought of Adrian Zmed. Maybe it was just the vomiting that brought him to mind (I’m kind of hoping).

I don’t usually think about Adrian Zmed, in fact, I never think of him at all. So it was interesting that after tossing my cookies (beef pie, actually) I should think about him and then find that Grease 2 is on TV tonight. All we need now is a TJ Hooker retrospective and we’re set.

There is the distinct feeling that this blog had a point when I started but now I’m not so sure what it was. I’m sure it wasn’t anything to do with puke. I can discuss menstrual cycles and related paraphernalia until the cows come home but gastrointestional issues always leave me a little pale. I know it wasn’t about Adrain Zmed. It is very possible that this entry was about trying to figure out what to do once the path has been lost. What do you do when you can’t remember what the blog was about when you started? What do you do when your star “vehicle” ends and you are left as nothing but an aging star with dubious talent, with no options but to embarrass yourself on a reality show for aging stars with dubious talent.

I guess one thing he has going for him (Zmed that is, not my puke) is that he still has websites hawking nude pics of him. But I’ll bet none of them are recent (not having checked). Again, the main interest in him lies in his past.

We all have a good idea where we did fit in, yesterday. But where will we fit in tomorrow? Therein lies the question and thoughts potentially more depressing than a TJ Hooker retrospective.

Suicide is painless, unless it's assisted

One night, I watched a made-for-TV movie about a physically disabled woman of sound mind who wanted to be euthanized. In one scene in which she left a courthouse, she and her family were mobbed by pro-life protesters. I had never been infuriated by pro-lifers more than in that moment. Where did they get off telling a completely lucid adult how long she had to stay alive?

A number of Canadian politicians have raised the same ire. A bill to legalize assisted suicide, Bill C-384, put forward by Bloc Québecois MP Francine Lalonde, is heading for a second reading in the House of Commons. Somehow the aforementioned politicians have found a way to make the issue all about society.

The consensus among many who champion disabled people’s rights is that no one — including the government — should have the power to decide when someone’s life should end. . . . “It’s very difficult for us as a society to start to determine when life is or is not worth living,” said [Conservative MP Dean] Del Mastro.

Have they completely missed the point? The objective is to allow individuals to decide when their own lives are worth living or not. When they are physically incapable of doing it themselves, they have only three options for assistance: a) family members, who probably wouldn’t do it; b) some shady mercenary-for-hire who just wants someone to kill; and c) doctors. Tell me which one is preferable.

And as for the bill itself, it would only apply to a patient who “would have to be at least 18, lucid, and make two written requests within 10 days of each other.” In other words, a consenting adult. As long as these are the only criteria allowed to be met, what’s the problem? If the government has no right to tell people when they should die, what gives them the right to tell them when they shouldn’t?

One disabled-rights advocate put it this way: “If euthanasia were legal, [quadriplegic Conservative MP Steven Fletcher] wouldn’t be here today, most likely.” And then you wouldn’t have a political pawn! Disabled people certainly might and do later make significant contributions to their community. But this is just like legally forbidding women to cut their nails because they might need to open an important envelope later. There is no legal argument on barring them from making that decision.

For the sake of individual rights trumping other people’s grief, I strongly encourage all MPs to vote for this bill. Other people’s grief is something only the disabled person alone should factor into the decision.

Liberals Attempt To Capitalize On H1N1

Liberal Party President Alfred Apps

You can’t spell pandemic without the panic. The Liberal party has taken it upon themselves to attack the Conservatives in the House of Commons surrounding the H1N1 flu pandemic, leaving Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq to repeat the same reassuring message over and over in Question period:

“Mr. Speaker, six million doses were produced ahead of schedule. As soon as they were available and authorized they were transferred to the provinces and territories for their roll-out. We will see thousands more this week and one million more next week.”

It’s no surprise that the Liberals are questioning the government surrounding the vaccination rollout, and the news is full of stories of long lineups, shortages of the vaccine delivery, and prospective seekers of inoculation being turned away after waiting for hours. It is important to get such answers from the government, and it would be irresponsible of the official opposition not to ask these questions.

Having said that, it seems rather opportunistic, and perhaps even a little bit desperate, that the Liberals are trying to make a flu vaccine shortage into something larger than it actually is. While some Canadians, including myself, have expressed dissatisfaction with clinics turning people aside, and the media for overselling the necessity of the vaccination, the entire affair seems to be proceeding about as normally as can be expected when a sudden demand exceeds a given supply.

It isn’t as though Canada is the exception to this shortage, as the United States is also struggling to manage large crowds with panic and anxiety. The American Medical News reports that many physicians down south are trying, without apparent success, to find vaccines or local alternative sources for their patients.

“People are scared. People are frightened. And they’re feeling like, ‘Oh my God, I need the vaccine and it’s not available,’ ” said John Sage, MD, a family physician and medical staff president at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill.

It’s been no different in Europe. This is, as the World Health Organization has explained, a global virus that will attack the northern hemisphere this flu season. It isn’t a localized phenomenon, like an Earthquake, or a Wildfire, or even a Hurricane and a flood. That hasn’t stopped Liberal Party President Alfred Apps from circulating the news that the Canadian government response to this crisis is like Hurricane Katrina, the event that is said to have lost President Bush’s popularity with the nation:

The attached article “The Broken Contract” was written by our leader Michael Ignatieff in response to the Bush government’s utter failure to rise to the obvious challenge to public security, order and health presented by Hurricane Katrina. Is the H1N1 pandemic the “Hurricane Katrina” of our own laissez-faire, fend for yourself government? Read the attached. Reflect on the analogous situation we face. Consider the priorities and values that underlie our own government’s response to the threat to public health that this pandemic represents. Recognize that Mr. Harper’s government has utterly failed to stand with Canadians and for Canadians in a matter of clear and unequivocal public duty.

Whatever happens, let us fervently hope and pray that the threat to general health and the risk of loss of life flowing from this government’s incredible irresponsibility is contained to the absolute minimum.

This sort of hyperbole is unwarranted, and in context with what is really happening in the vaccine delivery, a very inaccurate comparison. The government is struggling with the demand, and citizens have a right to get upset and urge a faster response. But this is not a crisis on a level anywhere close to the devastation of Katrina, nor do I think any rhetoric to that effect will have any sway with average Canadians. The comment “laissez-faire” is even reminiscent of Stephane Dion’s attempt to link Stephen Harper with the unrestrained forces of the invisible hand last October when he urged voters not to fall for Mr.Harper’s “laissez-faire I don’t care” attitude.

We should, by all means, continue to watch for signs that the government is stalling in vaccine delivery, but I don’t think we’ll have to wait for very long. The government has a vested interest in responding as quickly and as efficiently as it can on this file, and under the circumstances I think it’s doing a competent job.

Bummeln auf der Leuchtturm-Route

Entlang der Atlantikküste führt die Leuchtturm-Route durch die maritimen Provinzen Kanadas. Das ganz eigene Lebensgefühl in den dortigen Orten lohnt eine Reise. Zum Beispiel in die winzigen Fischerdörfchen Ost- und West-Berlin.

Halifax – Die grünen Ortsschilder markieren noch immer die Grenze. Links führt die schmale Asphaltstraße nach West Berlin, rechts geht es nach East Berlin – von Wiedervereinigung keine Spur. Seit mehr als 100 Jahren liegen sich die beiden Berlins an der Ostküste Kanadas gegenüber. Die Ortsschilder sind ein beliebtes Fotomotiv bei deutschen Touristen, die ihren Weg in die Einsamkeit der Atlantik-Provinz Nova Scotia finden.

Leuchtturm-Route heißt die Touristenstraße, die sich von Halifax bis Yarmouth im Westen schlängelt. Wer auf den Zeltplätzen der Küstennaturparks übernachtet, wird morgens vom kehligen Heulen der Atlantik-Robben geweckt. Wer es städtischer mag, macht in Lunenburg Halt. Seit 1985 gehört die Hafenstadt mit ihren bunten Holzhäusern aus dem 18. Jahrhundert zum Weltkulturerbe.

Am Kai schaukelt das Segelschiff “Bluenose”, das an die Seefahrer- und Einwanderertradition Nova Scotias erinnert. Der trockene Humor der letzten Fischer der Stadt bleibt Touristen nicht lange verborgen. “Lobster Crossing” – Hummerübergang – mahnt ein gelbes Straßenschild am Hafen. Auf der anderen Seite der Straße liegen nicht zufällig die teuersten Fischrestaurants der Stadt.

Lebensgefühl wie aus dem Buch

Die offene, unverblümte Art der Ostküstenbewohner mag daher rühren, dass in Nova Scotia irgendwann jeder einmal aus der Fremde gekommen ist, aus Großbritannien, Frankreich oder Deutschland. Die maritimen Provinzen Kanadas sind nicht mehr Europa, noch nicht Amerika – und manche behaupten, dass sie auch nicht sehr kanadisch seien. Bücher wie Annie Proulx’ “Schiffsmeldungen” haben ein Stück des kuriosen Lebensgefühls der “Maritimes” in die Welt getragen.

Im Hafen von West Berlin liegen Fischerboote an der Mole vertäut. Bauchige Hummerfallen stapeln sich neben Bootsschuppen, das Seegras des Marschlandes wogt im Wind. Neugierige, die sich über den Ortsnamen wundern, finden ihren Weg zu Borden Conrad, Rechtsanwalt und Hobbyhistoriker. Von ihm erfahren sie, dass West und East Berlin nichts mit deutschen Einwanderern zu tun haben.

Vielmehr hieß West Berlin lange Blueberry – Blaubeere. Das ist kein Scherz, auch wenn Borden Conrad ein wenig aussieht wie Danny de Vito und gern wilde Geschichten erzählt. Schilder erwähnen den alten Ortsnamen als Beweis – und als Erinnerung an die ersten Siedler, die ihre neue Heimat nach der Natur benannten.

Lunenburg, NS

Einsam zwischen Heulboje und Untiefen

Glaubt man Borden Conrad, sind West und East Berlin die Schöpfung einer ehrgeizigen Lehrerin des 19. Jahrhunderts. Sie soll den Namen Blueberry als peinlich empfunden haben. Als sie 1871 über die Gründung des Deutschen Reiches las, soll ihr Berlin als neuer Name passender erschienen sein – samt Ortsteil West und Ost. Im Provinzarchiv liest sich die Geschichte wesentlich kürzer. Die Namen West and East Berlin gehen auf einen Parlamentsbeschluss des Jahres 1886 zurück, heißt es dort.

Heute führt eine schmale Küstenstraße von West nach East Berlin. Eine Heulboje warnt vor den Untiefen des offenen Atlantiks, 30 Menschen wohnen noch hier. Eine davon ist Doris Schrane, eine lebenslustige Mittfünfzigerin, die stolz auf ihre Geburtsurkunde ist. “East Berlin” steht da, sonst nichts. “Sie haben einfach vergessen, Kanada draufzuschreiben”, sagt sie.

Ihrer Ansicht nach hat Doris Schrane durch diese bürokratische Panne so etwas wie eine universelle East-Berlin-Bürgerschaft erworben. “Die Menschen im eingemauerten Ost-Berlin haben mir immer Leid getan”, bekennt sie. Doris Schrane würde so gern einmal ins deutsche Berlin reisen. Doch sie ist in ihrem Leben nur bis Bridgewater gekommen, das sind 40 Kilometer auf dem Küsten-Highway. Die Frage, ob sich East und West Berlin in Nova Scotia vereinigen sollten, hat sie sich noch nicht gestellt. Sie kichert wie ein kleines Mädchen. “Nun, wir könnten hier vielleicht das Gras wiedervereinigen”, schlägt sie vor.

Peggy's Cove, NS

A Little Taste Of Communism Right Here In Canada

Photo: Robin Rowland/CBC

No, it isn’t a reenactment of Stalin’s Russian lineups for toilet paper and food rations, but it sure seems like it. But it does involve hapless Canadians waiting in line so they can get their fear placebo, rationed out in government-approved three and a half hour vaccination sessions. We would not want to, after all, strain the unionized public sector too much during this time of emergency.

People who lined up for flu shots in clinics across Canada were turned away by the “overwhelming demand”, as rumours persist that the government just simply doesn’t have enough vaccines to handle the panic of the swine. Most of these clinics opened their doors at 9 am, with locals arriving five hours early. You’d think AC/DC was in town. They closed their doors by 12:30pm, turning away hundreds of people who had been waiting in line.

But fear not. Officials in all tiers of government have said they are rolling out a plan early next week for more targeted H1N1 vaccinations focusing on those at the greatest risk. Such as criminals, for instance. Or Hedy Fry’s workplace. And who could forget the priority of vaccinating homeless drug addicts?

I’m not suggesting that it’s Canada’s mode of health care that is solely responsible for the backlog. It’s a universal fact that government doesn’t seem to understand the point of coordinating efforts and increasing manpower and operating hours to overcome a temporary problem. Our refugee backlog is a pretty shining example of that. I won’t pretend to understand how the public sector works, but in the private sector there are certain deadlines which, if required, force people to work longer hours to accomplish the goal. It would seem prudent in during an international emergency not to do silly things, such as open immunization clinics for 3 hours, and turn people away at a half past the mid-hour of a normal working day.

h/t to BC Blue