I don’t know what else I can say about what’s going on in Toronto right now. Frankly, I thought that all the money they poured into the g20 summit in Toronto would have gone to waste because I believed that Toronto is really one of the nicest places to be in. The people are friendly, there’s so much stuff to do and I’ve always felt there was an aspect of welcoming and respect here. I really believed that.

So when we found out through blogs, twitter and then more from the news that the protests had turned violent because of the acts of a group of anarchists, I was disgusted and saddened. This isn’t the Toronto I know. I don’t know what the anarchists hope to achieve by destroying businesses and property. That Starbucks we saw repeatedly on the news that had been completely trashed… well I’m just thinking of the people employed there that may not be able to work until the place is fixed up.

I know in my heart that these group of people aren’t part of the larger peaceful protests that have been organized. I don’t know what they really think they’re accomplishing except causing a lot of heartache and financial loss for people working to get by. Your message is lost with every window they smash. It’s pathetic and it’s not the city I know and love.

I respect and admire the Toronto police who I think have been doing an admirable job. Sure protesters aren’t going to like them right now, but I do think they need to be there. They aren’t a perfect institution but it’s a necessary one, and I know it can be thankless.

But you know what, this is Toronto. We’ve got a good reputation, we’ll spring back. Peace, everyone.

Link: Protests turn violent: storefronts smashed, police cars set ablaze

You know, it’s not that the ‘for sale’ sign on my lawn has disappeared that makes me a little pissed off today.  It could have been stolen, or wind might have taken it away, though somehow that same wind managed to tear off a leg of the metal stand, pluck it out of the ground and place it somewhere else on my lawn while stealing the large plastic signs themselves.  It could also have been stolen by little shits.  But no, that’s not what annoys me most. It’s the fact that someone left a fucking shopping cart on the side of my driveway.  Seriously.  The grocery store is three blocks away. I see people hauling shopping carts away from there down the street all the time. I think it’s tacky. I would be so embarassed to be seen taking a shopping cart out of the mall parking lot. I see that and the first thing I think is that it’s the epitome of trashiness.  Particularly when they don’t return the carts, they just fucking ditch them on someone’s lawn!

I couldn’t leave the cart there, so of course I had to be the one that brought it back to the mall parking lot. And yes, I was embarassed to be seen pushing it down the street even if it was back towards the mall. And because there is construction down my street, it didn’t make things easier.

I just can’t believe people some time.

Subtitle: PETA can kiss my ass.

I’m so embarrassed about the way PETA has decided to use the Tim McLean murder as a tasteless PR opportunity. I know this isn’t the first time they’ve done this. In fact, there’s a lot about PETA’s PR that I find extremely questionable, distasteful or downright awful and I wonder at times if it’s really educating people about animal rights, or just turning them off of the issues completely.  From my point of view, it looks like the only people they tend to appeal to are the trendy and ignorant zealots.

I find it incredibly sad how people treat non-humans, particularly the ones that are raised to nourish them.  The main reason I am a vegetarian is that because there is such a lack of respect towards the creatures that we breed and raise to feed us.  However, that sense of respect I bestow to the animals of this world, I also have for humanity as a whole.  Being a vegetarian does not exclude me from being a humanitarian as well.  And you just don’t jump on tragedies to advertise your own personal cause, whatever it may be. PETA is no better than the Westboro Baptist Ministry that take their religious zealotry to new heights.  And this is why people, including myself, think PETA is a big joke and do more harm than good to the Animal Rights cause.

I would never say, stop trying to change the world. But I believe there are ways to make your point heard without resorting to extremism, zealotry and irresponsible tactics.

Update: I visited my two favourite vegan sites and visited the forums to see what fellow veggies had to say about this latest stunt. I’m pleased to say that I am not the only vegetarian that thinks this way.

Post Punk Kitchen Forums  - PETA’s latest stunt

Vegweb.com - PETA ad compares bus beheading to animal slaughter

Somebody in the blogosphere or where ever came up with the word “Staycation”. It’s a euphamism for “I have no money, so we’re going nowhere and staying home for our vacation.”  It’s an awful word and everytime I see it printed, I just cringe a little.  It’s become particularly popular lately because of the U.S. economy problems, as well as it’s eco-trendy because you don’t spend the gas that you use when you’re travelling.  I’m posting about it now because this post is probably the sixth time I’ve read that word in my daily blog reads over the past week and it’s bugging me.

However, the idea in itself… making staying home for your vacation sound better than it actually is… is kind of hokey but I’m personally a fan. You just don’t “stay home” per se. You make your home a lovely environment, plan fun activities with friends and family, maybe do a local tourist trap thing, make cocktails and lounge in your back yard, pick up a different sort of activity and relax.  I do this frequently when I take extended time off because I’m lazy, cheap and afraid of flying.   It’s just that word,  and i guess other euphemisms that make being broke sound less sucky, particulary the ones that incorporate the word “ghetto” (i’ve seen ‘ghettofab’ when it comes to describing cheap home decor)  annoys me and I may confront the person who actually decides to use it in a serious real life conversation. But seriously, say it aloud and it just one of those words that just doesn’t sound right, nor should you be able to take yourself seriously.

Ok, maybe I’m not. Today, after staying a little late at work again, I took off on my trusty bike to Petsmart so Thaddeus could eat tonight. Thaddeus is my oldest kitty, though he’s still pretty active and likes to express his dominance around the place. However, he’s stubbornly refusing to join the canned kitty food contingent of Niko and Aya. So, yesterday I ran out of the kibble and attempted to feed him some Whiska’s pouched tuna. He took a few nibbles and decided he wasn’t that into it. No doubt, Niko ate the rest.

Anyway.. i wasn’t able to get to Petsmart yesterday because I was at work until about 10pm. Today, I was determined to get there, because no one likes to see their kitty go hungry, and Petsmart is the only place close to me that has the crap that Thaddeus will eat. It was raining when I got in that morning, so I was wise enough to bring an extra change of clothes and wear my brand new Mark’s Work Warehouse rubber rain boots, which also look stylin’ might I add. The boots were an awesome idea. My pants and jacket were soaked, my socks were not.

Read the rest of this entry…

Angelina Jolie you’re a hypocrite. That’s right, I said it. I love you in movies, and I think you’re beautiful, and to some extent, I respect what you stand for. But you’re travelling to these exotic places, picking out exotic babies that make it seem more like a purse collection. There are thousands of children in your home country that are born in absolute poverty, that need the intervention of a millionaire celebrity godmother, children that will grow up hopeless, on the street or worse. Yes, it happens in America. I don’t think it’s the need to have children that drives you, Ms. Jolie, rather than the need to have international rescues to add to your repertoire. Saint Angelina indeed.

And all the trend followers of adopting children from whatever 3rd world nation is most fashionable of the week, this rant calls you out too.

Iranians hate 300, what?

Small reminder for people who get politically worked up about (not-so-big-budget) hollywood eye-candy flicks:

point 1: Ancient day Persians are not equal to modern day Iranians.

point 2: Ancient day Spartans and Grecians are definitely not equal to modern day Americans.

point 3: you’re right, there probably weren’t millions of Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae, but neither were there just 300 greeks, and chances are Xerxes didn’t look like a polished, bronze, pierced statue, just as it was unlikely that the Spartans went into this battle clad just in leather shorts (though I have read that Spartans did go into battle naked at times).

It’s a movie about half nekkid, super cut Italians with Scottish accents hacking through over-costumed and heavily made up sword-wielding stunt dudes led by an 8 foot tall body-mod afficianado with a Brazilian accent. How seriously do you want to take this as historical accuracy or propaganda even?

In fact, dare i say that the Persian Empire depicted in 300 has more in common with modern Superpower Americans, steam rolling smaller, poorer countries for the promise of easy access to oil? Hrmmmmmmmmmmmmm? (I’m being tongue-and-cheek here, I don’t necessarily share this view about most Americans)

Now for the sexy eye candy:

I came home late last night and zoned out in front of the telly, switching back and forth between HGTV and A&E. I caught a bit of CNN's report on James Kim and dozed off for a bit while they were talking about Mary Cheney's pregnancy. Some idiot 'family-first!' robot woman kept spouting about how the magic formula for well brought up children is a mother and a father.

NO YOU FUCKING FOOL i nearly screamed at the television. I wanted to slap this bitch in the face if she thought the world was that simple. Where I'm hearing stories every day of violent child abuse in two parent (mom and dad) homes, of little girls being sexually victimized by their heterosexual fathers while their mothers turned a blind eye, or where the high standards of a strict, wealthy, right wing homes still don't stop their kids from underage drinking or drug abuse. What the fuck good is having both a mother and father if the love isn't there. (this will bring me to another rant of another day about people having children they are incapable of loving)

You know what the magic formula is? GOOD HOMES. Children that are loved, never neglected, guided and well fed. Do not give me this bullshit that two people of the same gender aren't capable of the same kind of love and care for a child that a hetero couple can give. What's the difference? That daddy has a penis? Well, now. You give your child a good home, you'll get good people. People who think in black and white… well they don't seem to think well at all.