it is not the same

2005-02-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

i apologize for not posting.

i feel that i will not be continuing this blog any longer.

i apologize again. i simply do not have the time.

tuna damages fetal brains

2005-01-06T01:19:00.000-05:00

tuna damages fetal brains

and i eat tuna!

donate now

2005-01-04T12:02:00.000-05:00

donate now

harper's magazine:

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake created a tsunami that ravaged
south and southeast Asia, as well as parts of Africa. The
wave reached from Somalia and Kenya to Malaysia. Thousands
of fatalities were reported in the Maldives, Sri Lanka,
South India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.
Three-story waves washed sunbathers into the sea, carried
away snorkelers, and swallowed up Hindu ritual bathers
celebrating Full Moon Day. A prison in Sumatra was torn open
by the tsunami, and hundreds of inmates fled. A baby was
washed from her father's arms. At least 25,000 died, and
millions were displaced. Entire towns were turned into
rubble. Corpses hung from trees and fences, and the rotting
bodies of humans and animals threatened to pollute water
supplies. It was difficult to bury the dead for lack of dry
ground. The earthquake was the largest since 1964, and
slightly altered the rotation of the earth. Other quakes
were felt in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands.

help the asia tsunami relief today.

actually, you should have done it yesterday.

Liberia: an Uncivil War

2005-01-02T19:03:00.000-05:00

Liberia: an Uncivil War

presenting the following documentary news (again, free for students!):

Hot Docs is bringing Academy Award nominee and Emmy-winner Jonathan Starck
to Toronto for the Canadian premiere of his critically-acclaimed LIBERIA: AN
UNCIVIL WAR. The film will be screened at Doc Soup on Wednesday, January 12 at 7
p.m. at the Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St. W.). Starck will attend for a
post-screening discussion.

LIBERIA: AN UNCIVIL WAR chronicles the final showdown of Liberia's
decade-long civil war. Facing the imminent capture of the capital city of
Morovia by a rebel army, controversial president Charles Taylor resigned in the
summer of 2003. Nevertheless, the battle raged on for weeks while the country
awaited the arrival of international peacekeepers.

Exclusive interviews with leaders from both sides and footage from the
front lines paint a gruesomely intimate portrait of the war, while situating it
in the larger political context.

LIBERIA: AN UNCIVIL WAR was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2004
International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam. The International Documentary
Association has also honoured co-directors Stark and Brabazon with a special
award for Courage Under Fire.

Individual Doc Soup tickets are $10 at the door. Admission is free for
students with valid ID, courtesy of The Toronto Star.

please see www.hotdocs.ca for more information.

goodbye to the old and hello to the new...

2004-12-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

goodbye to the old and hello to the new...

happy new year!

(well, for the new calendar as opposed to the lunar since i'm asian.)

END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN JUAREZ AND CHIHUAHUA

2004-12-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN JUAREZ AND CHIHUAHUA

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION @ http://www.PetitionOnline.com/NiUnaMas/

To: US Congress and the Government of Mexico

Below please find a list of resolutions regarding the ongoing violence against women in Juarez and Chihuahua City in Mexico. These resolutions were drawn up by a group of family members of the victims, artists and activists working in solidarity with them, and scholars whose research is contributing to bringing an end to this terrible wave of violence. If you support these resolutions, please sign below and PLEASE give your full name and email address. Signatures will be delivered to pertinent authorities in the US and Mexico.

Resolutions of the International Conference
“The Maquiladora Murders, Or, Who Is Killing the Women of Juárez?”
Hosted by the Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA*

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, November 1st, 2003.

1. We declare that the kidnappings, tortures, and murders of girls and women in Ciudad Juárez and in the state of Chihuahua, committed since 1993 to the present, are crimes against humanity and we demand that their solution become a high priority in the binational and international agendas for the defense of human rights.

2. We demand that the governments of Mexico and the United States intervene in the investigation and solution of these murders, as part of their binational obligations to protect and defend the human rights of all inhabitants of the border area.

3. We demand that Mexico and the United States establish effective technical-legal cooperation and leads in order to investigate the linkages between transnational organized crime and the murders in Ciudad Juárez.

4. We demand that Hilda Solís, Democratic Congresswoman for the 32nd District of California, and Guadalupe Morfín Otero, Mexican Sub-Commissioner for the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women in Ciudad Juárez, organize a binational alliance to intervene in clearing up the murders of girls and women in the region.

5. We demand an in-depth binational and international investigation into the identities of those individuals who might have information about the facts surrounding the murders of women of Ciudad Juárez, or who could be involved in them, and whose names have been denounced by the newspapers La Jornada and Reforma of October17 and 31, respectively.

6. We demand the formation of a binational and international human rights commission that:
a. investigates each and all of the cases of the murdered women;
b. has the authority to protect the life and safety of mothers, families, and friends of the victims, as well as that of the informants and defenders of human rights working on the cases;
c. has binational jurisdiction and capacity to impose sanctions; and
d. establishes a Mexico-United States human rights binational agreement to prevent future murders.

7. We demand that any commission formed by the governments of Mexico and the United States to investigate these crimes be designed in accordance with the human rights criteria established by the United Nations (Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention to Prevent, Sanction, and Eradicate Violence Against Women by Belem do Pará), so that it effectively addresses the murders of the girls and women of Ciudad Juárez and the state of Chihuahua.

8. We demand that the commission be granted the necessary functions and authority to discover the truth about the crimes, to carry out justice, and to permanently halt the murders and any kind of violence against the girls and women of Ciudad Juárez and the state of Chihuahua.

9. We demand that the human rights commissions and the international and Inter-American Courts of Justice acknowledge our demands and make the pertinent recommendations to our governments, exposing them before the international community in case they do not meet those recommendations.

10. We demand that the report written by the mission of experts from the United Nations who visited Ciudad Juárez in October 2003, directly examined some of the files of the cases of murdered and disappeared girls and women, and provided their technical-legal expertise to Mexican authorities, be made public and be widely distributed.

11. We demand economic reparation for the families of the murdered, disappeared, tortured, and raped girls and women of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua for the moral injury inflicted and the emotional pain and distress caused by the failure of the government to investigate properly the commission of these crimes.

12. We demand that the government of Ciudad Juárez, its planning entities, and major employers in the region work jointly to provide the necessary infrastructure that will make Ciudad Juárez a safer place for everybody, in which women can have the freedom of movement, as any other human being, without fearing for their lives and their safety.

¡NI UNA MÁS¡

All of them are our daughters.

All of them are our loss.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION @ http://www.PetitionOnline.com/NiUnaMas/

bush or chimp?

2004-12-26T12:37:00.000-05:00

bush or chimp?

you decide!

(this is in light of this. and yes, perhaps it is delayed.)

merry christmas

2004-12-25T01:19:00.000-05:00

merry christmas

to those that celebrate and to those that do not, happy holidays and (fill in blank)!

the usefulness of blogs

2004-12-23T17:32:00.000-05:00

the usefulness of blogs

groggy right now. headache. not sure where i found this, but blogs are useful.

veggie viagra

2004-12-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

veggie viagra

watch here.

International Support for the Workers of Zanon

2004-12-13T23:06:00.000-05:00

International Support for the Workers of Zanon

please sign this petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/zanon/petition.html

To: the President of Argentina, Néstor Kirchner, the Governor of the province of Neuquén, Jorge Sobisch, Federal Judge Rafael Barreiro, and other members of the government and nation of Argentina

Around the world, Argentina's movement of recovered companies and factories is seen as an inspiration in the fight against neoliberalism, and an important symbol of another world that is possible, necessary, and emerging.

One of the jewels of this movement is the worker-controlled ceramic tile factory of Zanon in Neuquen: a concrete and successful local alternative to the global economic model. Under worker control, the factory has increased employment 50% in one year from 300 to 450 workers: what multinational corporation can boast that kind of record? The Zanon workers have managed this democratically, with decisions made in open assemblies, and every worker having equal power. How many of us have ever experienced true democracy in our workplaces?

The Zanon workers have also built deep popular support in the province of Neuquen, and have shown their commitment to their community in many ways, most recently by building a community health centre in the impoverished community next to the factory.

And yet the reward for the extraordinary successes of the last three years seems to be the constant threat of eviction, and a state of precariousness that could be easily removed by simple legal and legislative measures.

We the undersigned therefore call upon the governments of Argentina and Neuquen, and the courts dealing with various aspects of the bankruptcy case to enact the following immediately:

1. Remove any threat of eviction from the factory, both now and in the future.

2. Grant legal recognition to the Zanon workers’ co-operative, FaSinPat, and acknowledge the important social and economic contribution they have made to their community over the past three years. Without the court’s recognition of their co-operative, the Zanon workers cannot carry out their plan for the exportation of their tiles: we are eager to buy their products in the rest of the world!

3. Pass a permanent and definitive law of expropriation on behalf of the workers of Zanon, so they can stop wasting energy in political and legal battles, and devote all their efforts to creating many more jobs, helping to build hospitals, schools, and housing in the public interest, and spreading the model of economic democracy, so desperately needed in Neuquen and around the world.

Social movements around the world are watching the struggle of the Zanon workers with great interest and passionate support. This highly successful alternative to the neoliberal status quo should not be repressed or threatened: it should be celebrated, supported, and exported!

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

---------

http://www.petitiononline.com/zanon/petition.html

look after yourself, look after one another

2004-12-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

look after yourself, look after one another--right to play

one of the few highlights in the Right to Play's December 2004 Red Ball Report:

Sport Offers New Hope in the Middle East

Across Israel and the Palestinian Territories, innovative "Twinning Programs" are using the universal love of sport to bring Israeli and Palestinian youths together as never before.

Israeli and Palestinian youth share a passion for soccer. Recognizing this common bond, the Peres Centre for Peace and Right To Play have designed a program of activities that use soccer to promote cultural integration between these two populations, and act as an avenue by which social change can be encouraged. Youth from both backgrounds play together on the same team, learning how to communicate and work together, while having fun. In addition to the sport program, the children also receive Peace Education training.

The first set of Twinned Soccer Schools, involving over seventy children, was established by the Peres Center for Peace in 2002. Israeli and Palestinian children came together on a regular basis to participate in joint sporting and social activities. The immediate success of the project sparked plans for a large-scale, long-term program of Twinned Peace Sport Schools.

Today, six communities participate in Right To Play funded projects: the Israeli communities of Sderot, Bnei Aish, and Kiriyat Ekron; and the Palestinian communities of Issawiya, the Muslim Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, and Tzur Baher. Expansion of the project is planned for a number of additional communities.

"The direct and positive impacts of the Project can be clearly seen. The children show improvements in their sporting skills and attitudes towards each other," said Right To Play's Middle East Regional Office Delegate Erika Bockstael. "Many of the children participating had never interacted with children from the 'other side' before joining this project. Today they call each other friends and meet regularly, despite the ongoing and escalating conflict. Beyond the children, the Project also reaches their families and communities, and the Palestinian and Israeli Coaches who now meet regularly and are working together to achieve the same goals, again a first for many of them. Some of the Coaches and families have been actively engaged in the conflict and participating in this project has truly been a life changing experience."

In the current climate, characterized by very few positive encounters between Israeli and Palestinians, the Twinning projects are a powerful, non-political way to bring Israeli and Palestinian children together.

Alon Beer, Sport Projects Director at the Peres Center for Peace

Following the success of the Twinned Soccer Schools project, the Peres Centre for Peace and Right To Play, together with the Israel Tennis Center, are cooperating to implement a Twinned Kindergartens program. The objective of the program is to bring together Israeli and Palestinian children aged four to six years. The children participate in activities focusing on motor skills development, learn about the values of peace and tolerance, and are encouraged to accept cultural differences.

Currently, a pilot program is underway, which includes one Israeli and one Palestinian kindergarten. The feedback received has been very positive, prompting plans to expand the program to include ten Israeli and ten Palestinian kindergartens from Jerusalem and its surrounding areas.

sleep is death lite

2004-12-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

in defense of my refusal to sleep (most of the time)

As taken from the May-June 2004 edition of Utne:

Sleep Is Death Lite
Fear and trembling atop the raised platform

By Jeff Kay, from Crimewave

There's no way to get around it: sleep is crepy. It's not something I talk about in mixed company (because I'm seemingly along in my belief), but I've always felt this way. I remember being a kid and becoming unslightly uncomfotable whenever they showed people in bed on Little House on the Prairie, prerparing to turn themselves over to an eight-hour minicoma. I'm sorry, but the widely accepted riual of climbing atop an elevated platform and assuming a state of insectlike domracy is disturbing to me.

The fact is that otherwise bright and energetic people willingly allow themselves to become drooling vegatables at the end of each day feels like a failure. We, as superior animals, should be above such base requirements by now. Every night I climb abroad my raised coma platform, I sigh with resignation, feeling like a monkey in pants.

Have you ever seen a person sleeping? We look like idiots. As I put a fresh pillowcase on my pillow, I see the stains tehre, created by excess saliva that rolled out of my mouth during my nightly transformation into a lobotomized fool, and I feel shame. This is no way to live, people.

In addition to all the time wasted to voluntary loss of consciousness, I worry that one of these days I'll get in too deep and won't be able to pull out the other side. Sleep is Death Lite, and playing chicken with the grim reaper is, I think, ill-advised. Yet we do it every day. So far I've won every contest, but the odds keep getting longer and longer. It's Russian roulette beneath a fluffy comforter. Tonight could very well be the night that I'm drawn to the light.

And the fact that sleep is not only accepted by society, but celebrated too--well, that concerns me. We should be working at correcting this abnormality. Instead, we build homes equipped with special rooms (chambers) in which to assume our freakish science fiction states of suspended animation, complete with fancy handcarved hibernation stands. We also frequent places of business, like Bed, Bath, and Beyond, where one can purchase myraid frilly, scented dromancy supplies. If we had a grotesque dangling mole on our faces, we'd have it removed, not drive across town to purcahse an imported cozy.

Don't even get me started on dreams. When somebody starts a sentence with, "Oh man, I had the weirdest dream last night," I head for the exit. Thank you for your desire to share, but the bizarre misfirings of your noctural brain waves frighten me. You say you were playing darts in a jockstrap with Willie Mays and Thomas Jefferson? Well, that's just excellent.

My wife loves to sleep; she views it as a refuge. (She actually looks forward to it, which I find slightly insulting.) I'm just the opposite, of course. I put it off as long as possible, and curse its talent for robbing me of one-third of my precious life. When I finally give in to sleep's evil come-ons, it feels like defeat. Why, if I had had an extra seven or eight hours per day, I could rule the world. Or at least watch a shitload of television.

Throughout history, many visionaries have attempted to circumvent sleep, including Thomas Edison and Seinfeld Kramer, but, in general, we just accept it as a fact of life. What we need is something that will allow us to stay awake all the time. I seem to remember reading a piece on the Internet a while ago about a half-assed military experiment along those lines. I'd be interested in getting in on this deal--far away from the battlefield, of course. It would be like having your weeks Super-Sized.

In the meantime, though, I guess I have no choice but to play along and do my time atop the platform. I do so under protest, however; I want that to be noted.

the christmas special

2004-12-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

the christmas special.

The 10 Least Successful Holiday Specials of All Time.

(credits: Inspector Lohmann)

list of to dos

2004-12-12T15:03:00.000-05:00

list of to dos

i have been both busy and lazy lately, but i find this to be particularly amusing at the moment.

(credits: Berri Berriak/Bitxikeriak)

youngest galaxy

2004-12-09T23:22:00.000-05:00

'youngest galaxy'

doesn't this fascinate you as much as it does me?

(credits: BBC News and NASA)

this x-mas, buy local

2004-12-07T20:34:00.000-05:00

this x-mas, buy local

actually, every x-mas buy local if you haven't started.

check this out for some starters: would you buy from a store where everything was locally made?

enemy of the state

2004-12-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

enemy of the state

spreading the word.

why die when you could live?

2004-12-07T20:03:00.000-05:00

why die when you could live?

please look at: BBC News: Japan's internet 'suicide clubs'

admittedly, death can be fascinating--but to the point of forming a suicide club? but there is still so much to live for!

however, i must admit i have not reached a point or situation where i feel all is at the end. so i suppose, in reality, i have no say in this matter.

why reach towards the light, when you could create a light of your own and share it with others? (sounds corny, but i think i picked it up somewhere.)

firefox, my love

2004-12-05T23:11:00.000-05:00

firefox, my love

United Nations Day for Abolition of Slavery

2004-12-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, December 2, is the United Nations Day for Abolition of Slavery

the following is taken from a forward:

Over One Hundred Children Freed from Slavery

Dear Friend,

Recently 129 more children were rescued from slavery. Free the Slaves played a pivotal role.

Last month FTS met with staff of the U.S. State Department to urge them to do something about the plight of boys kidnapped and subsequently enslaved in fishing camps in Bangladesh.

Gangs abduct boys or lure them by false employment promises, and then they bring the boys to Dublar Island and sell them to the mafia for US $15 each. The boys, as young as 8 years old, are forced to work up to 18 hours per day, seven days a week. They have no means of escape. They are fed poorly, receive no medical care and sleep on dirt floors. The guards sexually abuse many of the children, and if the children do not work fast enough or refuse to sleep with the guards, they are beaten. If they die they are just thrown in the sea. Powerful people in Bangladesh know that this is happening, but their relationship with organized crime outweighs the rights of child slaves. Law enforcement people look the other way. But we don't.

Today many of the boys are back with their families and are being helped to recover. The US State Department used the information Free the Slaves provided to pressure Bangladeshi authorities to finally take action.

By supporting FTS, you contribute to the eradication of slavery. Tomorrow, December 2, is the United Nations Day for Abolition of Slavery. As a supporter of Free the Slaves, you know that slavery still exists. Please continue to support us so that together we can help more children to freedom.

Sincerely,

Jolene Smith
Executive Director

Take action by signing our Anti-Slavery Petition. You can also help by forwarding this message to ten of your friends.

Free the Slaves is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Free the Slaves
1326 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 1.866.324.FREE or 202.588.1865
Fax: 202.588.1514

stupid.ca

2004-11-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

stupid.ca launch

there was a free concert today. and i missed it. i missed wheels on the bus and projet orange live. woe on me.

however, the cause for the concert is a good one--promoting awareness about the tobacco and smoking industry to teenagers and young adults alike.

although i am disappointed and slightly exasperated with myself, life will continue. so enjoy and celebrate. without taking a drag. (see stupid.ca for details.)

(note: i am still busy, so no updates still...)

my apologies

2004-11-16T01:08:00.000-05:00

my apologies

i have been away for a while. and continue to do so for the next two weeks.

(by the way--although it's late--happy remembrance day, eid mubarak, and happy diwali.)

lily*

moving

2004-11-10T01:18:00.000-05:00

moving to canada, eh?

moving to canada, eh?

(credits to inspector lohmann and scratchings.)

new canada

2004-11-08T18:55:00.000-05:00

new canada

moby says kerry supporting states should join canada.

and this would be the result.

prayers

2004-11-08T00:32:00.000-05:00

prayers

not much of a religious person, but god bless arafat and may our prayers be with him.

part 2

2004-11-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

Part 2 is up!

Of Zombies, Bloggers, and The Will To Power As Disappearance [Part 2: Zombie Pedagogy]

for those who missed part 1, click here. and then there is also the prelude.

socialists mall

2004-11-06T18:05:00.000-05:00

socialists' mall?

a little on the evolution of the mall: CBC Viewpoint: The mall as a socialist concept.

elections

2004-11-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

the US elections

how could the dry drunk bush win???

(and please come back harry.)

anticipation

2004-11-02T03:53:00.000-05:00

anticipation

us elections today.

halloween

2004-10-31T12:34:00.000-05:00

happy halloween

as stated, happy halloween.

and for those interested in a brief history of halloween, please click here.

ukraine

2004-10-30T23:56:00.000-04:00

'Keep you fingers crossed' for Ukraine

blog browsing and came across this.

thank you

2004-10-30T19:57:00.000-04:00

thank you

[post contents removed]

eninem

2004-10-26T23:58:00.000-04:00

eninem's mosh

check this out.

here's something from the director's note to get you started:

Most Americans are well aware that in 2000, the presidential election was decided by 537 votes. From hanging chads to the hourly updates of the manual recount, this story was obsessively covered by the mainstream press. However, what wasn’t covered was what journalist Greg Palast discovered that thousands of primarily minority voters were scrubbed from the voter registry in Florida and prevented from potentially changing the course of America’s turbulent last four years.

so look at it.

zombies

2004-10-26T20:19:00.000-04:00

"Of Zombies, Bloggers, and the Will to Power As Disappearance [Part 1: Zombies]"

read this.

(note: it may be a little slow to load if you have internet explorer, but worth the wait.)

doc soup2

2004-10-26T01:39:00.000-04:00

tying the knot

Doc Soup's Second Screening:

DOC SOUP SCREENING #2: TYING THE KNOT
Wednesday, November 3rd, 7pm, The Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St. W.)
TYING THE KNOT (D: Jim de Sève) chronicles same-sex couples' emotionally-charged crusade for the right to marry in the U.S. In his first feature-length documentary, director Jim de Sève treats the issue as the U.S.'s latest civil war.
Intimate portrayals of a gay rancher's fight to keep his home and a lesbian cop's battle for her slain wife's pension are set against the civil rights movement playing out in the streets, courts and
legislatures. Sam and Mickie's touching stories highlight the importance of legal rights for same-sex couples, dramatically illuminating precisely why separate is not equal...
Miriam B. Coleman of The New York Blade raves, "Compelling and inspiring, this documentary represents activist, engaged filmmaking at its best."
TYING THE KNOT is sure to sell out, so get your Doc Soup membership (available below) to guarantee your seat. Individual tickets are $10 at the door. Admission is free for students, courtesy of The Toronto Star.

documentaries aren't the most popular "thing" for students, but it's about same-sex marriages and not many of us know much about them. i guess you can assume that i am one of the ignorant bunch that knows absolutely nothing (or close to nothing about same-sex marriages).

maybe i'll learn a thing or two.

and thank god i'm a student.

daily show

2004-10-20T23:57:00.001-04:00

and of course...

the transcript of the daily show. (stewart and carlson)

you decide for yourself. lol.

condi wins

2004-10-20T23:57:00.000-04:00

condi wins

also Muslim UN Peacekeepers are not allowed in Iraq.

credits: BobHarris.com

scare

2004-10-20T01:31:00.000-04:00

a scare

oleg:

people who have night shifts have a 300% higher chance of getting heart
problems compared to the rest of us MickyD eating pediphiles

i need to learn to sleep properly.

desperately.

you must

2004-10-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

you must click on this (underwear goes inside your pants)

you must click on this. (you'll also need windows media player.)

(credits to oleg.)

ramadan

2004-10-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

ramadan

selamat berpuasa everyone! (i'm sorry it's a little late since it started yesterday.)

("happy fasting everyone" in malay.)

to learn more, see:

BBC Asian Network: Ramadan

Fact Monster: Ramadan The Month of Fasting

Islam (Submission): Ramadan

New Internationalist: Islam The Basics

stop mulesing

2004-10-16T15:53:00.000-04:00

stop mulesing

Mulesing is the cruel procedure whereby Australian farmers mutilate
lambs--without any painkiller--by carving chunks of flesh from the animals'
backsides in a crude effort to reduce flystrike, even though more sophisticated
and humane control methods exist. When they are no longer viable for wool
production, millions of frail wool sheep are shipped thousands of miles through
all weather extremes, mired in their own waste aboard open-deck, multitiered
ships, ending up in the Middle East, where their throats are slit while they are
fully conscious. Many sick and injured sheep, treated as mere cargo, are thrown
overboard or ground up alive in mincing machines. Last year's Cormo Express
disaster captured international headlines as more than 5,000 sheep died at sea.

--PETA

May a compassionate Australian government end the practice of mulesing and the live export of sheep raised for wool in Australia.

frogmometer

2004-10-16T15:17:00.000-04:00

frogmometer

"Amphibians are one of nature's best indicators of overall environmental health"--Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International.

last time i checked, the colour of frogs were from yellowish-green to a bluish-green tone. and if amphibians--such as our little purple frog right here--are an indicator of the overall health of earth, then it must be heading towards the pits. (see: CBC News: State of the world's amphibians bleak: report)

quit driving, you torontoians! i almost got hit today. well, don't i everyday? true, but it would much more kinder to the earth if you walked to took public transit. (did you know that approximately 50% of torontoians drive? toronto emits the second largest amount of smog--california is number one--in north america.)

and start using the stuff you were taught as kids, "recycle, reuse, reduce". repeat after me: "recycle, reuse, reduce"

recycle, reuse, reduce. recycle, reuse, reduce. recycle, reuse, reduce.

there you go.

(note: the frog may or may not be supposed to be that colour in reality.)

100 mistakes

2004-10-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

100 Mistakes for the President to Choose From

from Center for American Progress

During a prime time press conference on April 13, President Bush
was asked to name a mistake that he has made since taking office and what he has
learned from it. Bush, who was unable to answer the question, admitted "maybe
I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with [a mistake]." But
weeks later, Bush still hasn't answered the question. In the interest of
assisting the President with this surprisingly difficult task we've compiled
this list of 100 mistakes he has made since taking office:

please click here to continue: 100 Mistakes for the President to Choose From

(credits for finding to link goes to A view from the north)

dry drunk

2004-10-14T16:31:00.000-04:00

Bush the Dry Drunk

it has come to my attention that since the past few US presidential debates that Bush has been rumoured to possibly had a stroke (due to excessive drooling, refusal for medical exam checkup until after election, etc.).

the possibility could be quite true and quite serious. however, there is another response.

this other response, which is not as well known, is that Bush could be a dry drunk. (see: Bush the "Dry Drunk")

that, of course, is another possibility. which, seems much more probable than the stroke.

and there there is Fidel Castro's speech pointing out to the public that Bush is, indeed, a dry drunk:

Fidel Castro: The Pathology of George Bush

i don't believe either of two. i merely think bush is a moron.

beauti-naturelle

2004-10-12T17:28:00.000-04:00

natural beauty

for the girls (mainly), from Now:

sickening fact: up to 60 per cent of what's applied to your skin soaks through
to your blood vessels and ends up in your liver. yikes. (October 7-13, 2004, Issue 1186, Volume 24, No. 6)

go organic. save your health. go chemical-free.

to start, try:

Organic Makeup Company

Pure + Simple

Sweet Suskind

again from Now: [italics are my own doing]

You're best buying goods with a purely natual ingredient list, but don't
sink your dollar into just any products labelled "natural" or "organic." Canada
and most of the U.S. have no regs governing the use of these terms. In
California, the only state with standards, a product of 70 per cent organic
ingredients may call itself organic even if the rest is synthetic or
petroleum-based!

Read ingredient lists carefully. You can generally spot chemical names
pretty easily, and take note when only one or two ingredients are actually
organic. Be aware that "hydrosol" is just a fancy name for distilled water,
which is often used to pump up the organic contents on a label. On the other
hand, it can be very difficult to make 100 per cent certified organic products,
since many essential oils and other ingredients aren't readily available in that
form.

By the way, despite what many people think, the Body Shop isn't all that
natural. If you ask to see its ingredient lists, you'll notice that mango butter
cream or coconut cleanser is chock full of synthetics. On the upper end of the
price scale, Kielh's (Queen West) says it tries to be natural and organic
ingredients whenever possible, but online label scans still pull up
petroleum-based and synthetic ingredients. Aveda (now owned by Estee Lauder)
also claims to include plant-derived ingredients whenever possible and to abide
by strong sustainability practices, but it [Aveda] makes no promises about avoiding
synthetics. And Aveda products only contain some organics.

Some organic/biodynamic/fair trade/natural companies:

Dr. Hauschka

Just Pure

Druide

Weleda

Life Root

Aroma Crystal Therapy

Terra Essentails

Aubrey Organics

Life in the Woods

Lavera

Hemp Organics

Ecco Bella

Organic Makeup Company

for those in toronto, products available at the Big Carrot on the Danforth, Noah's on Bloor or Yonge and Whole Foods on Avenue Road.

for a complete assessment of everything from mascaras to shaving creams:

The Environmental Working Group Report: Skin Deep

second winter

2004-10-11T14:04:00.000-04:00

second winter

some thoughts on global warming.

canada, by nature, is a cool country. (and when i say, "cool", it is not the slang usage.) born in canada and grew up in canada.

one could say i was quite accustomed to the weather. in fact, i remember the days when i used to wear merely a sweater and a vest outside when it was snowing--of course, not for a long period of time.

that was only a few two-three years ago.

now, instead of fall, we get first winter and then second winter. fall is summer. summer, unfortunately, has been demolished.

i am sitting here wearing two sweaters while typing this post. a few years back, i would have been in my shorts and a t-shirt at this time. (admittedly, exercise may have a role to play in the reason of why i am so cold considering that i used to run every morning since i was child--and somewhere along the way of living by myself, it's been cut out of my routine.)

who says climate change isn't happening?

for more info, please check out:

BBC News: In Depth: Global warning?

BBC Science & Nature: Hot Topics: Climate Change

BBC: Climate Change

CBC News: Climate change could bring colder winters

bush's battery back

2004-10-11T01:23:00.000-04:00

this is not news nor is it surprising

turkey dinner

2004-10-09T22:09:00.000-04:00

turkey dinner

here's some food for thought during your thanksgiving meal this weekend.

happy thanksgiving to all.

sleep

2004-10-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

sleep

sleep is always good.

motorcycle diaries

2004-10-06T22:11:00.000-04:00

motorcycle diaries

for some odd reason, nobody has heard about this movie. well, here it is and i plan to go see it.

just not now.

bloody migraines and headaches

2004-10-06T05:07:00.000-04:00

bloody migraines and headaches

can't sleep.

why is my head hurting again?

one of these days i'm actually going to get that silver bullet in my head just to get rid of them.

argh.

some questions

2004-10-06T01:13:00.000-04:00

some questions

some questions that some people may have for dick cheney: here

lada

2004-10-06T00:03:00.000-04:00

ladadee

this is just something i figured i would decorate this blog with:

isn't it pretty?

medicare pledge (again)

2004-10-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

medicare pledge (again)

and since you signed the anti-slavery petitions, i figured you may take a few moments to sign refer to this.

or go straight to the Medicare Protection Pledge.

the new slavery

2004-10-04T21:52:00.000-04:00

the new slavery

Although the direct value of slave labor in the world economy may seem
relatively small, the indirect value is much greater. For example,
slave-produced charcoal is crucial to making steel in Brazil. Much of this steel
is then made into the cars, car parts, and other metal goods that make up a
quarter of all Brazil's exports. Britain alone imports $1.6 billion in goods
from Brazil each year, the United States significantly more. Slavery lowers a
factory's production costs; these savings can be passed up the economic stream,
ultimately reaching shops of Europe and North America as lower prices or higher
profits for retailers. Goods directly produced by slaves are also exported, and
follow the same pattern. It is most likely that slave-produced goods and goods
assembled from slave-made components have the effect of increasing profits
rather than just lowering consumer prices, as they are mixed into the flow of
other products. I'd like to believe that most Western consumers, if they could
identify slave-produced goods, would avoid them despite their lower price. But
consumers do look for bargains, and they don't usually stop to ask why a product
is so cheap. We have to face facts: by always looking for the best deal, we may
be choosing slave-made goods without knowing what we are buying. And the impact
of slavery reverberates through the world economy in ways even harder to escape.
Workers making computer parts or television in India can be paid low wages in
part because food produced by slave labor is so cheap. This lowers the cost of
goods they make, and factories unable to compete with their prices close in
North America and Europe. Slave labor anywhere threatens real jobs everywhere.

- Kevin Bales, Disposable People (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999) 23-24.

slavery is real. nor has it been "abolished".

slavery is not merely labour, it is one's life.

please sign the petitions today:

Free the Slaves Petition
Stop Human Traffic Action

and visit:

Anti-Slavery Organization
Stop Human Traffic: Anti-SlaveryInternational
Free the Slaves
Breaking the Silence

arin

2004-10-04T20:38:00.000-04:00

arin

arin is upset.

sadia

2004-10-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

sadia

sadia looked sickly today. so did naida. and i think asfia has a cold (or she's faking it again). andrew also a cold. i wonder who else is sick.

may each of them as well as all others who are ill receive the proper rest and treatment they deserve and need.

that also goes for africa and asia.

CITIZEN BLACK

2004-10-03T19:37:00.000-04:00

CITIZEN BLACK

CITIZEN BLACK is the first Doc Soup screening of this year on Wednesday, October 6, 2004 at 7pm at the Bloor Cinema. (this upcoming wednesday.)

to sum it up quickly, CITIZEN BLACK focusses on media capitalist Conrad Black from a humourous intake. as for Doc Soup is previews and discusses contemporary documentaries yearly.

tickets are $10 at the door and free for students with student ID (hurray!).

check out: http://www.hotdocs.ca/doc_soup.cfm for more info.

International Festival of Authors

2004-10-03T18:51:00.000-04:00

International Festival of Authors

the international festival of authors at the toronto harbourfront centre. (for those that missed the word on the street, this is your chance to redeem yourself.) it's in its 25 year and runs from october 20 to 30, 2004.

as it is an international festival, it will also encompass brown authors as well. and asian. and black. of course, there will be the voices from canada and the united states. it will include biographers, poets, playwrights, novelists, etc.

please check out: http://www.readings.org/ for more info.

Toronto Trails Festival

2004-10-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

toronto trails festival

starting today is the toronto trails festival, so for those who need a little or want some exercise. go take a hike.

literally.

that or a walk. whichever you prefer.

it's free, so for all cheapees out there (like me), get out and experience some fresh air and nature. well, whatever that we have in toronto.

also, as an extra incentive, all registrants (not mandatory to register) will have a chance to win one of 25 gift certificates for a pair of premium hiking boots.

for those that do enjoy walking, you can also participate in the high park walking tours every sunday.

happy walking/hiking.

cheapee lily

2004-10-03T17:58:00.000-04:00

cheapee lily

bought jeans for fifteen bucks. pretty good for jeans, i suppose. however, ten dollar jeans are better. but it's not jean season and i'm probably not going to find something cheaper unless i run up to pacific mall. too far. not willing to spend that much time in a crowded mall. and i'm cheap.

one thing that annoys me about this pair of jeans is that it makes my butt look flat. or so my sister noticed (and thus i realized i so too).

fifteen dollar flat butt jeans.

cheap.

cheap wins. i'm keeping them.

coffee fights

2004-10-03T01:58:00.000-04:00

coffee fights

apparently i need to get up early tomorrow. shit.

damn that coffee. and the other coffees. must remove coffee mug from my lips. aslfjasf shxnckhasjfasfaskjfhajkhsakhffklsakxnkmxzkljhowenx,nviuhwaoi.

ahh! the precious coffee has been spilled onto the keyboard.

damn you for taking away my coffee.

more nothing

2004-10-03T01:46:00.000-04:00

more nothing

oleg likes tomatoes.

and cucumbers.

somehow it makes logical sense with him.

i need to sleep.

tomato count

2004-10-03T01:42:00.000-04:00

tomato count

today, i encountered another person (aside from my sister) who preferred eating their tomatoes raw.

like a fruit. like an apple. both of them are red and has seeds, but quite different. the apple treated as a regular fruit, whereas you shove it into your mouth and crunch down and the tomatoe treated as a vegetable. well, typically. cooked in stir fry or placed in a sandwich.

oleg would be the second person.

i have yet to encounter another to add to my tomato count.

hehe. i can count.

wild thing

2004-10-03T01:34:00.000-04:00

wild thing

while sitting in front of the computer and talking to oleg (by this time, bob and matt had left), i came up with a song. well, somewhat.

(goes with the tune of "wild things" chorus)

"coffee, you're my sexy thang.

you make my heart sing."

i think it's brilliant. how's that for start?

oh, the genius of a caffiene generated high.

oleg has a blog

2004-10-03T01:19:00.000-04:00

the post about nothing

oleg has a blog. (not sure if you want me to advertise, so i won't.)

earlier on, i was quite ecstatic (oh look, i can spell it now!) that oleg had a blog for some odd reason. probably the caffeine and the motrin. or maybe i was just happy.

energy drained, enthusiasiam lost makes lily write a post about nothing to fill up time and space. damn that coffee.

(that's it, coffee and i need to break it off. this time, for good....okay, maybe not. i'm sorry i said that.)

oh and did you know? i know somebody named bob! bob, i'm mentioning you.

coffee and i, together for eternity!

fake debates

2004-09-30T18:52:00.000-04:00

fake debates

scrapped this off of scratchings. so credits to harry's pastel palette post.

for those students in the debate club (as well as other students) that routinely check onto my blog, this may assist you on our upcoming discussion on the kerry/bush debate:

more on the fake debates from undernews
as well as
the fake debate site

enjoy.

pin the tail

2004-09-30T18:03:00.000-04:00

pin the tail

credits: My Blahg

most definately brightened my day when i saw it (and continues to amuse me).

nicotine

2004-09-29T21:57:00.000-04:00

nicotine

lately, i've had these cravings. cravings for nicotine. a cigarette. any cigarette. malboro, or whatever that's out there--i don't care. i just want a cigarette.

actually, i suppose, it's been a little more than lately. for a couple of months now.

i've held back for now. haven't bought one yet. i can easily get one if i truly wanted it. buy one from the corner store, get it off of a friend, or just take one from a relative.

i've tried smoking before. can't say i like it too much. i can't find anything appealing about it and yet, i am addicted to it before i actually am.

perhaps maybe life's been just shitty lately and that's why i want a cigarette. yawn. everyone's life is shitty.

fuck, i need a cigarette.

leila

2004-09-28T23:58:00.000-04:00

leila

oh yes, i forgot to mention one other quality about leila.

she is bitchy.

chinese women have a tendency to be bitchy, whiny, or both.

leila has decided to take part in the bitchy side of it.

queen bitch of bitches.

chopsticks

2004-09-28T22:32:00.000-04:00

chopsticks

chopsticks is essential utensil in which every chinese person--no, oriental person--should have some basic knowledge about.

sadly, my sister Leila lacks such knowledge.

as white washed as Leila is (and i suppose the rest of the family), one would figure that she would at least know how to use chopsticks.

our family eats rice nearly everyday. we usually have the typical chinese meal. rice, steamed/cooked/boiled/stirfry vegetables and some fish. maybe some other meat occasionally. (i'm not a big fan on meat.)

moreover, Leila was bought up in China as a little girl. sure, she was born in Canada, but she spent part of her childhood in China.

Leila enjoys chinese movies. Leila also has some crazy chinese friends. (one of which i call stalker...hehe.) Leila likes chinatown. additionally, leila goes to pacific mall. (pacific mall is some popular asian mall in markham...or was it richmond hill?)

included in this equation is that Leila can read and speak Chinese quite fluently.

i can barely do both the former and the latter. (shame on me.)

so, it doesn't make sense.

Leila is the least white washed of the entire family (excluding parents, of course) and ironically, she cannot hold chopsticks. well, Leila can hold them--just not properly and not for long.

our heritage is going to white washed away, isn't it?

shame.

asfia

2004-09-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

asfia

hi asfia. i wrote about you.

please get me a gun. i won't shoot you. promise.

i need to shoot the pain away.

damn migraines.

katherine harris

2004-09-26T22:32:00.000-04:00

katherine harris

this is beautiful:

Go to Schneider's website, not Harris'. I'm sure Katherine Harris
doesn't know what a "Kos" is... She probably thinks it's a handbag
designer.

I saw that cosmetic-encrusted witch on CSPAN once. If she isn't
the most vacuous, brain-dead, loathsome mountain of human excrement in
Washington DC, then we should surrender to the UN now. She is to
intelligence what Rick Santorum is to gay sex. Watching that troll open
her pie-hole in a congressional hearing is like watching a diarrhetic on the
toilet. It's as if one of the real congresswomen brought her daughter to
sit on her lap during the proceedings, and then the little tyke grabbed the
microphone while her mommy went to take an important phonecall. All the
other committee members just shift in their seats and look nervously at each
other to see which of them will be the first to turn off her microphone or
distract her with a shiny toy. I'm sure that after becoming familiar with
her "talents", her high school guidance counselor did not immediately think "US
Representative". He was probably thinking tarot card reader, or phone sex
operator. Maybe even cheerleader coach. She is the most prominent
clown in the Florida circus. To have her in our US congress is a very poor
attempt at humor. Katherine Harris is the punchline to the joke that
Florida politics has become... Maybe all the manatees are going extinct
because they freeze while trying to swim to Canada.

site credits to: Daily Kos and cc

(katherine harris is as cc described it: "the makeup-slathered, pathetic excuse for a human being who ran George Dubya's Florida campaign while simultaneously holding the office of Florida Secretary of State".)

the word on the street

2004-09-26T21:58:00.000-04:00

the word on the street

the word on the street is fantabulous. i love it.

but it could be cheaper.

or maybe i'm just poor.

sometimes it sucks to be young. or a student.

sadia

2004-09-26T19:43:00.000-04:00

sadia.

what a sweet girl. i love her. she's so adorable. (sorry amna.)

was too tired to blog yesterday. my hands were killing me after carrying asfia, stefanie, and andrew's university booklets and pamphlets. in fact, they're still somewhat swollen. university fair.

anyway, i was struggling a little (only a little) my bundle--rather extravagant bundle, that is--of university advertising. or "promotion" as they called it.

papers and pamphlets were filled to the tee in my backback. in my hand, was about 20lbs of more. worse, i had used five bags to ensure none of the contents would fall out. after all, i was collecting for a total of four people, which was much more than i thought i could handle.

sadia, being the sweet girl she is, grabbed the bag from me and told me to stay put. well, something along those lines--with slightly differently wording.

i don't know how it sounds on this blog, but it was an incredibly sweet gesture.

as small as this gesture may seem, it meant a lot more to me. such voluntary and random act of kindness. almost as innocent as a baby's soul (because well, sadia's soul isn't that innocent...) or perhaps again, i am a pessisimist.

much and greatly appreciated.

especially since the pile was about a gazillion pounds to carry. and more by the hour.

unfortunately, i had to cut into sadia's shopping time due to my enormous "burden" (as i shall dub it now). my apologies.

during the university fair, sadia, rizwana, and i were joking around. my memories not quite clear right now, however i do believe it was something along the lines of a broken back and suing people. my backpack was so heavy that i might need back surgery. and sadia would be the lawyer who would sue asfia, stefanie, and andrew. sadia would also be the doctor. she would a brain surgeon.

i'm not so sure what was so funny about that. rizwana had said something and then sadia had bought up the comment that we would be friends for a long time.

oh yeah, it was something about how i would age into some really old lady and sadia be the doctor that wouldn't recognize me. and keep in contact.

although we were merely poking fun, i had the feeling sadia meant what she said.

i'm always surprised when somebody says something that they mean. or do a good gesture, for that matter.

maybe there is hope in the future for this horrid world.

oh and, we will be good friends for a long time.

WHO'S ON FIRSTIN CHINA

2004-09-24T01:29:00.000-04:00

who's in china

George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was in Palestine!.
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China.Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of Palestine! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.(Condi picks up the phone.)
Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get chinese food in the Middle East?

credits to: My Blahg: http://myblahg.blogspot.com and tell me a secret: http://secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com/

oleg

2004-09-23T23:53:00.000-04:00

oleg

my friend, oleg--and since i cannot think of any other way to place it--surprised me today. usually oleg's quite the "i don't give two shits" kind of guy, which he is and will remains so probably for his entire life unless something catastrophic occurred.

somehow, in our msn conversation, we came across how "numb" people are. and that was when he stated that he would step up when the coutnry needed him. in the middle of nowhere. well, nearly. i won't give any details, but he continued a little on how much the country had given him (canada) and so forth.

i'm just surprised, because he means it.

not many people do.

it's nice to know that there are good people out there. genuine. true to their nature and what they say.

although this is a weird rant in the midst of another migraine, cheers to you, oleg.

amna

2004-09-23T22:39:00.000-04:00

amna

i saw amna yesterday. (or was it the day before? my memory's ghastly poor these days.)

she seemed to be shorter. her back was hunched over. she was wearing glasses. and a red sweater that seemed quite similar to the one that sadia was wearing at the same time. jeans, like sadia, and i suppose the rest of the student population.

most of all, amna just seemed stressed.

amna is stressed.

she wasn't talking in a puff as she usually does when she's excited. her speech was still quick, but slower. running shoes, not her usual black boots. i suppose, more suitable on the ttc. not the car. glasses, not contacts. exhausted.

i hope you're well, amna. don't stress yourself too much.

or perhaps i'm crazy and going overboard with something that's not there.

but it was definately good to see you. we missed you!

A view from the north

2004-09-21T22:54:00.000-04:00

A view from the north

hello. here i am, despite nagging at myself to not go onto blogger. sleep, lily, i tell myself, is much more important despite being incredibly drugged and caffienated. (please note: i am not a drug addict, merely for my horrid migraines.)

moreover, i have homework. plus lots of reading. and work. and laundry. and more work.

don't we all have work?

okay, i'm getting off topic here. i've already almost forgotten why i am here.

an e-mail.

a very good e-mail. A view from the north: http://canadiancynic.blogspot.com/ has decided to continue! (for those of you that do not know, mr. canadiancynic had previously wanted to quit.) there are only too few number of people who are willing to place the time and effort to speak out against the injustices of bush et company.

now, back to my penalty ban.

such luxuries i almost wished i had...

2004-09-19T21:57:00.000-04:00

such luxuries i almost wished i had...

i suppose occasionally there are times when people do things in which they think is convenient for themselves is also convenient for others.

please allow me to inform such people that it is not true.

it may be in some cases, but it's merely a matter of concidence or it has been well thought out. for the people belonging in such a category or situation, i applaud you.

sometimes people forget that i live at some considerable distance and time away from luxuries such as the newspaper box (where newspapers are purchased and dispensed) and quick transportation like the ttc.

it takes a certain amount of time and money to do such a simple task as purchasing a newspaper.

time is tight and so is my income. we are all very busy people. plus i live on an income, which is something quite close to nothing.

thus, the fact that it is the weekend does not help. there are fewer buses, particularly on my route. ttc ticket prices continue to rise. weekend editions are between two to three times the regular price for newspapers. worse yet, it is a newspaper i abhor--the national post.

so i ask you, to remember my unfortunate "handicaps" when you do something which "just seems sensible and convenient".

2004-09-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

look! even the mailbox is protesting against bush...

credits to: A libbie's take on today's events

2004-09-19T19:08:00.000-04:00

The DTCW's Panic Induction Stress State Of National Unity Alert Logo [PISSONUAL]

please read Inspector Lohmann's Panic Induction Stress State Of National Unity Logo: http://inspectorlohmann.blogspot.com/2004/09/panic-induction-stress-state-of.html

comments

2004-09-19T18:37:00.000-04:00

comments

my apologies for not posting comments in reply. i suppose i should, considering the fact that i did add in the comment feature on my site.

i'm not totally sure why i don't reply. i suppose it's habit. usually when someone offers a comment, i just nod and say thank you--whether if it is an insult, compliment, or opinion.

i might have thoughts of my own, but more often than not from experience, i tend to offend the commentator. often, as a history student, there are moments where debates may rise over a certain issue. kashmir, for example. thus, i have chosen to remain silent to most commentary.

furthermore, i have discovered that it is in my silence where my image can remain at its most diplomatic front. i feel that i am at a strategic advantage to remain silent--to choose at which opportune moment to speak, that is.

perhaps, over time, it has been developed as a habit.

fortunately, in light of your comment, i will reply to the comments found here.

hurray and cheers.

2004-09-16T23:50:00.000-04:00

sigh

as usual, i am procrastinating. what happened? i was working so well last year. and now i'm back to my old habits. shame on me.

anywho, just some small updates. will add more links. was too lazy to switch computers to add the other links. and i thought i would waste some time by writing this as well.

shame again.

"global" [tv]

2004-09-16T21:36:00.000-04:00

"global" [tv]

today, i was on the subway--as i am on seven days a week--and i couldn't help but notice the new ads they had placed. especially when it was blaring right into my face and plastered on every possible space--of course, excluding the windows and perhaps the doors.

"global" (television network that tends to sway right of centre and maybe further right at times) had taken over the subway car. again, i couldn't help but notice that the lighting was perfect in this car unlike the other usual cars where a light would be barely lighting, flickering ever so often, or even broken. great for global i guess.

there was one in particular that bothered me. advertising "et", as they so eloquently called it, in reality entertainment tonight. (or is it tonite for that show? i don't watch tv, so you'll have to forgive for this...although i can't say i'm sorry.)

allow me to state what was written on the poster: (i despised it so much that i copied it down and wrote it on my hand instead of reading my textbook)

WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO ARE THEY WEARING WHEN THEY DO IT

[beside that blurb, of course is the "ET" and what i assume to be, their two main "newscasters"]

THE SHOW YOU WATCH WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF

the last line bothered me the most. "really important stuff"? come on! and "stuff"? what is "stuff" aside from a group of celebrities donning the corporate garb?

i do believe over 400 russians were killed. heck, forget about that. how about the news in darfur? [sudan] or the next "mistake" (as i shall put it quite lightly) that bush is going to make on iran? the tensions in taiwan? previous elections in china? hurricane ivan? one of my coworkers has to go back home because his house has been destroyed. i'm talking too much.

shame. shame on the advertisers. and shame on those who don't think twice about what they're doing.

just shame.

mr. lohmann

2004-09-14T20:32:00.000-04:00

mr. lohmann

i am quite surprised that i have more readers than i acutally think i do. i suppose everyone reads everyone else's blog especially with the new blog surfing device, the "next blog" button.

anywho, since i have much work to do, i would like to quickly mention mr. lohmann's sites:

Inspector Lohmann: http://inspectorlohmann.blogspot.com/

and

American Samizdat: http://amsam.org/

oh and thanks for the compliment on my old layout. it was too much work to keep the old one going. low maintenance suits my style much more.

fabulous site you have. great detail and articles. (i've only looked at Inspector Lohmann so far.)

school

2004-09-14T19:47:00.000-04:00

school

due to the fact that i have already graduated, i have found it rather annoying when others question why i have chosen to remain in school.

well, here's the fucking pissing answer:

i like school. i actually do. i am one of the few (or perhaps many who may be in denial) people that enjoy school. i enjoy learning. i may not always like it, but like i had said, i enjoy learning. some bits and pieces of knowledge fascinates me. i don't care if it's that rhinos are natural fire stoppers or that y = ax + b. i don't care how useless it may be. somehow, it manages to intrigue me.

another significant factor is family. in particular, my parents, who are ever so willing to see a "successful" child. of course, a "successful" child would be some sort of corporate accountant making millions of dollars, or some lousy cheapass lawyer ripping off seniors. perhaps, i'm exaggerating a bit--okay, i am. thus, i'm taking a dozen math courses and accounting to create the illusion that i am heading somewhere towards "success".

sadly, i don't give two shits about it. there's a difference between being good at something and enjoying what one does. i'm fairly decent at computers, but i hate it. just flipping through my math textbook makes me sleepy. science would be alright if it weren't for physics.

history, on the other hand, is my thing. always changing and ever occuring. people are developing (or are they? please refer to for an example: "CultureJammers: Stop Bush http://adbusters.org/magazine/54/features/stopbush.html) there is always something more than what appears to be. moreover, it is ever so interconnected with every possible subject there could be. (much more than those crappy bell commercials albeit i'm not sure if they still have them on tv since i don't watch much television).

fuck math. and the corporate world. i wanna be a bum. i love history.

this self-destructing dance will never end

2004-09-14T19:03:00.000-04:00

this self-destructing dance will never end

the other half is back. (yeah!) and slacking.

plans to come in the near future:

- nothing
- do math
- pretend to do math
- staring into nothing
- terminate some ill-minded workers [just my cows, maybe my brother], oh wait, that's not part of this list
- continue to pretend to do math

and oh yes, i nearly forgot, become nothing in the midst of nothingness.

kill me now.

i hate school.

ahoy mateys!

2004-09-14T01:51:00.000-04:00

ahoy!

arr, avast! in commemoration of pirates of the carribean--mind you, it was an excellent movie--allow me to introduce the Talk Like a Pirate Day, September 19! Just click onto http://www.talklikeapirate.com/ for more details.

school.

2004-09-13T17:59:00.000-04:00

school.

went to school today. boring.

yawn.

going home

2004-09-06T14:13:00.000-04:00

home

going home today. haven't been there for a while. been staying at my dad's house the entire summer, and perhaps, more than that if you include the many, many days that i stayed over at my dad's house during the school year.

i wonder why i'm going home. location? perhaps. it is closer to school. ah, yes. i remember now. because this is gramma's home. my home. where i was bought up as a child, went to kindergarten, vacationed during summer and winter holidays--why, i lived here my whole life.

it's a bittersweet feeling i have going home. or maybe more so a bit of regret. i can't quite describe the feeling, honestly. the english language tends to be quite constricting.

the house is going to be sold eventually. and i know it.

apparently, the house is getting too old. also, nobody lives in the house anymore. the house needs to be renovated entirely. in fact, the house needs to be stripped down entirely.

i live in the house. gramma lived in the house. ever since gramma came to canada. dad and uncle david bought this house for her. this is my house. gramma gave it to me.

and i can clean the house. i've already started. i can repaint the walls.

but it doens't matter anymore. gramma can't defend me anymore.

nothing matters anymore.

because gramma isn't here.

nothing

2004-09-06T00:52:00.000-04:00

nothing

i have nothing to write.

there is nothing.

yet, i see things. memories that do not matter. details noted, but useless.

why, life itself has become useless.

or perhaps not so.

it does not matter.

i don't think i give two fucks in this world.

2004-09-05T00:13:00.000-04:00

god.

if i ever said i didn't believe in god, i take it back. i do.

and god hates me.

fuck, he curses me.

nothing much [update, i suppose]

2004-08-30T23:21:00.000-04:00

nothing much [update, i suppose]

there has been nothing to write in particular, which is partly the reason why i have not posted. the other part of the reason is that i have been busy, which has been posted in the previous post.

a couple friends and i realized that summer was ending soon--as well as our holidays--thus, we went out on a huge mission to go out every day. enjoyed a few plays, donated to a couple charity festivals, visited a few musuems, etc., etc., etc.--mission completed.

toronto keeps you busy--one way or another.

anyways, so i didn't write. usually i use to blog to rant about things or something that interests me, but i suppose i didn't have anything to complain about and logically [at least in my mind's eye], i didn't feel the need to post.

it's better to save your energy for sleep than to write. although, it can be a symptom of my laziness.

this will never end.

2004-08-30T01:33:00.000-04:00

this will never end.

this is self-explanatory. to a few. and others: just look.

the bitch

2004-08-29T23:41:00.000-04:00

the bitch

"O my soul, do not aspire to immortal life, but exhaust the limits of the
possible."

-- Pindar, Pythian III

took a bitch just to look for that quote. and now i can't remember why i need it. anywho, at least here i can attempt to make some use of it.

been busy and too lazy to blog.

still alive

2004-08-27T18:23:00.000-04:00

still around

i posted.

wedding

2004-08-21T01:53:00.000-04:00

wedding

wedding tomorrow. may i get drunk. hopefully, i'll be drunk enough to be able to tell off my fucking relatives without getting in shit.

wish me luck.

oh and it appears that i still have internet...for now.

sleep-less

2004-08-20T03:41:00.000-04:00

sleep-less

i am never going to sleep. not tonight. instead i'm going to write e-mails and blogs to everyone and anyone i can think of. while chatting on msn.

and shit, i have an interview tomorrow morning. or this morning, depending on the way you look at it. i'm going to look like a raccoon.

at least i'll look like something.