Thursday, April 30, 2009

of Bread and Circuses

I dunno...

I know the economy is bad... but the Canadian economy wasn’t nearly as bad as some other countries who got hit.

However, the media really worked the story... all the gloom and doom news, all the time.

Media: Economy is bad. Businesses are closing! You’re all going to lose your jobs.

Public: ZOMG the economy is bad! We’re going to lose our jobs! *rein in spending*

Media: OK now the economy is in serious trouble people have stopped spending... * throw in dire financial stats and make direct references to soup lines and dust bowls of the Great Depression* you’re all going to lose your jobs and die penniless sleeping in your car

Public: ZOMG the economy is in serious trouble... we’re all going to die *stop spending entirely*

It made me mad that the media really “enjoyed” the story and whipped up a “self-fulfilling” gloom and doom mentality in the public.

There is a difference between 'reporting a story' and 'reporting a story with lurid glee'.

Same thing is happening with the Swine Flu... oh pardon me - the H1N1 flu.

The media has latched onto it with frightening ferocity ... anything to get our minds off the economy.

Now we’re not worried about dying penniless in the streets... we’re actually worried about actually dying.

The swine flu is a serious health threat – no question!

The WHO is increasing the pandemic alert levels alarmingly fast, and that is news, however, I do NOT feel that an hourly update about suspected cases is helpful. People are beginning to panic.

Pandemic alert levels are more “heads ups” to public health agencies, and governments around when to implement their pandemic plans and the mobilization of resources... and not public indicators of how soon we’re all gonna die.

I’m not saying there is no cause for concern – there most definitely is cause...

· Keep in mind that the last global pandemic (Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918) killed between 50 million to 100 million people worldwide – more than did the Black Death.

· And that flu epidemic came in two waves... the original mild form that quickly mutated into a much more virulent, fatal version within weeks....

There is cause for concern and precautions but there are no causes for panic ... However, if you feel you need to panic, please panic constructively.

There is a difference between panic, being cautious, and stupidity; Stupid should be painful.

A radio reporter pointed out to a guy at the airport on his way to Mexico that there was a travel advisory and that WHO and the Government were recommending only emergency travel to Mexico... “Who cares” he said “This is an emergency – I need a vacation”.

Ethical dilemma: Do you have to treat someone that arrogant and cavalier about his own health and the health of those around him?

Thoughts? what's it like where you are?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

for Micael ...

LOL... Micael this is for you.

I just grabbed (cut&paste) the html coding from a LiveJournal post - I didn't check what actually posted in Blogger. I hadn't realized (until I read your comment) that I'd grabbed the "obsession" bit too... oops! Below is the subsequent obsession post...

We spent Sunday at the Art Gallery of Ontario . We spent the afternoon wandering around the galleries.

We discovered a great new artist with a campy, naughty, and brilliant- with a cheeky sense of humour and fabulous talent ... and well-aimed zingers at white European Christian interferences on Native American culture.

Kent Monkman, an artist of Cree ancestry who works with a variety of mediums, including painting, film/video, performance and installation, had several pieces in a AGO retrospective Remix: New Modernities in a Post-Indian World.

WARNING: Not everyone’s taste. NSFW

http://www.canadianart.ca/online/2007/12/20/kentmonkman2.jpg

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/files2008a/Monkman-Triumph-of-Mischief.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisejQl0-E0KsN40nR58ysv9-FqUM44YfBmxjPHW4ZRwWTG3CDveGspa_tbW_6kEZu0DlUNb1d07xUIhnZyyHxOOarpT1Qq_lsRtznlTno1DkM1tFk-03ZjUlCoSaX9C0UG4kC5/s1600-h/Kent+2.jpg

http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/misschief_178small.jpg

http://www.hemisphericinstitute.org/gallery/exhibit2_eng/kent1.html

http://www.pfoac.com/zOLDSITE/images/monkman/photosL.jpg

http://www.stephenfriedman.com/index.php?pid=11&aid=76

http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/deathofhyacinthus.jpg

http://www.baileyfinearts.com/images/theexamination.jpg

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Twilight

... with Cheeseburgers




a lovely Tuesday afternoon to you.

In other news... I had a lovely time in Toronto and I have a new 'obsession'! Finally!
stay tuned! I shall spam you all with my new discovery.
crossposted... alot

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Quoi?

I'm telling you.... there is something WRONG over there...

Surely there are more noble uses for $85.00??

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!

After an orange cloud — formed as a result of a dust storm over the Sahara and caught up by air currents — reached the Philippines and settled there with rain, I understood that we are all sailing in the same boat.

~ Vladimir Kovalyonok (Astronaut)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

*insert evil chuckle*

So there we were in The Alehouse, drinking beers (good snobby beer… not the run of the mill beer crud teenage boys sneak to parties)…

And we were chatting about vasectomies as one is wont to do when imbibing snooty beer…
This guy had a great story!

After two sets of identical boy twins in less than three years this guy and his wife decide that ‘enough is enough’ and off he trots to the doctor for ye ol’snipsnip!

He arrives at the office and the waiting room is filled with about 20 grim-faced anxious men… he could smell the fear.

He is the morning’s first patient. His name is called and he shuffles somewhat nervously off to the surgery. The doctor is a huge man of a certain age with a booming voice and a heavy Scottish accent.

The doctor bent over and was futzing around with bit of electrical cable. He stands up suddenly and bashes the back of his head on a shelf. He hit the shelf hard; hard enough to lift the shelf up and send stuff on it flying. The doctor lets out a loud bellow of pain (understandably) and his nurse screams as stuff and supplies fly off the shelf at her. The doctor grabs at the back of his head and bellows “OMG I’m bleeding”. Our friend (actually just an acquaintance) and the nurse get the doctor seated and compressed the back of his head which was bleeding quite profusely.

At this point the receptionist bursts through the door hollering “What the hell is happening in here?? You scared the shit out of ever damn one of those men out there… the whole waiting room cleared out… they practically trampled each other to death in a stampede to get the hell out of here.”

Sure enough the waiting room was empty – some poor dears had even left coats and briefcases behind in their panicked getaway.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Keep thine airspeed up, lest the earth come from below and smite thee...

Chin up my darlings!!

I found this at the DailyOM - it's an interesting essay.

April 15, 2009
Creating What We Don’t Want
When Worry becomes A Prayer

If prayer is an intention that we announce to the universe in order to create a desired outcome, then our every thought is a prayer. This includes thoughts of worry as well as of hope. All thoughts are subtle creative energy. Some thoughts are more focused or repeated more often, gathering strength. Some are written down or spoken, giving them even greater power. Every thought we have is part of a process whereby we cocreate our experience and our reality with the universe. When we use our creative energy unconsciously, we create what is commonly known as self-fulfilling prophecy. In essence, when we worry, we are repeatedly praying and lending our energy to the creation of something we don’t want.

The good news is that we can retrain our minds and thoughts to focus our energy on what we do desire to bring into our lives. Since most worry is repetitive, it will take more than one positive thought to counteract the energy we’ve created. The simplest antidote to worry is affirmations. When we hold these positive thoughts, repeat them often, speak them and write them and refer to them throughout our day, we are using focused energy to create positive results.

We can start right away, together: I am a creative being, using my energy to cocreate a wonderful world. I know that I create my experience of life from within, and as I do so, I also create ripples of energy around me that echo into the world. My positive thoughts gather together with the thoughts and prayers of others, and together we create enough positive energy to heal not only our own lives but the world we share. I am grateful for the ability to cocreate good in my life and in the world.

A lot of times we have concerned loved ones that worry about us. When this happens they are also sending out a worry prayer to the world. A loving conversation letting them know what is happening is the easiest solution. Also, ask them to send you positive affirmations rather than worry about you. After all, worry doesn’t do them any good either. Explain to them that worry can actually be energetically harmful to you and that wishing good things for you is much more beneficial and much more fun too.

Thoughts?

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Another trip around the sun is over and done…

Happy Birthday to Me!
… bring on the cake! And vino!



It takes a long time to grow young.
- Pablo Picasso

… bring on the cake! And vino!



And I have a small confession;
Haiku? – I just do not ‘get’ them…

Friday, April 17, 2009

We can laugh because we made it through another week...

At least they were NOT talking on their cell phones – cuz that would have been unsafe!!

Police nab Norwegian pair during high-speed sex



To all my fellow yoga enthusiasts:
http://video.gaiam.com/services/player/bcpid1896788996?bctid=15257780001


I’m hiring...

and seriously... at what point does one use the microwave? Am I doing this wrong?

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Please!! Come to you senses!!



please people... pay attention! the cartoon speaks the "twooth".

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

There is a disclaimer on this post...

Disclaimer: I fully support the Girl Guides... buy their cookies when you can.

However, I need them to be available at my convenience* rather than the current sales schedule... and the fact that I have very little freezer space left .... oh, and I'm also incredibly evil *grin*

so to tide us all over until the next time a pint-sized salesmaven knocks on your door:

Mock Thin Mints

Samosa-like bars



*because let's face it - it IS soooooo all about me. Really.

Monday, April 06, 2009

in the lane snow is glistening...

Il neige en avril.
È neve nel mese di aprile.
Está nevando en abril.
Det sner i april.
Ito ay may snow sa buwan ng Abril.
Det är snö i april.

SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT

Thank you Google Language tools