Foxymoron

Women in the 21st century

Although months away, this American election is already unfolding like a great dramatic play. My favourite character in this election is Teresa Heinz-Kerry, the wife of Democratic leader, John Kerry. This week, she is best known for the woman who told a reporter of a right-wing newspaper to "shove it." But she is also an intelligent woman who is not afraid to express herself.

While Salon has a couple articles about Heinz's refreshing outspokeness, (Jennifer Foote Sweeney's "Who's Afraid of Teresa Heinz?" and yesterday's "My name is Teresa Heinz Kerry" by Geraldine Sealey), right-wing media outlets would rather paint her as a uncontrolled wild woman.

Forget that she speaks five languages fluently, improved people's lives with her philantropy and has won numerous awards for her contributions to the environment, women's rights, etc.

Ken Kurson calls her a liar. Seattle Times says she has "loose lips," and Joseph Grant Swank says Heinz is a poopy head because she said the Lord's name in vein. He was writing for Bush Country and who takes those guys seriously anyway?

As Heinz said at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week:
"My only hope is that, one day soon, women -- who have all earned the right to their opinions -- instead of being labeled opinionated, will be called smart or well-informed, just as men are."

If her argument sounds familiar it's because it echos the sentiments expressed by Martha Stewart. Stewart went on Larry King Live, earlier this year, and defended her arrogance. Of course she's not nice, she said, she's a business woman and her niceness would not be an issue if she was a man.

One is a woman with a successful business empire. The other is a wealthy philantropist. One is now a convicted criminal and the other criminalized for saying what she wants. Both are victims of an often ignored double standard. I like Heinz and I even have a soft spot for Stewart. I don't agree with all of their opinions, but as a young woman, I respect their ability to stand up and have their voice heard, even if it is often ridiculed or dismissed.

Funny Post

The Washington Post made another boo boo. Howard Kurtz explains in today's issue:

The newspaper is printing 10,000 copies a day of a special convention issue that is being distributed free among journalists and delegates attending the Democratic National Convention gathering here. And in large type at the top of Monday's second section, above a picture of John Kerry and John Edwards, is a banner headline: "ELECTION 2000."

Right topic, wrong year.

Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. seems to have a good sense humour about the situation. The special issue will remain at the convention. He suggests that they may end up as collectors items on Ebay.

"At least we weren't wrong on the news," Downie said. "We were wrong in labeling the news."

OK, maybe you don't think it's funny, but I do.

Links of the day:
Bug Me Not — The website to find out passwords for sites that require passwords, like washingtonpost.com.
Billy Klippert — I was only slightly surprised to see the Canadian Idol loser's video on MMM. He still has those sunglasses on his head and there is less hair on the top.

This summer

I've been reading Tuesdays with Morrie and although it is a cheesy kind of book, it has made me think about life and mortality in a different light. I re-read yesterday's post about my weekend this morning and it saddened me to think that this warm season is not immortal. We're just about into August and although it is the hottest month, it's also only a month away (or less) from September and therefore the harsh realities of school and the pursuit of a career in the "real world."

I won't let it get me down though. I have decided on a short but ambitious list of things I shall do before the end of the summer. They are not things I need to do, but rather things I would really love to do.

1: I will see a play - perhaps Waiting for Godot at the Soulpepper Theatre
2: I will sink my toes into the sand of a beach - any non-toxic beach
3: I will go to the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery - and experience Janet Cardiff's "Forty-Part Motet" and ride on John Kormeling's "Mobile Fun" ferris wheel
4: I will watch the sun rise
5: I will spend a day in Kensington Market - to shop (smartly), eat Empandas and relax

What do you want to do?

Wonderful weekend

I've had a lovely past couple of days. For reasons like art, beer, sun, laughter, beautiful new faces, familiar voices and playing the flaneur. Tonight, for example, I met up with the soon-to-be famous journalist, ECS and caught up over guilt-free fried food and Coke (san liquor thank you). We spoke of our careers, our hair, girls/boys and the ex we wish never lost time over. Afterwards, we headed west on Queen and ECS bought awesome limited edition shoes. One of 48 pairs and I'm jealous.

Then I told her about this "secret swing" I read about on Accordian Guy's blog and she agreed we neeeded to find it. We walked through alleyways and saw some of the city's best art — the graffitied walls south of Queen. It was a beautiful sight with the slowly setting sun in our faces. We got lost, ignored strange young men and saw Toronto from an entirely different prespective. We zig zagged south, then north, west and then back east until we finally stumbled upon the secret swing. If we hadn't looked so long and so hard, I might say it was an ugly sight. In a small V-shaped space between two angled buildings, this lone swing hung from a metal rod. Garbage was pilied behind it. But hidden from the rest of the world, there was something charming about that little swing. Neither of us dare enter through the forced opening of an iron fence. We were wearing sandals and decided not to step over the broken glass only to swing into garbage. Next time, with real shoes, we said with smiles. We were happy just to find it and that was enough of an accomplishment for the day.

Sure, it was simple, but simple pleasures in life are necessary.

I came home and had a great conversation with KR, lover of life, DJ, Matt Good's seller of goods, and one of my favourite co-conspirator/travel buddies. The details of this conversation will (hopefully) be published in the Metro this week. I hung up the phone inspired to make more art and also reminded of how many amazing souls I have the pleasure of befriending. If that's not the perfect ending to a wonderful weekend, I don't know what is.

Photo Friday: Mother

This is my first Photo Friday entry, the topic this week: mother. You may recognize it as another photograph from what will now be called,The Grandma Series.

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Links of the day:
Canadian Postal Service has no sense of humour - they have convinced Pet Valu to stop selling Bark Bites, dog biscuits shaped like cats and mail carriers. At first I thought this was funny, but "earlier this summer, a letter carrier from Chatham in southwestern Ontario broke both her wrists and had part of her ear ripped off when she was attacked by two pitbull-like dogs." Ouch.
Hawkley to host CBC's Roundup - this Monday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST, you can hear Hawksley on CBC Radio One. See the Roundup site for details.

Do the shuffle

Some people hate the shuffle button, especially musicians who spent the time to think of what order to arrange their songs on an album. I happen to love the shuffle/random option on a stereo or mp3 player software. Some days I just feel like music but have no idea what to put on. Other times I feel like re-discovering my playlist. I like the shuffle option because I often hear a song differently when it's not sandwiched between two songs I always hear before and after it.

Now taken from Keri Smith's Wish Jar Journals, I too, am going to do the shuffle. Basically, it's just putting up a list of the first 15 songs your mp3 player plays, no matter how embarassing or uncool they are. This is my list:

01 - "Slow Down" - Bullfrog
02 - "Too Much Food" - Jason Mraz
03 - "Half a World Away" - Esthero
04 - "Step on My Old Size Nines" - Stereophonics
05 - "Butterflies Instead" - K's Choice
06 - "Bones" - Radiohead
07 - "Rush of Blood to the Head" (Live) - Coldplay
08 - "Train Wreck" - Sarah McLachlan
09 - "Pillar of Davidson" - Live
10 - "Mohammed" - The Dandy Warhols
11 - "Awesome" - Veruca Salt
12 - "Babylon" - David Gray
13 - "Sugar Boy" - Beth Orton
14 - "Lost Love" - Rinocerose
15 - "Another World" - Poe

Your turn.

Links of the day:
King Cobb Steelie — until I heard a track on Here and Now yesterday, I had no idea this band was releasing a new album. Titled Destroy All Codes, it came out on Tuesday.
Josh Rouse — still on Rykodisc (which KCS appears to not be), Rouse apparently released a new DVD/CD, Smooth Sounds of Josh Rouse. almost a whole month ago. Uncut Magazine praises the release with 5 stars...

Unfair and imbalanced

I'm still awaiting the arrival of my Outfoxed DVD and trying to find time to see Control Room. But Antonia Zerbisia mentions both of those films in her column today. Titled "Who will protect us from Fox?", she discusses the differences, or rather the similarities between Al-Jeezera and Fox News . She asks, if Jewish lobby groups have prevented Canadians from watching an uncensored Al-Jeezera b/c the station is "abusive," then who will protect us from Fox and its abuse towards the truth. Who will protect us from that obnoxious Bill O'Reilly and his ridiculous treatment of guests who dare disagree with him?

If you're curious as to why the CRTC is allowing non-Canadian broadcast networks on our airwaves, see last week's press release regarding non-Canadian third-language services.

Conviently, the O'Reilly Factor will be discussing this topic tonight at 11 p.m. EST.

Other links for today:
Who knew Linda Rondstandt could be so cool? — Apparently the singer my parents love, got booed and kicked out of a Las Vegas hotel because she dedicated "Desperado" to filmmaker, Michael Moore and called him a "great American patriot."
Tegan and Sara — still hot and making music. New album out Sept. 14th in Canada/U.S.

Coming soon:
My review of Ivana Santilli's Corduroy Boogie

Writer's block = My Everest

The article I am currently writing for Shameless Magazine, is my Everest. Writer's block plagues me and I have never been such a frustrated writer (aside from academic assignments). My hands actually hurt from surfing and typing. The good news is that I am writing and hopefully you'll be seeing my byline in the Metro again shortly.

Since writer's block encourages procrastination, I've managed to find two very interesting links of the day. They're both films in a way.

1) Alanis - We're with the Band : I'm not really sure what inspired such a film but it's a cute mockumentary-type film of a day in the life of Alanis on tour.

2) Outfoxed - this is a film by Robert Greenwald about the terrible "news" network that is FOX News. "This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know." It includes interviews with former FOX News employees and exposes the network's assault on journalistic ethics. The trailer is really effective and I just bought myself a copy of the DVD.

Back to work.

All You Need Is Love

To honour the U.S. Senate's refusal to ban same-sex marriage today, please watch this wonderful video filmed in Sacramento on Valentine's Day. It's from Margaret Cho's website, LoveIsLoveIsLove.com.

(You may have to save the video file on to your computer and then play it on Real Player.)

I think the world is a better place with Margaret Cho in it.