globalhammock

CFS mockup posters

2009-11-03T09:19:00.006-08:00

Mock-up 2 Vertical

Mock-up Vertical 1

Mock-up 1

Mock-up 1.5

Lake Lovely Water: just a float plane away...

2009-01-08T19:14:00.005-08:00

Picture 033
Originally uploaded by globalhammock

The day we got married

(a) click on the photo to see the rest of the photos and our canoe trip-honeymoon.

(b) scroll down to see two short videos of where we got hitched.

Getting Hitched on the Southwest Coast

2009-01-08T14:15:00.003-08:00

Here's video of where we landed for our wedding in August 2008. Below you find a quick shot of the crime scene.

Blog Hiatus!

2009-01-08T12:18:00.003-08:00

Well as you can see my last blog entry corresponds with my latest job teaching geography at Douglas College in Metro Vancouver. They certainly keep me busy there! Luckily I have been able (like most of the faculty) to teach two semesters and have the third one off!

YAHOOOOOOO!
Last year (2008) I had much of January to the end of April off! Technically I must spend 21 days in 'Professional Development' but I think I spent a whole lot more, especially in developing all the courses and lessons. However, I did spend a month over January and February in Ontario! Yay for the freezing cold winter. Sounds crazy but I had a blast: visited friends in Toronto, stayed with family in Millbrook, and took a four day dog sledding course with Outward Bound in Algonquin Park. After this wicked intro to winter camping my hubby and I have taken to overnight snow camping in the North Shore Mountains. BBQ coals, sausages, mulled wine, and an 80lb mutt-foot warmer.

This year (2009) I'm taking a month to re-visit Belize. I only got a glimpse of this English-speaking nation a decade ago and look forward on heading back. I'm bringing my hammock tent... yes, my hammock tent (Hennessy Hammock Backpacker Asymmetrical), my snorkel gear, and my hiking boots. I have some trips booked including the three day Indian Creek Trail (park of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor), the seven mile cave tubing through Caves Branch, some hikes and kayaking in Cockcomb Jaguar Preserve with the Chun family at Tutzil Nah Cottages, a tropical island getaway to Thatch Caye (I'll camp there) and finally an 8 day organized trip with BC-based Island Expeditions to Lighthouse Reef. The rest of my days will be flexible: Belize Zoo? Lamanai Ruins? Canoeing? Horse rides? Bicycle rentals? Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce Factory? More hiking? More Snorkeling? Hammock surfing?

If you have any recommendations for places to go and see, stay at or eat in then please leave as many comments on this site or email me at globalhammockatyahoodotca

Cheers!

Women know your limits!

2007-06-28T16:52:00.001-07:00

"I'm a man who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn. That's what kind of man I am. You're just a woman with a small brain. With a brain a third the size of us. It's science." Ron Burguny, Anchorman

Are YOU a Feminist?

2007-06-22T21:21:00.001-07:00

oh heaven forbid!

Independent media in a time of war

2007-06-20T22:46:00.001-07:00

an excellent presentation by Amy Goodman of DemocracyNow.org (independent media organization- tv, radio and internet) and accompanying videos and photos. Please watch this.

Dancers

2007-06-20T12:21:00.001-07:00

hmmm, we should all be dancing far more!

Five Ring Circus trailer

2007-06-12T23:06:00.001-07:00

I saw this film tonight in Vancouver. It's more than you thought you know about the olympic farce that's taken over Vancouver. If you have a chance to see the whole film then get out there!!

I want to fuck you in the ass

2007-06-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

crackbook

2007-05-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm, facebook is like crack. Now that I'm on facebook, I'm neglecting this blog.

I've been told that the feds (US that is) are watching me now that I've signed my soul to facebook. Oh no! Now they know that most of us are liberals!?! Oh and atheists. And that lots of people don't call themselves hetero or homosexual. Geez, they might sell this info to some defense company that nike and aldo subcontract for and the two will join forces to produce a non- gender specific shoe which they'll market to us by analyzing our personal interest sections and make millions and millions in sales.... that is, if we buy the shoe.

Okay, so there is something creepy about defense departments monitoring our online info. I admit I don't like the idea, but at the same time, there seems to be this obsession in so-called liberal worlds with top down control of big business and and government without any attention to the ways in which we are all imbricated in the production, maintenance and reproduction of these worlds... the ways in which we are all complicit in the (re)production of business and government. Yes, there is reason for concern about collusion between government and corporate in terms of political neutrality and I recognize this... but what about all the other players in society, economy, politics. As a reaction to neoconservatism the liberal speakers have waged a massive blame game....so the conservatives blame the liberals and in reaction the liberals blame the conservatives and vise versa. Things don't change. Actions are reactionary, not revolutionary or subversive.

Instead of only focusing on the government and the businesses that "control us", why not ALSO look at the ways in which we are complicit in this '"controlling"-- the ways in which we are all imbricated in processes of governmentality. Wikipedia is just a starting place... for more info google "foucault and governmentality" or better yet, get ye to a library.

So why isn't there some other non-defense related, non-governmental copycat to facebook which we can all transfer over to? Would the world then be a happy place. We could build a global village and sing kumbya. Yes, yes, I am being cyclical here.

Humanity Lobotomy - Second Draft

2007-04-24T23:01:00.001-07:00

Dick Fiction

2007-04-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

I believe we need copyright reform. The academic world is mired in copyright bullshit, as are the music, film and news media worlds. Anyway, it's something I want to learn more about-- the various alternatives to using and sharing each other's ideas. I'm always please to find a large amount of video and music remixing online. I don't see this as stealing other people's life work, but of creatively reworking and representing them, keeping them alive, making them applicable to ever changing climates. I love this 'Dick Fiction' video. EXCELLENT!

P-r-e-t-t-y- C-o-o-o-o-o-l

2007-03-31T20:53:00.000-07:00

Dancing is fun! It's always a good idea. It's pretty much my favourite animal... er... thing to do.

That's a photo of Elke above. She's hula hooping and dancing and being silly.

For some more stylin' grooves check out this great little video clip.

Purity balls' and fundamentalisms in the United States

2007-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Photo: an artist's parody of the famous photo taken by Eddie Adams on Feb 5th, 1968 of a South Vietnamese officer summarily executing a Viet Cong prisoner. Here the artist (unknown) has the officer shooting George W. Bush. I found this artwork in Subeez Cafe in downtown Vancouver. It is approximately 9x9ft

BELOW: An article by Rochelle Jones from the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)

In the United States (US) a phenomenon is increasing in popularity. Dubbed 'purity balls' these gala events are formal rites of passage for young women and girls where they pledge to their fathers, abstinence until marriage. A bigger agenda to examine is the global flow-on effects of fundamentalisms for women and girls. AWID considers some of the issues.

By Rochelle Jones

'Purity balls' are ceremonies where girls, some as young as 10 years of age, promise their fathers to remain virgins until they wed. Fathers sign a covenant vowing to 'protect' their daughter's chastity until they marry, and the daughter promises to lead a life of 'integrity and purity' under her father's watchful gaze. A journalist for a popular young women's magazine who attended a purity ball in the US described the ceremony:

"When it's time for dads and daughters to take the pledge (some informally exchange rings as well), the men stand over their seated daughters and read aloud from parchment imprinted with the covenant... the men inscribe their names and their daughters sign as witnesses..."

Later in the evening, Pastors "stand at the cross with heavy rapiers raised and announce that they are prepared to "bear swords and war for the hearts of our daughters". [1] Abstinence for who? Situated at the extreme end of the abstinence movement, 'purity balls' were the brainchild of Randy Wilson from the 'Generations of Light' ministry in Colorado Springs. The idea, he claimed, was to "create an event that celebrates the bonds between father and daughter" [2].

Since then, the phenomenon has expanded, mainly throughout the Southern states, with around 1400 purity balls taking place in 2006 alone [2]. Not unlike some interpretations of Islam where 'honour' allegedly resides in the bodies of women to be regulated by men, purity balls are an opportunity for fathers to reinforce in their daughters that their sexuality is something that should be controlled by men - first by their fathers, and then through the contract of marriage (to a man of course - heterosexuality is a base assumption).

The covenant reads: "I, (daughter's name)'s father, choose before God to cover my daughter as her authority and protection in the area of purity. I will be pure in my own life as a man, husband and father. I will be a man of integrity and accountability as I lead, guide and pray over my daughter and my family as the high priest in my home. This covering will be used by God to influence generations to come." [3]

Read more...

global warming facts

2007-03-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

I hope people aren't getting sick of hearing about global warming. I feel like everyone is convinced... "yeah, yeah, I know, I saw 'An Inconvenient Truth'"... but, I'm just not sure that we're doing much about it. The website Global Warming Facts provides a useful Top 50 Things To Do To Stop Global Warming and it's amazing how easy and feasible they all all.

But the site doesn't list the Top 50 Things We Need To Do To Change Law, Policy and Governance in order to save our system. There are tons of website out there with online petitions. I recently signed one produced by AVAAZ.org who took 100,000 signatures to the G8 Environment Ministers and in part helped get the environment and climate change at the top of their agenda (Duh!).

But what about local activism. I guess the word 'activist' is loaded and many people shy away, but I would like to encourage everyone to write to their representatives telling them that they are concerned about climate change, water privatization, offshore drilling and whatever else is worrying you. Ask them to promote public transport, change public education or whatever else you want. Many people think that letters are useless but these are our representatives and they will have to listen to us if they want our vote. Some may be on the same page, but don't know their constituents feel the same way! Many of them do write back to me personally or at least answer my questions. And if they don't, then send another letter and ask your friends to do the same. You can also call, fax, or email but I prefer hard copy mail. Remember that snail mail to any MP is FREE... just write 'free to MP' in place of a stamp!

For great tips on letter writing check out The Wheels of Justice.

Here's a full list of member's of parliament including their contact info.

If you don't know who your MP is you can search by postal code here.

In BC you can also find and contact your MLA here. For other provinces, just google "legislative assembly".

'Call of Life' Facing the Mass Extinction Trailer

2007-03-25T13:58:00.001-07:00

This is a trailer for a documentary about our threatened ecosystem. What I like about it is the focus on ideas, culture and psychology.

podcasting

2007-03-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

Check out these two great radio talks available via podcast:

1 Taking the Pulse of the Planet: David Suzuki and Stephen Lewis in conversation with Eleanor Wachtel, host of Writers and Company, on the politics of the environment and Canadian values. A personal, passionate and wide-ranging evening with two of Canada's foremost activists. Download the podcast on CBC radio's 'Ideas'.

2. An extended interview with David Susuki conducted by Simran Sethi. The two delve into the essence of the world economy, the importance of seasonal food, and what happens when you eat too many cherries. Download the podcast at Tree Hugger Radio.

Stop the Clash of Civilizations

2007-03-12T13:12:00.001-07:00

Hey, I made the mistake of burying this link in an email a few days ago. I'm reposting it to make sure you all watch the super-short, super-effective animated video and check out the AVAAZ.ORG website.

Avaaz means "Voice" or "Song" in several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Farsi, Nepalese, Dari, Turkish, and Bosnian. Peace!

heroes

2007-03-11T23:19:00.000-07:00

Photo: a kitchen where there was none before! (Prince George, march 2007)

Thank you to Carmen for sending me the write up below. In a world of magazine covers, sensationalized headliners, endless award shows and so-called first places, this is a nice, grounding exercise.

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .

Cool eh? While I don't want to dismiss people's great achievements and think that it is wonderful to honour people for them, I think the message might be that we should try and acknowledge those who truly are our heroes.

Jill Scott at Dave Chapelle's Block Party

2007-03-08T19:40:00.001-08:00

What a woman! What a smile! What a voice!

YOU GOT ME

2007-03-08T19:39:00.001-08:00

If you haven't yet seen "Dave Chapelle's Block Party", a brilliant street concert that brought together some of the best grassroots hip hop I know, then you are missing out. Check out these two videos with Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.

good news

2007-03-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Photo: A rescued fruit bat (or flying fox as they're called in Australia) at the Bat House in Cape Tribulation- all run by volunteers of course! (July 2004).

While I tend to lean towards cynicism and brooding, I have to say that the more I look around the more I see people doing good things to make the world 'a better place,' or I should say, how I want the world to be! Just when I start to worry about the greenwashing being done by Inc-this and Inc-that, I read a story about local school kids in the Fraser Valley starting a Random Acts of Kindness club. In fact, they convinced our provincial government to declare February 12-19 as Random Acts of Kindness Week! Cool.

Then, just when I'm convinced organic food is being co-oped by the few big businesses that already control the production and distribution of all our food (and tobacco, toothpaste, soap, chemicals, pharmaceuticals etc. etc. etc.), I begin to see the farmers markets and local collectives more and more present in the neightbourhood. If you want to watch a great documentary, head to your local library and take out the Future of Food dvd. While it's terrible to hear about what many farmers have had to endure in the face of Monsanto and Cargill, there's hope in the end! We can have the world we want.

For a pleasant and humbling read, pick up David Suzuki and Holly Dressel's lovely book called "Good News for a Change: How Everyday People are Helping the Planet". It's a 2003 book, so I bet you'll find it at a second hand book store.

And the latest thing I NEED to share with you- something that gave me that 'another world is possible' kick in the ass that I needed- has been put out by AVAAZ.org. Head to their website and watch their short animated video on the post-9/11 US against THEM, West against East, West against Islam dichotomy that is produced through endless, repetitive fear mongering images and terror-words. Thank you to those who put the video together. I think these short viral videos may be the most effective means of spreading news in our hyperspeed, too-many-images-too-much-noise, don't believe the news machine world.

advice to follow

2007-02-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

Always tell yourself the truth.

words of wisdom from Millie in Edgewood.

cell phones

2007-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

So where do all the poor, old cell phones go? Chris Jordan's photography highlights the waste associated with our trendy cell phone craze in the photos below. You can view more of Chris' photography, which focus on consumption levels and consumer and industrial wastes, here.

"Cell phones #2", Atlanta 2005, 44 x 90", by Chris Jordan (click photo to enlarge)

"Cell phone chargers", Atlanta 2004, 44 x 66", by Chris Jordan
(click photo to enlarge)

Very soothing

2007-02-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

I think this is absolutely lovely! Thank you to whomever sat down and put this stuff together!

The horse quartet.

Where the Hell is Matt?

2007-02-04T17:47:00.001-08:00

This is just awesome! What a great idea! I love it! Watch Matt dance around the world. His website is Wherethehellismatt.com
He's got another, older video posted there you can watch.

Invasion geography USA

2007-02-03T17:16:00.001-08:00

jesus fucking christ the ignorance is maddening! Yes, yes, I'm in geography and I love maps and I can't expect everyone to be a political map expert, naming all the countries in the world, but mistaking Australia for Korea and Iran?? Saying 'bomb Iran because there's going to be a revolution' and 'invade France because they weren't America's alleys vis-a-vis Iraq'. Disgusting. No wonder the world's a fucking mess.

global warming getting worse

2007-02-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

My bike in Australia (2004)

UN scientists declare that human induced global climate change may be insurmountable. We've gone to far and done too little. They call for increased climate volatility such as stronger cyclones and hurricanes and rising sea levels.

In response, the American Enterprise Institutes has offered $10,000 USD to economists and scientists for writing articles undermining the UN climate change report. Yes, the AEI is heavily supported by Exxon Mobile.

How do these people sleep at night?

I'm illin' over here

2007-01-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

This video is care of my great friend, Carmen, who is aways full of wisdom and humour:

Take a Pill! ( short and amusing)

Yes we are always treating the symptoms not the deep rooted causes of illness (not to mention social inequality, terror/war, and so on!)!!

2007-01-11T22:26:00.000-08:00

Photo: the best dog EVER!

Geez, its a new year! Habeas corpus has been revoked in the US and stephen harper and his beedy little eyes still officially represent Canada. Scary stuff. But I don't want to write about this. I want to ask why people are so fucking obsessed with pure breed dogs!! It's called eugenics and it has fueled racist research and beliefs, and in the case of Hitler, genocide!! People who talk about people the way they talk about their pure breed dogs are called racist, classist assholes.

Enough with the "oh, he's a pure breed" crap when I meet you in the dog park. My dog is mutt and he'll kick your dog's ass!

Done! Done! Done!

2006-12-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

OMG!! I'm done my thesis!

I defended and handed my final document into the library! I'm done, done, done! I am now a Master!! er... of Arts. Actually, I prefer Master of the Universe.

This photo was taken by Carmen who celebrated her birthday by riding a mechanical bull! Happy Birthday Carmen!

That's Eron and I not riding the mechanical bull in Downtown Vancouver. It was November 26th, 2006.

Now I will have no excuse not to blog more regularly :)

2006-12-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

child crying (photo by Steve McCurry)

2006-11-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

I think Margaret Atwood's "Blind Assassin" is amazing. I'm equally humbled and empowered by the text, the images, the insight... all of it. Here are two quote I love (maybe they only have meaning to me as the reader of the book. I hope they will have meaning for you as well)

"Like most small children do, Laura believed words meant what they said..." (107)

"Some day when I feel better I'll go back there and actually write the thing down. They should all be cheered for it, for isn't that what they all want? What we all want: to leave a message behind us that has an effect, if only a dire one; a message that cannot be cancelled out" (527)

(published by Seal Books, 2000, in the USA)

Tim Harvey, adventurer extraordinaire, returns home!

2006-11-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

AHHHH, it's been ages since I blogged! I'm almost done my MA thesis (WHEW!).

I've been so caught up in writing that I didn't even announce the amazingly awesome arrival of Tim Harvey in Vancouver (although you probably caught the story on the news- CBC, CTV, Global, National Post or elsewhere). Yes, on Sunday, November 12th, Tim Harvey completed his journey of circumnavigating of the world with no fossil fuels (Vancouver to Vancouver)!

Cycling, hiking, rowing, rafting, paddling and more propelled him from Vancouver two and half years ago and brought him back to the rainy coast last weekend (check out his travel route map!). While much of his trip can be seen as a test in athleticism and endurance, the core of his adventures surround the amazing people and communities he's encountered along the way and his true dedication self-propelled travel. His focus is now on writing about threatened cultures and environments (there's a book and film on the way!).

********* CONGRATULATIONS TIM! *************

Read/watch some of the latest news:

Tim Harvey Profile (VIDEO by Peter Wall, CBC TV)
B.C. man completes death-defying adventure (article in Times Colonist)
Vancouver man returns from zero-emission journey (CTV article and VIDEO)
Feud, not fuel, propels rider (National Post article by Brian Hutchinson)

An alien army within!!??

2006-11-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

Photo: forever silly! Tyler in 2004.

The 'gayification' of Fort Lauderdale! Who knew? Check out this Samantha Bee video (Daily Show) called "Tropical Repression" where Republican candidate Ed Heaney is freaked out about the "faggotization" of America.

"Double intenuendos" ... Classic!!

vancouver webcam

2006-10-30T08:43:00.000-08:00

Photo: Vancouver, fall 2004

Vancouver is the most beautiful city in the world!! View the fog rolling in and out of our lotus landscape! RIGHT CLICK and choose PLAY.

If your just not that into Vancouver, then have some fun with MuffinFilms, animations 1-12 (some are interactive!!).

And finally...what you've always wanted: an endless supply of poppable bubble wrap!!

ENJOY!

Welcome to you who has come to Zombocom

2006-10-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

Photo: Lillooet Lake campfire at Strawberry Point (August 2006)

VERDICT: I like it!
Zombo.com

good listening

2006-10-23T22:51:00.000-07:00

Photo: My roommate Rhonda, sticking to the man! Crytal Method Concert (Vancouver, April 2005)

You know, I am really pissed off that Jian Ghomeshi had a short stint as the summer time host of Sounds Like Canada on CBC 1. He was fucking awesome. THE BEST EVER! Edgy but not Howard-Stern-assholely, creative but not artsy-farsty, sarcastic but not completely cynical and just a little bit insecure. Sounds like Canada?

He rocked my summer with his punchy, lyrical intros and kick ass music selection. And then, one day, I turn on my radio and there's Shelagh Rogers with her Martha Stewart chuckle, acting like she's the cat's pajamas, playing some fucking crap song from the small town Canada folk fest that no one attended, trying to represent, yo, trying to be the voice of Canada. "Oh", she says on air, "isn't that precious? ha -ha -ha! how delightful. (chuckle, chuckle, ha ha)" Um, I don't think so! I want Jian back! I've even sent letter to CBC demanding they give him his own show!

I guess I'm not being very Canadian. I should be writing something nice about Shelagh because I'm sure she us very nice. She has to be, her name is Shelagh.

My advice? ('cause I know ya want it!): Search out the internet. You can listen to what seems to be every single interview EVER with Chomsky at www.chomsky.info. Or, head over to Democracy Now for great news reports and interviews on streaming video.

For those who want to read, you'll find some great journalism on the New York Times website (it's free to register!). Check out the Guardian and some local BC stuff at The Tyee website.

And many more...

Surveillance

2006-10-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Photo: Mendhi- symbolism? (October 2005)

This is ridiculous. And terrifying. Public surveillance policies are being pushed through in the US and UK.

Surveillance came in the form of intimidation by the US coast guard towards a NYC student wearing a shirt that said "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic script.

While the Coast Guard is an official state body, 'informal' monitoring was conducted by employees of JetBlue, a US airline, who prevented Raed Jarrar from boarding his flight wearing the same tshirt. You can read the transcripts and/or watch the video in which Amy Goodman (Democracy Now anchor) interviews both the student and Raed Jarrar: Does Tee Stand For Terrorist?

In the UK, the Guardian reports that universities are being asked to report on any 'suspicious' activities by any people who might be "Asian-looking". Read the article here "Universities Urged to Spy on Muslims".

SHAM-pooh

2006-10-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Photo: portrait of an artist with a rats nest (December 2004)

Great news about shampoo- we don't need it. It is damaging our hair. It is a waste of money and time. Use some natural soap instead!!

People have been telling me for years that I didn't have to shampoo my hair; that all I need to do is rinse it (YUCK). My roommate only shampoos once a week but conditions regularly and his hair looks great (long, curly, shiny!). I've been trying to only wash my hair twice a week but it just gets so damn greasy. Well the following article sheds some useful light on the why and how!

The great shampoo scandal

no bravery

2006-10-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

Photo: monks and prayer wheel (Dharamsala, India, Nov 2005)

A video called "no bravery" was sent to our geography and gender class from a student. We've been talking about body counts and 'who counts'? We've also been discussing the role of emotion and activism in academia (and citizenship?!). And soon we'll be talking about militarization and hypermasculinity. I think this video is fitting:

No Bravery: A nation blind to their disgrace

The song by James Blunt is haunting and so very fitting. Some may call the film partisan and cast it off as sensationalism-- a tear jerker. But I think this is the value in it. It is partisan, it is emotional, it unsettles and forces reaction. We should not be comfortable with Iraq or come to terms with so-called collateral damage. We should feel disturbed.

Subversion

2006-10-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

Photo: Smiling in Daultabad, India (Aug 2005)

I hope everyone has had a chance to view the free hugs video. It reminded me of an idea that's been stuck with me for ages and ages. I've always felt that it would be nice if people smiled at each other more. Sure, I can understand that people aren't always happy all of the time and I definitely don't expect people to be faking it with some "I'm happy as Hollywood" bullshit mask on.... But I still think it would be nice to give and receive more smiles. My idea was a website or online community devoted to smiling.

Now I've come to realize that smiling isn't just 'NICE', it's actually subversive in so many ways. If someone calls you a bitch or asshole or some other insult intended to hurt, then smiling is actually a refusal to engage in anger and violence. Then laughing is not giving into the bullcrap. It subverts the intention of pain.

I've always heard "you have to stand up for yourself" or that "one should fight back" or whatever, but really smiling and laughing is far more subversive and effective than engaging in a tit for tat argument. It's more powerful.

I know smiling sounds like a cheesy campaign and I personally have experienced the near-uncontrollable desire to hit people who are just too-fucking-happy... but to clarify, I'm not talking about grinning ear to ear like barbie and ken, but strategic smiling. Instead of giving someone the finger for road raging on you, why not wave, smile and lean out your window to say "have a nice day". Believe me, they will be thrown completely off guard and realize how out of place their anger is.

I seriously believe that there are too many people out there who are simply waiting for an excuse to blow up at someone. You are not the cause, but a simple an excuse for them to get their freak on. Really. The situation is diffused and displaced with smiling, chuckles, laughs and so on. Scrabbling for some smart comeback or simply yelling "fuck you too" or "get a life" is a perpetuation of the rage and dissatisfaction with life... those 'bad vibes'. Why get drawn into the anger of it all? Move on with your life.

Okay, so not all people are ragers. There are other types that could use some smiling at. Like those dissastified, so-called alternative, brooders who mope-strut around Vancouver with their too-cool-for-skool attitudes. I'm not saying this is wrong. I just wish it would be a sometime-attitude and not an everyday-everywhere-everytime- attitude. Those people need some smiling to too.

And while I'm at it. I'm sure there are times when I need to be smiled at...unsettled me and force me to re-evaluate my self, my actions and my beliefs. Okay, so that's the not-so-subtle caveat so you don't think I'm some holier-than-thou fuck head.

I'm trying here.

:)

creativity for the mases

2006-10-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

Want to creat your own zoo but don't know how? Need some inspiration?

Check this out!

free hugs campaign!

2006-10-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: my mom and Daniel hugging after their wedding (Vancouver, August 2006)

GOOD ON YA!!

Some brilliant person in Australia started a Free Hugs Campaign! It all began with the simple act of standing in an out door mall will a sign stating "free hugs" and the rest is history.

Watching the inspiring Free Hugs video set to "All the Same" by the Sick Puppies

To find out more background info, find videos and responses head over to the personal democracy form.

Stumble your way online

2006-10-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Photo: I stumbled upon this outdoor photo exhibit last October in Brussels (2005)

I'm not much of a techi or computer savvy person so maybe I'm a little late in discovering Firefox's Stumble software. First of all, I hope you're using Firefox or something other than MS Explorer. Okay, now we can move on.

StumbleUpon is freeware similar to Google and Yahoo, that lets you search the internet for uberesque websites, forums and so on. Instead of giving you the most trafficked webpages, it let's you stumble upon sites recommended by other stumble users. Are you following this? As a user you get to rate webpages as thumbs up and thumbs down instead of having some binary code feeding you pages that 'match' your search topic. Its big claim is that its democracy for the internet, as if the internet weren't already user driven. It does have a point though- now instead of just closing shitty pages, you get to tell everyone just how much they suck.

Want to give it a try?

Stumble is a free extension (something you can add on to your existing internet software) for people with Firefox, Mozilla or Sea Monkey. You can download it here.

You never know what you're going to find!

fun with geography!

2006-09-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

Photo: SFU geography people atop Whistler Mountain, BC (September, 2006)

Test your knowledge about the names of countries (some contested- Palestine, Western Sahara) in North Africa and the Middle East.

Rethinking schools hosts an online interactive map- test your knowledge.

check out this blog

2006-09-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Photo: in case you hadn't yet met my dog, Tron.

Head over to Solarider's blog. He's posted some info and comments on fur trading and a protest outside Canada House (that's our high commission/embassy) in London. Good photos, good links!

Not that fur trading is funny or anything, but this stuff always makes me think of The Simpson's where Mr. Burn's sings "See my vest, see my vest, made from real gorilla's chest...."

Read the awesome lyrics here!

www.jacksonpollack.org

2006-09-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

Some of you may view this as a huge time waster, but urge those taking a break from more focused projects to have a look (and some fun) with this interactive website. Don't worry, that's not a blank page, it's a canvass. Don't forget to left and right click!

www.jacksonpollock.org

HAVE FUN!!

International talk like a pirate day?

2006-09-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: no pirates, just some drunken halloweeners- a logger, Captain Highliner of fishstick fame and me, the Amnesty International candle (October 2005).

International talk like a pirate day? According to talklikeapriate.com, Septembrrrr 19th is the annual, international day to drawl, swagger, slur and grrrrr like a pirate!

Arrrrrrrrggg, this must be an homage to me matey Cap'n Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball?

The Best EVER!

2006-09-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Photo: me cracking up (summer 2006)

If you have time for some open sourced, super indie, very creative, totally hilarious home video making then head on over to Nerve Video and check out Neal Medlyn's Land of Make Believe!

Oh, and be warned, this isn't for the narrowly-minded, easily-offended. I'm talking about a stuffed animal and house pet orgy. Yeah... so that may sound weird, and I guess it is weird, but it is also the best EVER!

Oh and speaking of hilarious, I saw a fabulous play this week at Vancouver's Fringe Festival called Legoland, (which you can still catch in the Pick of the Fringe from Sept 21-24). It was a two person play with singing, dancing, antics, photos and some puppetry. There was even a short puppet show of Jeffery Dahmer, but the sock monkey puppet was my favourite.

Sock monkey you say?? Um, yeah, sock monkey!!

I don't have a photo of it, but Motion has a sock monkey and we found this brilliant online sock monkey forum! We liked it because the entries were about spreading good vibes and making people smile and not at all condescending, competitive or unwelcoming like a certain other forum we'd visited for fitness/nutrition discussions.

Anyway, for some interesting sock monkey inspirations check out Sock Monkey Dreams.

Now, that's a fact!

2006-09-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

Photo: Brother and sister (India, July 2005)

I fell into a conversation with an internet stranger not long ago. The issue was our different conceptions of fact and bias. This other person felt that although history is written by the victors and such and therefore biased, there exist true facts, such as "Alexander the Great conquered some lands." I'm not comfortable with this idea. I think that the things we call facts have meanings that are socially produced and meaningful.

I'm posting my response here in hope of continuing this debate/exploration:

I’m just not sure that it is possible to divorce fact from the discourses that produced and relied upon those things we call facts. I’m not sure it is possible to isolate fact from the very messy social and political positions from which we use them, create them, find them, write about them, talk about them, make them valid or acceptable.

We may count as fact that combinations of methotrexate and misoprostol or mifepristone (RU 486) and misoprostol cause induced abortion, but the ways in which women's bodies have become understood, constructed and regulated create very different meanings of these allopathic medications that can not and are not separable from the pills or 'facts' themselves.

You write, "It is indisputable that Alexander the Great conquered the region and that the Caliphate and Ottoman Empire later occupied the region."

Could this not be rewritten as "Alexander, brutal murderer, or "the accursed Alexander", ravished the hereditary/previously conquered/disputed (?) territories of x,y,z...” and that his colonization of vast areas east of Europe has been glorified by western scholars and may be evidence of early Orientalist constructions of “the middle east’ and/or other (re)constructed places.

I must confess I know very little of the long time history of this region. But, to me the word 'conquered' is loaded with meanings that may glorify military might instead of say diplomatic measures and the idea of his ‘greatness’ is based on masculinist notions of strong heros, putting aside the fact that this man encouraged his troops to ‘mate’ with ‘the locals’. Is this another way of saying rape? Again, I don’t really know that much about this person and the histories written about him. I’m not just suggesting discourse analysis here but recognizing the epistemologies that produce these facts.

I just think that these objective, historical truths are actually subjective knowledges and open to reinterpretation and tied to ways of knowing. My point however is not that everything is false because objectivity is unattainable, but that if we recognize our subjectivity, and validate partial knowledges, we might have a better grasp on what we actually do know and why we know it and maybe more importantly, what we don’t know. The uncertainties that exist between my thinking and your thinking about say Alexander the Great, may actually produce or enable new ways of thinking about history, conquerors and so on. Gillian Rose (1997) “Situating Knowledges: positionality, reflexivities and other tactics” Progress in Human Geography 21(3): 305-20) has an excellent discussion of these issues.

While you present a fact- that this man called Alexander became ruler of certain lands- the ways in which this fact is presented, creates very different meanings and understandings of him, the lands, not to mention the construction of gender, race, political rule and place. Beyond the positioning of the historian the language s/he uses, the theories of knowledge used to produce and present that piece of fact are always present. I feel that fact and epistemology are inseparable.

As an add on, presenting Alexander's conquests as fact creates a false sense of exhaustive knowledge- that Alexander conquered and that was that, the only thing to happen, excluding all other events. Any resistances against him, the many people who helped him achieve his goals, or even the everday acts of people being born, getting married, eating dinner, inventing something or herding sheep all around him are excluded as unworthy 'facts'.

Check out Pete Mandik's website for an interesting philosophical and more in-depth look at debates around objectivity vs. subjectivity.

Guilt and shame

2006-09-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is the guilt and shame people face when they realize (again and again) just how wrong, self-centered, and imperfect they are that drives some towards a victimized embodiment of depression. As a victim you have an excuse for being selfish and faulty.

Obviously there must be a million reasons and causes and types and experiences of depression but shame and guilt seem so pervasive.

Resistance vs conformity

2006-09-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Photo: Miranda and Me celebrating the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement (March 2006).

We live in a world of Either/Or. You're either with us or against us.... thanks Mr. Bush! Your either conforming to mass consumerism or your resisting the machine!! Either a trendy trendster or an alternative anarchist.

Anyway, in my research, I'm following the lead of many feminist scholars who argue that we are all both conforming and resisting. Check out Atkinson's "Pretty in Ink" about female tatooing for a cool look at this idea. We are often conforming to things we are unaware of... which explains pervasive sexism, homophobia, racism and other crap. So I'm writing about how a group of women in an Indian village that I interviewed are not simply 'poor, ignorant, needy, passive', nor are they 'active, all knowing, rational, heroines'. Instead, while they conform to many things that constrain them, they also actively subvert these oppressive processes, structures, norms and so on.

So I got to thinking:

IS RESISTING GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN? Or is it going with the grain, while conforming is going against the grain? If gender is so absurdly false-- or unnaturally imposed upon people in harmful ways-- then resistance of gender is finding your more comfortable grain, while conformity requires pushing in a direction that may not suit you entirely.

Just another way of thinking about it all I guess!!

Television

2006-09-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

No TV was watched in the riding of this elephant. Stefan and I encounter a friendly pachyderm. 1-2am, New Delhi (June 2005).

I watched some TV recently. For those who may not know, I don't really watch very much TV. Mostly because I don't have a TV or at least it is locked away in storage. Not having TV or cable has been a conscious decision that has easily been my life for many years now.

I didn't want my life to get sucked away- hours, days, weeks wasted on the flickering tube. It's not that TV is all bad or evil and that I'm waging some reactionary war and holding the moral high ground over here. There's actually a lot of great stuff of TV. This is where the anti-TV lobby/movement has gone wrong. They've framed the boob tube as "all bad, all the time". But really there are tons of great documentaries, demonstrations of grassroots activism, nature shows, intelligent discussions and parody and good, old, fun entertainment.

The thing is, from my perspective, it's not that TV is terrible, but that life is so much better. Sure you might be missing an episode of The Office or The Simpsons or The Daily Show, but you could be doing something equally, if not much more, fun!!

Watching TV means you're not doing any of the gazillion other things that you could be doing (and enjoying)!! Like kite surfing. Well, okay, that's kind of out there. But talking to people, cooking a nutritious meal, working out, going to a live show of some sort, riding your bicycle, calling a friend, writing a thank you note, finishing homework, researching something of interest, helping some one, dancing, hula hooping, painting, baking, baby sitting, writting...er...blogging ... You know, all those things you dream of doing because you know that they will ALL make you happier.

So, while I wish I could find the time and money to purchase a TIVO or the like to record some choice shows, sans les advertisements, I think I'll just live my life instead (oh aren't I great?!?).

Now, that being said, I have to admit that I recently got sucked into TV land while staying with a friend and enjoyed watching some crappy home redesign shows. What struck me were not the shows themselves , but all the god damn shitty commercials. Apparently there are 18-20 mins of commercials for every hour of programming. That's crazy! And how did I feel after watching Joe Sports and Maggie McKitch redo their family room in a faux-leather, pleather taupe motif whatever.... Well, I felt tired and fat and hungry. Yup, those ads spend half the time making you feel fat and half the time making you feel hungry and therefore completely tired (POOH!)... Great combo!!

And then it was time for the news. PANIC, PANIC, PANIC. Wow, I bet if you watched your local news each night you'd be fucking terrified. Yup, you be scared that someone was going to break into your house and kill you and your children and that terrorist were plotting to destroy YOUR freedom (yes, it is all about YOU).

Thank god Law and Order came on with a fantastic Emmy award-winning program about yet another woman getting kidnapped and brutally raped by someone devious and yet cool, man. GEEZ, after CIS (insert city here) and Law and Order (how many are there now?) and Missing and god knows what else is out there, it's a wonder that women even leave their homes at all. The majority of these shows are based on the vicitimization of women. Their stories show and/or describe brutal violence against women as entertainment and win awards and acclaim for their savvy scripts, stylin' threads and inovative cinematography. SWEET!

I know that the news, design shows and 'Police Overcoming Criminals' shows are not Evil and are not intentionally trying to ruin my days, weeks, very existence, but really their presence in my life, there taking of my time and leaving a bad taste in my mouth are not welcome anymore. They present fear of self and others, loathing of self and others, simplistic scenarios of good vs evil and male vs female. Personally I like happiness and silliness, creativity and complexity, ever changing and fluid identities and most of all I like and I want hope.

So until I catch a segment of the some random Simpons episode at one of my friends homes, I happily bid television so long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu...

:)

I Love Tron

2006-09-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

I miss my dog Tron (above)! He's up in Prince George with Motion. For now I get to hang out with Anderson who belongs to Jamie.

I'll be living with Jamie and Rhonda (and Anderson and Max the cat) this semester while I try and finish up my thesis.

Who can work on a day like this?

Vancouver is the best place on earth!

DROOL!

2006-08-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

I found a great chicken sauce online but can't find the exact recipe for it. I just make it to taste. It's a combo of the following ingredients:

Peanut Butter (3-4 tblsp ??)
Salsa (3-4 tblsp ??)
Soya Sauce (1-2 tblsp??)
Minced Ginger (1-2 tblsp??)
Lemon Juice (1 tblsp??)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Brown the chicken in a pan then place in a backing dish. Mix the ingredients above together into a thick paste using a fork. Coat the chicken with paste and bake. Chicken thighs take about 15-20 mins. Adjust the amounts and chicken to accommodate your diet.

Holiday

2006-08-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm coming to the end of my holidays. There was a wedding, celebrations and some camping followed by a three day intesive workshop which was both brilliant and draining.

I'm back in Vancouver (YAY!) but, of course, now miss Prince George because my love, Motion, and my other love, Tron, are both there (POOH!).

A few days off and a greater effort to smile at people, dogs, gardens and life will do me some good!

Oh and some good, old bicycle riding!

SMILES EVERYONE :)

Hey Lazy! Park that car!

2006-08-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Photo: that's me in the Daintree Rainforest, Northern Queensland (July 2004)

As gas prices continue to soar with no end in sight I have to tell you about two cool people who are traversing our globe under their own steam:

Jean Beliveau is halfway to meeting his goal of walking around the world. Yes, after six years, Jean is walking to London, England after completing North and South America, Africa and western Europe. Born in Montreal, Canada, this middle-aged man is on a mission to walk for peace. Read more and lend some support on World Wide Walk.

Russian cyclist, Vladislav Ketov, just rode through Prince George. He's a 55 year old artist who's been circumnavigating five of our seven continents since 1991. His only sponsor is some air cargo company from the UAE and he has no website I can find online. Now on his way down to Vancouver, Vladislav has completed Asia, Africa, South America and Europe and only has Canada's far north before he's all done. He doesn't seem to be raising awareness for anything, just enjoying the journey of life. Here are some short articles about him in the St Petersburg Times, RIN.com and the PG Free Press.

If PLANET EARTH (say it like Ron Burgundy) seems like too big a place for you, think about taking small trips with your bike and/or feet. Check out Cycling Around the World a site maintained by a Dutch couple who take their bikes to different destinations each year. Also visit Bicycle Fish for tips on cycle touring, gear, routes, links and more.

In 2004 I cycled around Tasmania, Northern NSW and Queensland in Australia. If I can do it, anyone can! In fact, you no longer need to be looking for reasons why you should be bicycling +1000km. Have a look online: everyone's doing it; anyone can do it. Why aren't you doing it?

If you need some inspiration to take on the world then check out the following people:

Tim Harvey- Vancouver to Vancouver with out fossil fuels (in northern Mexico on his way home by bicycle after 2+ years)
Jason Lewis - Expedition 360, around the world by human power (on his way from Southeast Asia to England (via northeast Africa!))
Alistair Humphreys - Round the World by Bicycle! Just about done- great photos!

Psychedelics are good for you!

2006-08-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Photo: Ayahuasca ingredients (Jan 2006)

According to an article in The Tyee, Psychedelics Could Treat Addiction Says Vancouver Official.

Of course this information isn't new. A variety of people, groups, and institutions have been using non-recreational psychedelics such as Ayahuasca and peyote for therapeutic and other ritual ceremonies and have successfully treated people with substance abuse and/or emotional/psychological issues.

Ayahuasca.com has a great forum where you can share recipes and experiences. Ayahuasca ingredients can be purchased in Vancouver a The Urban Shaman.

This is not a recreational drug, it causes massive nausea often followed by full on purging and complete self-awareness (read awareness of faults, guilt, lies etc) and does not always lead to bliss, understanding and acceptance of self. In Peru and Brazil, Ayahuasca is administered in a ritualistic manner by a Shaman with care takers or vigilantes looking after participants and might be preceded by fasting and collectively brewing the tea. It tastes absolutely disgusting!

I don't know a thing about peyote!

Groundhog Lake Camping

2006-08-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

IMG_0652
Originally uploaded by globalhammock.
Photo: This outhouse is built for winter camping I guess!

Motion and I went to Groundhog Lake (about a 3 hours hike from Barkerville in Central BC) a few weeks ago and camped out at the Snowmobile Club Cabin. We had the whole place to ourselves! Click here to see our the slide show (10 pictures)

Used Bodies

2006-08-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Photo: Daultabad Village, Haryana, India (August 2004)

I haven't had a chance to blog in a while as I've been absorbed in writing my thesis (FINALLY!). My thesis title for now is "Using Bodies: Negotiating Reproductive Health in one Village in India."

The following is an excerpt from my DRAFT of Chapter 1:

This thesis explores how the Indian state shapes women’s bodies, how the place and space of the village shapes women’s bodies and where these processes correspond and diverge. For example, women may access an illegal abortion against the wishes of the state and in doing so, be committing female infanticide, conforming to village patriarchal preference for sons. The goal here is not to untangle this messiness and suggest that women are either conformist or resisting, but to highlight the everyday strategies employed by women and in doing so to emphasize the spaces of hope created by and with bodies.

In terms of these performances of resistance and conformity, I refer to what Hynman and de Alwis (2004: 552) call the “calculated presentation of self in everyday life.” While these authors speak in reference to survival techniques of Tamils moving about in a Sinhala-majority Sri Lanka, recognizing intentional performances of people can be applied to understanding the ways in which women negotiate their sexual and reproductive wellbeing. Highlighted in the sociological work of Goffman (1959), this view of individual performances as deliberate mechanisms for adapting to different social settings differs from feminist approaches to performativity presented by Butler in her seminal work, Bodies that Matter (1993). Butler views performances not as calculated and/or premeditated but as reiterative acts based on socially constructed scripts within what call “‘regulatory fictions’” (Butler, as cited in Hyndman & de Alwis, 2004: 550).

Hyndman and de Alwis combine the theories of Goffman (1959) and Butler (1993) by showing how “identity is enacted through regulatory regimes that expect certain performances from specific people” (2004: 551), but these scripts can be subverted. The authors demonstrate the ways in which people’s tactics “sometimes make explicit and at other times disrupt the interpellatory scripts of Butler's regulatory fictions by acknowledging the everyday survival strategies of people…” (2004: 553). With this view of performance, Hyndman and de Alwis illustrate spaces and places of and for individual agency, which are downplayed by Butler. Butler writes that performances cannot “be a human act or expression, a wilful appropriation, and it is certainly not a question of taking on a mask; it is the matrix through which all willing first becomes possible, its enabling cultural condition” (1993, p. 7). Combining Goffman’s humanistic, agency-oriented understanding of performance with Butler’s poststructuralist one enables recognition of people’s individual intentionalities within a socially produced context of regulatory frameworks and scripts. Indeed, feminist research shows that people use their bodies in ways that are simultaneously resisting and conforming.

With this understanding of calculated subversions of governing scripts, it is possible to recognize that women are both produced by and produce their sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. The concept of choice in the activist claim for reproductive rights is therefore problematic. Dominant discourses on sexual and reproductive choice and rights, which I examine in detail below, make simplistic and often false assumptions that the provision of reproductive rights and choice with a liberal human-rights framework can ‘free’ women from existing, gendered regulatory frameworks (Viswanath, 2001).

Following performative theories presented by Butler (1993), my work shows that while women may act in ways that rearticulate dominant social systems of heterosexual reproduction, dualist gender roles, male dominance, and so on, they also act in ways that subvert these systems in subtle, yet critical and often intentional ways (Goffman, 1959). While an apparent lack of individual options and freedoms for these so-called ‘third world’ and ‘poor’ women could easily be construed as disempowerment, the women I present here demonstrate intentional defiance of laws and norms that do not mesh with their sexual and reproductive intentions. Within sexual and reproductive health regulatory fictions produced by the village and the state, women find alternatives in both discreet and overt ways, using the “geography closest in”, their bodies. In presenting women as actively opposing state and village imperatives, however, I also do not wish to gloss over the overwhelming oppression that most women in India face.

UPDATES

2006-08-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few much needed updates and add-ons to some of my previous posts:

A Sea of Plastics the Size of Texas:
You can read this previous plastic posting or read some current articles about this crisis in our waters: Plastic Sea article in The Tyee by co-founder of Greenpeace and obvious environmentalist Paul Watson. Also check out the LA times piece, Altered Oceans, kindly provided by Anna at BringYourOwn.org!

Lebanon for Dummies:
Read my previous post here. For more info head to Today's Effort by r. w. twain to peruse some excellent and thorough accounts of what I'll call the 'construction and destruction of the middle east'. He also writes about history of Lebanon as a political entity and it's relationship with other states here.

The body has become a war zone:
Read this previous post here.
I jmade the DELICIOUS Cilantro Chelation Pesto and it's awesome! I cheated and added a handful of pine nuts and about 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan! Yum, Yum, Yum. A caution however comes from The Kitchen Doctor that you should read before embarking on a toxic cleanse. The key note here is that even though the ingredients are natural, you are going to put your body through a serious purge of volatile crap which might make you feel like serious pooh!! Be warned, get informed!

We added it to salads, wraps, toasted pumpernickel and eggs but it tastes fine all on it's own too! Don't heat it, just mix it into already cooked stuff!

Use Your Body (about parkcour and crossfit!)
You can read my previous post here.
I want to share an amazing video with you:
B-boy dancer Junior (2mins)- watch for the finger push ups near the end! SWEET!!
Also, if you would like to use your body, definitely check out Stumptuous.com Women's Weight Training. This site is not just for 'women' as the title might suggest. My man, Motion, who's all over the functional fitness program of Crossfit.com thinks it's cool too!

FINALLY: I Love Tron! Tron, Tron, Tron!!
the old post is here! Just in case you're wondering how my dog is, here's another photo!

Conspiracy 9/11

2006-08-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: Lemmings, we are all lemmings! Edgewood, BC (Dec 2004)

Why is it that any news of a conspiracy surrounding 9/11 is automatically defamed? Maybe people are scared of being cast as some conspiracy theory nut a la Mel Gibson (yeah, that's right, not just "Conspiracy Theory" with Julia Roberts, but "The Passion of Jesus Christ" where he goes all apeshit about a Jewish plot to kill the man.. er son... whatever).

If you can handle a bit more conspiracy stuff in your life then here goes...

Things we don't know about 9/11:

Watch the video "Loose Change" (2nd Edition) 1hr 22mins). This low budget video, posted online, raises questions concerning 9/11 attacks, like how the buildings could have fallen like they did and a whole lot more! Even skeptics will have their interest tweaked!

Also, you can SKIP THE CONSPIRACY SHIT SARAH! and l isten to MIT engineer Jeff King (15 mins video) examine the structural collapse of the World Trade Towers and that other building next to it, Tower 7, (which was never hit at all!) from a physics perspective.

Michael Meacher (British Member of Parliament) and Andreas von Buelow (Lawyer and former German Secretary of Defense) provide a great video discussion of the politics of 9/11 (16 mins).

Controlled demolition theory (i.e. some one planted bombs to bring down those three buildings) is also supported by David Ray Griffen, Stephen E. Jones, Robert M. Bowman, James H. Fetzer, Wayne Madsen, John McMurtry, Morgan Reynolds and other academics who form Scholar's For 9/11 Truth.

They point out that The official conspiracy theory--that nineteen Arab hijackers under control of one man in the wilds of Afghanistan brought this about--is unsupportable by the evidential data, which they have studied."

Don't let yourself get too crazy with all this conspiracy crap though because some civil rights bashing nut might attack you. Rep. Steve Nass thinks University of Wisconsin-Madison lecturer Kevin Barrett should be fired because he has told students that 9/11 could be a US government conspiracy. Barret is co-founder of the Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance for 9/11 Truth who suggest the 9/11 attacks were a ""fabricated war-trigger event" designed to justify military operations in Iraq." Wow, I guess we should assume that university students are lemmings. I know I am.

Please don't send me a message telling me I'm crazy (I already know that silly!). I'd rather be presented with more information than your own, personal "it couldn't be true" comments.

Lebanon for Dummies

2006-07-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: Women at evening prayer before the free weekly Suffi Qawaal concert. Nizamuddin's Tomb and Shrine are
considered sacred by both Muslims and Hindus. New Delhi (Oct 2005). Obviously this photo is not representative of all Muslims!! Use your brain!

Watch John Stewart interview Dr. Alon Ben-Mier (make sure to watch part I and II) for some very accessible information on the current situation in Lebanon, with concise discussions on

Shiite vs Sunni Islamic movements
Who are Hezbollah vs Hamas
understanding Syria vs Lebanon vs the rest of the Middle East
situating Israel and the Americans

This is a great backgrounder for those who don't know some of the larger politics of the region.

An excellent. up-to-date report from Lebanon by Robert Frisk can be found at the Democracy Now website- watch, listen and/or read the transcripts.

A sea of garbage the size of TEXAS!

2006-07-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Left: Tim Harvey and Erden Eruc
rowing off Cascais, Portugal.
Below: Cycling Portugal (Oct 2005)

According bringyourown.org, “a garbage patch the size of Texas is floating in the North Pacific Ocean”, and worldwide, “ocean surface waters contain six times more plastic than plankton.”

THAT IS COMPLETELY DISGUSTING!!

My friend Tim Harvey raises this issue on his vancouvertovancouver.com website. He's travelling aroung world SANS CO2... that's right, emissions free. Follow the last leg of his journey on his website dispatches and view his photo collection.

He's on his way home to Vancouver by bike from Oaxaca in Mexico. That's after he

Cycled to the Yukon from Vancouver
Canoed to the Bearing Straight
Rowed the Bearing Sea
Hiked into Siberia
Cycled in the snow to Moscow and onwards to Portugal
Rowed to the Canary Islands
Sailed to Venezuala
Cycled to Columbia
Bush wacked, canoed and rafted through the famed Darien Gap to Panama
Has been cycling ever since!!

Now pepper in arrests, forest fires, malaria, guns and endless encounters with helpful, honest and good natured people (okay and bad people too, that's where the guns come in!) and you've got a lifetime of stories. He even got chased by a donkey! How many of you can claim that, eh?! Didn't think so!!

Tim is filming his expeditiom, has been publishing articles in the Vancouver Sun, The Marmott and other publications and can be periodically heard on CBC radio one!

LINKS:
Tim's Website: Vancouvertovancouver.com
Erden Eruc is on his own journey: Around-n-over! that's around the world and over six major peaks.

out of the box?

2006-07-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Photo: This is me and my dog, Tron. As you can see, Motion is renovating this house.

I'm angry at who ever created the horrible cliche "think outside the box" because for a while I used it and thought it was a great idea- that it was calling for radical thought and action. But really there is no such thing as "outside" the box. This place or space does not exist.

There is no way of stepping outside the sets of relations, the processes and structures, in our world; we can't untangle ourselves from this mess. Yes we can come up with critical analysis, resistances and change social, economic and political relations in subtle and signifcant ways, but no matter what I do I still live in a racialized, gendered, heteronormative world constructed along lines of first vs third, or educated vs ignorant or right vs wrong and am often responsible for (re)performing/(re)producing these unequal ways of knowing and being.

I'm not discouraged by this acceptance of 'things beyond my control' but happy to recognize the many things I do get to do and am able to think critically about (the 'free will' side) as part of these "regulatory fictions" (see Butler, 1990) or frameworks.

In the end, we have the ability to recognize the ways in which the world is produced both for and by us all.

desmoging the climate change 'debate'

2006-07-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: ahhh, the sweet smell of progress, New Delhi (2005)

In case you've been unsure, it's about time you know that there is no climate change debate. In fact, within the peer-reviewed, scientific community there is consensus that global warming is happening and that humans are in part responsible.

Naomi Oreskes conducted a 2004 study of approximately 1000 peer-reviewed journals to discover this... and then published her findings in Science, a peer-reviewed journal.

Al Gore cites Oreskes' study in his recent documentary "An Inconvenient Truth"

Check out Vancouver's very own debunking machine: DeSmogBlog.com

"the DeSmogBlog's mission is to debunk the climate change deniers who use suspect science and a host of public relations trickery to confuse and mislead the public on this critical issue."

2006-07-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: Tsuglag Khang Temple, the Dalai Lama's Temple in Dharamsala, India (2004).

Find out what the hell is going on in Lebanon:

**Harper's Unmeasured Support for Israel: Why Canada is wrong to fan the flames

**Informed Consent (Juan Cole's Blog):
scroll down to Sunday, July 23, 2006 posts:
War on Lebanon Planned for at least a Year
The Bush Administration's Grand Strategy and the Birth Pangs of Terror

**Isreali Military is being refortified by the US- precision, laser guided bombs

**Al-Jazeera reporters say the Israeli authorities are targeting them and obstructing their coverage of the Middle East crisis. Israel says the channel is biased.

**The Guardian - up-to-date ongoing coverage

lyre lyre pants on fire

2006-07-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Bird watching can be really cool (okay, I am a geek, I've come to terms with it!). This is the coolest bird in the world! It's Australian of course!

Watch the video:
Sir David Attenborough and the Lyre Bird Video!
(3 mins 35 secs)

You probably know this famous naturalist from BBC's Life on Earth and The Living Planet. He's the younger brother of Richard Attenborough of Jurassic Park fame.

PHOTO: duffy lake road, bc

Extreme Hammocking

2006-07-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Check it out! One man, one hammock and a dream: Extreme Hammock.

Okay so I don't have any extreme shots (yet!) but this one of Motion and Tron is pretty darn cute!

CASARA

2006-07-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that Motion and I are now trained spotter volunteers with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, or CASARA? That means we get to fly around the Prince George area in little cessna-type planes like the one above and view the endless forests of red, dead pine-beetle kill!!

Actually, it's pretty cool now that I've gotten over the nausea of flying in a tin can. So far we've only been on training flights, but now could be called to help in a search and rescue operation-- such as finding a plane crash site, lost hiker, floating body etc.

Unfortunately, because you are supposed to be either in training or actively searching, we could only bring our camera on our first flight. This means no more air photography, which sucks because we've just got a new digital camera that kicks ass!

The PG CASARA unit is run by a man called John who sold Motion his house. I'm a little conflicted about flying around in planes as it is yet another way to burn fossil fuels but if they call me to find a lost person, I won't say no! I think I thought of joining the ground crew but that will probably involve driving trucks along logging roads!!! I guess I'll just move back to the city where I can ride my bike around!!

"An Inconvenient Truth"

2006-07-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

You'd better start heading for higher ground. According to Al Gore, if the earth continues to warm, ice caps will melt and sea levels will rise by at least 20 feet (that's 6.10 meters). I recommend you all go see his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." It raises some great questions, provides excellent facts in an accessible format and is generally well-produced.

The last 10-15 minutes, however, faltered. We are told that the US brought freedom to the Americas... how insulting! Social change is presented as a series of events- a simplistic notion. And of course, the old stickler that gets under my skin: that population growth is one of three main causes of impending environmental crisis. Never mind consumption patters and the distribution of power and exchange relations around the world.... nope, it's about those pesky third world types having too many babies! PSSHTTT!!! I'll leave it at that. Enjoy the film!

If you'd like to read up on climate change, the CBC website provides some info on Global Warming and of course, organizations like the David Suzuki Foundation in Vancouver and the International institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), out of Winnipeg, have excellent resources.

Now there has been a ton of backlash in the media against the idea of climate change, despite the fact that every single scientist, in every single peer reviewed journal, unequivocally supports the notion of global warming caused by human induced CO2 emissions increases!! And, while it's good to have skeptics out there, and some may deny that the end of civilization is nigh, nobody can tell me that the sickening haze that surrounds every major city in the world is good for us and the increase of CO2 in our atmosphere is not related to the rise in respiratory diseases globally.

SOME FACTS: the WHO estimates that "Urban air pollution- of which a significant proportion is generated by vehicles, as well as industry and energy production-– is estimated to kill some 800,000 people annually." According to our Minister for the Environment, Rona Ambrose, "In 2004, British Columbia's Provincial Officer for Health reported that premature deaths resulting from air pollution in the province are between 140 and 400 per year. He also said that air pollution may be responsible for between 700 to 2,100 hospital stays and between 900 and 2,700 emergency room visits each year."

You know those huge sweeping shots of cities in movies and TV shows? The ones taken from helicopters on the rare sunny day when the morning wind has managed to make the city look clear? clean? pollution free? Maybe producers should stop using those images and start showing their audience what these smoggy places actually look like most of the time.

PHOTO: the view of Vancouver from Dog Mountain, Seymour Provincial Park- click the picture to enlarge it.

The Mirror Project

2006-07-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Check out the mirrorproject.com. As the name suggests, it's a website full of mirrors, or more precisely, of photos of reflections in all things mirror-like.

The site is user-driven and reflects a range of creativity. Photos of people and pets and protests reflected in glass, spoons, irises etc. give us a glimpse into people's lives and thoughts. My friend Carmen first pointed it out to me and while there is the occasional borring photo, most are brought to life with short captions.

Here are two photos to post, both from Australia:

My first time scuba diving, Great Barrier Reef. The fash some how created the bizzare reflection above me (2004).

Cape Tribulation Beach, Northern Queensland, reflected in my shades (2004).

Motion Activated

2006-07-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems." Mahatma Gandhi

Mr Motion MacIvor:

These photos were taken at a wicked BBQ restaurant in Mount Currie, BC, at the bottom of the Duffy Lake Road, June 29, 2006.

Bush Sings Videos

2006-07-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

Some reworked videos of Bush speaches set to famous songs. I love that people take the time to do this sort of thing!!

Imagine This: The Video (Bush vs Lenon's "Imagine")
George Bush singing U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"

Me, Tron and my cousin Emma at the lookout over Deep Cover/Indian Arm
July 3, 2006

Serendipitous

2006-07-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've just discovered the coolest thing: a wonderful link that connects me back to my grandfather, my father's father. I made a great friend in India last year. I was doing my MA field work and she was in Delhi working as an intern for some NGO that promotes corporate social responsibility. We met serendipitously and hung out together for several months.

Two weeks ago Suraiya sent me an email... She's coming to Vancouver and by the way, our grandfathers knew each other well. Basically my granddad, a Canadian living in Vancouver, and her granddad, a Filipino living in Manila, worked for the same company. When her granddad decided to immigrate to Canada, my granddad helped them out and suggested they live in his house as he was going traveling. Later, two of Suraiya's aunts lived with my granddad when they were students. And this is why Suraiya calls my granddad lolo Paynter... that's Tagalog for grandfather Paynter!!

We had lunch last week and remembered his pineapple-carrot cake, scotch mints, loving humour and the old granddaddy clock on the mantle that chimed on the quarter, half and full hour.

How amazing that we are long lost cousins!

My granddad name was Laurie Paynter. He was a wonderful father and grandfather and definitely did not deserve to be one day, unexpectedly left with three children by his wife who eloped to the Gold Coast (present day Ghana). Born in small town Saskatchewan, he worked hard, was always honest and spent his retirement traveling around the world mostly on a shoestring, always smiling.

serendipity (serendipitous)- se rEn dI pih ti DEFINITION

PHOTO: Suraiya, Ankita and me at a restaurant in New Delhi.

Use your body!

2006-06-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

You've probably heard of PARKOUR by now. If you haven't, this is will blow your mind!

Watch my favourite parkour video: "Russian Climbing"

Now that you've opened your mind to the possibilities of your body, I'm sure you're eagerly awaiting the upcoming release of District B13 featuring the father of parkour, the free-flowing Frenchman, David Belle. Co-founder credit goes to Sebastien Fouca n who has developed his own style of parkour called Free Running. On July 2nd the super cool (come on, say it with a French accent!) film will hit theatres everywhere, except maybe Prince George, BC.

The Russian Climbing flick may not be the 'best', but it is my favourite because it's not a flashy, big budget, professional film and not over stylized. It is just some extremely athletic friends with a shaky video camera (and a lot of style!). And the film has a gritty, subaltern radicalness to it. It's a couple of guys with nothing but their clothes and well-honed strength re-imagining a derelict urban landscape, claiming it as their own playground.

parkour rethinks how we use space. Many of the films you'll find online (I'll list some below) show people 'free flowing,' as some northern American's call it, in areas that are "out of bounds" or "private, no trespassing". And while companies such as Adidas and Reebok are trying to capitalize on Parkour fervor with various merchandise such as weighted running vests which tote your mp3 cellphone and car keys, you don't actually need gear to parkour. No snowboard, climbing shoes, gloves, crash helmet, elbow pads, yoga mats, or flashing lights (well, flashing lights would look cool!!). So there, middle class!!

Many compare Parkour with Free Running, but the 'pure' Traceurs (parkour people) view the two as quite different. Read about the Parkour vs. Free Running debate here.

Okay a LIST OF KICKASS PARKOUR VIDEOS to get you started:

Parkour.net video page
Google Videos- Parkour

Other Parkour Sites (tutorials, articles, news, photos, videos and more...):
Foucan.com (aka Parkour.com) - Home of Sebastian Foucan, co-founder of parkour
Urban Free Flow - UK Parkour webportal (sponsored by Adidas)
Worldwide Jam - parkour and free running online resource and print magazine
American Parkour - comprehensive site for parkour purists ('Just say no!" to free running!)
ScrewGravity.com - Levity, a group of UK traceurs with a coolio website

GET OUT and Parkour in your community:
Parkour in Canada's Capital (that's Ottawa silly!)
Parkour Toronto Network
Le Parkour Montreal
Parkour San Franscisco
Parkour South Africa

Parkour is full body, functional fitness-- it fits perfectly with my Crossfit regime. We do crossfit at home with basic weights, rings, bars and medicine balls. It's a revolutionary fitness system that will work for everyone! It's not based on ridiculous machinery or dead end, boring repetitions that NEVER work. Furthermore, it's an open source system available for all. Read more on the main Crossfit website and find a Crossfit affiliate near you. If you can get by all the photos of US army personnel with guns on the main website, you'll find some fantastic people using their whole bodies and getting fit fast!! The Message Board link is a great resource for all things fitnessy.

PHOTO: Motion, trailblazing in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. (May 2005)

Arms dealers work for Canada Census

2006-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Census Canada recently conducted its 2006 survey of Canada. Many of you filled out the short form and a minority got the super long form. I wish I had had the super long form.

A little known tidbit is that I love filling out forms. I'm serious! There's something insanely pleasing to me about filling out forms, like completing the Sunday New York Times Crossword, except really easy! I'm a geek, and that's okay!

Anyway, I want to talk about arms dealers- Lockheed Martin in particular. LM was contracted by our federal government to help automize national census surveys. New forms are supposed to be scanable, so citizens are asked to fill out their forms examination style--in capital letters, writing inside the boxes, using blue ball point pen etc.-- so they can all be swiftly entered into an accessible database.

I sent out an email to friends noting my own concern with the Canadian Government hiring and American arms dealer to help manage our personal statistics, especially in light of US homeland security legislation which would require LM to disclose all information in case of suspected....um...ANYTHING. And, I forwarded links to various action groups and articles such as:

Vive le Canada
Global Research
Count me out

I got the following response in an email from a long lost friend:

"I don't understand the opposition to LM just because it's an arms contractor. There are a lot of arms contractors that do a lot of other things that are useful and not associated with the arms business. And besides, the arms business itself cannot be said to be inherently immoral."

Yeah, and Shell Oil invests in alternative energy sources. Does this counterbalance it's campaign of terror in Nigeria?!?

WOW! I am sure that there are some arms dealers that do nice and 'useful' things, but they also produce and sell KILLING MACHINES to people, groups, governments so they can KILL each other. Obviously this friend of mine had not read my earlier post on the HOW WE ALL SUPPORT MILITARIZATION!

And, no, long lost friend, I don't think that businesses are 'inherently immoral'. I don't view corporations, businesses, governments or other institutions as inherently evil. They are made up of people, most of who are pretty 'good' parents, sisters, brothers, lovers etc. etc. etc. We get so caught up in blaming people and things, that we forget to critique the SYSTEMS that are harming us all: power structures and organizing relations that (re)produce inequality. See, I do believe that militarization is inherently immoral. It predicates itself on racism, classim, sexism and homophobia to name a few systems of difference... and reproduces these inequalities over and over again.

No I don't believe that Lockheed Martin (LM) is EVIL, but I do believe that it is guilty in participating in the (re)production of militarization-- the process whereby war/conflict is continuously being normalized. People may question whether or not the US should have invaded and occupied Iraq, but few question whether or not America should have an army. We see the presence of heavily armed men, our heterosexual defender-heroes as a necessary evil.

We some how feel the need to protect ourselves in the global battle for .... er... something??? Um, against terrorism from drugs and Islam. We do not question the very presence of a military systems globally and how they influence organizational systems and even peace 'marches'. We do not question enough how fighting/conflict/war become normalized behaviours for men. How masculinity is constructed in ways that make it okay for boys to hit each other, how 'fallen soldiers' come to signify the nation public, televised events such as funerals and monuments, and how so many of us have rationalized killing people in terms of defending our freedom, rights, and democracy (terms we can barely grasp and yet cling to desperately).

Why are so many American's quoted by media saying that while they are against "the war in Iraq," they support "the American troops" (Or as David Cross said ""Although I am against the war, I do support our white troops").

Did I mention that my long lost friend in the email above is a spokesperson for the Canadian Department of National Defense (I googled him!) ??? Nope, neither did he!!

I want to recommend two films, not for 'all the answers' but for presenting some crucial perspectives and questions:

'The Corporation' - a Canadian documentary based on a book of the same name, which examines the structure and legal rights of corporations as.... well... basically enabling the social, political, economic and environmental destruction that so many are fighting against.

'Why We Fight' - an American documentary looking at and beyond the development of a military-industrial complex since WWII, examining the ways in which militarization is woven into the very fabric of what is now the USA.

PHOTO: Snowshoeing, Seymour Mountain, North Vancouver, February 2006.

Arctic Arcade Architecture

2006-06-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

I've just discovered three awesome bands that play super fun and funny indie tunes! And, they all line up back to back in alphabetical order in my itunes! Perfectly odd!

1. Arcade Fire
2. Architecture in Helsinki
3. Arctic Monkeys

Arcade Fire is a about seven people out of Montreal playing about a billion instruments to produce some upbeaty, punked-up, deep Cure-style stuff... part Gotan Project, part Magnetic Fields, part David Bowie...er... or some other artists. Hey, I'm not a musician or much of a music critic so that's how it's going be here on this blog. They won a 2006 Juno for best songwriters of the year! The Arcade Fire Website diverts you to the Fan Site and a super quirky, interactive Band Site with small blogs from each of the band members. You can check out some videos and tunes from their 2004 album 'Funeral' on the Merge Records website. I especially love Rebellion (lies) and a song called Haiti that you can listen to on BBC music. I first heard their music on Radio Paradise, a listener supported online music station I sometimes enjoy.

Architecture in Helsinki is an Aussie band and it seems that I just missed them playing in Vancouver. They played at the Plaza Club on May 26, 2006. Their website kicks ass!! It's very cartoony and as you might know, I love cartoons! You can listen to snippets of their music by simply visiting ArchitectureinHelsinki.com. 'Maybe you can owe me' is a great song! The Georgia Straight describes them as an "indie-oriented octet with a Beach Boys fixation....a madcap exploration of bubble-gum melodies set to prog-rock arrangements... made on a multitude of instruments using a variety of vocal styles." I think they are perfectly silly!

Finally, Arctic Monkeys are also super cool! Their song, 'When the sun goes down" hit #4 on CBC's National Playlist in April, 2006. I think they are from the UK. You can watch some videos of theirs on the Domino Records website. Some online reviewers don't seem to like their instant success and pop sensation qualities, but I really like many of their tunes. They are hard and fun and catchy. Jian Ghomeshi likes them and so do I!

PHOTO: Some sort of smart car parked in downtown London. A sign on the dash reads "Excempt from Parking Fees"!

The body has become a war zone!

2006-06-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

The body is a war zone! Damn! Okay, so you can't eat x, y, z but must eat 1, 2, 3. Potatoes and corn are out while sardines and Macadamia nuts are in. In a previous post, I commented on all the toxic crap we use to clean our homes and bodies and directed people towards less toxic alternatives. Today, I want to direct you to another great Canadian website monitoring and evaluating all the effects of this crap on our bodies.

Check out Toxic Nation. They have an endless, alarming amount of information on how your house is killing you!

On the brighter side of things, there's plenty of info out there to help you remove these toxin's from your home and your body. Take CILANTRO for instance (That's the green leafy part of the coriander plant)... Well, I love cilantro and I put it on or in most things both raw and cooked. And it turns out that this is a very good idea and I am brilliant because cilantro is rumoured to help remove heavy metals from your system!

Dr Omura found that cilantro was effective at removing mercury from your entire body. Here's the suggested recipe for a tasty toxic cleansing:

Cilantro Chelation Pesto
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup Brazil nuts (selenium)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (cysteine)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium)
2 cups packed fresh cilantro (coriander, Chinese parsley) (vitamin A)
2/3 cup flaxseed oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
2 tsp dulse powder
Sea salt to taste

Even if you're skeptical about the medical studies on cilantro, you can't deny that this cilantro recipe sounds damn good!!

But maybe you're one of those bizarrely bitter cilantro-haters who eats their Thai, Chinese, Indian, Caribbean, Mexican and other tasty foods plain as can be... well, you can just piss off to ihatecilantro.com and work on your accumulation of aluminum, lead and mercury.

PHOTO: fort cochin, kerala, october 2005.

Online interactive map of the world

2006-06-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

BBC World is hosting an INTERACTIVE MAP ON URBAN GROWTH Check it out and watch the world's largest cities grow in population numbers between 1955 and estimates for 2015.

I love interactive maps but all this one does is feed into the overpopulation scare. The authors even use the world "explosion" in their intro! You get to see the shear numbers of people that now live in these urban areas but you don't get to find out where exactly they've come from (rural areas vs population increase vs international migration vs ???) and you don't get to know about corresponding standards of living increases, national economic growth, employment rates or whether or not services and housing exists for these growing urban areas.

Instead, it's a CRAZY explosion of people. AHHH, freak out! There are too many bodies!! But what about the ideas, the freedoms, the diversity, the creativity and the other benefits of urbanism. The map tells us nothing about these things.

PHOTO: Portabello Road, London, UK, November 2005.

Shark vs. Octopus

2006-06-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

Underwater worlds are cool yo!

Check out this AWESOME VIDEO of, you guessed it, a shark vs. an octopus!

Thank you PBS!!

PHOTO: Bangalore Aquarium, Karnataka, India. October, 2005. This is the most bizarre aquarium I've ever been to. Housed in an Octagonal building in a park, with admission fees of about $0.30 per person, the two rooms are dark and all the fish are white, black, brown or some combination of these colours. Worth visiting just because it's very odd!

Empowered

2006-06-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I hear this word "EMPOWERED" a whole lot!

"Women need to be empowered."
"Minorities need to be empowered."

First, the assumption is that they are not already empowered, or more apropriately, have some means of negotiating power, working with powerful people, and/or getting what they want. In my mind, and you are free to disagree, even those we assume are 'have-nots' or 'without power' -- those who we label 'marginalized'-- have various abilities, skills, strategies, capacities at surviving and working in an unequal, often harsh world and in doing so readjusting that unjust world in small but significant ways.

Second, we make the assumption that empowerment is GOOD. What I want to examine here is what we ask of people when we say-- as researchers, community developers, policy makers, volunteers or other-- these programs/ideas/actions will empower you?!?!

First, we assume the empowerment is GOOD (as opposed to BAD), and that programs for empowerment (or agency, if you will), will undo the evils of structural inequalities and 'free' people. We might even assume that empowerment is self-fulfillment. But, I would argue that empowerment can be very BAD. Empowered people can and do very horrible things. They take advantage of their relative empowerment to use or abuse those in less powerful places.

If empowerment can be BAD, or maybe both BAD and GOOD, then this brings me to my second point: If we ask people to be empowered or we create programs for empowerment, we have to admit that we are not asking people to do what they want, but to do what we want. In other words: when we make the call for empowerment, we in fact make the call for GOOD empowerment, not for BAD empowerment.

In seeking to give voice to the marginalized by empowering people we are making a call for our own conception of what is right and not necessarily for locally defined meanings.

PHOTO: that's me dressed up silly-like in Edgewood, BC back in 1999 (date?)

I love Tron... Tron, Tron, Tron!

2006-06-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that I love dogs? Here are some photos of my favourite dogs. The top one is Tron and the bottom one is... sniff... dead. Her name was Siri... may she be frolicking in swampy grasses filled with bone marrow and squirrels for ever and ever...

Now my new dog or I should say OUR new dog is Tron. He's a mutt!! We found him at the Vancouver City Pound (a.k.a. Animal Control).

He's registered as a Pointer-Mastiff-Rotweiler Crossbreed... but we think he's a Mutt-Artic Hare-Crocodile-Lap Dog Cross. People are generally scared of his HUGE HEAD, but he's actually sweet as pie. Er... well, he sometimes smells like wet dog but is very lovey and lovable!

You can get a dog from the pound for $150 and that includes all the vaccinations and spay/neutering! If you don't want a dog all for yourself, you can volunteer as a dog walker! Check out the SPCA: they are nonprofit and need volunteers as well!

Okay, so Poodles are hypoallergenic right? But they are also really ugly and annoying! Which is why they've been crossbred with other dogs to produce some funny looking dogs! Check out these cute photos! Labradoodles, Schnoodles, goldendoodles and puggles. And then there are the Bich-Poos, Chi-Poos, Cocka-Poos, and Jack-a-Poos!! I KID YOU NOT!

Dog stuff to check out:
B.A.R.F - the bone and raw food diet for dogs and cats.
Clicker Training - effective, affordable way of dog training. Nice, homey website developed by happy breeders.
WOOF: It's a dog's life - tips from the PBS show, complete with crazy trainer man videos!

Caring for the North

2006-06-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended a symposium at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) called Caring for the North: Gender, Care and Northern Communities. I met some wonderful people both men and women from academia, community organizations, government health care providers, doctors and nurses... all with interesting things to say about counseling, fetal Alcohol syndrome, cronic diseases, health care continuity, teenage pregnancy, cultural perspectives and prejudices and other cool (and relevant!) stuff.

I mean, did you know that Fetal Alcohol syndrome (FAS) is highly contested and largely socially constructed to demonize women and minority groups... say like indigenous people here in Canada?!
If you google FAS, you'll get the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) website which will tell you that "FAS is 100% preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant." While this statement might sound harmless and might even seem helpful, it actually helps support the moral surveillance by society upon the pregnant body. Check out Robyn Longhurst for publications on this topic.

PHOTO: Daultabad Village near New Delhi, India, 2006.

stuff I should find the time to babble about...

2006-06-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

-cool names like Motion, Mighty, Sioban, Monique, Mollie, Finn, Quinn, Rin Tin Tin...
-living in PG
-my thesis work
-dogs and stuff
-free will and choice debates
-how to procrastinate
-crossfit functional fitness
-riding my bike
-dark chocolate
-how great craigslist is!
-all the people I love

Photo: that's me in Attie Lake near Mission Beach in Australia, 2004. Little turtles tickled my toes!

toxic cleansing

2006-06-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

I was recently directed to a great Canadian website: Guide to Less Toxic Products maintained by the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia.

You can look up your favourite household and body cleaners to see how toxic they are... like laundry detergents, soaps and hair products... if they aren't eco-friendly, they won't be there! The website lists best, good, less toxic or simply unscented.

Basically the site tells you the ways in which toxins from man made and natural products end up hurting us all. It also offers great home remedies that are cheap and not as harsh like most commercial products. My favourite is the home-made alternative for metal polish! Did you know you can polish all your silver with a mix of water, salt, baking soda, aluminium foil and no rubbing whatsoever?!

The website has loads of well organized information, much of which was entirely new to me. For instance, it comments that essential oils can be dangerous and should be used with caution. Apparently orange peels contained d-lemonene, a powerful solvent potentially harmful to skin and earth!

PHOTO: I took this on a ferry between Ernakulum and Port Cochin in Kerala, India. Many people make their livings and indeed feel themselves on fish from these waters. This tanker was spewing brown junk as dug out canoes passed by! ICK!

Ludiocrity!!!

2006-06-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite photos. Those are two jackasses. The blonde is my awesome friend Elke and the other, shorter, darker one is me. The photo represents the Jackassian Philosophy of Life put forth by Elke during a perfect, mostly naked summer in the interior of BC. When was that? hmmmm... late 1990's sometime... can't remember... memory loss.... Well, let's just say that it was a perfect, slightly hazy, mostly naked summer.

One of my favourite words was born:
LUDIOCRITY (noun) - the ludicrous quality or state of being mediocre

Justifying War- how we all support militarization

2006-06-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

Consider the current outrage at the 'military conduct' or let's say 'murder' commited by US forces in Iraq... whether we're thinking of Abud Grab or civilian massacres in November 2005 or March 2006.

What do these events and our responses to them tell us about how we SEE WAR?

As I listen to radio coverage and disucssions, the common theme is outrage at this "unacceptable" behavoir. To me, what this suggests is that there is an "acceptable" way to conduct war! For all their good intentions, the rants of human rights agencies seem to participate in the militarization of our perspectives. By militarization I refer to the normalization of war.

In suggesting that there's a wrong way to conduct war we imply that there is a right way and hence, that war is justified.

Cynthia Enloe, Clark University, defines militarization as as a process by which a person or thing becomes controlled or dependant on or derives its value from the military. That's a loose paraphrasing from her chapter "Conclusion: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions"in her book Maneuvers: The international politics of militarizing women’s lives (UC Press, Berkeley, 2000, pp. 288-300). This text is about women, gender and militarization.

She's referring to the NORMALIZATION OF WAR... not just things related directly to the military or the amassing of weapons power, but to the race, class and gender relations that help produce and are reproduced in a cutlure of militarization. According to Enloe militarized things include marriage, massacra, gortex, prostitution or cargo pants!!! Check it out!

Cynthia Enloe gave a lection titled "How Can You Tell If You're Becoming Militarized? Some Feminist Clues" on Marcy 29, 2006, at the University of Toronto.

PHOTO: two little girls near Gurgaon in the state of Harayana, India where I did my MA field work. They were lovely!

I'm so sad I think I'll pluck my eye brows

2006-06-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

depression - Tom Cruise publicly declared that we need to all go for a long jog, but new psychotherapy out of Jamaica by Frederick Hickling suggests this might be combined with some introspection, especially on the destructive nature of unequal social relations that make us feel like pooh.

I think drugs can help people get out of the hole so they can actually get dressed, leave the house and go for that energizing jog. GlaxoSmithKline, producers of Paxil, a 'mild' anti-depressive, anti-anxiety pill, however, recently announced that their drug leads to "increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour" among children and teens!! DAMN.

You can check out Dr Peter Breggin's website to read about suppressed suicide Paxil data.

Shaving my legs- TheTyee.ca posted an article called Feeling Plucky about body hair and female beauty without even entering into the very real visual cues we send each other by marking or not marking our bodies. Not shaving used to be an anti establishment act but now that we have more 'choice', whatever that means, I like the right to shave my legs... Feels good on my freshly washed sheets and my boyfriends lips!

Don't tell me I've sold out to the patriarchy, because we've all sold out!! We are all woven into the very systems we critique. There is no 'stepping out of the box.' Hello biodiveristy theory. We are produced by and reproduce the box. As long as shaving my legs doesn't confine me or reduce my value as a person, I'm okay with a razor. As for plucking eye brows? Well that's for obsessive compulsive freaks!!

Speaking of EYE BROWS... watch the disturbing anti-meth video posted on the Montana Meth Project website. A rich man organized the necessary resources to run a massive public service campaign against growing methamphetamine use in Montana. The result: a host of hard-hitting ads. Wow, and I thought Dawn of the Dead was gross. PUKE, I've lost my appetite.

In other, not so disturbing news, that's my nephew in the photo above being an adorable wise ass!