Saturday 56: Rick Mercer Report – The Book

{ November 27, 2010 @ 12:47 pm } · { Saturday 56 }
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Rules:

1. Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.

2. Turn to page 56.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post that sentence (plus one or two more) along with these instructions on your blog or in the comments section.

5. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

6. Don’t dig for your favourite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. USE THE CLOSEST.

***It just so happens that Pg. 56 is a transcript from Rick’s televised interview with Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland.  The two are off-roading a 4×4 in Seal Cove, circa October 23rd, 2007.***

Williams: I’d like to have Steve here in the Jeep with me for this one.

Mercer: And by Steve you mean our Prime Minister?

Williams: I do.

Mercer: He doesn’t like being called Steve.

Williams: Is that right?  I never knew that.  Are you serious?  It’s his name.

*This exchange is between Canadian sweetheart and comic Rick Mercer and Newfoundland’s outgoing Premier Danny Williams.  It just so happens that Williams just stepped down this week from politics, leaving as one of Canada’s best known and loved Premiers.  And I effing love Rick Mercer.

Rave: Sarah Harmer

{ November 17, 2010 @ 11:08 pm } · { Raves }
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If you saw my Twitter drivel in the past few days you would have seen me write about the singer/songwriter Sarah Harmer.   She is my favourite.  Her music is what some might call “rainy day singer/songwriter” music, I just call it AWESOME.

Sarah Harmer is a local (or at least from the same province as me) and her music has been a constant in my home for a decade.  Her music is a weird hybrid.  It’s slow, calming and charming on some tracks, like Open Window .  Other times she rocks the shit out of it on songs like Almost . And then there are the fantastic tracks that invoke her blue grass, country side like I Am A Glow (which I think has some subversive sexual innuendo – YAY!).  And then there is my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE Sarah Harmer track, Lodestar.  It starts off like an acoustic gem, then BAM.  Has an amazing rockin’ end.  I went with my BFF from high school to her show last night and it wsa, fittingly, the final song of her show.

Aside from all of this, she is an activist as well.  And not one of those benevolent musician activist that irritate the crap out of me.  You know the ones I mean…the celebrities who co-opt someone else’s pain in a country they’ve never visited in order to increase their social cred.  No, Sarah Harmer’s activism is homegrown, and in fact, right in her backyard.  She’s one of the found members of PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Land), promoting the preservation of the Niagara Escarpment.  I dig it when people are active politically or environmentally in any capacity.  But I get even more excited when they are involved in their local community activism, seems more genuine if you ask me.

Anywhoodles.  Sarah Harmer has come out with a new album, Oh Little Fire.  It is her doing what she does best.  Strumming, rocking and singing her heart out.  So far, my fave track is One Match.  There is something very poetic about its chorus:

“If I only had one match left, I’d try to light the fire between us.”

OMG.  Speaks to my mello-dramatic soul.  If you are stuck for new music, I encourage you to check out a home grown fave.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

And here is a clip from one of my other raves interviewing her about the album…

Ravin’ Rant: These Are Not The People I Want Re-Populating the Earth

{ November 11, 2010 @ 11:45 pm } · { feminism, Rants, Raves }
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I was surfing a news site and saw the teaser “Another Duggar baby on the way”.  Literally my heart stopped.  I just about swallowed by tongue.

I should digress at this point.  I am, for lack of a better word obsessed with the Duggars.  They fascinate me.  As soon as I heard of this show and this family I started doing research on this phenomena called “Quiverfull“.  Essentially this movement is within fundamentalist Christian families and the belief is that no form of birth control can be used.  No birth control pill, no shot, no condoms, not even the rhythm method may be used.  You just have as many kids as your uterus can handle.  Until they walk the hell out on their own.  Gah.

The more I read about this, the more intrigued I was by the movement.  Needless to say (or at least I hope) this chosen path is incredibly dangerous for the woman.  This only is frightening, so when I read about this it makes me scared for the women who are ‘choosing’ this form of parenting.  There’s a piece of me that is always concerned about the (possible) coercion….eek.

Put on top of this that the Duggars are superstars in the realm of middle America.  Families gather and watch their weekly program as a model for parenting.  Let me say that a bit louder: A MODEL FOR PARENTING.

This is what I learn from the Duggars:

1. Boys work outside, girls work inside.  All the time.  And for shits and giggles switch it up for one day!  Boys don’t know how to wash dishes!

2. Johannah (number 16) is going to write a tell all book.  Total black sheep.

3. John David (number 2) is akward as fuck, and looks like a Neanderthal.

4. I want to punch Josh (number 1) in the face everytime his poor wife brings his fat ass a plate of food

5.  Jinger has a) the best name (from the Book of Jinger ;-)  and b) and gives the best ‘interviews’ on the show…I heart her eye rolls

6. Tater tots are their own food group

7. The bible says that man rules over everything, including the environment.  So paper plates are the shit!

8. You can totes raise 19 kids by getting your eldest kids (only girls, obvs) to raise the little ones (I’m looking at you, Jill and Jana)

Tangent ended.

And with that, congrats to Josh and Anna on starting their brood of 25 with baby numero dos.  On a similar note, I may rant one day about the ethical piece of this whole Quiverfull shit, but in the meantime hears an article that will satisfy.

Rant: Give A Blow Job, Don’t Get Cancer

{ November 11, 2010 @ 12:47 am } · { Anger, feminism, Rants }
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A friend of mine shared this article on Facebook from 2003.  It basically outlines a study done by North Carolina State University that “found” that women who give fellatio and injest ejaculatory fluid (aka jizz) have lower rates of breast cancer.

Well.  I’m not sure where to begin.

My first reaction was that I suspected one of two groups behind the study:

1. Roofie drug dealers and manufacturers

2. Duke University fraternities

Then I read the article, and it seemed as though the article was somewhat in jest, with quotes like:

“Dr. Helena Shifteer, one of the researchers at the University. “Since the emergence of the research, I try to fellate at least once every other night to reduce my chances.”"

Soooo.  What am I to think?  Is this a hoax, a funny article meant to give the reader a chuckle?  Or is this legit?  I did a search of the journal, but to be honest my journal search skills have suffered since leaving post secondary.

Therefore I have two reactions.

First, if this is legit, a big EFF YOU to those involved.  And if people think that an article like this is going to a) get women to give more head and b) swallow, I think you need to take two giant steps backwards and go back and take research methodologies 101.

Second, if this is a joke, it’s a bad one.  Not good, not funny.  All it got was one big eye roll from this woman.  And by the way, I’m kind of sick and tired of people (Read: men) trying to trick women into giving head.  I don’t get this.  Why on earth would you want someone to perform a sexual act on you if they really did not want to?  How is this arousing or satisfying?  When this happens all I can think is “Hi, I’m a red flag, nice to meet you!”.

In my humble opinion when a partner performs oral sex on the other it’s basically saying “I trust you” (or at least this is what it means to me).  Don’t mess with that.

Oh, and use a condom.  This whole idea of swallowing as a way to prevent disease is, I believe the EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN.

The clap is not something to be gambled with.

Rave: Happy Birthday Strawberry Shortcake!

{ November 9, 2010 @ 10:50 pm } · { Raves }
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When I was a little girl my mum and dad bought me two gifts that I remember. First was a Tonka truck for my second birthday. It was all I wanted, and I played like a mad fiend with that dump truck. The second, was a more predictable, but equally fun and wholesome toy, Strawberry Shortcake.

She was short (like me), a bit rounded in the cheek and belly region (like me), had red, frizzy hair (like me) and smelled like strawberries (like me, in June in SW Ontario).

She had a cat (Custard), wore bloomers and had a shit load of fun friends (like me) and an arch nemesis (like me when I was five…I’m looking at you Rebecca Tucker).

I had all of Strawberry Shortcake’s friends and watched all the TV specials. I remember it was always exciting when they came on…this was before the age of TV on DVD, ya know.

I recognize that these specials were to sell toys, but for some reason, I over look this because it made me so happy.

And then something happened in 2003. Strawberry Shortcake got a makeover. A lot of people got freaked out, because they thought they “tarted” her and her tasty friends up.

SIDENOTE: They changed ‘Raspberry Tart’ to ‘Raspberry Torte’ for obvs reasons.

Frankly, I wasn’t that offended by the ‘re-imagining’, but I will always prefer the original, and not the extra spicy.

I still have my Strawberry Shortcake, and I swear I can still smell the strawberry scent. This concerns me, Hasbro. I better not get nostril cancer.

Anywhoodles, live it up on your 30th b-day Strawberry Shortcake, I hope the Purple Pie Man has kicked it, Custard is still alive, Baby-Needs-A-Name got a name, and Plum Puddin’ is doing well with the 2003 sex change.

Rave: Hand Job Song

{ November 8, 2010 @ 11:18 pm } · { feminism, Raves }
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A friend sent this video to our Book Club a few weeks ago. I read and see a lot of funny things on the Interwebs.

This made me laugh out LOUD.

I am in the same boat as these women…most def.

Hand jobs are the weirdest sexual act. For the record.

Ravin’ Rant: What I Wish I Could Do Sometimes

{ November 8, 2010 @ 10:14 pm } · { Anger, feminism, Politics, Rants, Raves }
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I was taking a look at one of my favourite sites and saw a blog posting about this man.  He and his wife are at an abortion clinic in the States having an abortion performed.  You see, his wife’s fetus has a congenital defect, and if taken to term the eventual baby would be a stillborn.  Horrible and not to mention tragic.

If you have ever seen an abortion clinic you have probably seen people standing out front, screaming, hollering, praying or pleading with women not to go through with an already difficult decision.  In my own humble opinion they are closed minded, rude, and the opposite of critical thinkers.

Listen, having an abortion is just about one of the most difficult decision that any woman can make.  But I believe that we need to have safe, accessible abortion clinics for all.

For some reason there are those who believe if we make abortion illegal all of our troubles will go away.

Well, I have news for you:  if you make abortion illegal it will not stop them.  End of discussion.  There will always be women who will have abortions.  If we have illegal, back alley abortions there will be more fatalities. 

Anyway, this man’s wife was attacked (verbally) by these people who don’t seem to have anything better to do than insult and harrass distressed women.  And the video below is the conversation he had with them outside.

I’ve often seen my own community’s anti-choice folks outside waving their signs and preaching their tired rhetoric.  And I’ve often wanted to give a piece of my mind to them (in the most respectful, calm and safe manner).

DISCLAIMER: I know that there are people out their who are not pro-choice.  Some of them are in my family and my social circle.  I encourage open, respectful and honest debate.  With that being said I’m pretty passionate about this and I won’t shut up about it.

Saturday 56: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

{ November 6, 2010 @ 9:08 pm } · { Saturday 56 }
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Rules:

1. Grab the book nearest to you. Right now.

2. Turn to page 56.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post that sentence (plus one or two more) along with these instructions on your blog or in the comments section.

5. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

6. Don’t dig for your favourite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. USE THE CLOSEST.

Jean put the basket on the washing machine. “About what?”
“Jamie was wondering whether we should save Katie from a reckless and inadvisable marriage.”

It’s a pretty good book, he also wrote this one.  Last month’s Book Club was split on it, but I enjoyed it.

Rant: Women are Human Beings.

{ November 6, 2010 @ 9:00 pm } · { feminism, Rants }
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I have a bone to pick. Whenever a woman is called a name, especially a derogatory name I take issue. I would hope this would be the same for the majority of other people. It especially ticks me off when women are called animal names, whether the intent was to flatter or offend.

Examples:

That is one hot chick!

vs.

What fucking cow.

Neither one of these is ok. I think there is more to it when we call a woman a “chick”, “cow”, “bitch”, “fox” or some other animal. It’s childish, stupid and irritating. Many might say that I’m reading too much into it, but I don’t think I am. I think there is a very real suggestion when we use these kinds of names that we’re equating women (for the most part) to animals. Animals that we keep pinned up, caged in, slaughtered, bought, sold and generally degraded. I can’t wrap my head around that one.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not perfect, I slip up too. But I think it’s an interesting testament to how pervasive equating women = animals is! If a self-reflective and thoughtful person (according to moi) like me can slip up and call an irriating person I run into at the grocery store/mall/school a “bitch”, that is telling.

Now, I’m making the move. I’m not going to call any human being (including men, so no one gets bent out of shape and thinks it’s just about women) an animalistic name, whether for good or for ill.

I taught little ones a few years ago about safety and I think I’ll follow the same advice I gave them.

“Trust your gut.”

Rave: Dwight Getting Me Through Studying

{ November 4, 2010 @ 12:50 am } · { Raves }
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I’m studying. Or I’m supposed to be. You see I’m taking a course that the university in town here. It’s tedious, boring and ridiculous. Statistics. However if I want the dream of going and paying thousands of dollars to get a MSW, I have to bite the invisible bullet.

But there are things that get me through reading about construct validity, stratified random sampling and secondary data analysis. Like Dwight Shrute. And I really shouldn’t be the only one enjoying him. So for all those who are having a late study night…enjoy the distraction.

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