Teachers are held to a higher moral standard...

Well, anyone who questions whether teachers are held to a higher moral standard should take a look at this story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/29/myspace.photo.ap/index.html

A female student was denied her teaching degree from a Pennsylvania university because of a photo that appeared on her MySpace. The picture showed the woman "wearing a pirate hat while drinking from a plastic "Mr. Goodbar" cup... which bore the caption 'Drunken Pirate.'"

I certainly agree that teachers must be held to a higher moral standard because of the "role model" responsibility inherent in the profession of an educator. Certainly it would be inappropriate if students were to stumble upon an inappropriate picture of their teachers for a multitude of reasons.

My only hope is this: if this were a male in this situation, I hope the university would have undertook the exact same actions. I just hope there's no double standard here between the sexes...

Price of prisons...

"There are more people behind bars in the United States today than ever before. Since 1980, the inmate population has more than quadrupled to two million -- an unprecedented explosion that is incurring unprecedented costs to all Americans."

This is on MotherJones.com and is an excellent compilation of articles and facts about prisons. Most definitely worth the read. This is something that both Canada and the United States need to critically examine. Also, take a look at the increasing incarceration rates, the spending, and the unreal racial disparities between the general population and prison populations in the "INCARCERATION ATLAS."

Subjects include:
How We Got to Two Million - How did the Land of the Free become the world's leading jailer?
Incubating Disease - Prisons are ripe with infectious illnesses -- and threaten to spread them to the public.
Bad Investment - Gary Johnson, Republican governor of New Mexico, on why the war on drugs is a waste of money.
What's the Alternative? - Society has to respond to lawbreakers, but it doesn't always have to lock them up.
Breeding Violence - Locking people up is supposed to make our streets safer, but it may be doing the opposite.
Left Behind - Hundreds of thousands of children have a parent behind bars. What are the social costs of their loss? ***Definitely read this one
Liberty and Justice for Some - Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. on the moral costs of mass incarceration.

Some interesting facts about toilet paper...

I saw this in the Globe and Mail and thought it was kind of interesting:

Average number of sheets per bathroom visit: 8.6
Average squares consumed per person over a year: 20,805
Number of tonnes of facial tissue and toilet paper used by Canadians each year: 700,000
Number of kilograms per Canadian in a year: 22
Number of tonnes of virgin tree fibre used by Kimberly Clark annually, in millions: 3.1
Portion of that tree fibre cut down in Canada: almost one-quarter
Number of trees that would be saved if every Canadian home switched just one roll of toilet paper to a 100 per cent recycled brand: 47,000
Annual value of Canadian toilet paper sales, millions of dollars: 778. 9

Congrats little brother...

I'm so proud of my little brother! Today he graduated with a certificate in Business and a diploma in Financial Services from SIAST. He already has his career in place (starting in May) and everything. Way to go!

Stop domestic abuse...

"The subject of domestic violence has receded from the headlines in recent years, but the numbers suggest it's still a major social problem. While services for battered women—including hot lines and shelter beds—have increased dramatically, there are still not enough; 4,237 adults and children were turned away from domestic violence shelters in Missouri last year because there was not enough space, according to Colleen Coble. Even when services are available, some women are too terrified to use them. Fleeing from a batterer can actually increase the violence a woman faces; many of the 1,202 women killed by their husbands or boy- friends in the U.S. in 2002 were murdered after they'd already escaped from their homes."

Reading this story literally brought tears to my eyes. While I must say that I do not believe in any way that taking another human life is right... you feel the desperation and feel the blatant need for more attention to be focused on the issue of domestic abuse before it swells to a point of no return.

Here is the link: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/07/the_unforgiven.html

There is also an excellent documentary entitled When Women Kill that is directly related to the issue of this story wherein women are subjected to constant and horrific abuse and go to extreme measures. You can get it at most libraries--The Regina Public Library and the U of R have copies.

Apparently I'm a male...

Well, not exactly, but apparently I write like one. I know what you're thinking: "Huh?"

"On the internet, there is a new website that claims to be able to tell you, with 80% accuracy, whether a piece of writing has been done by a man or by a woman. It uses a computer programme developed by a team of Israeli scientists after an exhaustive study of the differences between male and female use of language."

So... I did a little experiment. I went to the site and randomly entered 9 of my blog entries into the "Gender Genie". Here were their assessments:

Using women as scapegoats... writer is male
Having an education is an oppressive factor??? writer is male
A picture is worth 1000 words... writer is male
Boo to political attack ads... writer is male
A purpose defeated? writer is male
Are we serving international students to the best of our ability? writer is male
Al Gore coming to Regina... writer is male
My Junos experience... writer is male
Speak up and Sing writer is male

80% accuracy huh?

Lots of questions surface in my mind about this assessment. What is it about my writing style that the Gender Genie assumes I am male? Is it because I write about social issues? Is it because I write about issues that primarily take place outside of the home? Is it because I write about issues that are considered to be a man's domain? Is it because I don't speak "submissively"? Really, I don't know. Is there really a distinct way males and females are biologically programmed to write, or is it a learned behaviour, or is this whole thing just a load of crap? Who knows...

Anyway, The Guardian wrote a good article on this, which you can visit at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1079265,00.html

And, if you want to take the assessment yourself to see if you are writing in accordance with your "gender"--test the Gender Genie at: http://bookblog.net/gender/genie.php

By the way, I also tested this blog entry, and the Gender Genie has determined that the writer of this post is... MALE!

Israel’s newest PR ploy: exploiting women…

"David Saranga, the Israeli consular official based in New York, approached Maxim magazine six months ago. His proposal: the government and other pro-Israeli groups would fly a camera crew across the Atlantic in an effort to remake the Jewish state's public image. Israel's reputation had suffered after last summer's war with Lebanon; in a recent BBC poll taken in 27 countries, 56 percent of respondents considered Israel a 'negative influence' in the world, higher than both Iran and the United States. But Israel's real PR problem, according to Saranga, is that Americans--particularly men aged 18 to 35--associate the country with either war or holy relics, if they think of it at all. 'We have to find the right hook,' he says. 'And what's relevant to men under 35? Good-looking women.'"

Wow… I’m almost speechless on this one.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17888451/site/newsweek/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17876106/displaymode/1107//s/2/framenumber/1

Enough said...

I am of the opinion that the broadcasting of Cho's manifesto was not a good idea for a multitude of reasons. This cartoon says a lot.

Gender salary gap continues...

"New data that shows women are already earning less than men before the ink on their college diplomas has dried... The study, which looked at more than 10,000 people who received bachelor's degrees in 1999-2000, found that just one year after graduation, women who are working full time earn only 80% as much as their male counterparts do... Even among co-eds who majored in the same subject in college, men are still earning more money than their female counterparts just 12 months out of the college gate."

Defininitely worth the read. Here's the link:

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1613829,00.html

Devastating child slavery...

"Around the world, some 218 million children are still bonded, trafficked and exploited."

Newsweek World News has an educational photo gallery on the reality of child slavery occurring in our world today. It's so upsetting. The photo gallery is entitled The Smallest Slaves. This can be viewed at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17724765/displaymode/1107//s/2/framenumber/1

Some of the stats that are included in the photo gallery include:

• Today, there are still millions of men, women and children who have been tricked, coerced or intimidated into prostitution or forced labor, required to work long hours for little or no pay, and subjected to harsh and violent working conditions.
• A new report by Save the Children estimates that some 218 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are working as modern-day child laborers; of those, 126 million are involved in hazardous work. Many are bought and sold, pushed into bonded labor or sexually exploited to repay debts. Others are trapped in harsh and dangerous conditions as domestic servants, miners or agricultural workers. In some war-torn nations, children are abducted, separated from their families, and forced to work as soldiers in armed and bloody militias.
• Save the Children says that some children have been forced at gunpoint by government troops or rebels to carry loads of extracted minerals.
• Many children in the DRC have been denied education because of the country's six-year civil war, which is believed to have cost some 4 million lives.
• More than 100 million children under the age of 15 work in agriculture, many exposed to pesticides, heavy machinery and dangerous tools.
• There are an estimated 100,000 child domestic workers in Pakistan, many of whom work extremely long hours for little pay and are regularly subjected to harsh punishments by their employers. Many are banned from attending school or have so much work they cannot attend classes.
• Millions of children across the world are forced to work up to 15 hours a day as domestic workers. Many are beaten, starved and sexually abused.
• More than 50,000 children are employed as domestic help in Calcutta households; many are deprived of school, pay and social activities.
• Under international law, it is illegal to recruit and use children under the age of 15 as combatants or in conflicts. Yet today, an estimated 300,000 children under this age are fighting in wars. Children are easy recruitment targets because they are easy to manipulate, and they learn quickly.

Always been a fan of Ashley Judd...

"Malaria is preventable and treatable. We could end this devastation today... Too many people lack access to bed nets and treatments. That's where we all come in. It costs only $10 to buy a bed net, deliver it, and educate a family on proper use."

Actress, Ashley Judd, has taken action on the devastating reality of Malaria in developing countries. It's worth the read.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/04/23/judd.commentary/index.html

Bottled water = bottled problems...

I'm really fascinated by the research my good friend Curtis has done on bottled water. In fact, you can check out his two blog posts that include some startling facts.

http://curt-b.blogspot.com/2007/04/bottled-problems.html

http://curt-b.blogspot.com/2007/04/bottled-problems-deux.html

Think about it.

Using women as scapegoats...

I am horrified by the headline that appeared April 18 in The Daily Telegraph.

The story is entitled: Was gunman crazed over Emily?

The disgusting subheading reads: THIS is the face of the girl who may have sparked the worst school shooting in US history.

Typical, to blame a deceased woman for the tragedies that happened a week ago. Where is the media accountability? No woman deserves Emily Hilscher's fate--no matter what the circumstances.

What a beautiful girl, with so much to live for. Her life was cut short, and the media is subtly (or not-so-subtly) suggesting that she is somehow responsible because she may have "sparked the worst school shooting in US history."

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21576271-5001021,00.html

Shame.

Where could $25 million go?

Apparently, one can have a personal 13-day trip to outer space. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/04/21/space-simonyi.html

And of course we all know that $25 million for a 13-day trip to outer space is much more important than cancelling international debt, providing more and better aid to developing countries, and providing food, water, shelter and education to the billions all over the world who don't have it.

And to "add a cherry on top", a gourmet six-course meal was enjoyed by Simonyi and his crew, which included: quail roasted in Madrian wine, duck breast ‘confit’ with capers, shredded chicken parmentier, apple fondant pieces, rice pudding with candied fruit, and semolina cake with dried apricots.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/54/biz_06rich400_Charles-Simonyi_VMOW.html

An everyday reality...

With Virginia Tech still at the forefront of attention at this time, these articles are well worth the read.

"In Iraq, universities struggling to operate in the midst of a war zone have been struck repeatedly by bombings, shootings, assassinations, and abductions that have left behind hundreds of killed and wounded, victims and forced thousands of students and professors to stay away, or even leave the country."

Violence like that at Virginia Tech is commonplace in Iraq's universities:

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/50682/

Just An Ordinary Day In Iraq—In Virginia:

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/04/17/just_an_ordinary_day_in_iraqin_virginia.php

Blood on Textbooks: Campuses Under Fire - As VA Tech Mourns, Iraq Universities Know Violence's Toll:

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2387

We Need To Focus On This Week’s Deaths In Iraq - They Belong To Us

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/20/651/

Good Oprah show today...

Some simple facts on the show today on how to be more green.

• Reduce your use of paper napkins…by even just one a day! Napkins make a huge difference. We use 2,200 of them a year, per person on average. Six a day. So if we all gave up one napkin a day, we could save a billion pounds of paper waste … from going to landfills a year.
• Receipts from 8 billion ATM transactions every year are one of the biggest sources of litter on the planet. If everyone left their receipts in the machine, it would save a roll of paper more than 2 billion feet long—enough to circle the equator more than 15 times.
• One place to start when making eco-friendly choices is the grocery store. Many items come in packaging made from petroleum products. Instead, look for things that have minimal packaging. If you must buy disposable plates, look for ones made of 100 percent recycled plastic. They're dishwasher safe, easy to use, and you can use them over and over again. Buy recycled aluminum foil, which requires just one-twentieth the energy of nonrecycled foil. Then, recycle it when you're done. Buy organic produce. Because it doesn't use pesticides, it uses less energy.
• More than 380 million plastic bags are thrown away in the United States every year, and those plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade in landfills. And while paper bags do eventually biodegrade, an estimated 14 million trees a year have to be cut down to make 10 billion paper bags. Bring your own bag to the store and fill it.
• When you buy one liter of water at the store, you're actually buying about six liters of water. That's because when manufacturers make plastic bottles, it takes five liters of water to cool the plastic. When you buy one liter of water at the store, you're actually buying about six liters of water. That's because when manufacturers make plastic bottles, it takes five liters of water to cool the plastic.
• You don't have to spend money to save the planet. Investing in items like the Smart Power Strip will conserve energy and cash. Most people don't know that plugged-in appliances and electronics use energy even if they're turned off. We're spending all this money to power things that are in the off position.

All done!!!

As of yesterday, I have officially completed my B.Ed in Social Studies and Special Education! Oh my gosh, it hasn't really sunk in yet--but I'm very happy about it!

I'm so excited to being teaching in the fall!

Having an education is an oppressive factor???

A judge has thrown out a woman's harassment suit against her ex-husband on the grounds she has a good education...

The woman is a high school teacher who endured sixteen years of psychological harassment in her marriage... but now a precedent has been set saying that if you are educated, then it is not likely you have endured abuse... furthermore, it is kind of sending a message that only educated people report abuse and also diminishes the trauma of abuse and the difficulty in reporting it.

Now a woman having an education is being held against her in court... pathetic.

The story is here: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/19/europe/EU-GEN-Spain-Harassment-Suit.php

The drama continues...

I came across another brilliant cartoon that puts this past week's occurrences into perspective.

In addition, it seems as though another competition and obsession has launched in regards to violence in schools. Here are some of the stories I have come across:

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/story.html?id=4c0f658e-9074-4dea-bf73-19cb9359254f&k=92878

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/18/nc.school.shooting.ap/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/18/shooting.jitters.reut/index.html

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/070419/w041973A.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18203613/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18236038/

John also has an interesting and substantive perspective on this whole issue. You can view what he says at: http://johnmurneysblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/virginia-tech-gunman-example-of.html

Below is another cartoon I found suiting.

A picture is worth 1000 words...

This is in no way to diminish the tragedy that took place yesterday at Virginia Tech. This cartoon, however, illustrates my frustration with the situation. It is just interesting which global tragedies get more attention than others. The passing of 33 people yesterday is a very sad thing. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering from this loss. What I hope is that the world remains cognizant of all the other human suffering that is currently happening in the world and the mass scale on which it is happening. Furthermore, I hope the media engages in critical thought about where they place air-time value. In other words, my hope is that the media with equally educate our world about other issues that are taking place on our planet--in hopes that this sparks human action--and give less attention to the latest Hollywood hookup/breakup.

Here are just a fraction of issues that are taking place in the world, but fail to receive the same amount (if any) media attention:

• In 2006, 4.3 million people become infected with HIV and 2.9 million people died of AIDS.


• AIDS death toll in Africa may reach 100 million by 2025


• Every year more than 10 million children die of hunger and preventable diseases – one every three seconds.


• 100 million children miss out on school completely.


• A child born today in Zambia, one of the very poorest countries, can expect to live until they are 32 years old.


• 20% of the population in the developed nations, consume 86% of the world’s goods.


• It is estimated that 400,000 people have died since March 2003 in the conflict-affected area of Darfur and eastern Chad.


• A team of American and Iraqi epidemiologists estimates that 655,000 more people have died in Iraq since coalition forces arrived in March 2003 than would have died if the invasion had not occurred.


• 30,000 people a day die from poverty.


• The United Nations estimates that unfair trade rules deny poor countries
  US$700 billion every year.

Boo to political attack ads...

One of my pet peeves are political attack ads. The reason I bring up this topic is that political attack ads are reported to pollute our televisions commencing Monday in anticipation for an upcoming provincial election. The story is here: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/city_province/story.html?id=409e69d1-91ca-4108-9916-4e4791ea0bb3&k=17391

You know, here one party is criticizing the other for paying $275,000 to a former employee who was fired following allegations of harassment (which I agree they need to be criticized about). But then, this criticizing party turns around and is going to spend probably $275,000 or more on immature attack ads. Think of where that $275,000 or more could be going. There are many people who will not have a roof over their heads tonight, but apparently it is more important to pay off misbehaving employees and pump out political attack ads.

Call me tight, but I just hate seeing money being flushed down the toilet when there is so much human suffering in the world--and indeed in this very province--that could potentially be alleviated with this money.

Something positive surfaces from something negative...

Don Imus has been fired. I am glad to see that we are starting to send the message that there should be zero tolerance for this type of behaviour. Critics are right, however, that this message needs also to apply to others who make a living off of offensive, racist, and sexist lyrics.

A purpose defeated?

In my humble opinion, I think the fact that the media’s cameras and recording devices are banned from Gore's upcoming speech is ridiculous. If the objective of the event was in fact to raise awareness, it is going to do a poor job at that. In fact, $208,000 will be spent on a message that only 5,000 out of a total of approximately 1 million Saskatchewan inhabitants will see and hear. In an event that was primarily intended to raise awareness throughout Saskatchewan (who produces among the highest greenhouse gasses in the country), Gore's message (because of this media ban) will only be seen and heard by 0.5% of Saskatchewanians.

For the latest on this issue, you can visit: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/story.html?id=1dbe2280-fb25-4f8d-9251-3f4d0b1430e6&k=56937

Some people need a life...

So apparently classes were cancelled in Bay City, Michigan today because some people thought it would be "cool" to deflate all the school bus tires.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/09/buses.vandalized.ap/index.html

In some weird way I'm jealous of these culprits, not because they did possibly one of the most idiotic things, but because I wish I had this much free time...

An article about my hometown...

ESPN has written an article about Swift Current and its WHL team. Worth the read...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=swiftcurrent

Are we serving international students to the best of our ability?

What appeared on the CNN website today was an extreme case, but it also begs the question: are universities doing enough to serve international students?

A University of Massachusetts student, Nikhil Dhar, 24, feared he would be deported back to India because he was struggling and failing out of school. This situation swelled to Dhar stabbing a science professor in the neck because she gave him a failing grade.

Police said they found a note in Dhar's pocket, which read: "I'm sorry I'm having to do this. But I have no options left... I have nothing to lose."

I am certainly not suggesting that what Dhar did was justified, but it does make me wonder (and I hope the university wonder) what brought him to such desperation.

I mean, international students often pay double the tuition than their non-international counterparts. That's a lot of pressure. Moreover, most international students are studying in a language that is not their mother-tongue. Furthermore, many international students come from a school system that operates differently than ours in the western world. Many come here with a dream for a better future than their native country offers and perhaps a dream to alleviate their family's struggles. That's certainly more pressure that I have had to face in my post-secondary experience.

I also wonder if the professor did everything she could to help this student and/or tell him where he could improve. I wonder what services the university offered for international students. Furthermore, I think universities need to give higher priority to international students as they are a huge contributor to the fiscal sustainability of their institution.

I got the story from this site: http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/09/professor.stabbed.ap/index.html although I think CNN could have done a better job at representing the whole story.

My political compass...

So I took this questionnaire that aims to place you on a political compass.

It turns out that I fall in the bottom left-hand corner with an Economic Left/Right: -5.25 and Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.10.

This makes much more sense when you view it on a graph. What runs horizontally is Communism/Collectivism to Neo-Liberalism/Libertarianism. What runs vertically is Authoritarian/Fascism to Libertarian/Anarchism.

My political compass can be viewed at http://www.politicalcompass.org/printablegraph?ec=-5.25&soc=-4.10 and a sample political compass, wherein other political figures are plotted, is above.

If you want to see where you fall on the political compass, or if you just want to see what it's all about, visit http://www.politicalcompass.org/index

Shame on you Don Imus and team...

On the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University Women's Basketball Team, which is comprised of eight African-American and two white players, as "nappy-headed hos"... read the full article here: http://mediamatters.org/items/200704040011

If this man is not fired, what message is this sending to our world?

Great movie made in Canada...

Last night I was fortunate to see the 2007 movie, Partition, at the Regina Public Library. I recommend the movie to anyone. It tells the story of the Partition of India, its creation of the sovereign states of Pakistan and India, and the hostilities that ensued. It also has a touching love story amidst the political and religious upheaval.

Violence toward women in advertising...

John had a good post today, which I have added a comment to. You can check out his post at: http://johnmurneysblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/women-depicted-as-brutally-murdered-in.html

Also, Gender Ads is a great site that acts as a resource for analyzing advertising images that relate to gender. In addition, the site breaks down this advertising into categories. I recommend it. You can visit the site at: http://www.genderads.com/

Boycott Sunsilk...

This is among the most offensive and outright sexist commercials I have seen. How can stations like CTV actually run these?!? There needs to be a critical eye when it comes to women being represented in the media. You really just need to see these atrocities for yourself. How dare Sunsilk and how dare certain TV stations. Rest assured, I will NEVER purchase a product of Sunsilk.

You can view the videos via YouTube with the links below. I have also included the disgusting dialogue that occurs in each commercial beside its corresponding link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1qHbM7fO24

Blondes: "Hi Ladies, and by ladies I mean Blondes. Brunettes are about as ladylike as their mustaches. That's why the world prefers..."

Brunettes: "Brunettes. We're sexier, classier, and not to mention, we can read. All blondes ever do is..."

Blondes: "Make the world brighter. I mean nothing ruins an after-party faster than a pack of brunettes. It's true, you just can't beat..."

Brunettes: "Us. And now that we got our secret weapons, this is..."

Blondes & Brunettes: WAR, WAR, WAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WKpsYU14q8

"Blondes: this is our weapon. New Sunsilk Colour-Boost recharges your blonde right in the shower with a fresh shot of colour. Sorry brunettes: at least your moms think you're pretty."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aocvusmRJqQ

"Brunettes, let's lock and load. Sunsilk Colour-Boost refuels your colour with a fresh dose of brunette right in the shower. Blondes: guess you'll have to wear even shorter skirts now."

Al Gore coming to Regina...

To read more about it: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=35c0d021-7e51-4bb1-a82a-c7e96311f3c7&k=38926

Just for the record, I am totally a supporter of being sustainable and environmentally friendly. "An Inconvenient Truth" did a great job at illustrating the reality that our environment is confronting. I guess I just have a few questions about the event.

• Why does Gore cost a $125,000 fee? Does this money find its way into his pockets, or into a sustainable environment?
• The total cost of the event is estimated to be $208,000. Subtracting Gore's pricey $125,000 fee, where is the other $83,000 going?
• How will Gore arrive? A private jet? A gas-guzzling bus? A bio-diesel vehicle?
• Concerning the event at the Brandt Centre: Will the event run on green energy? How are they going to ensure that the event is run as environmentally friendly as possible?
• Calvert said that watching Gore's Academy Award-winning documentary on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, was a "significant moment" in his personal understanding of climate change and its impact on Saskatchewan. Why, then, do we need to fly Gore in as pay $208,000 if the movie has such a significant impact as he said? Why doesn't the NDP host a screening of the movie in the Brant centre (because likely the people that go to see Gore will be comprised of those who have seen his film)? How is Gore appearing in person going to have a greater effect than his documentary?
• Considering that greenhouse gas emissions in this province are among the highest in the country, will Gore's presence have an authentic effect on Saskatchewan? Will a concrete plan be developed to strive for a sustainable environment?
• What is the NDP's motivation for bringing in Al Gore?

I also came across this cartoon. It made me chuckle!

Innovative discipline strategy for teachers...

Check out this CNN story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/05/clothespins.punishment.ap/index.html

Kind of a funny story (albeit not funny story) that the teacher actually thought she was justified in doing this. What a ridiculous discipline strategy!

"Pride comes from within"... but at what cost?

The Riders have really been hit hard with their fair share of chauvinists. It's disgusting, really. With the Trevis Smith attention still lingering, yet another example has surfaced: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=cb190cf9-4009-4b4f-ba1d-cac39b364dd4&k=61234

What makes me so angry is that there are still people who deny that we live in a legacy of oppression toward women and that women continue to be oppressed. The examples are endless. What more proof does one need?

Darfur

A great story in today's Leader Post: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/story.html?id=6ef50541-0473-4d24-9cbe-2b734f0411ea&k=36648

What does it say to the world when a 17-year-old is more concerned about human suffering and a horrendous ethnic-cleansing genocide than our own government leaders and other influential figures are? This young girl is absolutely right: "In a couple years we’re going to be mourning this genocide instead of stopping it.”

On a brighter note, it is uplifting to know that there are passionate people in our world who are committed to making a difference.

More information about Darfur can be found at: http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/background

Boooooo

So, went to the doctor today: turns out I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Oh my God this sucks. My hand has been numb and crammped for a month and counting. I'm in a brace right now, on pain killers and anti-inflammatories, and we're hoping this will improve the condition. If this fails to alleviate my pain, it's my first surgery coming :(

I really hope this improves in time for finals. I am attempting to write a major paper at the moment, and wow, I'm going to wear the "backspace" button out at the rate of mistakes I'm making with this bad hand. Did I mention I'm right-handed?...and guess what hand is affected...yup, that's right.

My Junos experience...

So... went to the Junos...

The pre-party was pretty good, free drinks, food, and HUGE bags of Doritos (they were the sponsor). Sam Roberts was at the pre-party and mingling with the crowd, so that was cool. The show was really entertaining, and I have to say that was my favourite part. We were sitting behind Billy Talent and Tomi Swick, so that was pretty cool.

I guess what I'm really torn about is the principle of the whole thing. The after-party was at Earls. When we got there, there were two sections with a blockade in between. One section was for the VIPs, which leads me to assume that the other section was for the NVIPs (Not Very Important People). I guess my question is: what makes them very important people? Was it not the people in the NVIP section that are the ones that work their asses off to make a living? The people in the VIP section were apparently SO "very important" that they couldn't even mingle with us "not very important people." Kind of a shame I would say. Really, what does make them more important than the people in the NVIP section? Last time I checked, I work very hard, got a university degree, care so much about human suffering in the world, and do my best to make the world a better place. I guess us NVIPs are just not of the same caliber as the VIPs. Sarah McLachlan didn't show, and I kind of commend her for it.

All of the stars were there, including the likes of Nelly Furtado, The Tragically Hip, etc. Two of the VIPs actually humbled themselves to come to the stupid blockade and speak to us NVIPs: Stephane Dion and Seamus O'Reagan. I'm a fan of Seamus because I watch Canada AM religiously every morning for my news! Both Dion and O'Reagan were very nice, and we got pictures, so that was cool.

The radio guys, Hugh Dixon and Cary Howe, were super cool and we had good time with them and lots of laughs. Our driver, Frank, was awesome. I love that guy!

That's all for now.