Matt says:
I'm so happy!

Audra! says:
Why are you so happy? 

Matt says:
Well, I DON'T have gangrene in my foot.
Matt says:
I thought I had and was really worried 

Audra! says:
JESUS! 

Matt says:
Also, on m slow walk home from the doctor's office I stopped and made friends with an antique store owner who sold me a 100 year old top hat for $12 and it going to assemble a seriously nice oil lamp for me over the next week. 

Audra! says:
I really enjoy what makes a "Good day" for you. "Really old hat. No gangrene." 

Matt says:
My horoscope said to lower my expectations for a fun time. it's working brilliantly.

7 foot round bed for sale.

OMG people can you imagine something with more DNA on it than a SECOND HAND ANIMAL PRINT ROUND BED?? Ew.

From her blog which tommybarbarella linked to, which is how I ended up there.

(I'm not making fun of Tommy with this entry, though!)

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I had three meals and two snacks today. They were so satisfying that so far I'm doing great.

My assistant, who's giving up caffeine for first time, is a bit cranky. That's expected, right?

[...]

I came home and my housekeeper, who sometimes cooks, had made a beautiful turkey meatloaf. I forgot to tell her about my vegan baptism, so my doorman's now enjoying turkey meatloaf for dinner.
---

Oh man. We've all been there, right? I don't know how many awesome meals I've had to turn over to my doorman because I forgot to tell my housekeeper I was doing a vegan cleanse.

Folks! We are moving back to Ottawa NEXT WEEK. Aieeeeee. Jesse's dad has been here since Friday, which has been so wonderful you have no idea. He's someone I really enjoy and have a lot of respect for, so getting a big stretch of time with him feels like a real luxury. We've been playing lots of Apples to Apples, I'll tell you that right now.

Dear Pro-Life movement:

WHAT???

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Stephanie Gray, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform, is invoking Canadians to mark this Friday on their calendars as a day of fasting and prayer for the conversion of Dr. Henry Morgentaler.

"What if Henry Morgentaler became pro-life? What if he converted? What if he had a Saul to Paul-type transformation? What if the people who gave him the award for his deeds of killing babies, had to watch him reject the award on the day of delivery because he regretted and repented, with his whole heart and soul, all that he had done?" wrote Gray in a letter that she has requested be widely circulated.

"This isn't impossible. What if every person who wrote or called in an objection about his award, or simply disagreed with it, spent at least one day praying and fasting? That would at least be 12,000 people (according to the numbers of a facebook group), and the spiritual impact would be huge."

Gray believes that prayer and fasting are powerful spiritual instruments crucial to the abortionist's conversion:

"With the rumor being that Morgentaler is dying of cancer, it is even more imperative that there be a concerted effort to pray and fast for his conversion," she added.
---

The whole stupid thing

Dear The New Yorker: WHAT??

Am I wrong in thinking that it's actually really unusual for any real person to be featured on the cover of The New Yorker? The covers are almost always conceptual, not literal or topical.

Anyway, as karnythia pointed out, there are possibly ways they could have done this that might have worked. This was not it. She goes on to say:

"The image is simultaneously completely over the top and yet avoids going far enough. [...] If there'd been a mirror behind them showing the truth then this would have been genius."

What do YOU think?

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A group led by the powerful Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has reached an agreement to buy Montreal-based communications giant BCE Inc., paving the way for the biggest corporate takeover in Canadian history.

The all-cash offer for Canada's largest telecommunications company is valued at $51.7 billion or $42.75 a share, BCE said in a statement issued Saturday.

The winning bid was submitted by Teachers' Private Capital — the pension fund's private investment arm — along with Providence Partners Inc. and Madison Dearborn Partners, two private equity investment firms based in the United States.

The deal would add another huge asset to the pension fund, which is currently BCE's largest shareholder with a 6.8 per cent stake.

Teachers has a 49 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and the Air Canada Centre.
----

This is so weird to me.

Some background from Wikipedia:

Acquisition by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan

Due to its stagnant share price, starting in April 2007, BCE was courted for acquisition by pension funds and private equity groups, including a consortium led by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts as one of the participants), a consortium led by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and a consortium that included Cerberus Capital Management.

On June 30, 2007, BCE accepted a bid of $42.75 per share in cash, for a total valuation of $51.7 billion, from the group led by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and including Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners, Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity, and Toronto-Dominion Bank. The proposed deal is the largest acquisition in Canadian history and the largest leveraged buyout ever.BCE shareholders approved the sale on September 21, 2007. Upon completion of the transaction, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan would effectively control 40% of CTVglobemedia (including Bell's 15% share), equivalent to the stake held by The Woodbridge Company.

The Quebec Superior Court approved the deal on March 7, 2008, ruling against a group of BCE bondholders who argued that BCE failed to adequately consider the effect on its bondholders of its sale and the CAD $30 billion debt that would be assumed. The Quebec Court of Appeal overturned the ruling in May,[21] but the Supreme Court of Canada subsequently upheld the original decision.

On March 27, 2008, the CRTC approved the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan takeover of Bell Canada, subject to certain conditions for its corporate governance structure to ensure that Bell remains under Canadian control.

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France has denied citizenship to a veiled Moroccan woman on the grounds that her "radical" practice of Islam is incompatible with basic French values such as equality of the sexes, a legal ruling showed on Friday.

"She has adopted a radical practice of her religion, incompatible with essential values of the French community, particularly the principle of equality of the sexes," said a ruling by the Council of State handed down last month and sent to Reuters on Friday to confirm a report in Le Monde.

Married to a French national, the woman arrived in France in 2000, speaks good French and has three children born in France.

She wears a black burqa that covers all her body except her eyes, which are visible through a narrow slit, and lives in "total submission" to her husband and male relatives, according to reports by social services. Le Monde said the woman is 32.
-----

Full story.

What the HELL, France? This is so creepy to me. A values-based immigration system seems pretty much doomed for abuse and furthering xenophobia.

Also way to do this on same week that First Lady Carla Bruni released a single that goes like this (in an english translation, of course):

I put an end
To all my emblems
To my career as an Amazon
And to my sovereign freedom...

I give you my body, my soul and my chrysanthemum
For I am Yours

You are my lord, you're my darling
You're my orgy
You're my folly, my mix
You are my blessed bread
My charming prince
I am yours...

Watch out because I am Italian
I am going to discourage the ladies
I will gag the beautiful sirens
I who always sought fire
I am burning for you like a pagan woman
I who made men dance
To you I give myself entirely...

So I guess she's going to be kicked out of the country pretty soon.

The Ontario Public Health Association launched a website this year called Keep Control, intended to deal with the realities of teenage alcohol consumption. Now, I'm coming from a place of never having had any alcohol, and being 32 years old, so I realize I am not the target market for this project in any way. That said, the following ad for the site really bothered me, while commodorified thought it was well done. I want to talk to y'all about it! But I'll put it behind a cut, in case it's triggering for any sexual assault/abuse survivors reading.

( Read more... )

Okay, I think my fundamental issue with it is that it seems to be saying 'the booze made him do it'. Growing up with an alcoholic mom, that just pushes too many buttons for me. Marna, on the other hand, rightly mentioned that at least it wasn't blaming the girl for, like, getting so drunk she got raped or something. That's true!

I think the ad can provoke more than just those two reactions, of course, which is why I'm hoping to get some reactions from my super smart LJ friends list.

(link, by the way, via psykokandy.)

I've not ventured out into The World much since I got sick, but I think I'm more or less back on my feet today. I've spent a LOT of time in medi-centres in the past few weeks, let me tell you. Jesse has some health mysteries happening, which you know if you read his LJ. It's his stuff to talk about, not mine, so I won't get into it even though I am of course worried, too.

I will say however that we had a doctor recommend surgery based on a complete misreading of test results. If we'd not read the ultrasound report ourselves (like some patients might not have, particularly patients for whom English was not their first or second or third language) and didn't correct him, who knows what what what would have happened! AUGH!

I have been thinking this a lot lately: I feel about doctors the way a lot of people do about cops. As a group, I seriously trust cops more than I trust doctors. Uh, no offense Dylan and any other doctors who might be reading this. I get kind of angry when I think about doctors! I also get angry when I think about 'alternative medicine'. Where does that leave me?

With a bunch of unfilled prescriptions, for sleeping pills, I guess. And a mom with a scrambled brain. And a boyfriend who can't really seem to get anyone interested in his elevated liver enzymes because they are too het up about other things they think might be going on, for which he has no symptoms.

Things are coming together for our Great Relocation! Plane tickets are booked with a little help from a treasured beloved, boxes are being packed, furniture is being sold, we have a paper copy of our lease, and Jesse's tuition is paid! A month ago I felt like none of that stuff was coming together, so I am hugely relieved.

I know you've probably all seen it but now that we have the lease I feel safe posting it in a non-friendslocked place: OMG WE GET TO LIVE HERE!

I am going to miss so many people in Alberta. At the same time, I am so excited about Ottawa.

mc_rosie got me a Bitch Magazine anthology for Christmas and I am just getting around to reading it. It's making me want to write a million things. It's super interesting and challenging. I think I need to have more arguments in my life.

Thanks to morgoid, I went to the doctor. Jesse is at the drug store picking up my prescription of antibiotics and a new heavy duty inhaler. I'm going to live!

How much Winter 1972 do you think I have to put on before I feel any relief from this summer heat?

It's an awesome smell, either way. It might be my favourite yet.

---
Formal Request Filed to Terminate Morgentaler's Appointment to the Order of Canada

OTTAWA, July 4, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On behalf of the 41,000 members of Canada Family Action Coalition and the "hundreds of thousands of like-minded Canadians," on July 3rd, 2008, CFAC filed a formal request in accordance with the Paragraph 25(c) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada for the Advisory Council to recommend that the Governor General terminate Henry Morgentaler's appointment to the Order of Canada.

Dr. Charles McVety, CFAC President, said, "Henry Morgentaler's conduct is unbecoming a member of the Order of Canada, violating paragraphs 3(b)(i) and (ii) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada, thereby, tarnishing all recipients of this tremendous award."

CFAC stated that, for nineteen years, from 1969 to 1988, Dr. Morgentaler violated Canadian law. The group claimed that his conduct constituted a significant departure from generally recognized standards of public behaviour, violating regulation 3(b)(i) . In 1976, Dr. Morgentaler was sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee of the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec, which suspended his medical license for one year, which CFAC says placed him in violation of regulation 3(b),(ii) of the Constitution of the Order of Canada.

Also according to reports, the Advisory Council violated long-standing protocol requiring unanimous consent approving a nominee by resorting to a mere majority vote.

"With such manipulation of the system, we question if the Advisory Council Chair, Justice Beverly McLachlin's well-known 'unwritten constitutional principles' subverted accepted Council procedures. The integrity of the Order of Canada has been undermined as it has become a political award administered by a judicial activist," said Brian Rushfeldt, Executive Director of Canada Family Action Coalition.

CFAC also called upon Prime Minister Stephen Harper to explain how the Government's Privy Council Secretary, Deputy Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Deputy Minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade voted.

"I know the world of nerds feels personally affronted by the world of women for never giving up the sex that it craves, but I would like for people to think of other people as people too. In general." - Bryan Lee O'Malley

The purpose of this entry is three-fold!

1. I have a fever and can't focus on much for more than 8 seconds and the internet is perfect for that!

2. I planned to show fromaway (and anyone else who cares about that sort of thing!) my new lipstick colour, for feedback.

3. I also would like Internet can tell me honestly if my hair looks as weird pinned back from my face as I feel like it does. My hair is always pushed down over my forehead, even though I like hair out-of-faces on other people.

The Governor General is getting a flood of mail and calls from anti-choice forces. Please tell her how much you appreciate the courageous decision by her and the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada to award Dr. Henry Morgentaler the Order of Canada.

Here is the contact information.

E-mail: info@gg.ca
Phone: 613-993-8200
Toll-free: 1-800-465-6890
Fax: 613-998-8760

Mail:
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Governor General of Canada
Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1

Jesse just bought this record. Lookit who the dude with the blue background is! It's so funny to me!

We've just the loveliest evening. We spent some time chatting with some of my work pals who are also in Banff this week for meetings, then we jumped in our rented Yaris (the tail lights are being repaired on the stupid minivan) and did a two hour wandering drive on the Bow Valley Parkway, all the way to Lake Louise. On the way we saw elk and deer and listened to interesting music and had wonderful conversations and seriously I feel great right now. Also I had a massage today that did me some good, and we made a trip to to he ol' gym out here. Yes. Oh also we bought a LOT of candy.

Here is a picture Stephen Pinker took on the Bow Valley Parkway. Weird.

Since everyone was so nice about my current hair cut, I kept it pretty similar, and told Kristina at Mousy Brown's not to do anything too dramatic, which she thought was a good idea since she ALSO liked my hair the way it was. I'm bummed I finally found someone who I liked to cut my hair, right before I move away. SUCKS.

She is only the second person who agreed with me that a good way to give me a haircut is to cut a bunch of chunks out of it to maximize messiness. (The other person who agreed to cut my hair this was is beloved Evyeneia at Foxy Moon, in Halifax, who charged probably half as much. Dear Halifax People: YOU ARE SITTING ON A GOLD MINE.)

I also go my eyelashes tinted, after several reassuring texts from my focus group that if it was a crazy idea it was also an awesome one. I'm THRILLED about it! I think I'm going to keep getting it done. I like having eyelashes that are pretty and dark, but also soft and rubable.

Anyway bla bla bla here is my face and hair!

A quote at the top of your new "Fight The Smears" web project promises that Senator Obama's campaign will not "use religion as a wedge issue".

It is difficult to fully buy into this claim when further down the page the word "SMEAR" appears next to the oft-emailed assertion that Senator Obama is a Muslim.

Surely it is not a SMEAR to allege someone is Muslim? I understand that it is inaccurate to say that Senator Obama is a Muslim, but to attach the word "SMEAR" to the word "Muslim" implies that it's more than inaccurate. It implies that it's insulting. It implies that being Muslim is on the same level of deplorableness as being someone who says "whitey" or a refuses to say the pledge of allegiance.

The quality of communications that has come out of this campaign has been phenomenal. It is disappointing to see Senator Obama's team miss the mark so much in this case.

Thanks for your time,
POSSIBLE VOTER