Twelve Years and a family of conspiracy theorists

Today is the 12th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in Paris. While of course I am fascinated by both death and celebrity, this date is particularly evocative for me. My nan was a Diana fanatic, collecting the books, the photos, the collector edition plates and mugs, the whole lot. Many a discussion at my grandparents house in the last 12 years has centered around conspiracy theories involving Lady Di's demise (or, if you ask my father, "staged demise")

Its generally agreed upon that she perished due to unlucky circumstances involving paparazzi, and a drunken chauffeur, so how can I, born of this Diana-loving clan, rationalize my love for celebrity gossip? I tell myself its all part of their job, its inevitable that being famous is now more than ever about constant media presence. If I can go on facebook and find out which of my friends just took a dump, got dumped or dumped a load of money at the bar, doesnt it follow that I would want to know the same about my favourite celebs? Still the intellectual in me still hopes its just a phase.

P.S. Last I heard, Lady Di was on a remote island somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Its a nice thought.

Carl Sagan and Many Dimensions

Here's your brain yoga for the day, courtesy of my childhood hero, the late Carl Sagan:

Journey Through Flatland

Am I a Brazen Careerist?

For the last 2 years I have been following the fantastically well-written blog Brazen Careerist. Author Penelope Trunk and her two partners have finally launched their social network website, also called Brazen Careerist. This site is specifically aimed at Gen Y networking, so of course I have signed up for an account. The next few weeks will determine if I continue to use it or not, based on a few criteria:
1) do the groups match my current needs?
2) will I be networking with people who are actually useful to me and my goals?
3) will the fact that I live in Canada hinder this networking? (I have joined the "Canada" group, but so far, there are only about 40 of us, and some are Americans who are just fans of Canada - how quaint)
Like everyone else, I feel that my time is of utmost importance, so if after a month or so, if I'm not getting what I want out of it, I'll give up. I mean, isn't that my right, as part of the Sesame Street generation?

Chicken Pudding and other musings

This article in The Atlantic fascinated me. It describes in detail the supposed "comeback" of savoury desserts, especially those with meat included somehow. The best part about web 2.0 is that this article is not just a write up on the history of blancmange, but a full-blown, passionate discussion (see the comments)
Food is one of the most personal topics of discussion. In some circles, for sure I would rather talk politics than have a chat with some of my foodier-than-thou mates.
I would like to think that I am open to new food experiences, but I can't see myself having a beef brulee anytime soon...

My new favourite website

I wish I had something to contribute, but alas, I have very few good hair days. But if I did, I know where to commemorate and immortalize them: MustShareHair

Awesomeness doused with cool sauce.

Death of the Day

Today is the fifth anniversary of Julia Child's demise. In memory of the matriarch of all things cooking channel, please, studiously ignore Rachael Ray and her ilk, at least for today. Maybe even pull out Mastering the Art of French Cooking for tonight's dinner inspiration. My personal favourite is potage parmentier. Its like a hug in a soup pot.
Here's a review of Julie and Julia. I'm hoping to see it eventually, as I really enjoyed the book.

So Cute it's sad.

Found this website this morning, Funky Lunch. It features a gallery of quirky sandwich designs, mostly cute, some pretty intricate, none delicious looking. Its weird to look at what is ostensibly a food website and not get hungry...

Via Laughing Squid

Time Waster of the Day

I always have those moments, you know the one where you are party to an intense conversation, find yourself stammering and tongue-tied and as soon as you walk away you think Aha! that's what I should have said! and continue the conversation to an imaginary resolution where you sound sharp, eloquent and always right.
And now, to spice up those imaginary conversations (and possibly some saucy emails), we have the Shakespeare Insults Generator.
Imagine how clever you'll sound! Those pribbling bugbears will never know what hit 'em...

The New Learning Economy

A colleague of mine at the library pointed out a fantastic article in September's issue of Fast Company called Who Needs Harvard? (issue not yet online at time of posting)
It brings up some interesting discussion points about the nature of education today and the relationship between learning and education and learning and information. Given the immense amount of information widely available today to people of all backgrounds and situations, it is natural that the nature of how that information is accessed and disseminated is different. Take for example the OpenCourseWare Consortium, an international group dedicated to making university courseware available for free to internet users. Essentially, one can audit university level courses from institutions all over the world, on virtually any topic. One of the major players in this new learning strategy is Massachusetts Institution of Technology, a widely reknowned American university that has been making its courseware available online for several years.
In terms of a learning economy, what does this mean for the value of university undergraduate education?

Take That, Plastic!

Came across a design article today about liquid wood as an alternative to traditional polymer materials in household use. Seems like a good idea, very renewable, recycled resource. Of course, reading one article doesnt an expert make, so I'm sure there must be factors to take into consideration: one mentioned is the sulphur content in the current material (called arboform). It may be worth noting that this is something so new (to people outside of the industry) that it doesnt have its own Wikipedia page yet... (how's that for an information benchmark?)

Things I would like to have made from arboform:
-alarm clock
-cutlery
-telephone
-toothbrushes

The Image Age is Reemerging

A teenager in the UK has written a report that nicely encapsulates trends that are emerging from todays teenagers. This demographic is probably one of the most important today as prominent consumers, with high levels of disposable income. They do have very strong preferences though, and because they have been immersed in consumer culture from birth, they are incredibly sensitive to marketing strategies and advertising.
New methods of growing popularity are being demonstrated by this group, as they readily embrace 2.0 technology, especially social networking tools, such as Facebook. To me, 2.0 appears to signal a reemergence of pre-patriarchal society communication, where image is used prominently to convey information quickly to groups of people, rather than words, which limit communication to groups that have a certain level of education (which may also mean they are of a certain economic strata), and are part of a tribe that uses a particular language (like English, or Mandarin). In short, words are high-functioning elitism while image tends to be universally accepted.

This is where fear culture leads you...

Sad much?

US office building evacuated in scare over device used to cut off long-winded speakers

Shared via AddThis
as seen on CBC.ca

Donald the Dooner

So this dude was hanging out in my backyard today. I went to put a bag in the garbage can in the yard, but stopped at the door when i noticed this beast. My pugnacious little black cat was mad as hell that I wouldnt let her outside to eat him. He just sat there pleased as punch, eating our clover. Then he ambled over to the back step, curled up and fell asleep! Ah wilderness...

Sweet Mama What an Empanada!

On the recommendation of a friend, we checked out Carlito's Bakery and Coffee Shop in Kitchener today. Its a Latin-American cafe in a strip plaza at Weber St. E and Montgomery (not an area I spend too much time in, so it took us a while to find the place- at first we drove right past it)

The inside is not terribly welcoming, a few lonely tables a rack of specialty groceries tucked in the back corner next to a tv blaring childrens programming.
The menu is in Spanish and baked goods on display dont have labels - just ask Carlos and Martha the friendly Colombian couple who own the place.


Today we gorged on chicharron, a flaky sugary pastry with a sticky sweet guava filling and chicken and beef empanadas. The empanadas were soft tender envelopes of hearty filling, onions, beef, boiled egg or chicken and peas.
Its out of the way for us, but I have a feeling we'll be back for more. Hopefully they stick around for awhile. I have this awful tendency to fall in love with a place only to watch it go out of business...

SSSSsshh!

It's been more than a year now since i've had a full night's sleep.
Sleep is an obsession for me, it colours the way i see everything else. I see young professionals on the street and i look for bags under their eyes, a sign of a commonality. I watch parents of young children in the grocery store, wanting to ask how much sleep they get, but too embarassed, in case they are in fact, getting a full night. On the way home from said grocery store, i panic, what if the baby falls asleep on the way home? Do i stay in the car and let him sleep? Do i risk taking him out of the car seat and try to put him in his crib? If he wakes up, how do i deal with the wrath of a sleepy but not sleeping infant/tyrant?
There is so much conflicting advice for parents out there, let him cry it out, dont let him cry it out. Let him sleep with you, dont let him sleep with you. Give him a bottle for bed, dont let him take a bottle to bed. No matter what, the common denominator at the end is a tired, guilt-ridden, confused parent of a sleepy child.
I dont have the answer. I might not ever. As long as he's sleeping through the night by the time he goes to university, I'm happy.

Amer-Italian food the way it should be

Relatives took us to an Italian eatery in D.C. recently. Normally I shudder at the thought of eating Italian out, as here in Canada at least that generally means paying 15 dollars for an enormous plate of bland, not fresh pasta smothered in sugary sauce. Needless to say, I had low expectations for Vapiano, a German owned chain of Italian restaurants.
Upon entering, you are given a swipe card, and shown to the wooden butcher-block tables, decorated with fresh basil and sage plants. You select items from the menu and take your card up to the open bar/kitchen where everything is made to order right in front of you. Our table had spinach ricotta ravioli in fresh tomato sauce, ham and mushroom pizza, angelhair pasta primavera and fresh mascarpone cheese and fruit for dessert. The food was fresh, delicious, light and also cheap! Now if only they would open one here in Ontario...

p.s. sorry, no food photos, I was too busy scarfing!

Talk about No Frills Flying

Air New Zealand is so cheap, the crew doesnt even have clothes!
This safety video has had over 3 million views on youtube - but do the viewers know how to fasten their seatbelts?

Smithsonian =Awesome

Spent the day at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. last week. I could have moved in for a week and still not viewed every exhibit!
I was impressed that this grand institution has an admission fee of ZERO dollars, as opposed to places here in Canada (ROM, I'm looking at you...)





The Hope Diamond was magnificent, and the giant quid in the main atrium was much larger than i imagined (I know it says giant, but it was GIANT)Am still a smidge tired from traipsing around the D.C./Baltimore area with an 11 month old all week, but it was worth every moment!

photo of the week

Via Flickr:

Amazing bee capture

Thanks to Cate Cuerden

site of the day

Was recently contacted by someone from Spot.ph regarding permission to use a photo of mine for an upcoming story, so i decided to check the site out. I am living vicariously through this e-magazine, wistfully recalling my brief time in Manila. I really like the food section - Makes me so hungry...
Am attaching a photo of me and my old pal Jollibee :)

Nice!

Where was this when i was pregnant?

Runpee

Lets you know beforehand what parts of a movie you can afford to miss if you need a bathroom break! Because nobody likes to sit through a movie spending 94 minutes going god, i hope they hook up soon so i can go pee! Or hurry up and diffuse the bomb, so I can go pee!

well he wasn't digging a hole TO China

I wonder what his wife thought:
Man digs hole in his kitchen to catch fish
From Ananova

Twitter more than just twits?

I know I'm one of millions of hacks ponificating on the subject of the events allegedly involving Perez Hilton and members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Social software is a personal and professional interest to me, so the fact that Twitter is involved piqued my interest more than the celebrities (or celebrity-bloggers) involved. Perez Hilton used his Twitter account to reach out to his followers, giving his account of the scuffle after the MuchMusic Video Awards.

Twitter is becoming a fast favourite of many "public personalities" as a way of reaching out to fans. It seems everyone from Christopher Walken to Ellen Degeneres has an account. Most of these accounts are brief profound thoughts these celebs have probably while gazing deeply into their own navels.

My question is, if you feel as if you are in personal danger, of a rather immediate nature, is Twitter an appropriate tool to use to get help? Most people today are constantly connected via their choice of electronic tools, so obviously people would get the message, but I feel that the nature of his cry for help screams suspiciously of attention-seeking. It's entirely possible that he actually did fear for his life, but doesnt it seem more like he feared for his fame?
Perez HiltonVideo statement

Book Review: Wetlands

True fact: I was too embarassed to take this book out of my public library. My local branch is quite small, and the manager has a terrible habit of commenting on my reading choices (exhibit A: Bonk: the curious coupling of science and sex - by Mary Roach)

A friend of mine was kind enough to lend it to me (she purchased it from amazon.ca) I devoured it in a matter of hours (spread over the course of a few days, I'm a mother!!)

The surrounding this book lead me to believe it should be handed out in a brown paper cover, but once inside there is nothing scary or even overtly kinky going on. True the heroine has a lot of sexual experience for an 18 year old (or does she?) and the story revolves around her ass and its trials. Honestly though, this book is a thoughtful, insightful and goddamn refreshing read. I cherish Helen's honesty, and her opinions (washing fruit to rid it of pesticides is useless) and I completely agree with her hate on for the American "feminine hygeine" industry, because, it is just that, an industry!

Before I started reading, i asked the friend i was borrowing it from if the avocado was involved in something kinky in the story (yes my mind went there, didnt yours?) Helen grows avocados from pits, she really has it down to quite a science, and brings them with her to the hospital while she convalesces from her surgery.

I laughed out loud at several instances in Wetlands, agreed with many situations and ideas, was shocked by a few and overall enjoyed the unique tone and wit throughout. Please, set aside any qualms you may have had and read this book - carry it home cover facing out!

In my neighbourhood

This booklet needs to go onto my to-read list: The Miracle In Preston: the story of the Preston Springs Hotel. I drive by the now derelict but dignified remains of this building pretty regular, and I'm always thirsty for more information about it. Local lore of course is that its haunted. There are some pretty great pictures on flickr, though I personally would never have the guts to go inside (for fear of the law as much as ghosts). Apparently it was built on the site of an underground spring noted for centuries for its healing properties, and has, through the years been a celebrated hotel and spa, retirement residence, and failed investment property on several different occasions. It looms large at the intersection, and also in my imagination.

Chocolate or...

I havent decided if this is creepy yet : Billboards that can tell what you crave
This goes in the same category as ads in my email inbox that use text keywords to tailor the ads. Also Facebook. Maybe its being an '80s baby but i quickly gained immunity to them, much the same way that I rarely notice commercials on television. I'm sure these are great for marketing products with specific audiences in mind, but where's the line between filling the market and edging into our private selves?

via Popgadget

Thoughts on fishing- but not really

You know that saying, if you give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he never goes hungry (or something to that effect)? Setting aside for the moment any misgivings I have about the use of "man", generally I think this saying has quite a bit of truth in it.
Last December a friend of mine turned me on to Kiva.org, a web organization that gives micro-loans to small business entrepreneurs in developing cultures. Kiva really embodies the spirit of teaching one to fish. You read through the bios of people and their ventures and you can give them a loan, which is then paid back to you at the end of an agreed upon period of time.
So far i've made a few loans to different ventures (mostly in S.E. Asia). Somehow its gratifying to think that my 25 dollars enables someone to support themselves. I've always been suspicious of "charities", but I think Kiva is different for sure. One thing to note, however, is that if you are in Canada, you can't claim Kiva loans as charitable donations on your taxes.
Is it wrong that Kiva makes me feel all warm and fuzzy? As I sit here in my comfortable climate-controlled middle class home? meh...