All kids fight, and mine are hardly an exception. I often have to moderate their arguments and deliver a stern "smarten up" when things get out of hand. My kids are 9 and 2.
How sad that the Minister of Education, Karen Casey, had to lay down the law with her children, the Strait Regional School Board. Those kids are much older than mine, and they should know better.
I would be remiss not to add that, while the majority of instigators have been School Board members for awhile, there are a few new faces who should, perhaps, be excluded from a tongue-lashing like this. I am left to wonder why these folks would jump into such a snakepit, but I am assuming they will act as professionals during their tenure, and I am hopeful that fresh eyes, minds, and attitudes will be beneficial to the students in our area.
Members of the SRSB are elected representatives, which means they are obligated to serve the people. They are also paid representatives, which means they are paid by those same people. I'm sure the taxpayers who furnish those salaries - working mothers, cell center toilers, labourers who work 16-hour days - would all agree that School Board members are compensated handsomely for the work they do. One would think they could behave themselves for long enough to complete the tasks at hand, collect their cheque, and go home in peace.
Apparently not.
It's embarrassing that a group of grown men and women had to be publicly reprimanded by their governing body for bad behavior.
Over the years, there have been quiet (and not-so-quiet) rumblings about discord within the SRSB, especially at their monthly meetings. Catty remarks, finger-pointing, all-out verbal brawling, hasty departures, name-calling - all in the name of personal agendas, reputations, and egos. Sounds like an episode of Jerry Springer, yet these are the people making decisions about our kids' education, on our behalf. Scary.
And then, to be given "directives" to wise-up, and requesting an extension for time to agree on a promise to behave themselves? Are you kidding me? Too bad if the deadline falls before your scheduled meeting, call another one! If you're given a time frame to make changes and resolve a matter (that shouldn't even have had to be addressed in the first place), can't you make a special effort to gather for an hour and get it resolved in the time given? Shameful.
Finally, in "last straw" news, the motion to adopt the new house rules was passed by a vote of 9-3, meaning three people didn't want to grow up and agree to some level of maturity at all. Add to this the planned motion to abolish the whole code of ethics entirely, and you've got perhaps the most childish, unprofessional School Board in the province. Congratulations.
Time to get a firm grip, SRSB. Years of dissent, bickering, and other assorted bad behavior were bound to backfire on your illustrious gaggle of "professionals" eventually. A public "tsk" probably stings, but at least the Education Department's resident pitbull has given you a chance to redeem yourselves, instead of sending you the way of the Halifax Regional School Board. Consider yourselves lucky, warned, and in need of some serious repair.
Fear not, commoners; I am very aware of the backlash I'm sure I'll receive from those I have called out. To those people, I'll respond in a manor which is in keeping with the maturity level shown by you and your colleagues: "I'm rubber, you're glue......"
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE HERE FOR PAULA
As I'm sure many have noticed, many comments about the Paula Gallant blog are no longer visible.
I apologize to everyone who comes on a regular basis to read the comments, as I know it serves as a source of comfort for many people. I would love to be able to provide a place for honest dialogue about this case, and I didn't want to have to discontinue such a passionate discussion, but unfortunately there are legal issues surrounding some of the comments that I have to be weary of. I understand that people are very frustrated at the lack of progress, but speculation has quickly turned into accusations, and this is where the legality of some of the comments gets hazy, especially when it comes to calling people by name. Whether or not I agree with the comments is irrelevant; it's a question of whether I am willing to be held legally responsible for the opinions of others. And as much as I feel passionately about finding the person responsible for Paula's murderer, and helping her family in any way that I can, I have to consider the legal ramifications that are on the horizon.
Up to now, I have approved every single comment, regardless of content. But for the legal reasons stated above, all comments that were accusatory or defamatory in nature have been removed, and I will no longer be able to approve comments of this kind. Comments can still be left, and I hope they are, but I have to ask that people refrain from calling people by name, or by association to the victim, in reference to their possible involvement in the case.
I hope everyone understands my decision, as it was a difficult one to make. Though I have no relation to the Gallant family, I feel a sense of responsibility when it comes to this case, in terms of giving people a place to congregate in Paula's name. I appreciate so many people giving a part of themselves to this website, and I will continue to read every comment that is received, whether I am able to post it or not.
Very sincerely,
Gina
I apologize to everyone who comes on a regular basis to read the comments, as I know it serves as a source of comfort for many people. I would love to be able to provide a place for honest dialogue about this case, and I didn't want to have to discontinue such a passionate discussion, but unfortunately there are legal issues surrounding some of the comments that I have to be weary of. I understand that people are very frustrated at the lack of progress, but speculation has quickly turned into accusations, and this is where the legality of some of the comments gets hazy, especially when it comes to calling people by name. Whether or not I agree with the comments is irrelevant; it's a question of whether I am willing to be held legally responsible for the opinions of others. And as much as I feel passionately about finding the person responsible for Paula's murderer, and helping her family in any way that I can, I have to consider the legal ramifications that are on the horizon.
Up to now, I have approved every single comment, regardless of content. But for the legal reasons stated above, all comments that were accusatory or defamatory in nature have been removed, and I will no longer be able to approve comments of this kind. Comments can still be left, and I hope they are, but I have to ask that people refrain from calling people by name, or by association to the victim, in reference to their possible involvement in the case.
I hope everyone understands my decision, as it was a difficult one to make. Though I have no relation to the Gallant family, I feel a sense of responsibility when it comes to this case, in terms of giving people a place to congregate in Paula's name. I appreciate so many people giving a part of themselves to this website, and I will continue to read every comment that is received, whether I am able to post it or not.
Very sincerely,
Gina
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Americ-Ann
I received an infuriating email a few weeks ago. It was a YouTube clip of Ann Coulter (and other prominent political commentators) bashing Canada. Not teasing us in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, but really letting us have it. An average American, rambling anti-Canadian sentiment, wouldn't aggravate me to this extent, but Ann Coulter is a different story.
If you're not familiar with Ann Coulter, she's a controversial American media figure, famous for her confrontational debating techniques and staunch, unapologetic Republican views. She prides herself on being an obnoxious bigot, and doesn't pretend to be impartial in any way. Sounds like a delicate little flower, doesn't she? I can't imagine why she's single.
Despite her abrasive nature, this is an educated, intelligent woman. She has plenty of impressive credentials, and she has made many arguments for which she should be positively recognized. At a young age, she aspired to be an influential force in U.S law making and politics. She seemed well on her way, until she started shooting her mouth off.
You see, one day she must have realized that intelligent women are a dime a dozen, and exceptional women are just as plentiful. The subsequent realization that her blonde hair didn't automatically make her attractive, must have led her to formulate this new career strategy: to not bother letting her work speak for itself, and instead opting to create headlines and notoriety by being the rudest, loudest, most inappropriate, unprofessional, big-mouthed know-it-all in recent media history.
Mission accomplished.
Just a few of her most talked-about rants include: accusing a presidential candidate of using the death of his child as a sympathy card to gain votes; blaming a handicapped Vietnam veteran for losing the war; calling 9/11 widows "gold-diggers who are basking in the glory and financial windfall of their husbands' deaths"; describing Jews as "unperfected Christians"; and justifying the discrimination of all Muslims after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Isn't she just the type of girl you'd want at your dinner party?
And all this is saying nothing of the spanking she gave Canada on CNN's "Crossfire". According to Ms. Coulter, Canada should be thankful that we are "allowed to exist on the same continent as the United States", and that we're lucky the U.S. hasn't "rolled over and crushed us", since all we do is use American power as a shield to hide our military inadequacies.
While I have to admit that our union with the U.S. serves us well in a "younger-brother-of-the-school-bully" kind of way, to say that it is a mutually beneficial relationship is an understatement.I won't even begin to list the important resources (such as power, oil, and lumber....oops, I guess that's considered listing) that Canada provides to their fair country. Instead of preaching to the choir, I'll let the Americans chow down on their Freedom Fries and tease us about igloos and dogsleds, while laughing to myself when one of them can't point to Nova Scotia on a map. Ignorance truly is bliss, and I'm content in knowing that, while Canada is happy, the good ol' United States is absolutely euphoric, if you know what I mean.
So, were it an average New Yorker or Floridian, comments about Canada's perceived uselessness wouldn't bother me. But Ann Coulter, who I had beef with already? Living in a great big glass house, she should be the last one throwing boulders. It wouldn't be an injustice, should she ever cross the border, to see her be handed a strong dose of Canadiana, NHL-bench-brawl style.
I wish I didn't have to loathe her so much, because she has, however seldom, made points I agree with. And there is something to be said of a person with enough courage to defend, to an international audience, their unpopular opinions (at least when that person does so with tact and respect). But a person, whose opinions aren't valuable enough to stand on their own, who resorts to personal attacks, sensationalism, and provocation, in order to steal some airtime on CNN, before their inevitable drift into obscurity? That's pathetic.
Ann can kiss my Maple Leaf, for starters.
If you're not familiar with Ann Coulter, she's a controversial American media figure, famous for her confrontational debating techniques and staunch, unapologetic Republican views. She prides herself on being an obnoxious bigot, and doesn't pretend to be impartial in any way. Sounds like a delicate little flower, doesn't she? I can't imagine why she's single.
Despite her abrasive nature, this is an educated, intelligent woman. She has plenty of impressive credentials, and she has made many arguments for which she should be positively recognized. At a young age, she aspired to be an influential force in U.S law making and politics. She seemed well on her way, until she started shooting her mouth off.
You see, one day she must have realized that intelligent women are a dime a dozen, and exceptional women are just as plentiful. The subsequent realization that her blonde hair didn't automatically make her attractive, must have led her to formulate this new career strategy: to not bother letting her work speak for itself, and instead opting to create headlines and notoriety by being the rudest, loudest, most inappropriate, unprofessional, big-mouthed know-it-all in recent media history.
Mission accomplished.
Just a few of her most talked-about rants include: accusing a presidential candidate of using the death of his child as a sympathy card to gain votes; blaming a handicapped Vietnam veteran for losing the war; calling 9/11 widows "gold-diggers who are basking in the glory and financial windfall of their husbands' deaths"; describing Jews as "unperfected Christians"; and justifying the discrimination of all Muslims after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Isn't she just the type of girl you'd want at your dinner party?
And all this is saying nothing of the spanking she gave Canada on CNN's "Crossfire". According to Ms. Coulter, Canada should be thankful that we are "allowed to exist on the same continent as the United States", and that we're lucky the U.S. hasn't "rolled over and crushed us", since all we do is use American power as a shield to hide our military inadequacies.
While I have to admit that our union with the U.S. serves us well in a "younger-brother-of-the-school-bully" kind of way, to say that it is a mutually beneficial relationship is an understatement.I won't even begin to list the important resources (such as power, oil, and lumber....oops, I guess that's considered listing) that Canada provides to their fair country. Instead of preaching to the choir, I'll let the Americans chow down on their Freedom Fries and tease us about igloos and dogsleds, while laughing to myself when one of them can't point to Nova Scotia on a map. Ignorance truly is bliss, and I'm content in knowing that, while Canada is happy, the good ol' United States is absolutely euphoric, if you know what I mean.
So, were it an average New Yorker or Floridian, comments about Canada's perceived uselessness wouldn't bother me. But Ann Coulter, who I had beef with already? Living in a great big glass house, she should be the last one throwing boulders. It wouldn't be an injustice, should she ever cross the border, to see her be handed a strong dose of Canadiana, NHL-bench-brawl style.
I wish I didn't have to loathe her so much, because she has, however seldom, made points I agree with. And there is something to be said of a person with enough courage to defend, to an international audience, their unpopular opinions (at least when that person does so with tact and respect). But a person, whose opinions aren't valuable enough to stand on their own, who resorts to personal attacks, sensationalism, and provocation, in order to steal some airtime on CNN, before their inevitable drift into obscurity? That's pathetic.
Ann can kiss my Maple Leaf, for starters.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Girlspeak
The universally accepted truth: men and women do not understand each other. We're wired differently. Countless hours and years and lifetimes have been spent trying to figure each other out, to no avail.
Being married, I can discipher a great deal of "male code", but I am in no position to give insight into the mind of someone else's husband. I've got my own live-in male brain to figure out, so ladies, you're on your own. Good luck.
I can, however, throw the guys a bone.
The following is a rough translation of Female English. These translations are approximate, and will vary in detail and intensity from woman to woman.
She says: Nothing is wrong, I'm fine.
She means: There's plenty wrong, I'm anything but fine, and you have about thirty seconds to figure out why and fix it, unless you want my mood to worsen exponentially.
She says: Do you want to watch a movie?
She means: Do you want to watch a movie with characters, a plot, and minimal explosions/gunfighting/female nudity?
She says: Do we have a step ladder?
She means: I'm going to paint the living room tomorrow while you're at work, and even if you don't like the color, it will be too much work for you to change it.
She says: You're blue sweater? It's hanging in your closet, for once.
She means: I found it under the bed, and if you don't start picking up your clothes, I'm going to throw them all away.
She says: Did anyone call while I was out yesterday?
She means: I know Susan called while I was out yesterday, so if you can't take and deliver messages, let the machine pick up.
She says: I don't care, go out tonight if you want to.
She means: I'm not telling you to go out, I'm giving you the opportunity to prefer to stay home with me. I obviously don't want you to go out, and I will make you miserable for days if you do. Choose carefully.
She says: Does this outfit look ok?
She means: I wouldn't be out here modeling for you if I didn't think it looked good, so please tell me it's incredible, or I'll probably tear my closet apart in a rage and end up staying home and pouting all night.
She says: Kate's husband bought her the most beautiful flowers, you should see them, they're blue roses.
She means: I want you to buy me flowers, please. (The "please" part is variable, depending on mood and length of time that has elapsed since she last received a bouquet of flowers)
She says: How was supper?
She means: It took me two hours to cook that, amidst screaming children and chaos, so you'd better say it was delicious or tomorrow we'll be having Kraft Dinner.
She says: Who was that scantily-scad, buxom knock-out you were hugging?
She means: That better have been your long-lost cousin.
She says: I'm going to get my hair done tomorrow.
She means: We'll be $120 poorer tomorrow, and you probably won't even be able to tell what I got done to my hair.
She says: Work was a nightmare today.
She means: I can't wait to tell you the story about the photocopier mishap, how I spilled my coffee, and how Marcy complained about her cramps all day. It's your job to pretend all of this is interesting, the way I do when you talk about power tools being on sale at Canadian Tire.
She says: My friend from high school got engaged.
She means: On July 14th of next year, you'll find yourself wearing uncomfortable clothes and smiling at a room full of people you don't know.
She says: We need to talk.
She means: You need to listen.
Now, in my defense, I do not base these simulated conversations on life experience (well, the majority of them, anyway). My husband doesn't have it nearly that bad, but these examples, however accurate, are an unpleasant reality for many husbands and boyfriends. Take heart, gentlemen; we love you, and we'll go as easy on you as we can. We know you don't understand us but, luckily for you, that doesn't stop us from trying to show you how.
Being married, I can discipher a great deal of "male code", but I am in no position to give insight into the mind of someone else's husband. I've got my own live-in male brain to figure out, so ladies, you're on your own. Good luck.
I can, however, throw the guys a bone.
The following is a rough translation of Female English. These translations are approximate, and will vary in detail and intensity from woman to woman.
She says: Nothing is wrong, I'm fine.
She means: There's plenty wrong, I'm anything but fine, and you have about thirty seconds to figure out why and fix it, unless you want my mood to worsen exponentially.
She says: Do you want to watch a movie?
She means: Do you want to watch a movie with characters, a plot, and minimal explosions/gunfighting/female nudity?
She says: Do we have a step ladder?
She means: I'm going to paint the living room tomorrow while you're at work, and even if you don't like the color, it will be too much work for you to change it.
She says: You're blue sweater? It's hanging in your closet, for once.
She means: I found it under the bed, and if you don't start picking up your clothes, I'm going to throw them all away.
She says: Did anyone call while I was out yesterday?
She means: I know Susan called while I was out yesterday, so if you can't take and deliver messages, let the machine pick up.
She says: I don't care, go out tonight if you want to.
She means: I'm not telling you to go out, I'm giving you the opportunity to prefer to stay home with me. I obviously don't want you to go out, and I will make you miserable for days if you do. Choose carefully.
She says: Does this outfit look ok?
She means: I wouldn't be out here modeling for you if I didn't think it looked good, so please tell me it's incredible, or I'll probably tear my closet apart in a rage and end up staying home and pouting all night.
She says: Kate's husband bought her the most beautiful flowers, you should see them, they're blue roses.
She means: I want you to buy me flowers, please. (The "please" part is variable, depending on mood and length of time that has elapsed since she last received a bouquet of flowers)
She says: How was supper?
She means: It took me two hours to cook that, amidst screaming children and chaos, so you'd better say it was delicious or tomorrow we'll be having Kraft Dinner.
She says: Who was that scantily-scad, buxom knock-out you were hugging?
She means: That better have been your long-lost cousin.
She says: I'm going to get my hair done tomorrow.
She means: We'll be $120 poorer tomorrow, and you probably won't even be able to tell what I got done to my hair.
She says: Work was a nightmare today.
She means: I can't wait to tell you the story about the photocopier mishap, how I spilled my coffee, and how Marcy complained about her cramps all day. It's your job to pretend all of this is interesting, the way I do when you talk about power tools being on sale at Canadian Tire.
She says: My friend from high school got engaged.
She means: On July 14th of next year, you'll find yourself wearing uncomfortable clothes and smiling at a room full of people you don't know.
She says: We need to talk.
She means: You need to listen.
Now, in my defense, I do not base these simulated conversations on life experience (well, the majority of them, anyway). My husband doesn't have it nearly that bad, but these examples, however accurate, are an unpleasant reality for many husbands and boyfriends. Take heart, gentlemen; we love you, and we'll go as easy on you as we can. We know you don't understand us but, luckily for you, that doesn't stop us from trying to show you how.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
More news!
I haven't been neglecting my blogging duties, I've been holding off on purpose.
I recently got a job with the Cape Breton Post, for whom I'll be writing a twice-weekly column starting next week. Because I'm expected to produce 2 new articles every week from here on in, I've been writing up a storm and storing them all without posting on here. Starting next week, I'll post all the new ones on here the day after they're published.
Also, b/c I'm giving the Post exclusive rights to all my work, I won't be writing for the Reporter anymore. That sucks, b/c I would really like to keep writing for them, especially since lots of ppl from home read that paper on a regular basis. However, that's the business of journalism and publishing I guess, so I'm movin' on up! I hope everyone gets a chance to check out the Post next week!
I recently got a job with the Cape Breton Post, for whom I'll be writing a twice-weekly column starting next week. Because I'm expected to produce 2 new articles every week from here on in, I've been writing up a storm and storing them all without posting on here. Starting next week, I'll post all the new ones on here the day after they're published.
Also, b/c I'm giving the Post exclusive rights to all my work, I won't be writing for the Reporter anymore. That sucks, b/c I would really like to keep writing for them, especially since lots of ppl from home read that paper on a regular basis. However, that's the business of journalism and publishing I guess, so I'm movin' on up! I hope everyone gets a chance to check out the Post next week!
Friday, November 9, 2007
Open Letters
(For Lillian, since I was gone for awhile)
Dear Dr. Phil:
I remember well the first time I saw you speak, it was on the Oprah Show. For Oprah Winfrey to speak to someone's genius is a good enough reason in itself for me to listen to them, and this fact, combined with your accurate assessments of so many neuroses, made me a fan of yours right from the start.
I enjoyed watching a show that dealt with regular people and the psychological and emotional issues they face. The way you broke down and explained relationship dynamics was brilliant, and your "tell them the truth even if it hurts" approach made your show an interesting and honest look at humanity.
So now tell me - what the hell happened?
I first began to smell disaster when you started with the hidden camera thing. Very Maury Pauvich of you. But when I saw the promos for "The Dr. Phil House", I could smell disaster, since the reality TV concept is a pretty desperate move. Still, I chalked it up to the necessary evil of sweeps ratings, and I kept tuning in. It is very unfortunate that things only got worse. I knew the end was near when I heard about your Britney Spears show. As soon as I saw the akin-to-A-Current-Affair-anchor-desk, you had lost me for good. Ads for that show incinuated that you would be talking live to Lynn Spears, her mother, when really you spent three minutes at the end of the program recounting a conversation you had with the elder Spears many years ago. Tsk, tsk, Phil. That's false advertising in my books.
It only went downhill from there, as I have since seen promos for a show about the OJ Simpson book and DNA paternity test results (again, very Maury Pauvich). But the last straw, I'm afraid, was the expose show about "Dog the Bounty Hunter", with special guests Al Sharpton, and the mother of the woman Dog defamed. Classic.
So in closing, I'd just like to express my deepest sympathy over the loss of your dignity and credibility.
And, if I can be so bold, the whole "holding hands with your tranny looking wife as you leave the stage" thing is less than believeable, and appears more like a contractual obligation tailored to uphold your family man image.
Very sincerely, a former fan
Dear Paris Hilton:
You're not fooling anyone with this "save the world" baloney. I realize you have been working tremendously hard on your post-convict image, but you could have just REFRAINED FROM GETTING DRUNK AND FLASHING EVERY 24 HOURS to accomplish that. It's best for all of us if you just cancel your tickets to Rwanda, admit you don't even know how to SPELL it (let alone understand or sympathize with it's problems), and leave the humanitarian schtick to Angelina Jolie and Bono. Nobody is anticipating that you'll change the world; we're all expecting you to buy the world, and then dye it pink. Stick to shopping, half-naked partying, and dressing tiny dogs in tiny dog clothes and expensive jewellery. That would be "hot".
With warm regards, Gina
Dear Celine Dion:
I attended one of your concerts a few years ago, and it was a beautiful show. You have an amazing voice and you deserve every bit of success you have acheived.
However, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I doubt if the enibriated, head-banging, AC/DC-tshirt-wearing, dope-smoking, mostly-rock-fan ticket holders for the summer '08 concert in Halifax, are going to enjoy your show as much as I did.
Just giving you a head's up. I'd duck if I were you, a water bottle in the cheek is going hurt like a bugger right in the middle of "My Heart Will Go On."
Pulling for you, Gina
Dear Lynn Spears:
It has become apparent that your daughter's escapades have gotten in the way of her keeping up with her correspondence. If she had, she would have read my earlier letter warning her to get her shit together.
In case you're not aware, your beautiful and talented daughter has completely lost her effing mind. I only state the obvious because it appears as though you don't give a hoot one way or the other, and I have to assume her public embarrassment has escaped you somehow.
She lost her kids. What would be the biggest nightmare for any mother on earth, has become cause for Britney to celebrate by chandelier shopping? Cuckoo!!! I repeat, YOUR DAUGHTER'S BEHAVIOR HAS RESULTED IN CHILD SERVICES TAKING HER KIDS. That seldom happens in the real world, so what must conditions have been like for those kids in order for a judge to take them away from one of the biggest celebrities in the world? I shudder to think.
Anyway, it's about time that you grab your frequently and habitually drug-using daughter by that nasty weave of hers, drag her sorry ass back to the bayou in Louisiana, and shake the stupid out of her. Shame on you if you don't. (If you want it done, send her to me, and I'll do it for you.......for a modest fee, of course).
When K-Fed starts looking like Father of the Year, something is terribly, terribly wrong. Make your daughter clean up her act. Her career and her reputation are damaged beyond repair. You're letting her waste her life. What the hell is wrong with you people?
Best of luck, y'all, from Gina
Dear Dr. Phil:
I remember well the first time I saw you speak, it was on the Oprah Show. For Oprah Winfrey to speak to someone's genius is a good enough reason in itself for me to listen to them, and this fact, combined with your accurate assessments of so many neuroses, made me a fan of yours right from the start.
I enjoyed watching a show that dealt with regular people and the psychological and emotional issues they face. The way you broke down and explained relationship dynamics was brilliant, and your "tell them the truth even if it hurts" approach made your show an interesting and honest look at humanity.
So now tell me - what the hell happened?
I first began to smell disaster when you started with the hidden camera thing. Very Maury Pauvich of you. But when I saw the promos for "The Dr. Phil House", I could smell disaster, since the reality TV concept is a pretty desperate move. Still, I chalked it up to the necessary evil of sweeps ratings, and I kept tuning in. It is very unfortunate that things only got worse. I knew the end was near when I heard about your Britney Spears show. As soon as I saw the akin-to-A-Current-Affair-anchor-desk, you had lost me for good. Ads for that show incinuated that you would be talking live to Lynn Spears, her mother, when really you spent three minutes at the end of the program recounting a conversation you had with the elder Spears many years ago. Tsk, tsk, Phil. That's false advertising in my books.
It only went downhill from there, as I have since seen promos for a show about the OJ Simpson book and DNA paternity test results (again, very Maury Pauvich). But the last straw, I'm afraid, was the expose show about "Dog the Bounty Hunter", with special guests Al Sharpton, and the mother of the woman Dog defamed. Classic.
So in closing, I'd just like to express my deepest sympathy over the loss of your dignity and credibility.
And, if I can be so bold, the whole "holding hands with your tranny looking wife as you leave the stage" thing is less than believeable, and appears more like a contractual obligation tailored to uphold your family man image.
Very sincerely, a former fan
Dear Paris Hilton:
You're not fooling anyone with this "save the world" baloney. I realize you have been working tremendously hard on your post-convict image, but you could have just REFRAINED FROM GETTING DRUNK AND FLASHING EVERY 24 HOURS to accomplish that. It's best for all of us if you just cancel your tickets to Rwanda, admit you don't even know how to SPELL it (let alone understand or sympathize with it's problems), and leave the humanitarian schtick to Angelina Jolie and Bono. Nobody is anticipating that you'll change the world; we're all expecting you to buy the world, and then dye it pink. Stick to shopping, half-naked partying, and dressing tiny dogs in tiny dog clothes and expensive jewellery. That would be "hot".
With warm regards, Gina
Dear Celine Dion:
I attended one of your concerts a few years ago, and it was a beautiful show. You have an amazing voice and you deserve every bit of success you have acheived.
However, as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I doubt if the enibriated, head-banging, AC/DC-tshirt-wearing, dope-smoking, mostly-rock-fan ticket holders for the summer '08 concert in Halifax, are going to enjoy your show as much as I did.
Just giving you a head's up. I'd duck if I were you, a water bottle in the cheek is going hurt like a bugger right in the middle of "My Heart Will Go On."
Pulling for you, Gina
Dear Lynn Spears:
It has become apparent that your daughter's escapades have gotten in the way of her keeping up with her correspondence. If she had, she would have read my earlier letter warning her to get her shit together.
In case you're not aware, your beautiful and talented daughter has completely lost her effing mind. I only state the obvious because it appears as though you don't give a hoot one way or the other, and I have to assume her public embarrassment has escaped you somehow.
She lost her kids. What would be the biggest nightmare for any mother on earth, has become cause for Britney to celebrate by chandelier shopping? Cuckoo!!! I repeat, YOUR DAUGHTER'S BEHAVIOR HAS RESULTED IN CHILD SERVICES TAKING HER KIDS. That seldom happens in the real world, so what must conditions have been like for those kids in order for a judge to take them away from one of the biggest celebrities in the world? I shudder to think.
Anyway, it's about time that you grab your frequently and habitually drug-using daughter by that nasty weave of hers, drag her sorry ass back to the bayou in Louisiana, and shake the stupid out of her. Shame on you if you don't. (If you want it done, send her to me, and I'll do it for you.......for a modest fee, of course).
When K-Fed starts looking like Father of the Year, something is terribly, terribly wrong. Make your daughter clean up her act. Her career and her reputation are damaged beyond repair. You're letting her waste her life. What the hell is wrong with you people?
Best of luck, y'all, from Gina
Thursday, November 8, 2007
"Those Flower Pins"
I got my Remembrance Day poppy a few days ago. There was an older man, dressed in a Legion uniform, giving them out at the grocery store, and he smiled at me when I put a few dollars in his container.
When I was young, Remembrance Day was the day for which we had a big assembly in school. The day our teacher would hand out poppies after lunch. The day men in uniforms would come to our school, show us all their medals, and give a sad speech. The day one student got picked to go lay a wreath at the front of the gymnasium. Once the assembly was over, we went home, had a day off school, and then it was back to business as usual.
Even as I got older, war was just something I studied in Terry Clements' history class. My grandfather was enlisted in World War 2, though, being in communications in Halifax, he was never deployed overseas, so I didn't hear any horror stories. A friend of mine served in Rwanda, but he came home years ago, and without a visible scratch. Like so many others, because my life was never really impacted by war, I viewed war as something that happened long before my time.
As I was putting on my poppy, a little girl behind me asked her mother what "those flower pins" were for, and the lady replied, "to remember the all men and women who died in the war a long time ago." Unfortunately, she's only somewhat correct about the "long time ago" part.
Today we live in a different world. War is no longer something that took place 75 years ago, that we study in history class. It's happening right now.
You don't have to be in support of any current war to be in support of the people who are fighting in it. I'll leave my opinions of George W. Bush and the wars in the Middle East for another day, but I can tell you with certainty that, in no way does my opposition of the "War on Terror" compromise my high regard for the courageous people who risk their lives over there. I think it's a shame that men and women, young and old, have put their faith and trust in leaders who, with ulterior motives, lie their country into war and conflict. But history will show, those leaders will be looked down upon, and not those who followed them.
All over Nova Scotia, on November 11th (and every other day), people will be remembering their recently lost loved ones, and praying for their family members who are fighting abroad as we speak. Maybe also for their great-great-grandfather, who was lost in World War 1, or their mother's uncle who died in World War 2, or their neighbor's late husband who died in Vietnam, but also, and perhaps more immediately, for those soldiers at war right now. The 35-year-old fathers from Greenwood who have left a wife and two small children behind. The 43-year-old brothers from River Bourgeois who have been in Afghanistan for five years. The 29-year-old daughters from Sydney who have spent most of their adult lives in the Middle East. The husbands, sons, fathers, brothers, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends of people all over our region. War is more than ancient history, it's reality.
This is to take nothing away from the Veterans of WW1 and WW2. These brave men and women did the same kind of fighting that we see on the news every night, and should always be revered and honored, regardless of how long ago it was. When I see a smiling Veteran, handing out poppies at the grocery store, I often think he must be shaking his head at our obliviousness. Everything he went through, the sacrifices he made, the victory he helped win - and some little punk casually leaves a quarter in his jar, grabs a poppy, and walks away. I think we should all make it a point to acknowledge those Legionnaires, out of respect. Say hello. Smile. Talk to them. It doesn't hurt, I promise. Were it not for them, we might not be out buying groceries, we might be chowing down on rations of Hiltler Sticks and Nazi Nuggets.
Remembrance Day is more than just a holiday, a long weekend, a day off work. It's a time for us to contemplate how lucky we are, to honour those who weren't so lucky, and to acknowledge those who have to pray for luck and survival every day. It's so easy for us to forget, but on November 11th, it's our job to Remember.
When I was young, Remembrance Day was the day for which we had a big assembly in school. The day our teacher would hand out poppies after lunch. The day men in uniforms would come to our school, show us all their medals, and give a sad speech. The day one student got picked to go lay a wreath at the front of the gymnasium. Once the assembly was over, we went home, had a day off school, and then it was back to business as usual.
Even as I got older, war was just something I studied in Terry Clements' history class. My grandfather was enlisted in World War 2, though, being in communications in Halifax, he was never deployed overseas, so I didn't hear any horror stories. A friend of mine served in Rwanda, but he came home years ago, and without a visible scratch. Like so many others, because my life was never really impacted by war, I viewed war as something that happened long before my time.
As I was putting on my poppy, a little girl behind me asked her mother what "those flower pins" were for, and the lady replied, "to remember the all men and women who died in the war a long time ago." Unfortunately, she's only somewhat correct about the "long time ago" part.
Today we live in a different world. War is no longer something that took place 75 years ago, that we study in history class. It's happening right now.
You don't have to be in support of any current war to be in support of the people who are fighting in it. I'll leave my opinions of George W. Bush and the wars in the Middle East for another day, but I can tell you with certainty that, in no way does my opposition of the "War on Terror" compromise my high regard for the courageous people who risk their lives over there. I think it's a shame that men and women, young and old, have put their faith and trust in leaders who, with ulterior motives, lie their country into war and conflict. But history will show, those leaders will be looked down upon, and not those who followed them.
All over Nova Scotia, on November 11th (and every other day), people will be remembering their recently lost loved ones, and praying for their family members who are fighting abroad as we speak. Maybe also for their great-great-grandfather, who was lost in World War 1, or their mother's uncle who died in World War 2, or their neighbor's late husband who died in Vietnam, but also, and perhaps more immediately, for those soldiers at war right now. The 35-year-old fathers from Greenwood who have left a wife and two small children behind. The 43-year-old brothers from River Bourgeois who have been in Afghanistan for five years. The 29-year-old daughters from Sydney who have spent most of their adult lives in the Middle East. The husbands, sons, fathers, brothers, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends of people all over our region. War is more than ancient history, it's reality.
This is to take nothing away from the Veterans of WW1 and WW2. These brave men and women did the same kind of fighting that we see on the news every night, and should always be revered and honored, regardless of how long ago it was. When I see a smiling Veteran, handing out poppies at the grocery store, I often think he must be shaking his head at our obliviousness. Everything he went through, the sacrifices he made, the victory he helped win - and some little punk casually leaves a quarter in his jar, grabs a poppy, and walks away. I think we should all make it a point to acknowledge those Legionnaires, out of respect. Say hello. Smile. Talk to them. It doesn't hurt, I promise. Were it not for them, we might not be out buying groceries, we might be chowing down on rations of Hiltler Sticks and Nazi Nuggets.
Remembrance Day is more than just a holiday, a long weekend, a day off work. It's a time for us to contemplate how lucky we are, to honour those who weren't so lucky, and to acknowledge those who have to pray for luck and survival every day. It's so easy for us to forget, but on November 11th, it's our job to Remember.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
