Link Of The Week

Murder Among Black People In Toronto

I Really Hate Perez Hilton But...

He managed to get this one right. That doesn't discount him from being totally obnoxious and tactless.

Speaker's Corner We Hardly Knew Ye

I got to hang out in the studio with the crew, who regaled me with stories of the glory days. It turns out, you didn’t have to put a coin in the slot to turn on the Speakers Corner camera; it was always on. And it captured, well, lots of life - much of it on a tape that’s still hanging around somewhere, they say. One of the guys told me the booth would have to get one helluva good scrubbing before he’d go in.

But then I realized that the Speakers Corner, too, has been obsoleted by the internet. On YouTube, we all have our booths now, eh? We’re all breaking the tired conventions of television professionals.

If The New York Times Had Reported On Passover

The cycle of violence between the Jews and the Egyptians continues with no
end in sight in Egypt. After eight previous plagues that have destroyed
the Egyptian infrastructure and disrupted the lives of ordinary Egyptian
citizens, the Jews launched a new offensive this week in the form of the
plague of darkness.

Western journalists were particularly enraged by this plague. "It is
simply impossible to report when you can't see an inch in front of you,"
complained a frustrated Andrea Koppel of CNN. "I have heard from my
reliable Egyptian contacts that in the midst of the blanket of blackness,
the Jews were annihilating thousands of Egyptians. Their word is solid
enough evidence for me."

While the Jews contend that the plagues are justified given the harsh
slavery imposed upon them by the Egyptians, Pharaoh, the Egyptian leader,
rebuts this claim. "If only the plagues would let up, there would be no
slavery. We just want to live plague-free. It is the right of every
society."

Saeb Erekat, an Egyptian spokesperson, complains that slavery is
justifiable given the Jews' superior weaponry supplied to them by the
superpower God.

The Europeans are particularly enraged by the latest Jewish offensive.
"The Jewish aggression must cease if there is to be peace in the region.
The Jews should go back to slavery for the good of the rest of the world,"
stated an angry French President Jacques Chirac.

Even several Jews agree. Adam Shapiro, a Jew, has barricaded himself
within Pharaoh's chambers to protect Pharaoh from what is feared will be
the next plague, the death of the firstborn. Mr. Shapiro claims that while
slavery is not necessarily a good thing, it is the product of the plagues
and when the plagues end, so will the slavery.

"The Jews have gone too far with plagues such as locusts and epidemic
which have virtually destroyed the Egyptian economy," Mr. Shapiro laments.
"The Egyptians are really a very nice people and Pharaoh is kind of
huggable once you get to know him," gushes Shapiro.

The United States is demanding that Moses and Aaron, the Jewish leaders,
continue to negotiate with Pharaoh. While Moses points out that Pharaoh
had made promise after promise to free the Jewish people only to
immediately break them and thereafter impose harsher and harsher slavery,
Richard Boucher of the State Department assails the latest offensive.

"Pharaoh is not in complete control of the taskmasters," Mr. Boucher
states. "The Jews must return to the negotiating table and will
accomplish nothing through these plagues."

The latest round of violence comes in the face of a bold new Saudi peace
overture. If only the Jews will give up their language, change their
names to Egyptian names and cease having male children, the Arab nations
will incline toward peace with them, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah
declared.

If The New York Times Had Reported On Passover

Subject: If the Passover Story Were Reported by The New York Times

The cycle of violence between the Jews and the Egyptians continues with no
end in sight in Egypt. After eight previous plagues that have destroyed
the Egyptian infrastructure and disrupted the lives of ordinary Egyptian
citizens, the Jews launched a new offensive this week in the form of the
plague of darkness.

Western journalists were particularly enraged by this plague. "It is
simply impossible to report when you can't see an inch in front of you,"
complained a frustrated Andrea Koppel of CNN. "I have heard from my
reliable Egyptian contacts that in the midst of the blanket of blackness,
the Jews were annihilating thousands of Egyptians. Their word is solid
enough evidence for me."

While the Jews contend that the plagues are justified given the harsh
slavery imposed upon them by the Egyptians, Pharaoh, the Egyptian leader,
rebuts this claim. "If only the plagues would let up, there would be no
slavery. We just want to live plague-free. It is the right of every
society."

Saeb Erekat, an Egyptian spokesperson, complains that slavery is
justifiable given the Jews' superior weaponry supplied to them by the
superpower God.

The Europeans are particularly enraged by the latest Jewish offensive.
"The Jewish aggression must cease if there is to be peace in the region.
The Jews should go back to slavery for the good of the rest of the world,"
stated an angry French President Jacques Chirac.

Even several Jews agree. Adam Shapiro, a Jew, has barricaded himself
within Pharaoh's chambers to protect Pharaoh from what is feared will be
the next plague, the death of the firstborn. Mr. Shapiro claims that while
slavery is not necessarily a good thing, it is the product of the plagues
and when the plagues end, so will the slavery.

"The Jews have gone too far with plagues such as locusts and epidemic
which have virtually destroyed the Egyptian economy," Mr. Shapiro laments.
"The Egyptians are really a very nice people and Pharaoh is kind of
huggable once you get to know him," gushes Shapiro.

The United States is demanding that Moses and Aaron, the Jewish leaders,
continue to negotiate with Pharaoh. While Moses points out that Pharaoh
had made promise after promise to free the Jewish people only to
immediately break them and thereafter impose harsher and harsher slavery,
Richard Boucher of the State Department assails the latest offensive.

"Pharaoh is not in complete control of the taskmasters," Mr. Boucher
states. "The Jews must return to the negotiating table and will
accomplish nothing through these plagues."

The latest round of violence comes in the face of a bold new Saudi peace
overture. If only the Jews will give up their language, change their
names to Egyptian names and cease having male children, the Arab nations
will incline toward peace with them, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah
declared.

Guatemala II: Antigua

As gorgeous as Antigua is in the day time, the town comes alive at night.



Residents of Antigua have an incredibly novel form of entertainment. In lieu of TV or the Internet or movies, they head into the town square and socialize with one another. I don't want to turn this into some stupid post-modernist menstruation about how technologies alienates us from our fellow men, but there's something to be said for going outside and interacting with people.


You can make new friends, or meet up with old ones. I bumped into Ryan while walking around one evening. I knew he was in Antigua, but we didn't have any formal plans to get together.




Wars, earthquakes and volcanoes have taken their toll on the beautiful Spanish architecture. The wreckage does make for some cool buildings. Ryan took me to a bar that was situated inside the ruins of an old building. Up a set of creaky stairs and past a statue of Maximon, you'll find a rooftop patio with ice cold 1L bottles of Gallo, and a guitar playing French Canadian expat. I can never go back to Brunswick House.


(ruins next to the rooftop patio)

Someone Has It Out For Me

While commenting on Carli's blog I was given this disturbing word prompt. Considering the conversation that was had today about how certain voices are not heard on campus, the definition of "brown" people and the demonization of Israel, I must say, it was a little bizarre to see this pop up.



Yeah, it's spelled incorrectly, but so is this, and yet in some circles, its equally acceptable.