Interconnectivity

It's New Year Eve day, well early evening, kind of, and it's pretty warm for the end of December.

Good news: 2 of our 3 kittens have been adopted!

My New Year's Wish is people will start to realize really that we are all interconnected, and therefore how we treat or, in most cases, sadly, mistreat our animal neighbours on this earth, directly impacts everything within the sphere of connectivity.

I wish that Canada finally outlaws the disgusting bear "hunts" this year. Secondly, I wish that starting here in Canada everyone who lives with a pet or cares for homeless animals will do the responsible thing and get them spayed or neutered. ( Does anyone remember Bob Barker, from the Price is Right? At the end of each show he'd always tell people to get their dog or cat spayed or neutered. At the time I never understood why he'd always go on about that, and I would laugh,thinking it was such a weird thing for a game show host to say but in hindsight I realize that, in fact he used his fame well!)

And lastly, I wish for at least a thousand new signatures to get added to my petition.

I hope you all have a great New Year's!!!!

The greedy bastard-philistine-athon!

So, it's the day of Christmas Eve, which has always been my favourite day...it's cozy and exciting!

Christmas itself should really only be celebrated by people who dig Jesus, the Light, or Christos, which means light, in Greek. It is his supposed birthday. That's not really a fact, of course that December 25th is the "birthday" of Jesus, it was a plot of convenience by the governing bodies at the time..I can't remember all the stupid details.

But the point is, it's supposed to be a birthday of Jesus, but we give each other gifts. Also, some people eat pork, that, I have to say I find funny, as in weird. Jesus was a Jewish person, full stop. So the whole pork eating thing wasn't kosher, at all.

Also, people talk endlessly about "the Christmas spirit", what they really mean is "the greedy bastard-philistine-athon". At Christmas there are more people begging on the streets and over the past 2 years, more unemployment. All the while people keep telling themselves that if they buy so-and-so that biggest, latest, whatever she/he will love her/him more. Also, no one ever holds any damn door open for other people during this time of year. But,of course not, everyone's rushing off to shop. That is of course the true meaning of being a philistine.
Ah, Christmas!
And then there's the obsession with the music. And the damn idea of a "white Christmas".

Little point of fact, that song, "White Christmas" that we all have come to know and either love or abhor, was written by a man named Irving Berlin, a very talented, and very Jewish man! Ah, the irony!!!

You know, with a little wave of his magic wand, for well over 60 years now, we the Christmas-music-listening pubic have become weather forecasters. All we talk about is whether or not it'll be a white Christmas. I wonder if people gave 2 shits about the state of the weather at Christmas before 1942, when the song was written?

And lastly, my "Christmas" wish:

this year, especially in light of the raids on the Toronto Humane Society by the OSPCA , who uncovered disgusting and gruesome acts of animal cruelty, I truly hope that no one gives animals as their present to anyone, least of all to a child. That angers and disgusts me to no end! Animals are not property! Why the fuck can we 'buy' a dog, kitty, bunny, turtle, hamster, ...and then give it a gift. We don't go and buy children and give them as gifts, now do we?

Let them howl

" Never retreat
Never explain
Never apologize
Get the job done and let them howl."

Nellie McClung,

I was watching a little bit of a show the other day, a "talk show", Conan the Barbarian, I believe. So there was the host, barbarian, and a guest he was talking to, another white , het, man, like himself. At to the far left of the guest on a couch, sat the host's official dick sucker, or psychophanth-but really he was a dick sucking (psychophantic) 'yes man', also lilly white, as they say, male and het, or as it always seems.

The 3 of of these lilly white, het men began talking about the main guest's new film; he was a director. The film uses ' computer generated' cartoons. To this the barbarian had to comment on the female lead character; they were about to watch a clip of her, saying that she's "really hot." The director agreed, saying that, yes, in fact he finds her "smokin hot", and the reason she was so "hot" he explained was because o team of men( we are to assume all good het boys, like himself) worked on her for 6 months.

Then the director went on to lament about how the woman who did the female character's voice wouldn't get to to be seen in the film, because she, he told us, was also really 'hot'.

That's respect, hey?

Then this same pruriently minded director went on to talk about the lead man character and how a "a lot of women and men got hired" (emphasis mine) to work on him. He made sure that he included men in that equation. Green Tara forbid that women take over the putrocity that is: patriarchy!
At this same point, the barbarian made sure to mention that he didn't find the male character "hot". The director was happy to hear this, and said, "That's good." meaning: "That's good, kill all the homosexual desires in you, son. This is the army, of hate! (aka: the USA)"

While this was taking place , the jerk-off fest over the cartoon character and the woman doing her voice, the dick sucker would pipe up now and again, to agree with the Barbarian, when it seemed, prudent. Oh irony!

Meanwhile, sitting on the couch to the right of the dick sucker, and to the left of the director, who was not on the couch, but in a chair, (because the couch is for guests who the barbarian is done with as well as his precious dick sucker), sat a female guest! She was also of colour to dilute the lilly whiteness of the clan gathering. Perhaps she felt humiliated, because she didn't say a word, not once, just the occasional awkward smile. I was hoping that she's add some kind of sarcastic rejoinder something rude and vaguely assertive/aggressive/feminist.
But, alas, she's a trained pony, and it was, after all, a talk shoe representing the mores of holywood's elite, white heterosexual men, and how they love to conquer.
So, she kept her mouth shut, like any good trained pony and listened to the misogyny abound instead of speaking up for herself, her daughters,mother,sister,grandmother, niece,aunt,best friends, us.

Keep Talking!

funny?

You know what I think is funny? Women in the change room of the gym I go to. Today for example I watched a woman sitting in front of the vanity mirrors dying her hair! And down the hall another woman was using her straightening iron. Women bring in full makeup cases, blow dryers, even though there are 2 there, curlers, yes I saw someone sit and put curlers in her hair, casually, like it was a fancy hair salon. It's a gym's change room for pete's sake!

I dig wanting to look good, but come on. What do the guys do, don tuxes?

Meh!

Well posting here sadly didn't do much by way of helping the flow of traffic at the sale.

It wasn't great. But I met some great people, other awesome artists, and had cool conversations!

Happy middle of the month, and mid-Hannukah to you!

My Toronto Art Sale

Hey, people in Toronto, I'm doing day 2 at an art sale. I have to promote myself, because it's been so poorly promoted.

If you're around tomorrow, Sunday December 13th from 2pm, please stop by Studio 561, at Bathurst and Bloor, just east of Honest Ed's, and come and see and buy my photos of Australia. Some are framed others are mounted on greeting cards, perfect for gifts!!!

I hope to see lots of people tomorrow!

Below is an image of Sydney Harbour

December 10th is Animal Rights Day, Hooray!

Happy Animal Rights Day!

What are you doing to celebrate?! Here is a link to a page from my website, Interconnectivity- Pro Animal Rights http://protestanimaltesting.wetpaint.com/page/What+we+can+do.

I hope you continue to sign my petition and ask lots of others to sign as well. I'm going to send a fax in the direction of Dr.Suzuki, and keep my fingers crossed!

Here's the link to my petition, which is asking my Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Here are some suggestions:

1) Donate time/money to a volunteer run animal organization
2) Buy/cook for the homeless kitties in your neighbourhood
3) If you aren't a daily vegetarian, do it for the day
4) when you are in your pharmacy today, buying cosmetics or health care items, make sure to ask, loudly, which companies test on animals!
5) ALWAYS boycott Proctor and Gamble, Always!


I cooked organic eggs the other day for the semi-homeless and fully homeless kitties we care for.

Well, whatever you do, I hope it's for the sake of any and all animal beings.

The media really is a spin doctor

Feeling the cold. But no snow..yet. Am hoping that more people will please sign my petition asking the Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution. It's crucial, and really, we have to do it, there really is no other option from where I sit.

the link... http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

In other news, no the recession is not over, at all. If anything it is getting worse. One big hint, all the damn sales that are taking place..this isn't usual, so many sales before cristmas ( I spelled it this was on purpose) Every store I saw today was having half off sales or 40%, or weird everything for $5 sales, literally store after store. So, there's that, and then there are the growing number of people begging. And lest we forget, the fact that finding a job seems even more challenging than ever.

If, as the media were to have us believe, this depression is over, sales wouldn't be abounding, the beggars wouldn't be popping up like ??? popcorn, and the job hunt wouldn't be so cut-throat.

And, if we were all to believe this here media bullshit, then the pandemic flu they say would be over as well. The media really loves to try to pull the wool over our collective third eye, hey?

In truth, they usually, succeed. Why, you may wonder, well, simple, we are gullible!! And scared, and media is the new religion, check it out, celebrities "tweet" that they just used the toilet and this becomes the most important news since the lies about the recession being done.

Question everything.

The Race

Hey my petition is still on the move, so thank you, every caring, heart-centered person who has signed. Here it is
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

You can also sign the same petition at the gopetition link, which is on my blog as a permanent fixture just to the left.

My mouth is finally starting to dethaw after almost 3 hours of freezing. I was at the dentist. Good times.

In other news, I watch The Amazing Race, and want the Globetrotters to win. I dig them. They're true competitors. They never cuss each other, or put each other down in any way. In fact they always support each other with encouraging words and no pressure. It's a joy to watch them. Never once have they turned on each other and started yelling and carrying on and behaving like most of the other greedy people. Because after all the real name for the show could just as easily be " Greed: what it does to your relationships".
Yo.
Watch the way people on in other teams interact with each other. People who purportedly love and respect each other. What they love is the idea of getting money, period. But when I watch the Globetrotters, I see two humble friends. Genuine friends. And they don't come off as backstabbing or greedy. So, I wish them luck, and I feel that the other 2 all-white teams are racist, so this is more grist for the mill, and even more reason why I hope Flight Time and Big Easy win!

The petition

So I deleted one "signature" on my petition because some loser who had the same first and last name name used it to bloody well advertise their company. It had nothing to do with animal rights, or the signing of my petition.Perhaps someone else took it upon themselves to erase signer # 286, cuz maybe they did the same ass thing?

But here's the link again : http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Mt. Chomolunga

Before we begin as usual, please continue to sign my petition asking the Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution.

Here's the website: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution


You know what I hate? The term summiting. Why does no one ever say "climb"? The people who climb Mount Everest always use such hardcore, and really aggressive language about getting up that mountain. It's such patriarchal, dominating language.

It's like as if all the people who are going to climb Mt.Everest, or truly any other mountain, want to conquer the shit out of it. Want to make it into a war, and at the same time drain their bank accounts. They also make it into a huge spectacle with cameras, websites, sponsorships.

Shit. Wouldn't the logical thing be to think like a mountain? And then instead of spending all that money on "hard-core gear", why not just go and live up in the mountain area you want to climb for a long time. Become one with the ebbs and flows of the mountain, enabling you to acclimatize slowly, and with time you will, depending on how long you live with the mountain, gain more red blood cells, allowing you to take in m0re oxygen, as all mountain-dwelling people can.

But this would never do to most "ascenders" as they are all in such a damn hurry to get there, and "summit". I could've called this piece, Zen and the art of Mt. Chomolunga, but think how ironic that would be?

What do the Sherpas say? Probably "climb" or maybe something even more beautiful, less "me" against "nature" and more Tibetan Buddhist, which is what they are, and perhaps, they say, "We are going to be one with the great spirit of Chomolungma"

The Tibetan word for Mt. Everest,Chomolungma, translates as Saint Mother. Isn't that beautiful? Instead of being named after some stupid colonial, white guy, a name which was chosen by another stupid,colonial, white guy.

the petition, what's going on?

My petition continues to inch along, as if it's kind of been mortally wounded, but struggling to stay afloat. Geez, why aren't more people queuing up to sign, I wonder?

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

The Racism of Agatha Christie

Before we begin, please continue to sign my petition asking the Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution.

Here's the website: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Something weird: The petition won't register signer #286, and has jumped from # 285 to 287. What happened to the person, signer #286, who took the time to sign, where's her/his signature?


I like reading, and I also like reading well-written stories. Though, when I read a story peppered with racial epithets, I feel very uncomfortable to angry, and more times than not I stop whatever book it is I am in the throws of.

Agatha Christie is a major culprit. She always has characters, or just the tone of her narrator's voice, spouting what I would call racist crap. I try to think, "Well this is how the rich, WASP, British of a certain era behaved." But still I find it ??? what? difficult, no, because she, as the author is not at all reflective, so perhaps a better word would be, angry.

Reading about a character using the n-word to describe a type of fucking dessert, and have another character repeat the word, to understand what type of dessert was being described is sick.

Then, to have Christie as the narrator's voice, talk, always about so-and so the 'stingy', or 'wealthy',"Jew" or "Jewess". And btw, the adjective wealthy, is not used in positive way, it's meant in a smarmy way.

Disgusting.

She is the pre-eminent doyen of crime writing, but she also completely upholds the wealthy, WASP majority sensibility.

I hate the word "Jew". I find it anti-Semitic. I refuse to use it.

It's just tiring, having to put these books down, when I get all interested in them.

I think maybe the publishers could take more responsibility and put disclaimers on the covers of the books. Disclaimers like: " Caution, a lot of racial language and British, WASP entitlement involved."


What do you think?

keep on keepin on

Kitten steps I guess. Dear old Jack Layton won't, it seems, sign my petition. Though he assures me that he and the NDP are all deeply committed to the cause of animal welfare. And why won't he sign? He made some crappy claim that because a bill was already turned down in parliament by the current ass government and the opposition, he won't try again.

Pathetic.

I wrote back telling him how imperative his signing this bill is.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Wendie, it's your birthday!!

Happy Birthday Wendie!!!!!!!!!!!


See I kinda figured out how to post a hot girl!

Hope you dig her and your day is swell!

Same shit, different name

Lest we forget my petition to include animal rights into Canada's constitution:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution


This blog posting was from a piece I wrote called Globalized Apartheid, back in 'o5, I've done some little edits.

"Here in my city we had a large procession of police officers of colour parade through my Caribbean 'hood. Did the "media" even bat an eye, let alone toss one meager little scrap of mention about it anywhere. I was surprised as anyone to come home to a huge barricade of white and intimidating cops, only to later see that the parade contingent was by and large peopled with officers of colour. I think all of us watching let out a sigh of relief and, simultaneously, felt a surge of pride."

"However, the question begs asking, if we in Canada, pride ourselves,( at least I think we do) on being such a forward thinking society, then why the hell do we still need to mention the colour of someone's skin, their religion (always Jewish when the writer is clearly not) or sexual option!? Our new Governor General is an amazing Haitian born Canadian who is getting touted as being "the first black Governor General.” Does this not make anyone else feel like the shadow of jim crow is just behind the lurking tree, with the noose still blowing in the wind?"

What's the Apartheid like in your city?"

And, on that note, what's your ism?

Sobering stuff from H.H The Dalai Lama

First, please keep letting people know about my petition, here it is:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

And now much needed perspective from one of my favourite humans, His Holiness, the lovely Dalai Lama.

I love him. He must be the most peaceful person.Whenever I look at a photo of him,
I feel so calm.

"The Dalai Lama made some powerful statements about the horrors and the inhumanity inherent in killing animals to eat them:"

"Hunting. Beef, sheep farms. Piggeries. Millions, billions die. We can be so cruel to animals."
"He went on to discuss vegetarianism—noting that he himself gave up meat, dairy, and eggs in 1965, though he has occasionally eaten meat since then "(taken from the PETA website)

"His Holiness's kitchen in Dharamsala is vegetarian. However, during visits outside of Dharamsala, His Holiness is not necessarily vegetarian. "
( from http://www.dalailama.com/page.52.htm)

And check out this article, about H.H The Dalai Lama attending a conference in supposedly post-Apartheid S. Africa. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/258287.html

I dunno, small tidbits but reaffirming and therefore important, at least for my heart!

Animals on Board = "Checked Baggage"!!?

First off, please keep signing my petition urging the Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution. ( relentless, yes, I am)

Here's the url: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Secondly, did anyone know that animals, primarily pets, when taken on a plane are considered "checked baggage"!!! Checked bloody baggage. Also, the number of pet deaths during flights due to stress, injuries, illness, or the inability to breathe is so startlingly high, and the airlines won't take responsibility. Surprise surprise!

Have a look at this report, which features only American airline companies http://www.thirdamendment.com/animals.html

And as you can see, Continental is the worst offender.


I couldn't even find a Canadian version of an incident report, so here's one story, of disgustingly, far too many http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/06/19/air-canada-pet.html

Relating to the above story is this one, which could be seen as a small victory, perhaps?
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/06/21/pet-flights.html

And this is pretty heartening as well..http://www.rushprnews.com/2009/07/10/pet-airline-to-fly-its-first-pawsengers-july-14

And lastly, this forum discussion board is pretty interesting, and heartening.

http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/flight-attendant/Pets-Cargo-Flying-International-UK/t41164/p2

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This is my favourite holiday and it's the best time of year, as well.


What does this holiday mean to you? What will you be giving thanks for, and with whom?

Whatever motivates you to be, perhaps, introspective, please continue letting people know about my petition that needs a lot more signatures still.

And, here it is!!

Keep on signing:) http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Shit, I don't care if people want to sign their names 20 times, I just need more signatures so it can be taken seriously but the ass- bureaucracy that is my, like any, government. It's just some governments are worse in terms of red tape, bullshit and corruption,not to mention violation of human and animal rights.

Which government is, in your opinion the number one offender?

Migwetch ( thank you, in Ojibway)

306 signatures, !

We've finally surpassed 300 signatures!!! That is a combined total from both petition site locations. It's trickling a long but it's moving, which is excellent.

I'll keep pestering the politicians. I plan on calling them all tomorrow, and seeeing as we have an election coming up, it's the perfect time to call them up. If they want my vote, let's see what they'll do for it?

Here, as usual is the link to the petition which is gaining more signatures than the other link

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

If you haven't signed please do it now, or if you have, ask lots of people to sign it too.

Thanks:)

Why this petition is so crucial...

I have to say that as a Canadian, I am so ashamed of my government.

We hear a lot of talk about, "Let's save the polar bears", and " We're destroying their habitat.." and "Climate change is melting the arctic.."


Ok, but what's really going on is that my government fully allows these majestic bears to get shot "for sport", a term that sickens me, as should it to any sentient being.

We allow the same to be done to our black bears here in Ontario.
Oh sure some people say that bears are a "problem", yeah, they are a problem when you have killed their family members, destroyed their land, built up all around it, and left them with no food source save for the fucking garbage dump.
So, my ass-government allows bears to get murdered for "fun", even mother bears.

I blogged here about this some months back, and when I was doing a search about people who are against the bear murders in my province, all that came up were pages and pages about why killing bears " is fun", and other sick shit. It's a big and disgraceful "tourist attraction".

Below are 2 links. 1 is a clip from youtube about an amazing Canadian man named Charlie Russell, who lives with and takes care of orphaned bears in Russia. The link has such beautiful photos with him and the bears that are basically his kids, and while you watch it think about the beauty of bears, and feel your heart hurt knowing that to most people bears are "buckshot" and nothing more.

The second link is about the documentary that the youtube clips are from. The documentary is from a Canadian program by David Suzuki called The Nature of Things, and the doc itself is called The Bearman of Kamchatka, where you can read about Charlie who could be called an angel. Do yourself a gigantic favour and get a copy of the documentary. It's amazing! And not only is Charlie incredible for what's he's done, he's also incredible for the way in which he loves bears, with his entire being.

I think this film should be mandatory viewing for everyone, especially government officials!!

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

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/bearman.html


And last but not least, my petition, if you are new to this site, then great, more signatures!
I want animal rights included in the constitution! Please follow the link below, and tell the government that animals must be included!!!


http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Thanks:)

More reasons to sign

Today I met a woman who is unable to make ends meet which includes feeding her kitty.

I have encouraged her to go to a food bank, if not for her then for her kitty.

This is one more reason to continue to get lots of signatures to my petition.

What's the connection? Well, people who are hungry and have no food, are going to take out their frustration etc. on their starving pets. So, not only do the poor animals have to suffer from hunger but then from maltreatment and abuse and more times then not no one will ever intervene for them.

So, please keep asking people to sign my petition

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

We're getting there, slowly...

Yes, almost, but not quite...we seem to be inching along..don't know why?

Anyway, in other news, I read an article yesterday about how my government, ie: the Canadian "won't ban imports of cat and dog fur because doing so might undermine Canada's support for the seal hunt..."( The Canadian Press)

First off, what the fuck is this!!? And secondly, if you haven't signed my petition, then please take the time now and do it.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

We, as a whole group of humans have not come all that far with respect to lots of issues, specifically how we view animals. Though, by taking steps in positive ways we do have the ability to affect amazing changes! Signing this petition is one way to work in a positive way, collectively to have our voices heard!

Almost at 300!!

We are on the way to seeing 300 signatures well before the week ends, I feel certain of this. Seeing as it's only Tuesday and we've reached 242 signatures already. It's pretty awesome!!

If you haven't yet signed, please do. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution

Thanks!
And here's another picture of our little monkey who died now 2 weeks ago, Rel. He bit me when he died. He was really sick. Having seizures. And we wanted to know why he died. What made him sick. But all the doctor, (who I went to see about the bite) et all gave 2 shits about was me, not him at all. Cuz he was dead and "only" a kitty after all. It's awful. So this is even more reason to sign the petition, that and a million others, sadly.


But how cute is he? He was so loving. He liked to snuggle in my arms and flop like a little, furry doll, with his head hanging either over the edge or rested in the nook, while lying on his back, in my arms, and purring as loud as anything. He's very much missed here. By us, and his kitty family too.

The day after he died, one of his little sisters, in fact the little runt, Mimsy, came up to me and wanted snuggles! Up to that point she and and her sister and their other brother had all been very stand-offish. But things changed. She began to mourn and now likes snuggles from me all the time, and she purrs a lot. But, unlike little Rel, Mimsy doesn't like lounging in anyone's arms, she just comes for the snuggles, which, I must say, she demands quite loudly:) and the occasional hold, on the shoulder, and then off she leaps!

My petition at Care2: thepetitionsite.com

Hey Everyone!

I see that people are still having problems connecting at the gopetition link.

You can also sign the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution
I haven't done ANY promotion of this one, and it's leaping ahead.

We've now passed 200 signatures, as a combined total at both petition locations!!!

Here's my petition, also at Care2

This is my same petition, which I have decided to also run at Care2. Just to see if it would pick up at all. I couldn't post a photo cuz they only allow little ones, but all the same after just one day, I think, it's surprisingly gaining on my first one, quite quickly. So, in total, with both petitions going we have 88 signatures in 6 days! Make that 94 now!

That's amazing! We're getting there!

Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

Petition Fever!! Part 2

Please keep signing and asking others to sign the petition as well, which is asking for the Canadian government to include animal rights in the constitution.

I know that some of you said you had problems signing on to the link. I have checked it out, and all seems ok. Please let me know if you encounter any other problems

Your support is amazing!!!

Thank you, and keep signing and letting people know about this initiative!

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution.html

Petition Fever!!

This petition is just the beginning of a long, and assuredly very, strenuous uphill battle, that I am 100% committed to, and it heartens me to no end to have such positive feedback from so many of you!!

Keep Signing!

Thank you for your comments, your signatures, your activism.

If you haven't yet signed my petition asking Canada's PM, and other law makers to amend the constitution and include animal rights in it, then please take a second and do it now. If you already have, bask in your well deserved karma, and please don't forget to get lots of people on board, the more people signing, the more good karma all around, and the sooner this petition can actually do its job and save animals from torture, and cruelty, or at least, put those responsible away, with severe consequences for their sick actions!

I want this petition to have sponsorship but either The David Suzuki Foundation and or Senator Mac Harb, so in order to do that I'm hoping we can get more signatures still!!!

Here's the link again, http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution.html animal

Another Petition: Amend the Constitution!

Please click on the link below and sign my petition urging the PM of Canada to add federal animal protection laws to the constitution. Whether you are from Canada or abroad, all voices and as many as possibles will be instrumental in legislating change!

http//www.gopetition.com/petitions/put-animal-rights-into-the-constitution.html

Thanks!

And by the way, for any sceptics out there, who feel that petitions are a waste of time or don't work, to you, I say, look at the amazing strides two recent petitions which have been , and still are, featured hare, have made. One was turned into a bill, which was passed in parliament by Senator Mac Harb, calling for an end to the murdering of baby seals by clubbing death. The second powerful petition that has worked is the more recent victory that Greenpeace won on behalf of ancient, old growth forests. Greenpeace began the campaign 5 years ago, targeting Kimberly-Clark as the worst offender of ancient, old growth clear cutting.

Over the summer, Kimberly-Clark, made it official that they will no longer clear cut or use ancient, old-growth timber in their paper products any longer!

These are giant victories, which started as well-intentioned petitions, too.

So, we begin here, slowly adding our names and voices to a cause that is important, and without a doubt, my petition to enshrine anti-animal cruelty laws into Canada's constitution will become a reality, and more countries will then follow suit!

Died in my arms

This little boy, Rel, or as I sometimes called him Pushkin, died last night, in my arms. He was only 6 1/2 months. We were rushing to the all night vet, and got there too late. He was gone. And not one of the staff members at the vet could give too shits. We came in with a dead kitty and no one said anything. All the idiot woman,who led us into a room, said, in terms of being "nice" was there was no charge. Isn't that big-hearted of her? No charge to take a fucking stethoscope and confirm kitty was dead. Wow!

Talk about zero compassion!

More Pretty Things: Sunsets

Today I need something to remind me that there is still beauty and joy and things worth striving for.

So here are 2 photos of a sunset in The Outback desert.





And this one is a sunset on The Great Ocean Road

Why Feminism Still Has So Many Km (or miles) To Go!

The other day I was at the library. Sitting, doing my own thing at a table to myself. At the table in front of me was a woman who looked like she was reading, though I wasn't really paying attention and I could only see her from the back.

I sat there about 10 minutes give or take, and then a man showed up for the woman. He greeted her thusly. "Why didn't you answer your phone? I've called you 4 times? Why didn't you answer it?" She, very meekly began to respond. I couldn't quite hear what she was saying, but I did manage to catch her trying to explain that the phone had died. She showed him her dead phone. He was mildly satiated.

While she was trying to explain, I noticed she seemed scared of him. Though I never did get to see her face, her body posture shrunk when he approached her.
(And I'm pretty sure I wasn't projecting.)
Then he looked at her and said, in the tone one might use with an incredibly idiotic person, "Come on?!", to indicate that he had arrived, berated her, so obviously it was time to go.
This was then followed by some pathetic inquiry about what she was reading; who bloody well knows why? Maybe to see if there was any competition.

I should now describe them. He was short, seedy and blue collar looking. In other words, uneducated, rough and ass-hole like. She, looked at first, ok. The library is in a nice part of the city, and at first glance she looked like she "fit in".

I could only see her back. But, then as she was getting up to go, I glanced up, hoping to see her face, even meet her eyes, maybe give her support. Though, what I did see instead was a very thin string of her g-string showing from above her pants. She no longer looked average or ok or like the kind of patron who "belongs" in that kind of area, she looked like trash. And, more than likely she dressed for 'her man.'

It made me feel so sad and upset, seeing all of that. The way he treated her. The way she cowered. The sloppy way she was put together. Her pants sort of hung on her tall frame.


Usually I speak up when I see a woman being harassed by a 'man' she's with. In this situation I didn't because it was just "normal" shit wasn't it? Only it wasn't. It never is.

I know I wasn't projecting, and all the same I wish someone had opened their mouth, or fuck, their pen for me, nuff times, even now.

More beautiful birds

A Mallee Ringneck in the Mallee




And 2 Rainbow Lorikeets, in Melbourne!

Crimson Rosella

But how cute is that?

Beautiful things from Oz

Today's topic, things that make me happy! And all of the pictures are from the land down under. So, picture 1, a cute little Crimson Rosella in the wild, but waiting for snacks:)






Numbers 2 and 3 are beautiful and are the same place, same time, only moments apart, during a sunset.











And this masterpiece is of course the Apostles. Not, I suppose all 12 of them, but then again, 1 did collapse in June. Pretty breath taking, huh? The real thing is even more so!

Something small, but significant

Wow, an historic first!

I'm watching Jeopardy and this is the first time ever that old Alex has a full female panel, all 3 contestants!

I'm pleased.

I've been watching casually for years. My grandparents got me hooked:)

Hostelling, Oh Joy OR: The Lessons You'll Learn

So, I did get to backpack during my trip. I use the verb "get" because I wanted to, initially, mainly because it had been such a time since last I had. But dear god, was I shocked/disappointed/straight grossed out.

The hostel was awful. My sheets, in the all-female dorm I asked for, were filthy, I wore socks. Until I started to boil.

I got locked out of my dorm a few times, and were it not for a kindly, and awake at like 3 in the morning, French guy , who was there with his friend, I would've stayed locked out, at least for a lot longer than without his help.

The guy and his friend were sitting outside my room on a bench, and when I got back to my door,( I had gone to the loo) the stupid garbage I had put between it to keep it open, (cuz the key was shit,) had moved, and the door was locked and I was keyless!

Can you imagine returning to your room, at 3 in the morning to find the door locked?

When I noticed, I panicked and cussed, audibly, enough so that the same guys turned to ask what was wrong. I explained, and in unison they responded to my dilemma with, "Oh shit!"
My sentiments exactly.

So, the French guy said casually to me, "Just knock." He continued, " Knock loud." He could see that clearly I felt nervous about doing this. So he offered, "Do you want me to do it for you?"
I was grateful for the help. I didn't feel like making any enemies at such an hour,
and I guess, more than that, I felt meek, as most women tend toward feeling/acting/behaving due to our idiotic social conditioning to always be "sweet", etc.

But then this random French man reminded me of something important; this is why I love travelling, the things you learn from the oddest people, in the weirdest of ways. He said, as he began to knock and knock and knock, on my behalf, " You have to knock hard. People are lazy and don't want to get up. Keep knocking. Who cares if you wake them up. You will never have to live with these people again." And with that little gem, one of the girls who I had befriended came to finally open the door.
I thanked him, and slipped inside.

That moment reminded me to take my place more fully. It's odd the things that can remind us of things; teach us certain helpful lessons. But it did. It reminded me to not be meek, quiet and demure. But, instead to knock loudly, rudely, aggressively, assertively, and most of all, persistently. This isn't just about a locked door at a hostel, but for all things in life. Though the metaphor of a locked door seemed perfectly apt.

It was supposed to be a "hippy" hostel, but all that really translated into was filthy, edgy, and none too friendly, save for the odd kindly stranger, like the French guy.
Everyone was too "busy" to notice things like the fauna and flora and the sky.
All they wanted to do was call their damn boyfriends, or pretend that they were hard-core travellers cuz they were in Australia, whoot! But none could identify even one bird song, let alone the birds themselves.

I could though, identify the songs and the birds. And though I had such a dismal time at my hostel, I enjoyed the beauty of the land, it's differentness, it's newness for me.

And the help of that French stranger and another French woman in my dorm, who kindly put her phone alarm on for me cuz my phone was about to die, made me feel connected, and less alone.


Sulphur Crested Cockatoos in flight

a beach at Byron Bay

A question

I'm looking for a free, (at this stage anyway) website provider that creates professional quality websites for photographers.

If anyone knows of any, I'd love to know.

Thanks...


Guess where this is ?



Mom and baby, hanging out in The Grampians, pretty beautuful huh.

And just briefly, I was having a quick look for photographers here on beloved blogger and not one was female. Sadly, this is not surprising, but it's getting pretty pathetic. Hiding behind the old outworn rhetoric of this being a man's world, still, come on put some shoes on and join the fight!

All about bi

"The term bisexual emerged in the 19th century, but people have always been attracted to both genders. In many cultures, bisexuality was seen as a natural expression of sexuality. Ancient Greece is often cited as an example of a culture that accepted and expected bisexuality.

Though bisexuality is often assumed to be a "stage" or a stepping stone on the way to being gay or lesbian, it is a sexual orientation in its own right." ( from About.com)

Being bi can be very lonely. I think, as with anything, being bi is or can be a continuum.

I have to say here, that I have never really liked the word "bisexual", to me it sounds like a disease. I used to use queer, but then found myself spending ages having to not only explain that but also the meaning of bi.

So, for now I've settled with the truncated form of just bi. It suits, for the time being, unless anybody has a better word?

At different times in my life, say, I have identified more with being het and at others, lesbian, and at other times still with being queer, and groping around unsure in the dark to get my bearings on whatever being bi means to me.

I have met hardly anyone who identifies as bi, so it feels even more isolating at times.

Some days I feel more lesbian and feel more attracted to women, and other times I see a hot man, and realize I can be me, lesbian and straight, all together as confusing as it can be at times.

Being bi isn't all that defines me, it's a part of who I am. And to that end, it annoys me so bloody much whenever I do a search here on blogger for issues and interests pertaining to being bi. All that comes up on peoples' profiles are topics about sex, and that's it. People can be so damn linear, one sided.

Meh, I'm bisexual, but I'm also a traveller, a writer, artist, cat adorer, you get the point, I hope.

Here's a wee list of some famous bi people:

1. Marlene Dietrich
2. Frida Kahlo
3. Drew Barrymore
4. Nelly Furtado( I know?)
5. Margaret Chow
   
6. D.H Lawrence( but who cares, I couldn't find many men)

Things to Ponder

Think about this...It was only 40 years ago, here in Canada that being lesbian, gay and I'm not sure what else would have been allowed under that banner, was decriminalized!!!

Yes, it was a crime, and in many countries still is, punishable by death.
I can't conceive of that, of being deemed a criminal for not being a hetero.
So, I guess I would've been jailed because I'm bi.



And only now is the province of Quebec beginning to throw off their catholic shackles and finally fucking consider queer folks as folks and create an anti-homophobia plan. Wow.

It was also 40 years ago that the Stonewall riots happened in NY, which started the queer movement as we know it today in the States and here at home.

We, who live in these vaguely forward thinking nations are lucky.

Here's a cool little article about the forward thinking Scandinavians
http://stason.org/TULARC/travel/nordic-scandinavia/2-7-2-Domestic-partnership-Same-sex-marriages.html

Versus the ass-backward hard-core misogynist extremist muslims.

I've added this link to both highlight the hate, as well as a victory in India!

http://www.mizozo.com/world/07/2009/02/india-decriminalizes-gay-sex.html

Apparently, Holland was the first country in the modern era that decriminalized homo acts in 1811.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history


So, here's to progress, and having the power to speak up and out!

Mos Def

"Mr. Nigga"
by Mos Def w. The Abstract Poetic, aka: Q-Tip

I add this here as reflective lesson in racism.

Check it out and listen

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Mr_Nigga_feat_Q_Tip_/21450015

"Say ho, everybody say ho
By the way yo
I said shake your soul like way back in the day-yo
By the way yo, everybody say ho
Everybody say hooooo- hooo
Everybody say ho

And check it out now
Who is the cat eatin out on the town
And make the whole dining room turn they head round
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Who be ridin up in the highrise elevator
Other tenants who be prayin they ain't the new neighbor
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
They try to play him like a chump cause he got what they want

He under thirty years old but already he's a pro
Designer trousers slung low cause his pockets stay swoll'
Could afford to get up and be anywhere he go
V.I.P. at the club, backstage at the show
(Yes y'all) the best crib, the best clothes
Hottest whips on the road neck and wrists on froze (say word)
Checks with O's o-o-o-o-ohs
Straight all across the globe watch got three time-zones
Keep the digital phone up to his dome
Two assistants, two bank accounts, two homes
One problem; even with the O's on his check
The po-po stop him and show no respect
"Is there a problem officer?" Damn straight, it's called race
That motivate the jake (woo-woo) to give chase
Say they want you successful, but that ain't the case
You livin large, your skin is dark they flash a light in your face

Now, who is cat dining out on the town
Maitre'd wanna take a whole year to sit him down
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Now, who is the cat at Armani buyin wears
With the tourists who be askin him, do you work here?
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
Nigga Nigga

Yo, the Abstract with the Mighty Mos Def
White folks got it muffled across beneath they breathe
"I didn't say it.."
But they'll say it out loud again
When they get with they close associates and friends
You know, sneak it in with they friends at the job
Happy hour at the bar while this song is in they car
And even if they've never said it, lips stay sealed
They actions reveal how their hearts really feel
Like, late night I'm on a first class flight
The only brother in sight the flight attendent catch fright
I sit down in my seat, 2C
She approach officially talkin about, "Excuse me"
Her lips curl up into a tight space
Cause she don't believe that I'm in the right place
Showed her my boarding pass, and then she sort of gasped
All embarrassed put an extra lime on my water glass
An hour later here she comes by walkin past
"I hate to be a pest but my son would love your autograph"
(Wowwww.. Mr. Nigga I love you, I have all your albums!..)
They stay on nigga patrol on american roads
And when you travel abroad they got world nigga law
Some folks get on a plane go as they please
But I go over seas and I get over-SEIZED
London Heathrow, me and my people
They think that illegal's a synonym for negro
Far away places, customs agents flagrant
They think the dark face is smuggle weight in they cases
Bags inspected, now we arrested
Attention directed to contents of our intestines
Urinalyis followed by X-rays
Interrogated and detained til damn near the next day
No evidence, no appology and no regard
Even for the big american rap star
For us especially, us most especially
A Mr Nigga VIP jail cell just for me
"If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake
Just got some shoe-polish, painted my face"
They say they want you successful, but then they make it stressful
You start keepin pace, they start changin up the tempo

Now, who is cat riding out on the town
State trooper wanna stop him in his ride, pat him down
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Now, who is the cat with the hundred dollar bill
They gotta send it to the back to make sure the shit is real
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
Nigga Nigga.. Nigga

You can laugh and criticize Michael Jackson if you wanna
Woody Allen, molested and married his step-daughter
Same press kickin dirt on Michael's name
Show Woody and Soon-Yi at the playoff game, holdin hands
Sit back and just bug, think about that
Would he get that type of dap if his name was Woody Black?
O.J. found innocent by a jury of his peers
And they been fuckin with that nigga for last five years
Is it fair, is it equal, is it just, is it right?
Do you do the same shit when the defendent face is white?
If white boys doin it, well, it's success
When I start doin, well, it's suspect
Don't hate me, my folks is poor, I just got money
America's five centuries deep in cotton money
You see a lot of brothers caked up, yo straight up
It's new, y'all livin off of slave traders paper
But I'm a live though, yo I'm a live though
I'm puttin up the big swing for my kids yo
Got my mom the fat water-front crib yo
I'm a get her them pretty bay windows
I'm a cop a nice home to provide in
A safe environment for seeds to reside in
A fresh whip for my whole family to ride in
And if I'm still Mr Nigga, I won't find it suprisin"

An Amazing Victory!

Watch this video, it's pretty amazing stuff!

Kimberly-Clark has finally listened to the 5 years of protesting and will not log old growth forests anymore!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvkCs_Tgns

A wee question

So, I don't have a photo, which would be good for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about but I want just to say how everywhere I've been here in good ol' Oz, one can find those horrible 'golliwog' dolls. You know the ones, don't you? The racist caricature from the Noddy books. No one here is even slightly put off by them.

I find them offensive, and disgusting.

What's your opinion?

Just about animals ( no catchy title)

The beautiful lady is called Sophie. She's 14 and her best friend is a duck, whose name I didn't get. The duck curls up in Sophie's feet at night:)
Cute
And this baby lamby, will be saved from the evil fate of being someone's fucking dinner! When I walked past her she started to cry "maaaa' so I naturally had to give snuggles!

How come we can buy a pet or 'livestock'; a word I hate, because it implies that those beings those animals, are nothing more than things, objects, stock.

The concept of "breaking in" a horse is equally disturbing. As if they are here for our domain; oh wait, I forgot, we are the humans, and therefore have supreme reign,don't we?

Until we have abolished all pet stores, the word livestock, the concept of breaking in a horse, testing on animals of nay kind; and excusing it for scientific research, we will never evolve.

How can we, as a group, meaning humans, even begin to think we are improving, when we continue to look at animals a as unequal, as less than, as, most of the time 'things' that are there to please us, work for us, or feed us from their bodies.

Until we can all, collectively, recognize that animals are our teachers and guides and equals, we are going to continue to suffer for a very long time.

Hi ho Hi ho it's off to follow my heart I go

Mamma and baby!
Her name is Bella, she's a friend I made! She has arthritis and her human starting talking to me about whether or not her $1000 operation was worth it. I said simply, 'She's your family. You spend that money easily on other things.' And he said " You're right."

This is Tiger.
And this is Nessie. Some more friends I made, just in passing, but aren't they beautiful?






A protest sign at the old parlaiment buildings in Canberra.

People tell me I have a beautiful heart, but it always seems so foolish. I love the way animals just watch you, and gather out of maybe fear and curiosity.

Cows and horses, for example remind me of children the way they shyly walk together to watch you, to see what you are doing, always keeping their distance.

Lately my heart doesn't feel beautiful but sad and overburdened.

I saw a cow, or a de-bulled bull crying, but it was quickly " explained' to me by my supposed bf that it was just the wind causing the tear-like action, right of course, how silly of me to feel that animals can display such deep emotions, like crying. When I was asked why I thought the cow could, in fact, be crying, I answered that it was because he knows what's in store for him; he knows that he's going to be slaughtered and eaten. To this the bf scoffed, naturally, at me and my 'silly', read: deeply feeling heart.

It's hard to stay true to my heart, but I persist.

I find this country, Australia so fucking racist, it's not something I was expecting to find; this much racism, everywhere. It's not something you hear about from all the travel guides you read, or people who have been; they all seem to leave this major part out.

The part about white colonial rule,that still guides this country very firmly.

Racism: A Many Hated Thing!

" I looked in your eyes I saw the shame, y'all don't know that our greatness came before the chain."
Big up Talib Kweli


Wow!!! I have no idea what to say, rather how to say it, succinctly, so let me just begin, shall I ? Here, where I have been staying, I was at the dinner table and the discussion turned to 'race'; now I need to mention that everyone here is WASP, and damn proud of it, that would be, everyone save for yours truly, I am neither WASP, nor would I be proud of it.

So, the topic turns to issues of ,well let's be blunt, colour. The father of this family told us all a story about how his grandfather used to work for a licorice company called 'n' word 'boy'.
I was both shocked and disgusted at hearing this word spoken so freely, but, what's worse, this man goes on to say, " I don't see what's wrong with that word." And what was even scarier, neither did anyone else at the table!!! I did my fucking best to a) not fully lose it and b) put the fucker in his place, by saying how hateful the word is for the connotations of slavery it holds. Nothing. No one cared.

In fact, another member of the table -party told a story about how the people he works with call road signs the 'n' word, sandwiched between the words black and boy. He said he refused to use that expression but he didn't seem to do much more about it.

I felt like I was in some fucking 1950's kkk meeting. It was sick.

Someone else piped up about how black people call themselves the "n" word, as if to justfy white ass fucks who also use it, and I said so- fucking- what, that we, as non-dark skinned people have absolutely no right EVER to use that hate-filled word. Like that needed to be said though!!!

What truly sickened me the most though is that no one batted an eye at the word being used, or at it's viciousness, or that no one even spoke on the subject of slavery, except me, of course.


And, the dog is still not welcome indoors. She always does come in though, and comes running to me, cuz she sees an ally, WHICH I AM. I get told that I spoil her, but if giving her love is called spoiling her, than I wonder truly what words one could use to describe how the little kid of this family is raised/treated?!!!

Peace