Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Happy Canada Day...



from Funkaoshi

Monday, June 29, 2009

Today's LOL


Obama To Hold Job Performance Review With Every American Worker

in keeping with last week's Superhero Obama which also made me laugh:

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Just so strange....

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Years ago, I was good friends with Charlyn...we were close...sometime after the youngest of her three children turned 4 or 5, we lost touch...and we've recently found each other again through the internets.

I'm really looking forward to seeing and talking with her again.

Her uncle was Alton Ellis who recently passed away:



I love the food art that Edith Zimmerman does on her blog.

Click here to go there.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

Recently, I've noticed that a lot of merchants have taken the lead of many supermarkets, and now charge .05 for a plastic bag. Not only does this give them the opportunity to help the environment, but also rewards them for doing so by letting them make money off of the bags they do sell.

I think this is a good thing.
But, then...I've been using cloth bags for a long time now, and while it was hard to remember to bring them with me into the store in the beginning, it's not a problem now.

That's why what I witnessed yesterday morning in a local shop shocked me.
A woman was cussing this poor guy behind the counter off because he was charging her for a bag. She was an older woman, so hearing her cuss like a soused sailor over a plastic bag seemed just wrong somehow. That's not how granny's supposed to behave!

The man behind the counter just stood there quietly, not saying a word while she called him all kinds of names...(including the politically incorrect names that she wouldn't like to be called). She snatched her purchases off of the counter (ironically, all Canada Day celebration items)..and cussed all the way out of the store.

I walked by the counter and told the man how impressed I was with how he kept his temper. He didn't say anything.

Just smiled.

When I got to the counter with my items, he tilted and lowered his head, looked up, smiled and asked sheepishly: "Would you like a bag?"...

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello, of Windsor, says people in her city seem to be coping better with their 10-week-old garbage strike.

In an off-the-cuff remark, she jokingly referred to Toronto residents as "babies."


Windsor isn't even the size of Scarborough...so maybe Sandra should just STFU....seeing as Windsors' population is 8.3% of Metro Toronto's.

The number of strikers in Toronto might outnumber their entire population.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009



Found at Bits and Pieces



Cryptic Canvas - find the 50 movies hidden in this painting.
Click on image to start.

(from A Welsh View)



If I could chose a mom from film, it would be Olympia Dukakis in the movie Moonstruck...I love Olympia.

Start watching Moonstruck here, and follow on YouTube.

Monday, June 22, 2009



the precurser to:

Today's Quote:

"Gyal...yuh know how much tears you still have to cry?"


~My Mother in Law to a 19 year old~

When I look back at what I cried about at 19....thinking about it now, it's laughable.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

I love a girl with a sense of humour about her own troubles:

Friday, June 19, 2009



A sneak peak inside Banksy's new show.

Click on image for more.

College Dorm Light Show

The relationship between the 72-year-old actor with step-granddaughter E'Dena Hines, 27, began when she was a teen, the source told The ENQUIRER exclusively. The alleged affair not only contributed to his split from Myrna, his wife of 25 years, it also led to his breakup with his longtime mistress, former schoolteacher Mary Joyce Hays.


I think even Woody Allen would say "Oh, c'mon!"
Step-Granddaughter? Long time mistress?
Honestly, I'm so disappointed I could slap him.



Nice Jewish Guy Calendar 2009

From I Heart Jews



"On May 9, 2009 a few groups of photographers were allowed into The Don Jail. Oddly, I was one of the few people who brought a video camera that day. This video is an exploration of all the floors of the jail including the single/family cells. I hope I have captured the essence of this creepy location."

From Ian Morris' YouTube page.


Ok...here's my train of thought:
This morning I had a short correspondence with someone who disagreed with my take on the impending Municipal Workers Strike, and emailed me to tell me so.

Turns out that he works with Corrections Canada, which is a field that is fascinating to me. I also have a lot of respect for people who go to work every day and face danger.

I went on a little OCD search...and found the "fallen" section of Canadian Corrections Ontario. You can search by province on the main page.

Each photo has the story attached.

Very interesting.

What do you think?



I think that it should be another road or an LRT, because this 5 million doesn't address a pressing problem this city has...transit and traffic.

Not bike paths and trees...

BTW, what happened to the condos on the left in the picture?
Where did they go?
They're what's blocking the view to the lake, not the Gardiner.

Thursday, June 18, 2009




National Geographic Magazine's Photo gallery of Serbia.

I chose this photo because it is the place that all little Serbian children are told of when being taught about being under Ottoman rule for 500 years. The hallways of Serbian skulls in the tunnels of torture chambers built by the Turks.

Click on image for more.

(Thanks Anna)

Mary Louise Abrahamse, at her Glo salon on Avenue Rd., is suing eight former staffers for $6.4 million, accusing them of stealing her business. (June 17, 2009)


The kind of person who sues former staffers for taking their own clients with them when they quit her, is the kind of person who loses 8 staff in a short period of time.

I can only imagine what kind of boss she is.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Plus Equals

Goran Bregovic and Cesaria Evora?

Loves it.

Curbside garbage collection, city run daycares, community centres and much of city hall will be shut down as early as next week if Toronto's indoor and outdoor workers walk off the job, city officials confirmed Wednesday.

You know, in this economic climate...this is really nauseating.
With all the lay offs and loss of jobs that I've been watching happen with our clients over the past six months...it just shows how out of touch locals 416 and 79 are with the real world.

The domino effect of the municipal workers striking will affect my workplace because we get paid through them...lucky thing we're prepared.

Speaking of prepared...I suggest that you take a walk down your street and organize waste pick up with your neighbours by sharing the cost for the duration of the strike.

Vermin and bacteria are big problems without garbage pick up....and they never strike in the winter (duh).

I'll help you get started.
Click here for a list of private waste removal companies in the GTA.

It's time to go the distance as taxpayers.

A Jewish couple are suing their neighbours in a block of flats, saying an automatic security light is keeping them prisoner in their home because it forces them to break their Sabbath rules.


found at Cynical-C

Sunday, June 14, 2009



Now that we're in cottage season, let's look at some treehouses that are pretty amazing.

Click on image for more.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

What would you do?

Recently, The Mister and me have noticed that someone is going through our mail and taking what they like.

The Mister had purchased a cord for his iPhone off of e-bay and whoever went through the mail had ripped open the padded envelope and taken the cord, leaving the envelope in the mailbox. A few days later another item came from e-bay, and the envelope was ripped open, but the item was left back.

Today, we came home to find that an envelope from a decorating company that I buy from had been ripped open and the gift card/coupon taken out with the envelope left in the box.

This is disturbing on a number of levels. We live on a quiet street with little or no traffic, which leaves me to suspect a neighbour.

It's just creepy.

...his penchant for platforms could have stacked the odds against him. At 47, he has been told he needs a hip replacement.

The singer believes years of strutting on stage (and energetic dance routines) have taken a toll on his joints.


As a Jehovah's Witness he has joined the faith's recruiting ranks, knocking on doors to spread the word...GTFOH!

LOL...I would give my left hip to have Prince at my front door with a Watchtower magazine...LOL..oh, stop....my ribs are hurting from laughing.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Toronto NDP MP Olivia Chow and Brian Iler, a representative from a citizen's group, publicly asked Auditor General Sheila Fraser to investigate the federal agency, which owns and operates the island airport and regulates air and marine traffic in Toronto harbours.


Not my favourite couple of politicians for various reasons, but Chow's hate on for the Port Authority and Porter Airlines is kind of humourous to me.

All this finger wagging about misuse of money...I couldn't help but take a walk down Toronto's memory lane...

Layton and Chow were also the subject of some dispute when a June 14, 1990 article by Tom Kerr accused them of unfairly living in a housing co-operative subsidized by the Government of Canada, despite their high income. Layton and Chow had both lived in the Hazelburn Co-op since 1985, and lived together in an $800 per month three-bedroom apartment after their marriage in 1988. By 1990, their combined annual income was $120,000, and in March of that year they began voluntarily paying an additional $325 per month to offset their share of the co-op's Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation subsidy, the only members of the co-op to do so.


Just to put that in perspective for you:
I'd like to point out that in 1990, we (the mister and me) were making approximately $65,000 a year combined income, and paying $975 a month for a one bedroom apartment at Balliol and Mt Pleasant.
So, if the wiki article is true, and we look and compare...they only "voluntarily" started paying "market value" after they were caught, and called on.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

You're the Result of Yourself - Pablo Neruda

Don’t blame anyone, never complain of anyone or anything

Because basically you have made of your life what you wanted.

Accept the difficulties of edifying yourself

And the worth of starting to correct your character.

The triumph of the true man arises from the ashes of his mistakes.

Never complain of your loneliness or your luck.

Face it with courage and accept it.

Somehow, they are the result of your acts and

It shows that you’ll always win.

Don’t feel frustrated of your own failures, neither unload them to someone else.

Accept yourself now or you’ll go on justifying yourself like a child.

Remember that any time is good to start

And that no time is so good to give up.

Don’t forget that the cause of your present is your past,

As the cause of your future will be your present.

Learn from the brave, from the strong,

From who doesn’t accept situations

From who will live in spite of everything.

Think less of your problems and more of your work.

Learn to arise from your pain,

And to be greater than the greatest of your obstacles.

Look at the mirror of yourself and you’ll be free and strong

And you’ll stop being a puppet of circumstances.

For you yourself are your destiny.

Wake up and stare at the sun in the mornings and breathe the sun of dawn.

You’re part of the strength of your life now,

Rise up, fight, walk, be sure and you’ll win in life.

Don’t ever think of ‘fate’

For fate is the excuse of failures.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Russell Peters on NPR today.

Listen here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—A man who police say arranged on Craigslist for his wife to be raped by another man was in jail on $200,000 bond Thursday and investigators were pursuing a "strong lead" as they searched for the attacker.

Police said the husband had gone on Craigslist to look for someone to come to his house and have sex with his wife using "scare tactics." Police said the act was without the wife's consent or knowledge.


I hope he has some sex with "scare tactics" in prison...but, I'm not confidant that he'll even spend much time behind bars, if at all.

Sick f*ck



Russian Breakdancers...click on image for more.

While scrolling through, I kept thinking that there would be one of the little girl getting kicked in the head.

I know.

But, the internet has trained me to think this way.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009



Photospread from LIFE Magazine.

Click on image to see the rest.



via Stacerella

World's Strangest People



Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8




In October of 2007...
I stopped by a bus shelter in Brampton and photographed this memorial to Akila Badhanage, and marveled at how sad and senseless his death was.

Today, I read about his last day of life.



I bet it smells like Kentucky every time they turn on the light...