A Regretful Lambert Speaks Out

2 weeks later and we’re still talking about it. And for the first time, so is she.

A more subdued University of New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert recently spoke out for the first time since her highly publicized violent play.

Her apologetic comments seem sincere; the academic all-star admits to simply losing her head during the match and acknowledges that her behaviour was inappropriate. She does, however, say that the referee lost control of the game, and concedes that “it would have been a very different game” had more cards been handed out.

More appalling than her behaviour were the anonymous comments she received post-match, one of which stated that she should be “…taken to a state prison, raped, and left for dead in a ditch.” Male suitors sent her messages asking if she’d like to meet up. “That appalled me,” she said. “A lot of people think I have a lot of sexual aggression. I was like ‘Woah, no, I don’t feel that way at all. That’s bizarre and shocking to me.”

In an effort to restore her credibility and to earn herself a spot on next year’s squad, Lambert is seeing a campus psychologist in order to “better understand what caused the hair-pulling incident.”

Most clear in the evolution of this situation are the vastly differing notions of acceptable gendered performances in sport. Would violent play in a men’s match earn the player massive criticism? Would he be violently threatened? Would assumptions about his sexuality be made? Would he feel pressure to visit a psychologist in order to restore his credibility? I don’t think so, but I'd have to ask Zinedine Zidane to be sure.

Women's soccer finally getting coverage... thanks to hair-pulling

The last time women’s soccer gained this much national exposure, American Brandi Chastain was topless.

The current publicity stems from footage of New Mexico defender Elizabeth Lambert engaging in what most agree is violent and ejection-worthy play. (See video in previous post).

The footage appeared on newscasts throughout North America, spawned Facebook groups supporting and condemning Lambert and even made an appearance on David Letterman, where a male voiceover attempted to “sexify” the clip.

From a theoretical perspective, some gender experts and soccer connoisseurs claim the only reason the occurrence is receiving widespread media attention is because women are engaged in vicious play, and as such, are breaking assumed gender roles. It is not the violence itself that is drawing publicity; it is the fact that women are participating in the violence, thus defying acceptable notions of femininity.

Bruce Arena, the coach of the LA Galaxy and the former coach of the United States men’s national team, said, “Let’s be fair, there have been worse incidents in games than that. I think we are somewhat sexist in our opinion of sport. I think maybe people are alarmed to see a woman do that, but men do a hell of a lot worse things. Was it good behavior? No, but because it’s coming from a woman, they made it a headline.”

For a good article on the matter, check out Jere Longman’s “For All the Wrong Reasons, Women’s Soccer is Noticed” in today’s New York Times.

The sign of a boring match

Man U vs. Chelsea; 1-0 late in the game. What might any fan be naturally inclined to do in this situation? Brush his teeth, of course. I can't even begin to rationalize this one.

My high school games did not resemble this

A state championship high school soccer game in Providence, Rhode Island turned into a full-out brawl beginning on the pitch and spreading into the stands. The coach sounds as if she's rationalizing the entire affair and the ref clearly has no idea what to do. As for the culprits, maybe they were just trying to earn full rides to New Mexico. (See previous post).

Where was the red card?

Women's varsity soccer match: BYU vs. New Mexico. How this brute wasn't shown a red is beyond me. Knowingly fouling at the top of the box to prevent a dangerous shot- absolutely warranted. Punching an opponent in the back- a little less understandable. Pulling someone to the ground by her ponytail- are you kidding me?! The only rational explanation for this behaviour is that the offender was in desperate search of some air time on ESPN. Either that or her wrestling skills trump her soccer playing ability.

Flames Cause Stampede of Protest in Calgary

Let’s add some anger to the hysteria, shall we?

As scores of Canadians are already frustrated by an H1N1 vaccine roll-out that that is marked by long wait times and dreadful communication, the Calgary Herald reported today that the Calgary Flames “arranged for their players to receive flu shots away from the crowds” last Friday. And not just the players, but their families too.

And the blame game begins. The team has stated that they were acting on an NHL directive that suggested that the players get inoculated. They also say they consulted with a representative from Alberta Health Services and followed appropriate protocol. A spokesperson for the province's health services department says they’re investing the incident but acknowledges that if it did occur, “it was a mistake, and shouldn’t have happened.”

Initial public reaction is one of anger, and I can’t help but agree. Prioritizing professional athletes over the rest of us is irresponsible and if in fact Alberta Health Services sanctioned the private vaccinations, they should be ashamed.

Calgary Flames President and CEO Ken King says his team is a “high-risk group [due in large part to their] substantial physical contact, extreme exertion, cross-border domestic travel… and it was simply determined that they needed and should have [the vaccine].”

Despite the fact that King has publicly stated that he doesn’t categorize his players in the same priority group as pregnant women and young children, the damage is done. Team management, and perhaps Alberta Health Services officials, decided that the Calgary Flames were worthy of receiving a vaccine that the majority of the public has to wait to get- purely because of their athletic ability. That behaviour cannot be tolerated in a country that prides itself on universal healthcare.

Amidst all of the angry responses, I did find one online posting in support of the decision. It read, “Now [the Flames] can’t blame losing on having the flu.”

NY Times- The Obamas' Marriage

"[The image of a flawless relationship is] the last thing that we want to project. It’s unfair to the institution of marriage, and it’s unfair for young people who are trying to build something, to project this perfection that doesn’t exist.”

-Michelle Obama

If you have some time to read and are interested in an honest, well-written and thoughtful piece on marriage, check out Jodi Kantor's article "The Obamas' Marriage" in the New York Times.

The Fun Theory

The basic premise of the fun theory is that fun is the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better. It sounds simple enough but isn't often put into practice. Thefuntheory.com shows us examples of how beneficial the concept can be when applied to real life social and environmental issues. Take a look. And if you're a real keener (and somewhat creative) enter the website's contest to win $4000.

Controversial McGwire Hired as Hitting Coach

"How can a player who has a career batting average of .263 teach someone anything about hitting? McGwire was a juiced slugger, not a great hitter."
-Examiner.com sports blogger Dexter Rogers on Mark McGwire's recent appointment as hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals

Playboy's Newest Cover Girl

Dear Playboy editors,

I’m confused.

I just don’t understand your rationale for choosing Marge Simpson as this month’s cover girl. I know sales have been low and I know that Hugh is no longer the suave young stud he once was, but Marge? Really?

First of all, you’re providing ammunition to two groups who tend not to like your magazine very much already; feminists and Christian family groups.

Marge is traditionally viewed as a pro-feminist cartoon character. The Guardian’s Sarah Churchwell reminds us that when Bart took pictures of Homer dancing with a stripper, Marge forced the father to take his son to meet the nude dancer, so as to teach his son a lesson about not treating women like sex objects. The bottom line is that if Marge actually existed, she probably wouldn’t be posing on your cover, as hardcore fans will no doubt tell you.

In addition, a prominent American Christian family group has publicly stated, “Using an animated character on the cover of a pornographic magazine is deceptive and harmful because it will attract the attention of children. It’s inexcusable… to use a cartoon character to hawk pornography.” Have fun adequately responding to that one.

Yes, I’ve heard the phrase ‘any publicity is good publicity’ but in this case I don’t think Marge is going to help your sales numbers, for the simple reason that she isn’t real! I know your editorial director said, “This cover and pictorial is just another example of how we're evolving our editorial content to continue to reach men in their 20s” but I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that most 20-something men who are considering purchasing a Playboy would rather buy a Jessica Alba cover than a Marge Simpson one.

But, good luck to you and your sales. After all, I know this whole editorial decision was pretty tongue-in-cheek. I’m sure the many men with blue hair fetishes will be lining up in droves to buy their copies.

Raging Against Guantanamo

There is no chance that I will be a recording artist.

I just wasn’t dealt those cards.

But I can imagine the thrill an artist feels when their songs are played publicly. …Unless of course they’re played at the notorious prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. And not just played, but used as a torture method, being repeatedly blared in detainees’ ears at dangerous volumes.

Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, REM, and Pearl Jam are among a group of artists who recently launched a “formal protest of the use of music used in conjunction with torture” at the prison, according to the National Post. They are supporting an effort to declassify secret government information regarding how music was used as an interrogation device at Guantanamo.

The bands are understandably angry that their music was used in such a way, not only from a reputation perspective but also from a personal standpoint. Says Tom Morello of RATM, “Guantanamo is known around the world as one of the places where human beings have been tortured- from waterboarding to stripping, hooding and forcing detainees into humiliating sexual acts- playing music for 72 hours in a row at volumes just below that to shatter eardrums. …Guantanamo may be Dick Cheney’s idea of America, but it’s not mine. The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me.”

Other songs that have been reportedly used for torture purposes at the prison include:
-Tracks by AC/DC, Britney Spears, the Bee Gees, and Marilyn Manson
-The Meow Mix cat food jingle
-The Barney theme song

While I sympathize with the artists’ anger, I’m not sure there’s much they can do aside from publicly voicing their disapproval. Once art is made public, creative control is no longer in the hands of the artists who created it.

Male Achievement Academy

The single-sex schools debate. In the world of education, it just never seems to go away.

It’s in the news once again thanks to Dr. Chris Spence, the Toronto District School Board’s new education director. He’s calling for the creation of an all-male school, or “Male Leadership Academy,” in the city of Toronto. It would include mostly male teachers, “boy friendly” teaching tactics, and obviously- no girls.

His rationale stems from widespread male disengagement at school which he argues leads to increased violence, lower test scores, and more suspensions.

When I was 14 and my Dad suggested I attend an all-girls high school, I passionately disagreed, mainly for social reasons. I was never boy crazy but I definitely liked having them around. Educationally speaking, I was succeeding in a co-ed school, why change? But the more time I’ve spent in classrooms since my secondary school days, the more I understand his rationale for proposing such a move.

Boys and girls are socialized differently and as a result, learn differently; act differently; participate differently; and prioritize differently. As such, it’s a huge challenge for a single teacher to be able to adequately and simultaneously engage the minds of thirty boys and girls, each with individual learning styles. Granted that is a teacher's job, they are being paid to do just that, but splitting boys and girls would benefit educators and students alike. It would enable teachers to tailor their teaching strategies to their particular group thus increasing student engagement and facilitating learning.

BUT (and this is a big but) schools are institutions of socialization. They are where students learn about themselves, difference, relationships, and human interaction. They should be microcosms of the communities in which students live. The value of boy-girl interaction cannot be underestimated. Outside of schools, men and women co-exist as employees, neighbours, friends, lovers, and partners. Putting kids in all-male or all-female settings is artificial and its academic benefits may be muted by its social shortfalls.

My answer? Single-sex classes in co-ed schools. This set-up would prioritize what matters: engaged students and healthy relationships.

Je ne pense pas, Sirois

I’m just not sure I buy it.

Typically I root for the under dogs- those discriminated against by the powers-that-be, but I just can’t support ex-NHLer Bob Sirois’ argument that the NHL is biased against French-Canadians.

In his new book, loosely translated as ‘Quebec Bodychecked: Discrimination against Quebecers in the NHL’, Sirois uses draft lists and rosters over the past decade to make his case. He notes that roughly 19 per cent of Quebec players who made it to the NHL were not drafted, compared to a rate of 10 per cent among the rest of the league’s players. He criticizes GM Bob Gainey for only drafting two Quebeckers during his eight-year stint in Dallas.

I’m reluctant to agree with Sirois because I believe that the NHL and its teams care too much about winning and profit-earning to pass up a quality player because he is French. It simply doesn’t make any sense- financially, athletically or otherwise.

Hockey Night in Canada Radio host Jeff Marek counters Sirois' argument by suggesting that the decrease in French NHLers has to do with the league’s globalization. "The reality is the rest of the world has caught up," Marek said. "The days where every year either Gilbert Perreault, or Guy Lafleur or Marcel Dionne were selected first overall, those days are gone. That ship has sailed. Helsinki, Stockholm, Moscow, Prague have all caught up to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League."

If Sirois’ argument is based primarily on statistics demonstrating the lack of French Canadian NHLers, then I’m curious to know when Jarome Iginla’s book regarding the league’s discrimination towards people of colour is going to be published. Or what about Muggsy Bogues- when will his book discussing the NBA’s prejudiced treatment of short guys get released?

There are politics in sports that run layers-deep. But there are other times where great athletes just aren’t great enough to make it to the next level.

This is one of those times.

Come on, Richardson's not THAT bad

"We don't want to go back to Queen's. We don't like playing there particularly. It's a different feeling. We don't like their field. We don't like their stadium. We don't like their stands. We don't like their locker-room. There's not a lot we like there."

-Western quarterback Michael Faulds prior to the Oct. 17th Queen's-Western game that would decide which team has home field advantage throughout playoffs

Wii, massages, and a beer cart; a tough day at the office

There are few work day actions more discouraging than clock-watching. Time seems to move at tortoise speed and a mere eight-and-a-half minutes feels more like 45.

Some companies make serious efforts to reduce their employees’ clock-watching time by implementing reward systems, activities and other programs designed to improve overall atmosphere in the hopes of greater staff morale, contentedness, and ultimately- productivity.

Maclean’s and Mediacorp pair up annually to study Canadian workplaces, and they’ve recently come out with their list of Top 100 Canadian employers. Most of the companies mentioned have great maternity and paternity leave coverage, health coverage, and pension plans, but I thought I’d highlight a few that have some more original employee benefits.

-Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada: Discounts on bikes, demo models can be borrowed

-L’Oreal Canada: Downtown workplace has coffee bar and discount cosmetics boutique, international training courses in Paris and NYC.

-Mountain Equipment Co-op: On site yoga classes, private nap room, shower facilities for cyclists, loan program for computers/bikes/boats

-Ernst & Young LLP: Up to $1000 for gym memberships or home equipment, extended long weekends

-Halifax Herald: Paid birthdays off

-Hill & Knowlton Canada: Weekly office beer cart

-Research in Motion: Free BlackBerry and usage fees for all employees, on-site massage treatments

-Bayer Inc: Marche-style cafeteria offers take home meals, lounge has Wii system and games, free gym

-Canada Post: Employee hockey and curling tourneys, opportunity to manage Santa Claus letter writing division

Next time I’m in an interview and the employer concludes by asking, “Do you have any questions?” my response will consist of the following, “Yes, I actually have a few. On my paid birthday off, will I be notified on my free Blackberry as to when I should arrive to play Wii while sipping chilled beer? Would it be too much to arrange for the bonspiel to happen the day after my birthday and the day before my scheduled massage and yoga class? That might work out nicely. Finally, is there any way that I can be in charge of the Santa Claus letter writing division, because I think I’d be pretty killer at that.”

Please, don't sugarcoat it...

"That's bullshit. He's an asshole, he's not insane."

-Kim Robinson, the BC hunter who found alleged child killer Allan Schoenborn, regarding Schoenborn's not guilty plea by reason of insanity.

Don't crucify Georges Laraque

The Habs tough guy is under fire from women’s groups for participating in an ad for Octane 7.0, an energy drink containing alcohol. The ad features Laraque playing street hockey with a group of barely dressed women and includes numerous close-ups of the womens’ bodies.

Is the ad sexist? Yes, without a doubt. It clearly fosters stereotypes of women based on sex. In this case, the women don’t even speak; their only raison d’etre is their bodies. While Laraque doesn’t speak either, he is appearing in the ad because of his skill and notoriety as a professional hockey player, not because of his body. Not to mention the fact that he is the only one fully clothed.

Having said that, let’s not crucify the guy. While the ad is sexist, so is nearly every beer commercial out there. The vast majority of Superbowl commercials, the most watched of the year, feature women as sex objects because it’s a sales technique that works with the male demographic. And maybe with the female demographic, if the Victoria Secret fashion show and billboard ads are any indication. Not that prevalence makes sexism acceptable, it just means that one ad amongst many shouldn't be singled out as the culprit.

Yes, it’s concerning that little girls are bombarded with images of women that promote a completely narrow definition of beauty based solely on their bodies, but don’t tar-and-feather Laraque. He doesn’t deserve to become the poster boy for sexism. There are people higher up the food chain far more deserving of that title.

Awful Sideline Reporting

When done well, sideline reporting adds an important element to a sports broadcast, providing fans with details they wouldn't otherwise get.

When done poorly, it's useless... and sometimes laughable.

Here's an example of the latter taken from a sideline report at the UFL season opener. The broadcaster opens by reminding us that she's alive after the previous play and continues with a wildly disjointed report that mentions tsunamis, team unity, family safety, the player in question's Samoan nationality and... oh yeah, his twisted ankle. Complete with dead air, it's a beauty of a sideline report.

What I'm thankful for- the specifics

It’s nearly impossible to forget what we’re supposed to do on thanksgiving thanks, in part, to the holiday's root words. My bet is that most are so caught up overindulging in protein, potatoes, and pie, though, that very few make a point to seriously consider what they are thankful for. Those that do probably do so more than once a year.

The general things that I’m thankful for fall under the traditional categories of family, friends, happiness, and health.

But there are a few things that I am thankful for this year, in particular.

I’m thankful for…

-Friends honest enough to tell me that I must be “crying into my cereal” every morning because of my unwavering allegiance to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

-OxiClean stain remover. Useful if you ever spill your Tea Latte on your pants… 3 times. Thanks for the faulty cup, Starbucks.

-NBA fans who look at me as if I’m insane when I attempt to start "defence" chants or dance wildly in the aisle with a child, despite the fact that I am a clearly marked fun patrol employee. They make me want to chant louder and dance more absurdly.

-The Chapters sitting areas that enable me to read magazines without purchasing them. This may be perceived as incredibly cheap by some; I’d prefer to describe it as an inventive saving practice.

-The NY Times online wedding videos. I’ve become a sucker for those well-produced little clips.

-The weekly opportunity I have to see ex-NHLers figure skate on national television if I’m in need of some instant laughter at another’s expense. As one viewer stated, "It's obvious that a woman is much harder to handle than a stick."

-Idealistic country music. How can you be anything but happy with Travis Tritt singing, "It's a great day to be alive, I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes"? Now those are lyrics to be thankful for.

Male Athletes Thinking Pink

I’m continually amazed by the campaigns put on by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and its American counterpart.

Their PR and marketing people seem to have the art of fundraising and awareness-raising down to a science, even partnering with what may seem like the unlikeliest of groups- male athletes and male sports fans.

This Thanksgiving weekend was declared “Team Up For Pink Ribbon” weekend in Toronto, with Toronto FC, the Toronto Raptors, the Leafs, and the Marlies all donning jerseys splashed with pink in support of the cause. The jerseys and other memorabilia will later be auctioned as a fundraiser.

South of the border, the NFL is also supporting breast cancer awareness month with over 100 players reported to be wearing pink cleats this weekend or in future games.

The most recent edition of Sports Illustrated even features the magazine title in “breast cancer pink” lettering, a colour now easily envisioned by most.

If that’s not an incredibly successful public relations campaign, I’m not sure what is.

What I’m curious about, though, is why breast cancer awareness, in particular, is promoted so heavily in the sporting world, while other cancer foundations’ campaigns are much less prevalent. What about lung cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer - where is their publicity? Surely those types of cancers impact male sports fans and competitors more directly than breast cancer.

Perhaps it’s a cyclical financial issue; so much money is raised for breast cancer each year that the campaigns are able to expand and exist on larger-scales. Perhaps it’s easier to market a disease that has become a highly recognizable and established brand. Perhaps male athletes are more comfortable promoting a cancer that more frequently impacts others in their lives, their mothers; daughters; sisters; wives; and girlfriends, as opposed to themselves.

The bottom line is it’s all good; any fundraising in support of any cancer is a positive. The more funds and awareness raised, the better. I just wonder if I'll see the day when NHL players are wearing jerseys in support of colorectal cancer. Think… brown?

Letters of Note

Letters of Note is a really great site worth checking out if you have a few minutes and appreciate letter writing, human emotion, history, or humour.

The site is a continually updated collection of letters, memos, faxes, and other correspondence between individuals- some famous, some not.

You can sort letters by topic (love, music, humour, war, crime, children etc.) or by most-read (this week’s most read letter was entitled “Okay, you lazy bitch”). Intrigued?

My favourites include…

-a 1942 letter from a mother to US President Roosevelt with regards to the whereabouts of her sons, all five of whom were killed while serving aboard the same WWII vessel. Her letter and Roosevelt’s response are fascinating.

-a love note written by Frida Kahlo to her husband, artist Diego Rivera

-a 1963 letter from a schoolboy to US President Kennedy, questioning the recent implementation of physical fitness standards that did not seem to apply to his “paunchy” teachers

A site worth checking out. Major thanks to Dan for the recommendation!

http://www.lettersofnote.com/

Top 10 2009 Halloween Costume Ideas According to Cosmo

In no particular order:

1) Kanye and Taylor

2) Beyonce and her "Single Ladies" Dance Pack (Very, very bold)

3) Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf (This seems to me to be one of those costumes where nobody can figure out what you are until you tell them. They then respond with the lie, "OH... right!! You look so much like them! I totally see it now!")

4) Mad Men

5) The guys from The Hangover (Yet another "Who the hell are you supposed to be" costume, unless of course one person is accompanied by a live tiger, another is excruciatingly sunburnt, and another is smokin' hot)

6) Lady Gaga

7) New Moon Characters- ie Twilight characters. (...Which essentially means dressing up as a vampire, which is not a novel Halloween idea.)

8) Bollywood Dancers (This is fairly off-topic but it's officially been announced that Slumdog stars Freida Pinto and Dev Patel are an item. Wow... well done Dev.)

9) The Kardashians

10) The Twitter Bird (A repect-earner of a costume)

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/exclusive/2009-halloween-costume-ideas

Cost-Cutting; Harvard Style

Feeling as though you’ve had to be more conservative with your spending of late?

If it makes you feel any better, even the world’s richest university has been cost-cutting.

The New York Times reports that Harvard’s endowment is down by 30%. The faculty of arts and science expects a deficit of $130 million over the next two years. Here are a few ways that the university is cutting corners:

-Varsity athletes are no longer guaranteed free sweat suits
-Professors are going without cookies at faculty meetings
-There will be no more hot breakfasts served to students in residence

And… my personal favourite:

-Clubs find themselves sharing space because facilities close earlier

For example, the Harvard student newspaper reported that the Harvard Taekwondo Club has to share space with the Harvard dance team. The captain of the martial arts group, Khoa Tran, is skeptical. Tran told the school newspaper, “It will be an interesting mix because they will be playing dance music while we do our routines. We ourselves yell every time we kick… and we kick a lot.”

Next time you’re down about money, just visualize that scenario. If it doesn't make you laugh, engage in some shopping therapy. Spending always feels good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/education/09harvard.html?_r=1&hpw

This guy deserves props for getting up

Laval vs. Montreal. What a trooper this guy is- keep in mind he's only 5'6 and 170 pounds. Found this clip on The CIS Blog.ca, an awesome site for anyone interested in the goings-on in Canadian university sport.

Catch Me If You Can

He might not have reached Frank Abagnale Jr. status yet, but his ability to evade police across five jurisdictions and two countries over six years is turning 18-year old Colton Harris-Moore into a bit of a celebrity. (For anyone unfamiliar with Abagnale, his life as a fraudster was the inspiration for the movie Catch Me If You Can).

Police in the US and Canada are on the hunt for Harris-Moore who was first criminally convicted at age 12. He then broke out of a juvenile detention centre and has since been on the run, committing brazen crimes in bare feet. His footprints are his telltale mark.

He burglarizes homes and businesses, uses their Internet and credit cards to make online purchases, and breaks in again when the packages are delivered. One homeowner theorized that Harris-Moore must watch the tracking numbers in order to figure out when the shipments will arrive.

He’s climbed multi-story buildings and stolen expensive cars, boats, and planes. The Globe and Mail reports that he’s stolen small planes on three different occasions and each time has crashed them into the ground in hard landings.

Regardless of whether people are impressed, intrigued, or inspired by the teenager’s bold actions, they're clearly interested. A Facebook fan club for Harris-Moore boasts over 4000 members, and a website-www.coltonharrismoorefanclub.com- sells t-shirts with the kid’s face on it.

When interviewed, Adin Stevens- the t-shirt designer and website owner- said, “I relate to [Colton-Harris] a lot. I remember what it’s like to be a teenager.”

If that’s the case, Colton-Harris is just taking teenage angst to new heights. Literally.

Schools Kill Creativity

In this funny and thought-provoking talk, creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson argues that schools kill creativity. It is a must watch for anyone interested in education. Don't let its 19-minute length deter you. It's worth it, I promise.

Lohan's design debut deemed "an embarrassment"

In yet another case of Lindsay Lohan trying, unsuccessfully, to be a renaissance woman, she got roasted by fashion journalists. Lohan recently presented her first collection as the “creative advisor” for high-end French fashion house Ungaro. Women’s Wear Daily called it “quite simply an embarrassment.” The New York Times said her partnership with the fashion house is “akin to a McDonald’s fry cook taking the reins of a three-star Michelin restaurant.”

Yikes.

Should Queen's women be ranked higher?

I'm disclosing my bias right now. Having played in and written about the OUA, I believe that the league is undervalued and underpublicized. That being said, there are some bloggers who do great jobs in terms of covering Ontario University sports. Always OUA is one site worthy of mention.

One recent post caught my eye given my history as a player with the Queen's women's soccer program (again- admitting bias). I've pasted it here, but the hyperlink is below if you want to visit the blog yourself.

"Just something I wanted to bring to everyone' attention re: this week's top 10s. Namely, HOW DO THE QUEEN'S GAELS WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM SIT AT 7TH NATIONALLY?Let me explain.The Gaels women are currently ranked 7th in the nation. This is a problem. The Gaels record is currently, 8-1-1. Their loss and tie have come to a very good Toronto team, Loss at Varsity Stadium; Tie at Richardson Stadium. The Gaels sit at second in their division, trailing the #3 Ottawa Gee-Gees by one point, although it should be noted that Ottawa has played one more game. Moreover, Queen's defeated Ottawa in Ottawa. ON TOP OF THAT, they haven't given up a goal in 4 games. Now, just looking at OUA teams exclusively, Queen's has beaten Ottawa and trails them in the standings on the basis that Ottawa has one extra game on them. They have two bad games against a strong Toronto team and escape with a point from them both. Laurier is in the West Division of the OUA having played 8 games, and sits at 6-1-1. Yet, somehow Queen's ends up with less than half the votes these other teams have gotten. I will not dispute the out of conference teams listed as I am not familiar with their bodies of work. But given the state of the OUA, and how everything has broken down, surely the Gaels should get a bit more recognition."

http://alwaysoua.blogspot.com/

19-year-old almost becomes Canada's youngest mayor

The citizens of Paradise, Newfoundland appeared to think that a teenager could effectively lead their town. I'm not sure if that speaks highly of the teenager or terribly of his opponent. Nonetheless, Kurtis Coombs initially beat incumbent Ralph Wiseman by three votes to win the job, making him the youngest Canadian mayor ever.

Coombs was obviously excited after the victory, saying, "It feels great, I can't put it into words. ...At 19 years old, it is a big deal." Yes, it is. His opponent Wiseman had been the town's mayor since 2005. He refused to comment and demanded a recount- not surprising since the results were so close and he lost to a teenager. That has to be embarrassing.

Coombs' mother, Rhonda, says she knew her son was was special from an early age. "For Christmas, he wanted suits and dress shirts," she said. Now I'm not sure if that makes him special or just plain strange. In a demonstration of unwavering honesty, Coombs' grandmother said, "I didn't think he would make it." Leave it to grandma to be brutal.

According to CBC, the recount Wiseman demanded ended in a dead tie, prompting both men to put their names on identical pieces of paper in a recycling bin. Wiseman's name was drawn. Coombs is now requesting a judicial recount. I love Canadian politics. Regardless of how this one turns out, my advice to Kurtis is this; brag about the fact that you were mayor for a few hours, put on your sexiest suit and dress shirt, and get your party on at Memorial. That's what 19-year-olds should be doing.

Is this breast cancer ad too boobylicious?

This made headlines a few weeks ago but I thought it worthwhile to mention. MTV host Aliya-Jasmine Sovani is co-chairing an event called the Boobyball in support of the charity ReThink Breast Cancer. The charity's aim is to raise young people's awareness about breast cancer and the importance of regular exams.

Sovani decide to write, create, and star in an ad to promote the charity and the cause, and it has caused quite the uproar thanks to its obvious focus on breasts. It has made headlines across North America and has even gotten discussed by Whoopi and company on The View.

Those who oppose Sovani's ad say that it is hypersexualizing that which should not be sexualized, and is putting emphasis on boobs as opposed to cancer. Those in favour of the piece take the approach that much of what youth see is hypersexualized anyway, so at least this ad attempts to reach them with an important message that they may not otherwise get.

Check it out and judge for yourself.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI4zkx8As34

Forget the Obscure Monthly Holidays

On the drive home from work yesterday, I was informed by a hyper cheerful radio host that October is Squirrel Awareness Month. My immediate reaction was, what an incredibly useless piece of information that is! I won’t hate squirrels any less this month, nor will I take any extra precaution not to hit them- not that I do so frequently. Upon further research I discovered that October is also Emotional Intelligence and Wellness Month (sure to excite the men of the world), Long Term Care Planning Month (I started considering mine yesterday), Raptor Month (pardon me?), and National Church Security Month (as if the church doesn’t have bigger problems at the moment).

I’m not the biggest fan of random daily and monthly observances in general. Key word there is random. I see the value of Remembrance Day, Black History Month and the December 6th commemoration of the Montreal Massacre victims. Those are all topics worthy of pause. But International Squirrel Month?! Really? The squirrels aren’t even aware that it’s their month!

My disdain for obscure monthly celebrations stems from an experience I had a few years ago on a day designed to celebrate the existence of the cookie. It was a rainy day when I walked into the Queen’s library lobby and was immediately stunned by the scent of freshly baked cookies. I followed my nose to a corner of the lobby covered in Sodexho posters advertising ‘National Cookie Day’ accompanied by the slogan ‘Have a free cookie- courtesy of Sodexho!’ I could not believe my luck. A free cookie?! For me, that was (and still is) on par with finding cash on the ground! I sat on the ledge directly across from a Sodexho employee, complete in freshly-pressed uniform, who was holding a tray of cookies. Now I didn’t want to approach her for fear she might say, “They’re a dollar each,” or something like that. My embarrassing response would’ve consisted of “I don’t have a dollar.” So, there I sat, staring at her with one of those “I want you to approach me and then I’ll act surprised and grateful” smiles, the kind you use at Costco when you approach one of the many sampling stations acting like you’re surprised it’s there when really it was your prime motivation for coming. She just stared back. I was not being coy here; I was three feet away from her and I obviously wanted what she had! But nothing. After five minutes of the stare-fest, it was time for me to catch the bus. I left the library, cookieless and fuming. So much for enjoying a cookie on National Cookie Day.