Golden Showers

An interesting research tidbit from down-under. Australian researchers say they have discovered a new repellent to help them with problems with kangaroos. And it is all natural.

Down in Australia, they are rehabilitating old mine sites to reduce the amount of roadkill. What they are doing is trying to reestablish plant life on the old mine sites. The problem is that kangaroos are chewing on the new-growth vegetation. So researchers are looking for a good repellent. And they think they have found it: dingo urine.

Researchers at Curtin University have been surprised by the effectiveness of dingo urine to scare off kangaroos. They were looking at the effectiveness of chemicals found in urine of dingoes and non-native predators like coyotes.

Michael Parsons, one of the researchers, said:

When we presented tame kangaroos with coyote urine, they became interested in the new smell, but when presented with the dingo urine they were startled and fled.

And supposedly, the effect of urine on wild kangaroos was even more dramatic. The problem now for Parsons and his team to a way of delivering the repellent effectively and how much would be needed. And hopefully this will reduce the number of accidents with kangaroos & vehicles in the outback.

The goal is to try to isolate and synthesize the active chemicals in dingo urine. This would allow them to synthesize the active chemicals so it could become a commercially viable product.

He said the university was also trying to isolate and synthesize the active chemicals in dingo urine so that it could be made in quantities large enough to be commercially viable.

Of course there is the question about how the dingo urine is collected. Parsons said that they are receiving their supplies of the real thing from the Dingo Conservation Society. Yet how it is gathered is a tightly held secret. But Parsons is quoted saying:

At one stage we fashioned a little urine catcher to walk dingoes and collect it from, but that tended to be risky.

Okay, I could get really snarky here but I'll wait. Personally, I am glad to see researchers trying to find a natural way to take care of the problem. For all too long, we have relied on man-made toxins which are destroying the earth and harming the people who live on it.

Nature has many solutions which are ignored. The main reason, I believe, is patents. You can't patent dingo urine but you can patent a chain of chemicals that does not naturally occur. I see the same situation in remedies for diseases that are based on naturally occurring plants. Companies can't have a stranglehold on a solution if it is naturally available. And make zillions of dollars.

Thing is, since these chemicals are man-made, we are poisoning our planet and ourselves. We have no idea what the long terms effects these chemicals will have. And all too often for no good reason.

People are spraying crap around so bugs and mold don't kill their plants. Or keep it green. Or produce a bigger result. Natural pesticides are not as effective as chemical but so what if some of the leaves are munched on or instead of 30 tomatoes, you only get 25.

So I am glad to see research like this one but it also makes me laugh. Some of the images that came to mind were somewhat crazy. The weirdest one has to do with the dingoes. I could see dingoes, running around in the wild, with little pails around their waists. And every so often someone would go out and collect these pails.

Of course, we could have little dingo waystations and train them to take a whiz there instead of anywhere. It could be as simple as a concrete floor that has a hole in it, with a slight bowl around the hole. That way they can pee anywhere and the urine will still go into the hole.

So not only can we make money on dingo urine, money can be made with these waystations. But the key thing is to make sure only dingoes use it. I know this is segregation but we can't have koala urine mix in with the dingo urine. Separating other species urine might make the process cost prohibitive. So we need to find a natural scent that would repell all but dingoes. But it is a small price pay for the advancement of creating a natural kangaroo repellent. I would buy it.

The Evolving Concept of Friendship

Professor Lynn Smith-Lovin, from Duke University, is the lead author on an interesting study to be published in the American Sociological Review. The study finds that Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago.

The study reports that nearly a quarter of the people surveyed said they had "zero" close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50% named two or fewer confidants. And more often than not, they were immediate family members.

Smith-Lovin's group used data from a national survey of 1,500 American adults that has been going on since 1972. An interesting stat is that there was a surprising drop in the number of close friends since 1985. At that time, Americans commonly said they had three close friends whom they had known for a long time. And saw often & with whom they shared a number of interests. At that time, the majority were as likely to name four or five friends and often, those relationships came from their neighbourhoods or communities.

Smith-Lovin comments:

This is a big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society

She also points out that

Ties to a close network of friends create a social safety net that is good for society, and for the individual. Research has linked social support and civic participation to a longer life

The people surveyed were not asked why they had fewer intimate ties. For Smith-Lovin, Americans are working more, marrying later, having fewer kids and commuting longer distances.

Personally, I see these points as just a superificial set of reasons. You have to dig a little deeper. Over the past 20 to 30 years, we have gone through some major paradigm shifts in society. One of the key points has to do with jobs.

Until the late 80's into the 90's, people generally were guareenteed a job. If you went to work for GM, IBM or Boeing, ten to one you would retire from the company. You would settle down, all too often in the city you grew up in. Often your childhood friends would also stay in the same area, possibly working in the same company.

We had a nuclear family. And an extended family. Some members might move elsewhere but the majority of the people you grew up with stayed around you. That paradigm started to shift in the 80's.

Another social paradigm would be the 'me' culture. From the ashes of the 60's, came a narcissistic attitude. Free sex became fucking anyone and everything. Money was not for sharing but for gathering. Society started to value the self, not the people.

People were not gauged on who they were but what they were. I saw that happening in the 80's. I had good friends who, when they finished university, started to get caught up in the rat race. And I am talking of friends that I had for years. The job became more important. The marriage became more important. The toys became more important.

Couple with that how job stablility became job instablity. I can remember a friend, Mario who I had known since 1976. When he lost his job in the late 80's, he was stunned. This should not have happened. And this instability started to seep into his life. And it affected it. And when his marriage fell apart in the early 90's, a good friend of over 10 years was gone.

I've seen too many friends have to leave because of getting a job. My friend Mike is talking about moving to Vancouver. Another friend had to move back to Kazakhstan because things weren't working out here. Another moved to South Korea, to teach. Or to Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, New York City. The list goes on.

The same thing happens with a family. Brothers & sisters have to move away. Aunts & uncles find better opportunities. The concept of a nuclear family is become extinct. And this affects the circle of friends one could have.

I look at my friend, Brian or his mother Blanche. Many of their friends are extensions from their family. Some friends of Brian's brother or sister are friends of Brian and Blanche. And some became my friends.

And there other factors like just going in different directions in life. Priorities change. People get married and have kids. You get involved with a person your friends don't like. You get into raving and drugs. You find religion. Things get in the way of a friendship.

And it also evolves. I look at the friendships I have. I've known Brian since 1979. But there were a few years where our paths did not cross. My life was going in a completely different direction than his. But we reconnected and a new friendship has grown.

I look at my roommate Errol. I've known him since 1982. Our friendship has had its peaks and valleys. Right now, we are just roommates. Our friendship has cooled off but who knows what will happen in 6 months?

But it is sad to read that so many people do not have friends anymore. This social isolation means that be it in their personal life, during personal emergencies or even national disasters, people are finding they have fewer resources available to them as they did before. It could be as simple as a call for advice to asking for assistance.

As Smith-Lovin rightly points out:

It's one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with them. It's another thing to say, 'Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets? And can I stay with you for a couple or three months?'

I should know. I was lucky when I completely self-destructed and ended up on the streets. During those 9 months, friends like Brian or Jeanette did the best they could to help. But they used the tough-love aspect of friendship. If I wasn't trying to help myself, they would not try to help me. But they were there.

I wish I could end this post with a solution but I can't. We live in a society that seems to be forcing people more and more into isolation. Be it cellphones or email or IM, people are not getting the personal connection you need to be a friend. People are becoming objects in our society, not people.

Also, being a friend does require work. It is easier to have buddies and acquaintances. When someone you know gets into trouble, you can sympathize and offer dollops of advice. And then move on. A friend will be in the trenches with you, doing the best to their ability to help out. They are there through thick and thin. A friend isn't there just when the times are good.

I am lucky to say I am not part of the stats from Lynn Smith-Lovin's study. All my friends, 2 close and 4 good, are not family members. And I thank God or the Cosmic Muffin I am that lucky. It is too bad I don't know of any solutions. Then I could write a book, sell videos and be on shows like Oprah or Dr. Phil.

But if you have a friend or two, just remember how precious they are. They may not be forever but they are there right now. Cherish them.

Is It Done Yet?

Today was one of those days I can relate with J.R.R. Tolkien. I rearranged my room to take advantage of the air flow and do a 'spring' cleaning. It also afforded me a chance to attack the very growing pile of research notes I have for Tangled Threads.

In some of my previous posts, I have mentioned this ever-growing, neverending project I started back in 1996. It had started innocently as 10 pages of prose I saw as a potential short story. I brought the pages and a growing timeline of my world to work on when I went on a three week vacation in Ireland. When I came back, I had 70 pages of prose. I tapped into something but I didn't know what.

To be blunt, it was quite scary. Up to this point in my writing career, I had just written short stories. Back in the 80s, I started on a story, My Dearest, which grew out of control. After about 60 typewritten pages, I put it aside. I wasn't ready to tackle a novel. The same feeling surfaced in September 1996 with all that I had written for Bitter Drops, as it was called then.

One thing many people do not realize how difficult it is to write good science fiction or fantasy. When writing fiction, the reader already has the requisite anchors, land & time marks. If in my story, I write about the day JFK was killed, even if you are 18, you have a vague idea what I am talking about. But if I write about the day Gwefldn died, all there is a huh?

It becomes more complex because in a sci-fi or fantasy realm, aspects like social mores, laws, religion, etc. need to be 'invented'. A good example is Dune. Frank Herbert developed a desert planet and needed to conceive the ecology of the planet and the social mores of the native Fremen. It is the same for Lord of the Rings. Tolkien had to create a time and 'world' that was consistent. A place that felt real yet different.

A sci-fi or fantasy writer has the advantage the reader is willing to put up with more 'explanations' than an average fiction reader. To get the know the new world, some history has to be given. Some explanation on things like magic is necessary. But the writer has to walk a fine line not to make things dry and boring.

So to create a classic like Dune or Lord of the Rings, it takes time and hard work. People do not realize how long it can take. Tolkien started the mythology of Middle Earth that was eventually published as The Silmarillion in 1917. In 1937, after the publication of The Hobbit, he started on a sequel which evolved into Lord of the Rings. By spring 1953, he completed the final revision of The Fellowship of the Ring. It took him sixteen years to get his opus completed.

I have read the original drafts of the first chapters of the Fellowship. Save the names of the hobbits are different, there is no Strider. Their guide is a hobbit named Trotter who wears wooden shoes. Be it notes or comments to people around him, Tolkien always claimed he had no idea who this character was or what his purpose was in the story. Yet in time, Trotter evolved into Strider and a critical part of Lord of the Rings was set.

For most people who have read Lord of the Rings, they don't see the work that went into produce this classic. I find myself on the same journey. As Tolkien wrote his opus, he had people around like C. S. Lewis who saw the epic evolve. And most likely asked the same question I get every so often: "Is it finished yet?"

Unlike Tolkien, I see more stories and novels for the world I am creating. Tolkien's main interest was always The Silmarillion. And writing a good long story. With Tangled Threads, there is the Elegy Series, The Nordst Quest plus some ancillary stories on the backburner. This puts me a different position than Tolkien.

In some ways, I am embarking on the same task Robert Jordan has done with his World of Time series. The big difference is things are not going to burificate with my series. But like Jordan, I need a consistent framework with things like religions, philosphical schools of thought, laws, constitutions, social details like birth & death rites.

Some people have said I am going overboard. But when writing fiction, if I have a Jewish character, things like bar mitzvahs do not have to be explained. An Irish wake is well known. But an elvish wake, or caoine is not known because I am creating it. But when it comes into the story, I had better have a good understanding of it so the reader will also quickly understand the ritual.

Yet all the research I have done into ancient Celtic and Amerindian rites, folklore, etc. etc. hasn't helped me with brick walls and cul de sacs I have gone down the past ten years. When the first two volumes were finished in 2001, I could sense there was a problem with the story. It didn't have a good hook. It didn't have a sense of danger or threat that you need in fantasy. And, no, not some evil dark lord out to destroy civilization as we know it!

And there were a couple of characters like Brân or Máth who were not revealing to me who they were and why they were there. And for some reason, one character Dalldav kept haunting me. It wouldn't be until January 2002, when I was living on the streets of Montreal, things started to click. I saw the threat, dark and evil, and I had my hook.

The next draft of the first two volumes were written and I was much happier. But during the summer of 2005, as I reread the pieces and listened to peoples' reviews, I could see it was still not working. The style I was using wasn't working. Some of the main characters were starting to sound the same. I had not captured their voices.

So the last half of 2005 was experimenting with ideas on how to play with the style to let each character's voice come out. And now I feel I have found it. Which has meant a massive re-edit which I am currently doing.

What is the point of this babbling? Well, when you pick up a book like Lord of the Rings or the Wheel of Time series and marvel what you are reading, don't forget what you are holding took years to create. Many ideas were thought up and discarded. Whole sequences were written to be thrown out. Characters evolve. Things change as brick walls come up and need to be torn down. You have the finished product. Yet the writers of these books had to deal with the constant question: "Is it done yet?"

I Feel Safer Now

I feel so much safer now. In the States, The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has filed a suit, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia against Yum Brand Inc. They are doing so because they own KFC. And they say some of KFC meals are “startlingly” high in artery-clogging trans fat. And this is because of the partially hydrogenated oils used for frying their chicken.

The suit seeks to force KFC to stop cooking with trans far or prominently warn customers about the health hazard. CSPI's Executive Director, Michael Jacobson points out that it is harder to avoid trans fat at KFC than at other fast food joints. He says:

Trans fat is almost everywhere on this menu. By frying in such a dangerous oil, KFC is making its unsuspecting consumers' arteries Extra Crispy.

The group, in their legal complaint says KFC

does not properly warn, disclose or even tell consumers that they are eating food items prepared with the worst oil available

According to CSPI, a typical three-piece combo meal with an Extra Crispy chicken drumstick, two Extra Crispy thighs, potato wedges and a biscuit contains around 15 grams of trans fat.

Thing is, health experts suggest we should minimize trans fat consumption as much as possible. Research shows it raises the bad cholesterol (LDL) while lowering the good cholesterol (HDL).

Well duh! You mean KFC isn't healthy? You mean that fried chicken might not be good for you? Where did these yahoos come from? Even worse, who are they to go to court to force KFC to either stop using trans fat or posting up a warning sign?

First of all, experts suggest we minimize trans fat consumption. Key word: suggest. Every week, these experts suggest something new. One week coffee is bad for you, then the next week it is good for you. Research suggests it affects cholesterol. Then again, I bet there is research that refutes this.

Second of all, hello we are dealing with fast food. We are not talking about healthy food. We have known how unhealthy things like Big Macs or Whoppers are, let alone the fries. And some of the fast food joints are starting to change their menu or how they cook their offerings.

A week or so, Wendy's said it would significantly cut trans fat from its menu. They are switching to a new blend of corn and soy oil for the french fries and breaded chickens items. McDonald's vowed in 2002 to remove trans fat from their fries in the States but have yet to do so.

What bugs me about this situation is that the CSPI is going to court about this. I have no problem with the CSPI trying to educate people through PSAs, press conferences, etc. etc. But to go to court is ridiculous. It is a waste of court time. And who died and elected the CSPI as the protector of the general public?

Groups like this really bug me. They take it upon themselves to save people from themselves. But they treat them like children. They don't want to try to educate the average consumer of KFC or other fast food joints. That would take time and energy. And it isn't too flashy. Going to court gets air play. Gets you on the news. And to me is completely arrogant.

The effects of things like fast food is a serious issue. Forcing KFC to change the oil or to place a warning sign only addresses part of the problem. They need to go to the root of the problem, why is it the average American or Canadian eats so much junk food?

Instead of clogging the arteries of the judicial system, they should focus on educating people. Yet that isn't easy. Also, we are running with suggestions here, not solid facts. It is quite possible, next week there will be a study that says something different.

We need watchdogs to keep us alert. But the minute the watchdogs start to take action upon themselves, I get worried. These are rabid people who are zealots and will do things come hell or high water. I don’t want people like that to stand up for me.

And of the people that eat fast food may not be rocket scientists. They may not understand PSAs or news reports that warn them of the suggested dangers of trans fat. And ten to one, they really don’t care. They like their fried chicken the way KFC makes them.

Yum, like McDonalds and Wendy’s are not stupid organizations. Look at the new, healthy items they are putting on their menus. Yum is not some evil entity that purposely uses trans fat to kill Americans. Yet they know that a different style of oil will change the flavour and texture of their fried chicken. Their trademark. This is not something that can be changed over night.

Then they could, as the CSPI is asking, put up signs to warn people about the danger of trans fat. As if that is going to help! Here in Canada, we have had major warning labels on our cigarette packs. It hasn’t stopped people from smoking. I know every time I light up a fag, the dangers I am putting myself in. A warning isn’t going stop me.

I don’t see a large warning sign telling people they are about to embark in an artery clogging experience when they order their Extra Crispy will make them decide to order a healthy salad instead. But we have to be careful because next week the experts might find something dangerous about lettuce or tomatoes.

It seems every second day the news reports tell us of a new danger. We are told of the danger of being in the sun unprotected and now a report has come out that we need some sun to stay healthy so a little time in the sun unprotected is important.

These experts and groups like CSPI aren’t addressing the real issue in front of them: excess. The trans fat in KFC chicken isn’t dangerous when taken in moderation. Same thing for sunlight. Or beer. Or coffee.

Yet we live in a society where people do not eat a healthy diet. Or drink properly. I do my best to have a balanced diet. Last night, I had a simple supper of a good salad and some pasta in a simple tomato sauce. Tonight, I most likely will have some salmon patties with asparagus.

People need to learn how to eat properly and responsibly. Going to court does not address the problem. To address the problem would require money and work. And time. People like their comfort food. And many are just lazy. It is easier to hit McDonalds or KFC for supper than go home and cook something healthy.

Fast food and its ‘dangers’ is a complex issue. Going to court does nothing save waste time and money. The courts are clogged with frivolous and useless cases like this one from CSPI. So important cases that need to be addressed are delayed or ignored. But that is not important.
Groups like CSPI say they do this because the average person does not have a voice in the system. They cannot stop big companies like KFC from using their deadly trans fat concoction. That is crap and pure arrogance. Average people like me have a bigger voice than CSPI in court. It is called money.

If they really wanted to affect change and not grand-stand, all they would have to do is start a boycott of KFC. Then you would see how fast they changed their oil. But that would take work. Can’t have that, can we?

The Prisoner

There is a rumour going around on the net that Christopher Eccelston is slated to play the lead role of a new version of The Prisoner.

For me, The Prisoner is one of the seminal television shows that is timeless. Originally aired in 1967, The Prisoner is one of the most unusual and challenging series ever filmed for TV. I believe there has never been anything like it before.

This is a show that has action and adventure, but of a highly unconventional type for TV in the 60s and even now. What also makes the show unique is that some of Britain’s most talented and attractive actresses were on the show but not for the standard romantic role. And it had only one leading character, while only one other running role was of a diminutive butler who never spoke.

The show was originated by Patrick McGoohan himself. He deliberately set out to create a very different image from the one he had in his successful show Danger Man or Secret Agent.

The premise is simple. The opening episode, The Arrival sets the scene. It starts with a character played by Patrick McGoohan resigning from a highly confidential job. The scene shows, without dialogue, an angry man who is determined. When he leaves, he looks relieved, happy with his decision.

Yet as he drives away, a black hearse starts to follow him. As McGoohan parks in front of his place, the hearse parks behind him. And a man dressed in black, looking like an undertaker, follows him.

The character, in his home, starts to pack his stuff. He is placing what look like holiday brochures into a bag when a jet of vapour hisses through the keyhole and he loses consciousness. When he awakes, he is still in his own house. But when he looks out the window, he does not see the skyline of London, but a new world. The Village. Almost subsequent episodes of The Prisoner starts the same way.

The character rushes out of his place, confused. He finds himself in the Village, a gorgeous resort set on the edge of the sea, surrounded by mountains. The Village seems to be cut off from the rest of the world. As the character goes around the Village, he find the people living there represent no particular nationality but every nationality. It is very cosmopolitan. And every one seems to be resigned at being there.

The Village is complete in every way. It has its own shops, cafes, newspaper, recreation centre, you name it, they have it. They even have their own cemetery. The Village is so self-contained, the initial reaction is that the character has found a haven, a place where a man or woman can live contently for the rest of their life. As the character finds with some of the people he speaks with. But all too quickly we, as he, find out you have to be willing to sacrifice your individuality and the will to think.

What makes the Village more sinister is that no one has a name. Everyone has a number. All are watched, continually by unseen eyes, both in and out of the homes that were given to them. Escape is regarded as impossible by those who have come to accept their captivity; those who have acquiesced to the ones running the Village.

The Prisoner meets Number 2, who is the person in charge of the Village. The Prisoner is given a number: 6. When he asks who is Number 1, the question is ignored. And those in charge have no known governmental or political affiliations. The Prisoner nor us know who is running the Village.

And all too quickly, the Prisoner discovers that no one can be trusted. Not even one of his oldest and closest friend who he finds in the Village. And even the women he meets.

From then onwards, we are captivated with his attempts to escape and his rebellion against the efforts to make him conform. It is with the constant demands why he resigned from his job and why should he, of all people, dare challenge authority.

There is no knowing who are friends and who are enemies; who are fellow Prisoners and who are spies. Each episode deserves close examination. And an open mind.

Many of the 17 episodes revolves on the aspect of trying to break Number 6. Each episode has a different Number 2, but a couple do recur. The only recurring character is a diminutive butler who is the right hand man to Number 2.

The Prisoner offers more than a tremendous pictorial appeal and intriguing stories. Many of the stories provides the viewer an opportunity to think and not merely observe. The viewer has an active role in the show.

This is not a simple series. It raises many questions which do not have answers. It makes scathing comments on society and the people in it. And that is reflected in what McGoohan wanted. He said that it is up to each individual viewer to interpret the series in their own way. And to use their imagination. He said:

I believe passionately in the freedom of the individual

He also adds The Prisoner is basically about the dehumanizing, the loss of individuality that is happening to us all in society. Every person is a prisoner to the society they are in, there is no escape. Even if you move to another country. In the end, the series is a comment on life.

But the beauty of the series is that it had generated interesting debate. Be it a scene, a line or image, the viewer can pull out when they want. Some of the points I believe The Prisoner was saying will differ from others. The series is unusual and challenging. Which is original, not only for the 1960’s but also in 2006.

As one website dedicated to The Prisoner brings up that the show provides many questions. Who is the Prisoner? Could it be the viewer him/herself? The Prisoner is kept in a strange but lovely village. Where is it? Who runs it? The answers are open to a myriad of interpretations. Could the village symbolize the prison that is one’s own mind? Could the unseen Number one, the man ruling the village be the symbol of every man’s desire to be the top dog? An evil which must be removed if we are to be free?

And it is just not the aspect of the Village or Number 6. There are so many other details that add to the discussion. Rover, the menacing guardian, is a white balloon-like creature which brings back people who are trying to escape. But it can also kill. Does it symbolize repression and the guardianship of corrupt authority?

Then there is the main Village symbol, the penny-farthing bicycle. It is anachronistic in our current society, a novelty. But could it represent the slowness of progress in our modern civilization?

Then there is the little butler who never once speaks in all of the 17 episodes. He serves without question each number 2 that comes along. Could he represent the little man of every community who is prepared to follow, without question, any established leader? And switch his loyalties as the occasion demands?

The tons of questions is what makes The Prisoner such a provocative show. But McGoohan made sure the show was not just a modern morality play. Each episode is gripping, fascinating and tense. Each story is complete unto itself, save the last two episodes. And the constant theme is showing one man’s fight for freedom. And it is just not physical freedom but also freedom of mind.

Also by using a complete village, with every amenity possible, we don’t feel like we are in a prison yet we are. Number 6 is constantly trying to escape and we know, in the end, he will not be able to. But many of the episodes give small victories to the Prisoner. And a few episodes use highly imaginative techniques so the show does not become claustrophobic or dull.

One story is set in Paris. Some of the action takes place in the Village but there are cuts to sequences in Paris. One episode has Number 6’s mind transferred into another person’s body and this person is sent to London to find a specific person. Which leads to Switzerland.

The Prisoner pushed the envelope. One episode was a Western drama. Another was a comedy where Number 6 is a secret agent trying to stop a madman who thinks he is Napoleon. You never knew what to expect from the next episode.

This is a show that looks at times dated while other times is looks futuristic. And this is a show that is almost 30 years old. They have cordless phones, the speakers have no wires yet receive radio waves. They can transfer the mind of one person to another. A computer, using sublimable suggestion can help in teaching. The Prisoner has science fiction aspects but it looks like something that is ordinary in the Village.

So now they are talking about a remake. The current information is that Sky One is planning a six-part “thrilling reinvention” of The Prisoner. The director of programmes Richard Woolfe describes the project will be a

sophisticated, high-concept drama to rival anything on the terrestrials and the best of the U.S. It's our biggest drama commission ever and every penny will be evident on screen. We want to capture the imagination of a new generation of viewers.

Also, it is reported the mini-series will be more of a “ultimate conspiracy thriller,” than the sixties fantasy pyscho-drama, executive producer Damien Timmer states.

The new series will entrap you from the opening scene. We hope it will tap into this iconic show's existing cult following, whilst creating a whole new generation of fans.

He also says:

The series is like Pandora's box. Like 24, the new series will entrap you from the opening scene.

I have mixed feeling about a remake. It can be done and done properly. I had my doubts about Battlestar Galatica but they pulled it off. The worries are even heightened by the studio, Granada promising a “radical reinvention” and a plot that will make sense to viewers who the six-episode series.

Originally McGoohan envisions 24 episodes. But because of cost and other things, it was cut to 17. Which is one reason the last two episodes feel rushed and open ended. But at the same time, the show was out to challenge the viewer. When I read things like “make sense” it sends up alarm bells. Make sense to who? The general, mass population so doesn’t want to think?

I suppose I will have to wait before rendering a judgement. Until then, I can curl up with the original episodes and enjoy a thoroughly unique and timeless TV show. And in a day or so, I’ll post a synopsis of each episode for those who are interested.

Poor Superman

Alright, when I thought I had heard everything, the current debate on the new Superman has gone where no one has gone before. For some, Superman really is gay and other others he is a Christ figure.

Bryan Singer has had to play down speculation from newspapers, magazines and the Internet that his version of Superman is gay. The Advocate, a gay magazine, on its cover asked:

How gay is Superman?

To push this even more, some see Superman as a gay icon because he is forced to live a double life, with his super-self in the closet. Argh! I think some people have too much time on their hands.

It seems that some of the speculation over Superman's sexuality is because of his appearance in promotional posters. I'm not joking here. Singer actually had to respond that his version of the superior is

"very romantic icon" - handsome, virtuous and vulnerable.

And definitely not gay.

Those who are debating this absurd concept should check out the synopsis of the film. After a five year absence, Superman returns to Earth to find things changed, including Lois Lane (his true love) has a new boyfriend and a child.

Now I doubt this shock would turn this veritable American icon gay. Lois has been his focus of attention since forever. Larry Niven even wrote a short piece in the 70's about why Superman and Lois could never get it on. So what Lois has a new beau & a kid. By the end of the film, she will be back in his arms, ready for the sequel.

What bugs me about this is just the audacity that some people even considered the possibility that Singer would do something this radical. We are not talking about a secondary character like Batwoman. Or a sidekick.

Superman has been part of our culture for ages. From my knowledge, there never was a stint where his sexuality was vague or questioned. Even someone like John Byrne or Frank Miller wouldn't go that far. We are dealing with a major, mainstream character. Not some throw-away secondary character.

And come off it. Singer would be committing Hollywood suicide if he dared fiddle with something like Superman. He stands for the American way. Truth and justice. He is whiter than white bread. Comic book fans start foaming at the mouth when details like the costume is changed. Or skin colour. What would they do if their favorite character, after years of being straight, announced he is gay? This is just insane. That would be akin to saying Rush Limbaugh or George W. Bush is gay.

I know there is a push to have more gay characters in comic books. The new Batwoman is a lesbian. Marvel, in Young Avengers has a gay couple with Wiccan and Hulkling. Yet this is a safe avenue. These are characters that are not part of our psyche. They can leave, be replaced or completely dumped.

And let's get real here, the American public isn't ready for that. Then again neither are Canadians. Or many other countries. They have a hard enough time wrapping their brains around things like gay scientists or politicians. There is no way they would be able to hand a gay Superman. Except in a Bizarro world.

As if the gay issue isn't enough. There are some that are seeing Superman as a Christ figure. Steve Skelton wrote a book examining parallels between Superman and Christ. He writes:

"It is so on the nose that anyone who has not caught on that Superman is a Christ figure, you think, 'Who else could it be referring to?' "

Tom DeHaven, in a book about Superman's status as an American icon points out that in the 1930's, Superman was the hero of the New Deal. He was seen helping the destitute and cleaning up American slums. By the 1950's, he turned into a tireless crime fighter because of fears of postwar urban lawlessness. And his early TV persona showed him as an idealized father figure.

This is standard with any comic book hero. Batman was a vigilante in the beginning. He worked alone. It was over time that this solitary crime solver got a sidekick like Robin. Heros change to reflect their times.

Now, Steve Skelton in The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero looks into the comparison between Christ and Superman, which Skelton said started almost immediately since the origin of Superman in 1938.

Let's look at the situation. Superman is a hero, sent to Earth by his father to serve mankind. What gives even more of a Biblical overtone is Superman's real name is Kal-El. "El" is the Hebrew word for God. Yup, sounds like Biblical to me. Really Old Testament.

What is sparking this is not just the book by Skelton. The preview for Superman Returns is sparking debate. The preview shows Superman with his eyes closed as the voice of his father telling him he was sent to Earth because humans "lack the light to show the way." On top of that, Jor-El continues with "For this reason, I have sent them you, my only son."

Of course these lines have resonated within Christian circles, especially with bloggers. One blogger wrote:

The allusion to Jesus Christ could hardly be accidental

To stretch this out even more, speculation is even more rampant because Superman returns to Earth, after a long absence. For some, this is likened to Jesus' death and resurrection. And to make things worse, supposedly in the movie, there is a point where Superman gets a stab wound similar to the spear jabbed in Jesus' side. Also, there is another scene where Superman poses with his arms stretched out, as if crucified.

This flurry of comparing Superman to Christ is causing some interesting reactions. One person, Amy Pedersen, who is writing her doctoral thesis in art history, on superhero comics is jumping into the fray. She points out something about the creation of Superman.

According to Pedersen, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who were Jews, were inspired by the Old Testament story of Moses and the golem character from Jewish folklore when creating the Superman character.

Singer brings up a good point in this discussion. He says the notion of Superman as a messianic figure is simply another case of contemporary storytelling borrowing from ancient motifs.

But for someone like Skelton:

"The way in which the Christian population can get behind a movie that they can agree with is a huge push financially. It's a smart move in terms of attracting an audience"

At the same time, it should be noted Skelton also distributes Bible-study kits that draw scriptural lessons from classic television episodes. He sees parables in shows like the Andy Griffith show.

Here we have an American icon that is being hijacked by different groups. The sarcastic guy I am says:

Duh, look at Superman! Have you ever seen anything more gayer than Superman. He would fit in a pride parade!

As to the Christian thing, once again Christians are trying to grab something that is Jewish and make it theirs. Agreed, once Siegel and Shuster moved on, the next set of writers, etc. might have thought about Christian themes but I doubt it.

For me, I never was a major Superman fan. I preferred darker characters and more angst. But in the end, hello, he is just a fictional character. Those who are wasting their time trying to find parallels with Jesus or being gay have way to much time on their hands. Then again, so I do for spending all this time babbling on this. The joys of a dead day at work!

Shameless Plug & Babblings

With the changing of the look of this blog, I have been also organizing a portal for my writing. I wanted to have an ad-free area where I can showcase my stuff. So anyone who is interested, click here to check out my little corner of writing.

Writing has been a major part of my life since the early 80's. I wrote close to 50 stories and over 15 technical papers which were published in conferences and journals. Even two got reprinted as articles in books. Alas, my non-technical writing has yet to be published, but I have rejection letters.

Not all of my stuff is on-line because of a heinous act by a bitter, nasty bitch I had the displeasure to spent a few months with. When things were starting to fall apart in my life, back in the early 2000s, this person, Marie, offered to help me out. A place where I could get back on my feet. Little did I know I was moving in with a psycho control-freak.

I am not an easy person to live with. I'm moody, self-centered and could continue with this list. And Marie knew of this. But once I moved in, I became, from what I feel, a surrogate for a boyfriend and a son. She tried to take over my life and mould it.

But I resisted and sparks started to fly. It all culuminated in March 2002 when she demanded I leave days before we had agreed I was to leave. This meant I could not move my stuff out.

I owed her $388. And the original agreement was that she would hold onto my electronic stuff, like my speakers and stereo until I had the cash to pay her back. Of course, her conditions changed daily to the point where she would not give anything up until she was paid. So she held not just things like my computer as ransom but all my writing, research books, CDs, etc.

In April, my parents agreed to front me the money so I could get my stuff and move on. Yet Marie went into complete psycho-mode because my parents wanted to pay her with a cheque. The whole incident ended with her telling me if I wanted to fuck her over, she would fuck me over. I was able to talk to her again, a little later and thought she had calmed down. But I was wrong.

When I tried to get in contact with her again, to give her cash, she never returned my calls or was in. So I went to get legal advice about the situation. The result was I sent her a registered letter letting her know she could have the cash in return of my stuff, undamaged. That got a response from her.

She called me and then let me know that she had thrown out all of my stuff back in April. Everything. Over $20,000 worth of stuff. But the worst part had to do with my writing.

Back in the 80s, we didn't have word-processors. So most of my short stories were typed up using an IBM Selectric. And over time, I had not transcribed most of the stuff onto a computer. All the original drafts were at Marie's. Plus there were notebooks for ideas for short stories, plot concepts, etc. which were all hand-written. All lost because of a complete psychotic breakdown of one nasty, bitter bitch.

And yeah, I am still bitter, years later. The fucking cunt destroyed stuff that is not replaceable. I would jot down ideas in my notebook and then go back to them another time. My first notebook was started back in 1982. The ideas, the images, the concepts are gone, there is no way I can remember what I jotted down. And let us not forget the original drafts of many short stories. There are a few copies out there I gave friends but they have yet to find them. So for all intents and purposes, close to half of my output in the 1980s is lost because of her. I cannot go back to many of these stories and edit them for potential publication or incorporation into another story.

Plus I lost map ideas, scribbles and stuff for Tangled Threads. On top of that, I lost most of my research books I was using, including one which I picked up in a second hand store which gave archeological information on the ancient Celts. A book that is out of print and not readily available anymore. The same could be said of a dictionary on folklore and mythology I had.

So my little corner of writing has some of my stuff. In time, if I can get the other stories, I hope to fully populate the site. But right now, it will give you a good sampling of my writing, old and new. And one day, when some of my stuff is published and I can live on my writing, I can stick it to Marie. One thing she forgot is don't fuck with a Scorpio. We don't forget. Our motto is:

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Under Construction

Over the past while, I have been playing around with templates and cascade style sheets to spruce up my website. At the same time, I decided it was time to give my blog a new look. And I think I now have, for this blog, a new, fresh look.

It is amazing how many templates are out there just for blogging. The past week I have seen some amazing templates and some down right ugly ones. When my friend Error showed me this one, it clicked and now it is the template du jour. And I cannot forget to mention the person who created the original template: Simone Plebani.

Over the next while, I will be playing with the fonts and other things to personalize the new look. So this little sliver of propoganda will be under construction but not off-line. My little tweaking isn't going to stop my babbling and ranting. And after some of the things I've seen and read this week, boy do I have some babbling to do!

An Absurd Situation

Some time ago, I read an article that had me gobsmacked. A 62 year old child psychologist from Lewes, East Sussex, Patricia Rashbrook became pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Now she could not do this in Europe because of restrictive laws on assisted reproduction. So she and her Italian doctor when to an unnamed former Soviet republic to do the procedure. As of few weeks ago, she was seven months pregnant.

It is not as if she did not have any kids before; she has a 26-year-old daughter and a 22-year old son. And now at 62, she will have a newborn. And her second husband is about her age also.

I am not against having kids or being ageist here, but let’s get real. Yes, she could live for another 20 to 30 years. But at the same time, she could get sick and gone within 5 years. Or what if she were to get Alzheimer's? Or the husband?

Some may argue that a young couple face similar issues when they have a kid. One could get sick or something serious could happen, liking being in an accident. Yet the other person of the couple is young enough to possibly raise the child on their own. Also there is, often, an extended family to help.

These people are in their 60’s. Their friends most likely are of similar age. Their own kids wouldn’t really want to help take care of the new brother/sister. They have their own lives to live. Do they know what they are getting themselves into?

The husband is quoted as saying:

A great deal of thought has been given to providing for the child's present and future well-being, medically, socially and materially

And I really wonder. Fine, she wants another kid. But what about adopting? There are so many kids out there looking for parents, why bring in another one into the world? And have to traipse off to another country because what you are going to do breaks the law of the country you are in?

If she was in her 20’s or 30’s and could not conceive, I can see it. There is something special about having your own children. But at 62? And after having your own children already?

She is a child psychologist. Did she think about how this will affect her child as it is growing up? When the child is just starting school, both parents will almost be 70. When it hits high school, they will be about 75.

All it’s friends will have parents half their age, which will be strange enough. It is hard enough for ‘normal’ aged parents to understand their growing kids, what of parents almost twice the normal age? Be it music, TV or movies, what connection with the child and these parents have?

Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should. If these two really want to have kids and make a difference, there are so many other options. I already mentioned adopting. There is fostering also. There are ways they can make a difference in a child’s life without having one of their own.

It makes me wonder if they are doing this for the right reason. I would like to be sitting in front of them because I have tons of questions to ask. The key one is why?

We are living in a society where many people get children for the wrong reasons. All too often, they are meant to be trophies. Neither parent wants to quit working so they dump the kid in day cares.

Yes, there are cases where they both have to work to be able to support the kid. Then again, why have one at this time? Why not save up, put money away, so when the kid comes, one parent can be home for a while?

I see too many kids, with young parents, who only see their parents at night, when they come home from work. And then, because they are tired, the parents don’t have much energy to do anything with their kids. And the weekends become time for household chores, so quality time with the kids is restricted.

These kids are growing up without full parental control and guidance. Their mentors become the daycare, school, other friends and the TV. And then the parents wonder why they are out of control or hold onto values they don’t agree with.

Years ago, we had a nuclear family. If mum and dad weren’t around, there were grandparents, aunts, uncles and the extended family unit. That is extremely rare nowadays. The necessary guidance for kids growing up has become skewed.

I suppose one advantage this kid is going to have, is that both parents most likely are close to retiring. They most likely have saved up some money. So they can provide quality time. But for how long?

It is just that I see people out there having kids for the wrong reasons. Raising a child is one of the most important responsibilities someone has and should never take it lightly. The welfare of the child comes first, all focus should be there. Two people in the mid-60’s can only give so much.

Yeah, I am gay and won’t have kids. But I see the responsibility having children entails. It is not like getting a dog or cat. But more and more, I am seeing couples who feel that way. And the loser in the equation becomes the children.

I am 48 and would like to have children, be it fostered or adopted. But at the same time, I know my own mortality. Right now I am healthy and plan to be so for some time. But be it my smoking or genetics, who knows what will happen in a few years. To bring a child into my life, at this age, adds complications which hurts the child more than me.

I suppose we live in a selfish society where we come first and everyone comes in second. This may not be the driving factor for Ms. Rashbrook. She may honestly want to have more children. But at what cost to the child about to be introduced into this world? Did she and her husband really consider all the aspects of bringing up a child in this brave new world? I really wonder.

For me, at 62, if I had been working consistently and saved, the idea of having a new born wouldn’t come to mind. I would want to enjoy my free time. What ever happened to the idea of retiring and travelling?

The Tax Man! Argh!

Normally I am not one to use my blog just to rant and rave about my life. Yet today, I need to vent a little. The past week has been one giant speed bump and it is all because of the tax man. First some history to set-up what happened this week.

Up front, I owe the government some money. Back in January 2000, I cashed in what we in Canada call an RRSP. It is savings plan where you can put money in for your retirement and get tax credits. When you cash it out, you get hit with taxes.

This was the time when my spiral started. I was in a depression, had to pay for my medication and bills. As some of my previous posts mentioned, this lead to me moving in with a psycho and eventually ending up on the streets. So I wasn't too focused on doing my taxes for 1999, let alone 2000.

Once I got my life back on track, I did my taxes and found out I owed the federal government over $8000. What? When I met with the tax man (really a woman), I tried to contest it but to no avail. So money started coming out of my bank account.

Last year April, I lost my job at a place called LeeTwo. Then I moved to my current company, Sitel after a month. At first, I did not have direct deposit. I got a check and cashed it. Leaving my account dormant. Which within a few months was closed.

Now the twit I can be, forgot about the tax man. Things were a mess at my old place on Queen Mary, much of my own doing. But in July, things became unbearable because of other reasons and I moved out to my current place, here. And never organized my bank account. Or change of address with the government.

Bluntly, I slipped into a old, bad habit of ignoring a problem. I should have addressed it but I didn't. I was focused on sorting out my life here, in the new place. Making sure I paid my bills on time and try to stay within a proper budget. Which hasn't been easy for me.

Well, last week, I got a rude surprise. I opened my paycheck and found close to $200 missing. I thought there had been a mistake. The hours added up yet I didn't get the $500 odd dollars I should. So I headed to HR to find out what was happening.

The HR person looked at my stub and commented: "oh, you are being garnished." What? I was never notified. The company never told me. What the fuck is going on? The HR person eventually found the paper work they had received and it was marked May 5. I flipped.

Alright, I screwed up when it came to the address. Most likely a letter arrived at the old place, advising me of the garnishment and I did not get it. Yet I never received any phone calls from them about the closed bank account and organizing a new payment plan. My phone number is unchanged. And my new address is in the phone book.

But what had me livid was what the company did. Years ago, I screwed up my taxes and I was garished. When the company got the letter, they called me in to advise me of what was happening. It have me a couple of weeks to organize either a new payment plan or take the garnishment as is. Yet Sitel did not do that.

I don't know if they have to legally, but it is a courtesy most companies would extend to their employees. They should have notified me, thus allowing me to do something. If I had known back on the 5th, I would have called the government right away to organize a better payment plan. And be prepared for the May 26th pay period, when rent is due and our electricity bill. Let alone getting a bus pass.

But they didn't. So I was stuck with very little money in my pocket. I had to explain things to my landlord. Hold back on buying some things I needed. Some plans for dinner were thrown out the window. And now I have $4.00 to my name until next Friday.

Luckily, I have cigarettes to last me until then, so I don't have to deal with this stress and the shit that comes from quiting cigarettes. I have bus tickets so I can get to work. But I will have to forgo things like beer and coffee for the next week. And some of the planned meals, like the meatloaf and pork dishes I had planned. Time for Kraft Dinner and other inexpensive goodies.

The funny thing is that a few years ago, this would have thrown me for a loop. I would have stressed myself out to the point of insomnia and migraines. Possibly pushing me into a mild depression. Or a severe one. But I'm not letting that happen.

I'm annoyed and pissed off at the situation. I screwed up and so did the company I work for. But what is happening is just an inconvenience. Yeah I prefer not to have KD for supper. I would like to have my coffee in the morning. And my beer when I get home. But things could be worse. I could be back on the street. I could be sick. I could be alone here. I could be living in places like Indonesia.

I suppose the 9 months on the street taught me more than I expected. Week before last, I was downtown. I walked down Ste. Catherine and recognized some of the people I bunked with in the shelter. They looked older and were still pan-handling. I have moved on the past couple of years.

I have a job. I have a great apartment. I have my friends and buddies. I have my health. And for now, I have my cigarettes. But even after I organize a restructuring of my garnishment, I will still be paying out $100 per pay check. So it is time to look into quiting. I know for some people, this will be a major silver lining that will come out from this crap.

Anyway, that is my rant for the day. I suppose the important thing is to stay positive. It is easy to get cliched about this. Things aren't all bad. This is just a hiccup and life moves on. There is a silver lining. It will make me stronger. Why am I suddenly getting the urge to sing Climb Every Mountain? Argh! It is time to stop!

I Am Going To Be Ill

I don’t often pull headlines and news stories straight from the pages and rant about them here. But this just is disgusting. There are two things, one here in Montreal and another in Holland.

In Montreal, back in November 2005, a 32 year old man, father of 4, was found guilty of sexual assault and of producing, possessing and distributing child pornography. The man cannot be named as to protect the identity of his daughter.

What makes this crime so heinous is that the assaults started when his daughter was two years old and lasted for two years. On top of that, the sick fuck posted pictures of the abuse on the Internet.

He received 10 years for assaulting his daughter and 5 years for the child porno charges. But on Tuesday, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled, 2-1, that the man’s crimes were not amongst the worst sexual assaults ever committed. And they agreed to reduce his sentence from 15 years to 9.

In the ruling, Judge Lise Côté wrote:

There was no violence, such as gagging, threatening or hitting the child

Huh? What? At the same time, when the court reduced the sentence, the honourable judge cited the man’s young age and the fact he only had one other criminal conviction. And guess what, it was for sexually assaulting another child when he was 17.

Another important aspect to this is that the prosecution’s case was based on roughly 5,000 pictures and videos found the man’s computer. And some of these were featuring very young children.

On TV, yesterday, they had talking heads, some saying that legally the original judgement was to severe. Yet most of what covers sexual assaults deal with older people. Not a defenceless two year old. What does the honourable judge know of what really happened, save the snippets this sicko put on the net? Did she ask Ms Cleo to read tarot cards to confirm there was no gagging? There was no hitting?

What man, in their right mind, wants to have sex with a 2 year old? This isn’t sex. This is just getting your rocks off. It masturbating with something larger than your hand. How could a father look at a defenceless 2 year old and even entertain the idea of having sex with them?

Did these honourable judges ever think about the life long scar his daughter is going to have? It is bad enough that he would be coming out of prison when she is in her late teens but now he will be out in her early teens. What is going to happen to her then?

And I don’t give a shit about prisoner’s rights here. All reports during the trial said he never showed remorse. At the same time, this was not a one off. He did this for two years. Two whole years and proudly showed his pictures & video on line to other sickos out there.

His daughter may be just the tip of the iceberg. He has assaulted before. Then he assaults his daughter. Who knows who else might be out there?

Of course, this is just one outrage. Let us turn to Holland. A new Dutch political party has formed there. And guess by who? Pedophiles. They want to cut the legal age to 12 from 16. And eventually scrap the limit all together. Oh wait, this gets better. They want the legalization of child pornography and sex with animals.

One of the party founders, Ad van den Berg is quoted saying:

A ban just makes children curious

On top of that, the Charity, Freedom and Diversity (NVD) party

supports allowing pornography to be broadcast on daytime television, with only violent pornography limited to the late evening.

Toddlers should be given sex education and youths aged 16 and up should be allowed to appear in pornographic films and prostitute themselves. Sex with animals should be allowed although abuse of animals should remain illegal, the NVD said. [Reuters]

Crap like a ban just makes children curious is ludicrous. In places like Holland, they get good sex education, from what I gather. Yet even then, with their own peer group, teenagers will do it. But for most, they would not be interested in doing it with a 40 year old. They are not curious about that. They are looking about their own age group.

Sexuality with young people is a hot-button topic. Some people become sexuality aware young, whilst others are late bloomers. And there are problems with an arbitrary age limit. A 18 year old with a 16 year old would be illegal in many different places. They could be completely in love, the 18 year did not coerce the 16 year and they’re having sex is fully and completely consensual. But the 18 year old could end up in jail. But the NVD has no interest in them.

And the sheer absurdity that toddler should have sex education boggles my mind. They are not old enough to understand what sex entails. The responsibilities, the pressures,. the consequences. They have a hard enough time dealing with learning manners let alone sex.

Yet the most vile thing of their manifesto is the idea that teenagers should be allowed to be in porn and prostitution. Are they also suggesting on career day, in school, of having a booth: you could have a career in porn? I don’t think most teenagers, as they grow up, think of prostitution or porn as a career option. And shouldn’t.

The problem with groups like NVD is they are focused on one thing: themselves. These are grown men who want to have sex with young boys and girls. They could care less about the couple I mentioned above. Or the mindset of a toddler. These guys want to get their rocks off, no matter what. And with whomever they want. That is why they want young people in porn and prostitution.

But this whole thing is infecting our society. It is bad enough there is porn that advertise that their models are barely eighteen but it is also in the main stream. It is all around us. We are turning young kids into sex objects.

Young models are used to sell anything and everything. Celebrities like Brittany Spears dress like young school girls then sluts. Young male models are sprawled out to hawk underwear. Madison Avenue is blurring the age of consent to sell stuff.

And because of this, kids can’t be kids any more. I’ve walked down Ste. Catherine street and see young girls who, if lucky, are 16 but with their clothes and make-up look 18 or 19. Young guys are struggling to get that six pack and flocking to places to have hair removed. It is almost as if they are being told once you hit puberty, skip being a teenager and go straight to being an adult.

The sad thing is society at large is allowing it. Be it the disgusting judgment here in Montreal or the NVD, more and more the message out there is children are sex objects. And throughout all this, it is the children that is being forgotten.

Child abuse affects the children in different ways and leaves long lasting scars. It affects their ability to be intimate and trusting. Often they cannot have a long lasting, loving relationship. Some just abstain from sex.

I know I don’t have all the details about the case here in Montreal. I am not a lawyer. Legally, maybe the sentence was too harsh. The judges that reduced the sentence most likely are applying the law as they read it and are keeping to the point that justice is blind.

But here, justice cannot be blind. You cannot remove the daughter from the equation. You cannot remove the heinous act this man did, even if there was no violence, threats, etc. etc.

This sends out a chilling message. People who have been abused may not come forward if they see the system is being to be lenient or may change their mind. So children of child abuse become victims all over again and marginalized.

The case here in Montreal, for me, diminishes the impact of child abuse. It almost sends a message, if there is no violence, it is okay to do it. So if it feels good, go ahead. Just don’t hit, threaten or gag the kid. What does that say about our system and values?