A Word Up to My Fellow Sisters!!

I love women, I always have and always will. In whatever circumstances I always give women more props than men, and I've always told everyone if I was a man I would be a ladies-man through-and-through. Alas I am not a man, and oddly have not developed a sexual attraction to women, granted I appreciate their bodies immensely.

This brings me to a revelation I wanted to share with you, as much as I love human women this type of respect translates to all other species. This is where I want to introduce you to the Ant. A Brazilian ant species that has evolved to clone itself and decided to leave-out the male specimen. Yes, this ant colony is all female and thanks to this they are the most productive farmers on earth (within the ant spectrum).

I'm not saying that males are expandable, but it does pose some really interesting things one can ponder in the late of night with a cup of ice-cream.

I am aware of the fact that this could be flipped, but as such men are still not able to carry babies to term so I will continue to be flamboyant about this topic and enjoy the "what-if" :)

You can find the story here

peace and love to all,
-ana

I Hate the Taliban

I try and be optimistic, I try and understand where people come from and different points of view. But, today I reached a level of anger I haven't experienced in a long time. Specifically this was thanks to a cell-phone video of a girl being whipped, because she was "maybe" seen with a married man (this is apparently a maybe b/c only one neighbour allegedly saw her talking to him near her house).

The Taliban have made huge inroads into Pakistan, and due to the fu*ked-up mess the US left in Afghanistan, the crazy mother-fu**ers have began their rein of terrorizing women. How sick these bastards must be. Yes perhaps I'm not being culturally sensitive, but it just makes me sick to see a girl scream in pain, and a circle of old decrepit men standing around gloating. I just do not understand how little respect you must have for another human being, namely women, to do such unjust things. All the more reason to pressure the Pakistani government into patrolling their region better. Yes I am aware of the difficulty of this, not to mention the meddling of the US and their left-over crap, but woman's rights are being systematically stripped and its hard to stand-by and watch this.

More action, less crap like this is allowed to happen.

You can see the video here

A Call to Save Bluefin Tuna

I love sushi, and a few day's ago as I walked along Bloor, I found to my utter disbelief that my favourite shushi place was bordered up and closed down. I almost cried, I even dreamed the following night of talking to the owner and asking where the sushi-chef had gone so I could follow him...yes it is quite a commitement, almost an unspoken love I had of the place. Not because that was the only sushi place in Toronto, but because Osaka Sushi was the only place I found had the best veggie sushi. Their shitake mushroom roll has been a staple of my diet for years, and now I will never taste its succulent flavour.

This got me thinking about the crazy world of real sushi, with raw fish. It got me thinking that perhaps everyone who has been gulping down sea-food sushi has been implicit in the culture of destroying our oceans.

Think of the Bluefin Tuna...a crazy big fish, that can live up to 30 years and be as long as 14 feet. A top predator to say the least. The Norther Bluefin Tuna is native to the Atlantic, and in Canada has a rich history. Yes, I bet you didn't know that Canada had Tuna, especially this giant one, that makes the mouths of the Japanese or sushi-lovers the world over salivate. Well now you know, and you should also know that the population has seen upwards of an 80% decline in population.

So why do I care about this, because our oceans are being systematically killed, not so much by global warming or pollution, but because we are fishing them out and not giving a DAMN about it.

How disgusting can we as humans get, that we pay so little attention that we let this travesty go by. I a long time ago said no to sea-food, the only seafood I eat now is well grown Spirulina, and seaweed. Not because I hated the taste, far from it, but because I cared enough and made a choice.

So please make a choice, and look into what is happening with our oceans. I am not asking you to stop eating all fish, if you do not want to, but to be smart about the fish you eat. Below I am providing some links, so take a look and make your choice. Bluefin Tuna as well as Sharks and millions of other sea-animals are at stake, more so it is all of the earth.

The Seafood Selector
Seafood Watch Program from Monterey Bay Aquarium

Hero Rats!!

There is justice in this world. After all the years of wining-for and defending the noble rat, I have come across the Adopt a HeroRAT project.

The creature most people think of as a pest is saving human lives, it is reasserting its awesomeness. Yes, it is the majestic rat that is de-mining fields in Mozambique and sniffing out TB in patients.

Please check-out the above link, and if you are a fellow rat lover give a nod of approval to this fine creature. If you have (up to now), thought of the rat as a pest, rethink your stance and come join me in loving rats...in all their glory.

I always though being born in the year of the rat, not any rat but golden rat was a blessing. In many ways, it was predestined that I love rats. My parents never shared my appreciation, and whole-heartedly disapproved of my "rescue" of rats at my cats paws, but after all these years I know it was for a better cause.

Sometimes the things we dislike the most bring forth the most wonderful innovations, and those things that we like we definitely do for a bigger purpose.

From this day forth you can call me the "anna the rat lover"

cheers
-anna

The Race Question!

I hate when people use the race card, there is only one race: the human race.
Within it are many many different people, all unique, all beautiful.

No one should be defined by the colour of their skin, hair, or eyes. My character show's through my actions, not through my skin; this is true for everyone.

I have always hated racism, or in more general terms ignorance and hurting ppl. As far back as I can remember, my stomach would turn every-time bad comments were made about ppl, many times it was me. Kids can be cruel, adults even more so. Racism exists, it exists everywhere people are different, and it would be nice if it didn't.

You may think...but wait Anna, you are white...and yes, I am white; almost see-through when the winter is long and no sun to be seen. But I have experienced racism. I have also seen people be racist, or do racist things. I have seen the sorrow and pain in a persons' eye's who is the victim of racism, and I hate what it does to you. How it makes you feel, somehow inadequate. I have felt it.

I find myself currently at the end of a tail-spin of all different kinds of tension. I am the evil white girl; the home wrecker, devil worshiper (yes this has been thrown my way). I am also that which stands at the intersection of tradition and choice.

The world needs work, not the earth and its beauty, but the world people have constructed within their minds. The change that I yearn most, seems a far glimmer. The world that I see and experience is a lot more harsh, fast paced than I have ever imagined.

Yet it is so beautiful. The duality of the Beauty and the Beast.....The world was so much easier when I was young, Belle found Beast..they fell in love...ppl didn't accept it...but magic happened and then everything turned out fine...love prevailed.

Life isn't like Disney, it isn't so clear-cut, no rose is losing its petals telling you that you are losing your humanity. There are only jabs and jerks, stumbles on the road to death.

How soon can aliens come down and show the ppl of the earth that we are one and the same, maybe throw in some super energy reactor that will power our stuff problem free. OH my Aliens where are though!!

In honour of the world and ppl that experience conflict, I give you a bit of spoke word. Spoken from the heart. Enjoy.

Damn Apple Inc.!

I thought my like of Apple was over, when my Ipod video died. Yes I dropped it, but who cares. It refused to restart and then the hard drive died.

Yes I did try the "lets open our ipod and change the hard drive" only to damage the case, and make it look like Terminator chewed on it. Yes it was relatively new 1-5 yrs, and yes I had to toss it. Along with any like of Apple products, especially when Itunes wanted me to get an account...for which they wanted my credit card.

Now, I'm no longer a CC user, I stay away from the darn things like my life depended on it, unfortunately the remaining monthly payments hound me down. But you live and learn ppl, live and learn. CC companies are similar to fat kids, they just want more and more. But! I have taken a responsible way out, and decided that as soon as I can afford a shack in Jamaica or St. Lucia...ideally Hawaii, I will move and not tell them..THIS includes YOU OSAP!

Ok, I am getting too ahead of myself on bills (that's another post), I want to talk to you about my new love of apple. All in one tiny little piece of machine that I've had many moons ago, and which just couldnt stand-up to my ipod video so it got sidelines along the way. BUT no longer, because Apple gave it a makeover. ONe that, I kid you not, seems to have been catered to build back my love.

THE new and improved Apple iShuffle! Oh its so pretty, oh it tells you what's playing...and most importantly: you can switch play lists!! ooooooh my hear is melting!! oh Apple I love you!

Yes hope is renewed in the world, sometimes in the strangest places we find daily light to keep us going. Today it was Apple's email in my mailbox that got the old metal heart working again, almost turning it human.

ooooooh so beautiful

Time to take a look at the World!

What are government's doing to help people?

Recently I read that a load of Indian-made HIV drugs purchased by the Clinton Foundation was confiscated by Dutch authorities, because their distribution and make violate intellectual property rights!! Follow this link to read more.

I am so incredibly mad at this, largely because people are dying and big companies are making billions off of this. These companies are death-profiteers; much like in war zones you have companies/states come in and take(steal) resources (case in point DRC) because the population is powerless during a crisis. These companies profit from people who are on the cusp of dying, and the reason is: insatiable greed.

I ask this then, why should intellectual property rights be upheld at the expense of human rights. These companies have made their money back 10-fold, now it's time to give to the people of the world and stop biting the hand that feeds you.

The aspect of the government here is most disturbing. Government's are lobbied constantly, and as one lobbyist on Capital Hill said "poor people don't contribute to campaigns". We are faced with a system that forgets who it is here to serve. and its elected officials line their own pockets at the expense of the people that they are meant to help.

THERE is not JUSTICE in this type of system, and hence I await the results of Obama's administration in the hope that I am wrong.

I also want to add a little side note. Why is it that dentists are not included as part of the health plan in Canada, and in my specific region: Ontario. It boggles my mind how something that impacts your health as much as your teeth/mouth are considered an outside medical service. Even then, services such as massage therapy that are not normally paid for, will be if it is deemed as part of a recovery strategy.....but dentists nowhere in this stupid system are covered.

I will not go into how much $$$ going to a dentist costs, as I found this out (and still see on a monthly basis) courtesy of Visa. But, why the F*cK is this service not priced more afford-ably, and if not then why is part of it not covered by OHIP.

A little bit of ranting on a Saturday morning, but much needed in light of neglecting my awesome blogging duties :)


peace to all, and to all a good day