Wednesday, June 29, 2011

leave Diana be

Shame on Newsweek for printing the "Diana at 50" article.  I too am outraged at this disgusting article.

Not only does the author make some gross assumptions that Diana would have swanned around New York tweeting her days away, she even goes so far as to create a Facebook page supposedly belonging to Diana and say that the former HRH would have had regular Botox injections to keep herself looking young.

This article is just sick. Diana, Princess of Wales was somebody's wife, mother, sister, friend and champion for the underprivileged.  Clearly Tina Brown didn't think about that when she made up this life of Diana's that she might like for herself.  Obviously Newsweek will profit from all this attention; thus it leads me to wonder if the magazine chose to do this to sell a few more issues during these hard economic times...?

My heart goes out to her children right now.  I'm sure not a day goes by where they don't think about her.  Remember when they begged the world to leave Diana be on the 10th anniversary of her death?  Looks like the decision makers at Newsweek didn't listen.  There's a group of people out there who are responsible for the mock-up for the article, Facebook page and the digitally-enhanced picture of Diana on what would have been her 50th birthday.

Tina Brown, how would you feel if you were Princes William & Harry looking at this shite?  Do you actually think they would approve of you creating a farcical world for their mother?  Or do you care?  You don't or else you wouldn't have created such utter rubbish speaking ill of the dead.

I urge you all to not purchase Newsweek.  Please leave The People's Princess be.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

too many rainy days

It's finally stopped raining.  I'm watching track & field on CBC reliving my days as a track star many moons and many pounds ago.  Come to think of it, I think I just started running as a kid.  I ran to get from A to B.  I ran amok on the playground at school.  There was a trial for a 8x50m relay and I made the team... guess I just kept on doing it.  There is still a runner in me someplace... these days I'm trying to get it out.

Guess what I've done today?  Nothing.  Nada.  Nowt.  I woke up late which didn't help; sat around most of the day however I have been doing a few loads of laundry.  Makes me think depression still plays a significant part of my life thus far.

My mind, of course, is fantastically on fire.  I see myself as one of these runners flying through the air with the wind pushing me along to the finish line.  Inside my head I've achieved my own pre-defined success - a blog read by millions; renowned untrained artist; inspiring mother; wanton sex goddess.  Yet there's a notable disconnect between what's in my mind and what's my reality.  I actually don't know how to get from this A to B.  I try to make a start over and over again then I stop.  Not being funny but I'm tired of starting.  I wanna be able to finish strong just like I used to when I ran. Clear through the tape I'd run and I'd keep on going.

Time to bring running (sprinting) back.  It'll definitely help me get my groove back.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Props to the Food Revolution...

I just got a retweet from the #FoodRevolution!  WICKED!!!!

rise up

I just finished watching the last few episodes of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" and let me tell you, I was right.  Sometime last fall, I told my darling Ethan that the people were going to rise up and not put up with any more crap.  (I am an empath - I can feel these things)  Months later came the Arab Spring; Brigette DePape; the Food Revolution in LA.  No, this isn't a Miss Cleo moment I'm having.  I'm just fired up, that's all.

It amazes me that people are so afraid of change.  Ethan got it spot on - he thinks the reason why people are so against eating healthy is its residual effects on health insurance & food service profits.  If the masses start eating better, there would be less need for health care, which, in the US of A is a hot mess of HMOs and outlandish fees.  Health insurance companies would literally lose billions if there was a decrease in their usage.

If the masses start eating better, food service companies that have multi-million dollar contracts with institutions like school boards would suffer at the bottom line.  Crap food is cheap to produce and can be sold at top dollar.  Yet if an institution decided to go rogue and grow their own food (the audacity of it all!), the food service company has lost its profits.

Kids, it's all about money.  Not money for you & me of course, but for the few who don't give a hoot on whether or not you eat well.  They don't care as long as they get paid and keep getting paid.  Let's face it - there are those out there who think we (as Broke Folks) should continue to eat crap because it's all we can afford; thus they're doing us a favour by keeping shite in our stomachs so we'll pay more in medical bills and get addicted to food service 'food'.

p.s.  I just got a retweet from the Food Revolution team!!  WICKED!!!

Granted, I live in Canada where the health care system is universal and offered to all.  This doesn't mean I don't feel for people who have to mortgage their homes to get life-saving medical attention.  To think all of this could have been prevented with knowledge is rather scary.  Makes me think that the conspiracy theorists who claim the 'establishment' is purposely keeping people fat & stupid isn't far from the truth.  Those of you who have watched the film "Zeitgeist" know what I'm referring to.

In essence, it comes down to this.  As Broke Folks, improve yourselves by eating well and exercising - it's that simple.  No need for crazy workout regimes that promise the PhotoShop look... just make smart choices and move.  Go for a walk around your neighbourhood.  Sign up for a community garden if there's one near you.  Run around with your kids in the park.  Invite your family & friends over for a BBQ and grill homemade foods.  We can do this!

Friday, June 10, 2011

broke folks spring eternal

Right now I'm watching a documentary called "A Job to Get Work" from the BBC.  I have to say I'm incensed at what I'm seeing.  The program takes an in-depth look at the town of Rhyl in Northern Wales which has a high percentage of people on unemployment insurance.  When asked about 'benefits' (the local term for government assistance), residents called for reform as they didn't want their salaries going to pay for people to stay on benefits.  Fair enough.

Then two former drug addicts, a woman on disability and an able-bodied man were profiled in their quest to get work.  All have completed skill upgrade courses and are actively seeking work yet they can't seem to find any.  One of the drug addicts stated that he would not just find any type of work - he would rather find work that not only he enjoyed but work he could see himself in for a long period of time.

What got me the most was the entrepreneur who lived in the nicer part of town.  You could see her driving to work in her BMW dressed to the nines in designer threads.  She trains people on benefits on how to get jobs.  Talk about an oxymoron (emphasis on the moron).

Straight up, this show pissed me right off and I'll tell you why.  First of all, this documentary had no problem depicting people on benefits as the dregs of society; hideous-looking, no skills and no hope whatsoever for a better life.  This simply isn't true.  I've never been a drug addict.  I've got a university degree and a community college degree.  I know how to use most business information systems better than the people who use them regularly.  Put simply, I'm not an idiot.  Yet, because I'm on assistance, my standing in society is in the toilet.

Next, I plan to stay on assistance to find something that is worth doing.  I am one of those people who refuse to work just for the sake of working.  If this is a measure that the state wants to push, then consider this: For all the people working for the sake of working, they are unhealthy (e.g. stress, high blood pressure, etc).  Unhealthiness costs companies thousands upon thousands of dollars, not to mention the stress on an already-stress public health care system.  One part of government is saving money by not having as many people on assistance yet those savings and much more are eaten up by the millions who are unsatisfied in their work lives; in essence, robbing Peter to pay Paul.  I'm sure even Conservatives wouldn't take too kindly to this kind of preventable government overspending.

Let's talk about job hunting for a minute.  Never mind the fact that the economy is crap.  Employers are increasingly particular about who they want to join their ranks.  I spent 10 years in Human Resources... the things I've seen are nothing short of disgusting.  Nowadays, employers are more concerned about adding members to existing cliques; this is called "fit".  When a potential employer tells you in an interview situation that they're looking for the right "fit", it means they want to know if you'll sit with them at lunch in the break room; if you're a coffee drinker (I drink tea which I do believe is one of the reasons for my career's eventual demise); if you'll party with them during happy hour; if you'll divulge everything and anything about your personal life for all to hear.  Your skills & experience are secondary & tertiary at best.  Ever come out of an interview thinking you've nailed it and the job is yours only to get a call from the crusty HR rep to say they've given the job to someone with more of what they were looking for?  Uh-huh.  I've heard that many times over the last ten years. That's HR-speak for we found a better playmate for our sandbox.  I used to be a recruiter for a large multinational.  I've hired people with exceptional skills & talents only to be told that the candidate I hired brings food that stinks up the lunchroom. *sigh*

Broke folks, we need to rise up.  We need to come together and show the world we are not pieces of shit gathering dust.  We are intelligent, well-spoken individuals merely seeking the right opportunity to show the world what we can do.  Money does not make a person.  Broke folks are an untapped resource who, if given a proper chance, can make a difference.  We are talented, articulate, innovative and resourceful.  May all you broke folks live long and prosper!