Friday Delight

I say it again: I [Heart] Robots! My partner surprised me yesterday with a random robot pressy (Robot Lilliput) at work which brought me to this vintage song: Mechanical Man.
Great Friday Afternoon Musical Entertainment!! Mechanical Man? Meet me in my bedroom...

Women Protest

Women are banding in protest of government crackdown on women's vendor businesses:

Women stage protest in N Korea

Seoul - Thousands of North Korean women staged a rare street protest early this month against a government crackdown on illegal market vendors, an aid group said on Wednesday, amid worsening food shortages.

The protest was reported on March 4 in Chongjin, a port city in the north eastern province of North Hamgyong, said the South Korean group Good Friends, which works in North Korea.

Plus, Fuss, and Fashion

Today's Calgary Herald has an article by Joanne Sasvari, "Plus Minus Clothing." She takes a look at the fashion industry and the way it's missing a target audience: plus size women. Praising current retailers catering to sizes over 12, she notes that "plus-size fashions now account for one in five purchases in Canada's $10.8-billion ladies apparel market, a 20 per cent increase since 2003" and laments that there are so few retailers in our market that cushion the frustration so many women feel when trying to buy fashionable clothes that are made with satisfying material:

A bigger reason for dissatisfaction is that even among those labels that do offer plus sizes, the clothes are often not very nice, even though they can be significantly more expensive. Often they are not cut in a way that's flattering to a larger body. They're not available in as many colours or styles, or carefully tailored. And they're made with cheaper fabrics, as if a woman loses her love of silk and cashmere when she hits a size 14.

The end of the article lists some retailers that do carry plus size clothing. Seems to me that seven shops in Calgary, the others online stores, is a reflection of the intensity of the fat-hating culture surrounding us. Consider the number of women's clothing retailers for size 0-12 and anyone can understand that saturation is frustrating. Breaking down the negative stigma and pejorative rhetoric of plus-size women is an ongoing struggle in our culture of the glorification of emaciation. Calgary's Anarchist Bookfair on April 25-27 is hosting a number of workshops, one of them addressing fat-phobia in our culture, negative language, and shutting down the epidemic of plus size women hating. As always, dialogue sheds light on the darkness, so a tip of my hat to Joanne Sasvari for her article and her fat positive message in our City today.

Smitten

This little kitten was born with "I [Heart] [Dot]" on its little sweet side. The Mommy's name is Dottie and so this is just too cute not to share! Via Boing Boing.

Gender Bender

Thinking about going on a vodka bender and you're a lady!? Well you're in luck in Russia! Now there's Vodka for women!! As headlined, "Russian ladies who lunch are finally given their very own vodka". Some are celebrating the marketing ploy, for MIDDLE CLASS WOMEN ("It's not just for businesswomen") but as reported in the Independent, one doctor has said:

"Women drinking vodka is not only unhealthy, it's ugly and un-ladylike," said one doctor. "They should stick to more appropriate drinks for women, like champagne or white wine."

Well it's a good thing, then, that champagne and white wine comes in sexy soft-colored bottles! But there's some stiff competition when Damskaya has fluttery butterflies to boast and toast!

At Your Cervix

Here's a documentary to watch for:
At Your Cervix: a film dedicated to making pelvic exams respectful and pain-free

The documentary At Your Cervix explores the connection between the way medical and nursing students are taught pelvic exams and the reality that most women experience them as painful and disempowering.

At Your Cervix breaks the silence around the unethical methods used by medical and nursing schools to teach students how to perform pelvic exams; the most egregious being on unconsenting, anaesthetized women. At the same time, the film highlights the Gynecological Teaching Associate (GTA) Program in New York City. Fuelled by the spirit of women’s health activism, the GTA program began over 30 years ago and it has been shown to be the most effective way to teach exams and is also the most ethical and empowering to women

Check out the website for bios and more details!

Appropriate Blood

Easter Mass turns Bloody:

Six Iraq war protesters disrupted an Easter Mass on Sunday, shouting and squirting fake blood on themselves and parishioners in a packed auditorium.

Three men and three women startled the crowd during Cardinal Francis George's homily, yelling "Even the Pope calls for peace" as they were removed from the Mass by security guards and ushers.

Via Rawstory

Need I mention that Christianity is based on a whole lot of blood? Funny that there'd be outrage for the sake of the children being scared by gore. Eventually they'll be drinkin' the stuff.

Order of Canada

From the National Abortion Federation:

TAKE ACTION: Support Dr. Morgentaler

The Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour, was established to recognize outstanding lifetime achievement and service. Please sign this petition to the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada, which has repeatedly overlooked Dr. Morgentaler for this distinguished award.

Take Action Now!

About Dr. Morgentaler:
Dr. Morgentaler, a survivor of the Holocaust, has made a positive lasting impact on the lives and health of Canadian women for more than 40 years as a physician and advocate. He came forward publicly in 1967 and testified that women should have access to safe and legal abortion care at a time when abortion was illegal and countless women were sacrificing their lives and health to end an unplanned pregnancy. For his beliefs and actions to ensure safe abortion care, he was imprisoned. In 1988, Dr. Morgentaler won a significant victory for Canadian women in the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Morgentaler, the ruling that decriminalized abortion in Canada. This landmark decision, that changed the legal landscape in Canada, was named one of the most important and influential Charter cases of the last 25 years.

Dr. Morgentaler’s determination and tireless efforts on behalf of women have never ceased. Now in his eighties, he continues to provide leadership in current struggles to ensure that women have access to funded abortion care.

He has received several awards in his lifetime, but Canada’s highest award has never been bestowed upon him. This is a significant omission.

Christian Gene

Thanks to GrrlScientist for the Monday morning, post-Easter laugh!

While Christians celebrated Easter and wrestled with their inner demons, our friends got together for some wrestling fun of our own.


I have been busy planning Luchador Parties and playing much music lately; trying to find some time for bloggy goodness. Thanks always for visiting, readers! I will try to get back into the swing of things as the days go by!

Failing to Mention

The Calgary Sun (surprise surprise) failed to mention a little detail about Keegan Spearchief's release yesterday. This is a man who was charged with multiple sexual assaults and break and enter. The vagueness of the sun is eclipsed by the Herald's report as follows:

National Parole Board documents obtained by the Herald show Spearchief did not complete the intensive therapy recommended by the judge, nor did he seek out any
programs.

Fuelled by heavy drinking and rape fantasies, Spearchief randomly terrorized women in 2003 by breaking into their Forest Lawn homes and attacking them. While under 24-hour house arrest for two previous sex attacks, he raped a 17-year-old girl at knifepoint in the middle of the night when she was home alone.

Although he was 17 at the time of the attacks, Spearchief was the first youth in Canada sentenced as an adult under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Judge Sandy Park gave him four years, deemed a longer sentence that would accommodate Spearchief's rehabilitation. But during his time behind bars, Spearchief, who stands six foot five, did not complete any therapy, including an intensive eight-month program geared toward sex offenders that was recommended by the judge, parole board documents show.

"Given you have not addressed your criminogenic factors, the board concludes you remain at risk to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person," the parole board wrote.

Serving a sentence doesn't mean a godde damn thing if there isn't rehabilitation to re-integrate that person into society as a responsible citizen!! Unbelievable and yet so very much not. The shame.

IWD

Happy International Women's Day!! Blogging hiatus lately; so much music so much music so much music... But for the good refreshment of the soul! Talk soon...

Mathakane Metsing

Mathakane Metsing is a health campaign hero in the kingdom of Lesotho. After being raped she found out she was pregnant and with HIV.


Today she's an Aids counsellor and campainger with a smile on her face: her child is HIV negative. Read more about Mathakane's story in the Independent.