Podcast Directory

Podcast title

Surprise Surprise: The Phil Blog

Website URL

http://thephilblog.blogspot.co...

Description

An insight in the interesting life and world of B. Phillip Hong.

Updated

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:30:50 PDT

Image

Episodes

1. The Province of Toronto?
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Description: Who knew: A Progressive Conservative MPP, of the same stock who had transformed what used to be Metropolitan Toronto into the City of Toronto, wants it separated to form its own province? The same party also came up with the idea of uniting various municipalities in York Region into pasteurized pockets with names like "York North" and "York South", and is trying to win the rural electorate by some sort of separation.

First of all, this is the first ever instance of separation, proposed by someone else, rather than as an act of self-determination.

Mel Lastman, the first mayor of the megacity, had played with the idea before, but it would seem that people will be a bit more serious to the idea this time around - there are newspaper rumours where London could usurp Toronto as Ontario's provincial capital.

Would I be a happy camper as a citizen who is no longer Ontarian? Absolutely not.

Said MPP was worried about how urban issues have been dealt with in more often a manner than rural issues such as agriculture. He may be correct in saying that people need a more representative voice that includes the farmer et al, but isn't that the point of a county-level government?

This proposal would exclude the rest of the GTA from separating - what kind of a twisted divide is that?

No one should separate because of such solvable problems like this, and said MPP should be reprimanded for trying to force the Ontario out of Ontarians.

2. A Matter of Moisture
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Description: Environment Canada says that we've had the driest winter since records were first kept, a long, long time ago, but it is a very strong clue as to whether or not the climate is changing (or has changed) - I presume it has.

I am not trying to approve or debunk any theories in regards to the state of the environment, but the oddity of not having enough snow to cover my shoes is not a very positive sign at all; and my feet lack proper arches, which means that we really were lucky this year.

Before you start flaunting the fact that it was a warm and comfortable welcome to the low temperatures and the snow aplenty of old, we have to really focus on the consequences of having so little moisture when the banks are supposed to pile up, which is similar to how another type of bank rolls in the profits.

The Spring melt, along with the Ides of March, means that much of what is supposed to pile up, ends up in our rivers and lakes. What can we expect to have in our lakes without a steady supply of runoff like in previous years?

Many of us depend on lakes and streams for our supply of drinking water, and most of what we see as "white terror" is now sitting, or rather melting, near Washington, D.C.

Obama should do the right thing and return that snow! It belongs to us!

3. Retail Shock Therapy
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Description: For the mountains of people who are living in the Town of Georgina right now, hoping for Walmart to set up shop up there, you must face the music and deal with the fact that there won't be one under today's unique conditions.

I know that a lot of you love the low prices or the convenient shopping and such, and I'm not trying to promote or criticize this American retail chain, but to be a tactless dork who has heard of a handful, I can tell you that you won't get one if you keep shopping there.

Why? First of all, Northern York Region is within driving or commuting distance of Newmarket and East Gwillimbury, which means that Walmart will be hesitant to add unneeded costs involving the transport of merchandise to their targeted crowd. You encouraged this inaction since they don't see a problem with supply and demand.

Second, you do not live in a large enough community to support a Walmart within such close proximinity with other locations. Any retail chain won't cannibalize their business if there are "so many places to serve you", according to one corny advertisement. Southern York Region has plenty of locations, because three times as many people live here, and that sadly doesn't carry any favour for you at all.

Please, do yourself a favour and stop trying to search for possible miracles regarding this issue using search engines.

4. The Romantic Bus Ride to Newmarket?
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Description: Farewell, Newmarket "B".

It's ironic, but some of my happiest memories living in York Region were actually aboard a bus, and these keepsakes of mental substance are still packed in my head, nearly six years after they happened. It's also not a very normal occurrence to hear about a transit route, any transit route, being cancelled in a growing community like this.

It was during my high school years when I discovered what commuting was all about, and I did fall in love with the picturesque landscapes that laid ahead on Yonge Street. I commuted north in the morning, so the GO Newmarket "B" was a speedy, efficient way to get to school. I carried large instruments from the school band to a roll-away backpack when the books started piling up, onto this unassuming mostly quiet little coach.

According to York Region Transit, GO Transit will be ending this route soon, and for me it will be sad to see it go, since it played an interesting role in my increasingly free young adult life.

Viva simply doesn't have the hurried drivers, or the comfortable seats. The silence is superseded by eliminating duplicate routes and et cetera.

I also remember bringing a girl on board... but that's another story.

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5. "Dost" what?
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Description: "Thou dost in us command"?

I remember nearly a decade ago when our national anthem, "O Canada", was last over-analysed and poked at - for the sake of political correctness. Somehow, the word "God" seemed to be just as offensive since everyone didn't worship to a higher being.

In my honest opinion, I understand the fact that this patriotic sonata was not inclusive at the time of its release, and "O Canada" is supposed to represent the country behind the song, sons, daughters and otherwise.

But is it really that necessary to modify a few words to reflect this situation? I'm not against the possible changes, but does "thou dost in us command" scream of gender equality?

I think that the only way to prove that we are inclusive is to prove that we are equal as Canadians - by paying the same salaries to women as men, and by extending parental leave for new fathers as well as mothers. After all, what's a musical promise without substance?

The federal government needs to stop pestering us with such an aesthetic issue.

As well, for those people who accuse us of being sexist by using the word "sons" exclusively: Aren't you sexist by exclusively defining "sons" as males?

6. Go West!
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Description: For those of you who are living under a very large rock, it is likely that you will be surprised over the fact that I grew up in Brampton, and I still call the place my hometown. Over the eleven years that I have spent living away from there, I have wondered what life has become out west.

I remember a visit that I took about four years ago, as we were passing through the city on our way back from Mississauga, and Mike was rather miffed at the idea of living in this growing suburb. He stressed that this wasn't exactly a riveting place to be in, and a teenage mother agreed with his overtures, cussing away in order to counter my romantic nuances on a Brampton Transit bus.

I recently had to go back there in a series of vain visits to my cellular service provider's retail location, as they still can't provide the proper service I wanted. This was also a mixed experience as it seems that my memories have no connection or relation to what my hometown is now.

Over a decade after moving from the place where I was bred, I wondered whether if change really was a good thing in this aspect.

7. "Pie" equals 3.1415...
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Description: As a Canadian of Chinese ethnic descent, I continue to believe that tofu deserves to be served as a pure dinner item, savoury but rich in iron. But a supporter of PETA has heaved a concoction that she calls a "tofu cream pie" onto Fisheries Minister Gail Shea, creating a temporary sugar coated mess. Bleh.

Said American protestor could have used key lime or chocolate, but she has destroyed the purest ingredient in many Asian cuisines, on a Conservative out of all people. And said Yankee headed to Halton Region to do the trick, which makes her "terrorist" act rather pathetic and fearless.

She wanted to expose the cruel government's support of the seal hunt, but it has actually made me laugh, and said message is not getting through.

A "terrorist attack" in Burlington?!?

Well, it's too bad Emily McCoy is from New York City, since any local would realise how silly and futile such an act may be. If memory serves me right, former Prime Minister Jean Chretien got the tasty message nine years ago, while Ralph Klein (the former Premier of Alberta) was a more recent victim.

McCoy, you are an enemy of Chinese cuisine!

8. "Positioning" for Danger
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Description: Let's make this clear and simple: You should not be on the road if you don't know where you're going.

The recent advancements that have brought us choice in what we watch and listen to, have also resulted in a device called a "Global Positioning System", or GPS. If used correctly, this is the sort of machinery that can be put into very good use.

But drivers are buying these gadgets in increasing numbers, believing that it is appropriate to map out your journey while you are driving. And this is where everything becomes less of a pleasure, and more of a danger.

Ontario recently passed a law banning cellular phone use while the car is in motion, knowing that drivers are easily distracted on the road while using these devices. A GPS is no different in this regard, because anything that takes away the attention of the driver is a danger to himself, the public and safety in general, even if this is a way to make life easier.

What is the best way to drive? With both hands on the steering wheel, along with a sense of direction that is "configured" in advance.

Nothing beats the precision of a proper map, if you figure out your journey beforehand.

9. The Prorogue Rogue
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Description: The Right Honourable Prime Minister, VIP, MVP, and ultra modern GG-fan.

At least that's what I think after visiting the residence of Canada's head of state - and yes, we do have one.

Blaming the most important event ever to happen in the federal government's history - yes, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver - Mister Harper has announced that parliament will not reconvene until March. If you remember recent Canadian politics, he has played this card before, preventing an unholy coalition of opposition parties to defeat the Conservatives and try to run the government instead.

First of all, that coalition was not illegal, no matter how the Conservatives spun that development. Under the constitution, Michaelle Jean has the power to dismiss and appoint the federal government. That's her job for those of you who don't know.

This time around, I am rather stunned at how arrogant the Prime Minister is in suspending the workings of our parliament. He has now done this twice.

There is absolutely no emergency going on and since I live thousands of kilometres away from Vancouver, and the capital is within a similar distance, what kind of ridiculous childish and self-serving excuse is that?

Rideau Hall should take a stand and do it's job as the highest office in Canada.

10. Small world, big telcos
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Description: So what if Canada's cellular phone companies aren't fully and completely Canadian owned? That is the excuse that the incumbent companies have used to prevent the establishment of new competition in their industry.

In making that argument Rogers, Bell and Telus have become a bunch of school bullies who seem to be distracting curious citizens from questioning their own "commitment to Canada". Apparently, this will be the end of our cultural identity in the telecommunications sector if the new companies weren't entirely locally owned, but what does that have to do with the poor consumer?

Australians, for example, have been debating about foreign ownership for years, yet the second largest telecom company is owned by Singaporeans for quite a few years.

If "citizenship" had to do with Canadian values, then we are living in a third world country. For years, the "size of our map" was an excuse for charging outrageous rates, and these same companies can be accused of outsourcing to other countries.

Considering that cellular technology is now mostly manufactured in South Korea or China, I highly doubt that operators who are "fully Canadian" could stick to such a flimsy campaign to thwart off one company.

Aren't we in a small world after all?

11. WINDs of Change
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Description: For the first time in a very long time, a new cell phone company is being launched in this country, and it has ruffled feathers even before service has actually commenced. This development could be great news for the average consumer, or the end of an era in "homegrown telecommunications ownership".

Critics, which obviously include the organizations' competitors, have cried foul over the ownership structure with their new nemesis; they say that an Egyptian is the financial backer, and they should be banned from providing service in Canada as a result of that fact. It seems that they're more worried about the impact on their own revenues.

Who cares if this corporation is "fully Canadian" if we have been gouged for years? The patriotism of Bell, Telus and Rogers can be questioned from their outsourcing and treatment of the average consumer, so this is not a matter of citizenship.

Consumers are joyful because there is a competitor that wants to be entirely different, and although I won't name this company directly, I bid them good luck in their continuing battle.

12. A letter to the CRTC
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Description: Dear Secretary General:

As a cable subscriber, I have seen the prices of my services go up. Through the years, I have actually rolled back on the channels that I watch because of the increased cost.

The major television networks are essentially asking me to support their "local television", but they're loaded with programming that isn't close to Canadian, let alone local. You made the rules. You made this happen.

I beg of you to stop listening to the television networks because, even if they promised the world to you, they are fundamentally bent on providing the most popular programming to Canadians, and at this moment in time, it is no where close to local.

In fact, the only local television that I would label "local" is the community television channel, and even if it's loaded with self-serving ads, they're the only channel that's truly focused on where I live, here in York Region.

Don't tell me that networks should be given more money because I barely watch anything on my set as is. The increasing costs are stifling my choices and only the internet is keeping me sane in a way. Oh, and as an amateur videographer myself, I'm trying to be as local as you want it to be, but I am not getting a penny of this money.

True local television does not come from Los Angeles. I beg of you to consider that.

Sincerely,

Phillip Hong
Woodbridge, Ontario

13. The Impending Election
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Description: Prime Minister Stephen Harper: The Ultimate Peacemaker; the head of Compromise Central; the only gentleman today that is destined to end all hostility and disunity in the federal government.

At least that’s what we have been thinking at the most optimistic of times. As citizens, we were supposed to expect a lot more from the Prime Minister, more than the blame games and name calling with the opposition parties. Minority government is supposed to be a way to unite the House of Commons on a common goal of bettering the country – at least until the next election. For the past five years, whether it’s a Liberal or Conservative government, the voice of the people has reflected the ongoing apathy with political parties in general.

Now Mr. Harper wants to play nice. For the past year, since the last election, the federal government has risked complete collapse due to their hostility towards everyone else on Parliament Hill. I am not saying that the opposition has been clean and clear with their own attacks and whatnot, but there is a lack of good will that continues to plague this country, and voters are unhappy about threats from politicians of any political stripe.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is “revoking probation”; NDP Leader Jack Layton speaks of Harper’s choice of “an election or making parliament work”. The Bloc Quebecois has already started an election-style advertising campaign, presuming the worst. The threat of an election is imminent.

So when does the Conservative Party talk about “making parliament work”? If you’re monitoring the news lately, they’ve been talking about how Canadians don’t want an election, citing a recent poll. Is Stephen Harper only cooperative if parliament is facing collapse? That’s a conciliatory gesture that has come way too late.

I don’t like Stephen Harper. The current Prime Minister has angered me for months by releasing advertising that demeans and dehumanizes the people who he is supposed to work with, in the first place. These partisan tactics are not the answer when people are weary of partisanship in general.

In constrast to the United States, we are not in a situation where politics has been polarized; most of us are united under one specific apathetic banner. Party loyalists are a true minority in this country whether or not they like hearing about this. The problem with elections is that we are electing people whose conduct and attitude are driving future voters away! Important values such as getting along and giving peace a chance are falling on completely deaf ears whether it’s within the halls of the Prime Minister’s Office or in the House of Commons.

The upcoming election speaks of two things: Are we ready to elect a government that will work for us instead of to their political advantage, and are they ready to put aside their differences and provide a government that citizens are actually proud to elect?

Five years of minority government. That’s either unstable government, or the people are putting partisan politics on the backburner.

14. The Streetcar Factor
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Description: I am not amused by John Baird. The perennial loud-smith has done it again, calling Toronto's streetcar project "inappropriate" for federal infrastructure funding and telling the largest city in Canada to "f-word off". The Transport Minister and former provincial cabinet minister was quick to point out that streetcars will not be built in Toronto itself, and short-term jobs will not be created anyway.

Frankly, I would not be surprised if Baird was never a regular streetcar rider; and the commuters of public transit in Toronto will be quick to reciprocate the swearing, care of Ottawa, in the next election. It is simply pig-headed to talk in such defiance, knowing that Thunder Bay will benefit from the streetcar contract, and then saying it would not help anyone right now.

If our dreams were timed to their original commitments, and politics weren't as dirty, then the subway extension to York University and Vaughan would have been open right now. And those "new streetcars" would have been delivered in 2010. Next year.

Instead, our representatives in Queen's Park and Ottawa are quick to play games, elections and "liar, liar, pants on fire". The lack of forward-thinking in government means that the Bombardier plant in Thunder Bay won't be churning out any new streetcars until Minister Baird decides not to continue his big-ego attitude towards this issue.

Excuse after excuse. "Not enough Canadian content", "this funding is allocated to roads and bridges", "the City of Toronto should bump up future construction and find the savings to fund the contract". Anything to avoid saying "fat chance", since the electorate would not be happy hearing that.

Toronto has enough roads and bridges to choke itself from smog. Public transit is an investment that covers more than just Toronto. There is an increasing need and want for fast, efficient service.

And all Baird wants to imply is "streetcars are not infrastructure".

Semantics? You've got 'em.

15. Periwinkle Mood Swings
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Description: I admire the individuality of my walkman cell phone. It's a device that lets me choose the tone of my day and gives me the choice of listening to conventional radio. It doesn't treat me like a confused sheep or an ice cream product posted "Made in Canada" but with significant content from New Zealand. My attitude towards life can be as blissful as a Celine Dion tune or as torturous and melancholy as... a Celine Dion tune.

I gave the conventional radio station a try the other day and was enjoying the influx of new tune to supplement the outrageously drowsy elevator music that I, and around ten percent of the radio audience in Toronto are used to, according to last industry survey.

Considering we're into a new year, and another minority term of federal government over in Ottawa, I was startled to hear an ad from our gorgeous friends, the Conservatives.

"Let's make government work," screamed this ad's overall tone and bit, "we need to reach a consensus bladdy-blah..."

Is this because Stephen Harper was denied a majority?

Was this because our Queen of Canada... ahem... Governor-General gave Stevie a Christmas break slash pick me up from certain political death slash let the public forget my latest boondoggle?

Frankly any political advertising, especially from the governing Conservatives, about a consensus "anything" is patronising and insults a regular voter like myself to believe that they were always this conciliatory to political opinion and opponent contrary to their own. Do the Conservatives really think that I forgot their pathetic ways to "crush" what they see as representatives of the dominion undeserving of their seats even though we voted for them? I'm still reeling from the fact that Conservatives even run partisan ads in a post-election non-election period.

The mongrels we have in parliament, regardless of political stripe, are pathetically laden with archaic semantics only acceptable in the Victorian era. I am certainly not fond of public advertising calling opposition moves as "Un-Canadian" or compared to a coup of any sort.

No, that's called democracy in the Canadian dominion. And any political party should be sued for calling what is legal, "illegal". It's an arrogance that drives me further away from ever voting periwinkle.

Maybe I should just use my next ballot paper in the bathroom instead. That's what our current Prime Minister suggests with his current ad campaign and put-downs.

16. Voting: So (A)-pathetic
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Description: Why is it so hard to vote?

Even with minority governments, the time in which we can exercise such a fundamental right is so easily wasted and ignored by an uninterested public.

I turned eighteen years old the day before municipal elections were held back in 2006. All I had to do, even without my name on the official voters' roll at the time, was to bring appropriate identification. It was easy, quick, painless and I got to say it was a calming feeling.

Earlier that day, a female friend and I were trolling (which is probably a lousy way to describe it) on Yonge Street in Toronto, entering an adult-themed shop just because I could as a person over the age of majority. It wasn't as painless or calming as voting, but for some voters they would rather enter an adult shop than vote at all.

For the record, I glanced and gave a disgusted look considering my naivete and baby face to boot, dragging my suddenly amused female friend out of the store.

People are definitely not liking the government as we see it in general. I'm certainly not thrilled with partisanship, or corporate donations, or moustaches for that matter. But voting was a right that we as a country fought for in war and with the British.

I'm sure that this history lesson has already bored most apathetic voters I'm trying to convince.

Election laws stipulate that you have the time to vote. You can be excused from work or probably school just to slip that ballot into the ballot box.

But why such low turnouts these days? Sure, we're not satisfied with politics.

But without voting, even with a spoilt or blank ballot, you as a non-voter has given all permission to let the current system continue its apathetic voter-making ways.

So take your damn Voter Information Card, and say what you need to say on that small piece of paper. Why is it so hard to vote?

17. Let Girls Be Girls
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Description: For you parents who have growing teenagers in your family; watch out. A life of bad habits may be developing from here.

It's probably most important to shield your kids to most harms in life; this can be learned from school in the right instruction at least. Some may not have received important talks, but judging by judgment, those not told would know better.

Like refraining from excessive alcohol.

I don't know if a couple of close friends of mine are crazy, but I was sitting in an overpriced hotel room wondering where in heavens they were. They were at least, in my watch, drinking alcohol willfully and left soon after.

What am I to say to myself? I had a drink myself but this is simply not right. I should've stopped them. But I couldn't as they're legally adults. But they say they're responsible.

It's impossible for me to figure this out: should I put my moral foot down like the father figure they prescribed me, or should I just sit and chill as advertised?

Time to figure that out. And you'll have to too.

18. Security Check
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Description: "You need to complete this form," the flight attendant told me and fellow passengers on a plane from Tokyo, Japan. She was distributing and holding arrival cards for the inevitable descent and entrance into the United States.

I had no intention to enter the country. I was just coming back from a week-long vacation that was long needed and I wanted to go home. But I had to complete an arrival card anyways.

That's the cost of flying these days. Many passengers who plan on going to faraway countries are sometimes restricted by requiring a connection through the US. Thanks to airline alliances and the hub and spoke system, the economy of flying in recent times meant the most interesting trips through American security.

I have no beef or any kind of protein towards the theory; if it means I can fly with whomever I want under a reasonable fare, sign me up. But sometimes the checkpoints of airports in the United States can be stunningly tactless.

I recall my first trip to Tokyo, coming home with a delicate present made of glass for a close friend of mine. As I approached the security checpoint at Chicago O'Hare, my bag was gregariously emptied, its contents making a big thump. The oversensitive red-haired officer squealed that I couldn't touch my backpack whilst I was trying to help.

But sometimes, one will find a bit of heart inbetween the metal detectors and security equipment.

This time around, I was guarding against any future damaged souvenirs. I am probably worried enough about what I carry after the security check, to the extreme point of making sure I didn't splurge in the airport shops on anything delicate or breakable.

As the backpack went through the machine, a security officer yelled "bag check". I cringed at the fear of another uncomfortable experience.

The second officer passed on the bag to me, unemptied. "Am I alright?" I asked.

"You're good. You have a nice day, sir."

Maybe this "third country" idea isn't as bad.

19. Get it Yourself!
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Description: So, I was working hard one day at my desk when I had a sudden urge to consume something that was quick, fast, and damaging to my overall health. Remembering the days as a child where fast food was such a delight, I quickly scrambled to find a telephone number of some fixed protein conglomerate that could deliver.

I reached the cordless phone and in about three or four rings later, to my delight, an operator picked up and asked for my street address.

It's not hard to find me: I'm down the road from a pizza establishment.

"Is it (your address) in Bolton," the female voice sensually asked. Bolton? That's several miles away from where I was.

I then gave my postal code to her when she gave me some advice that made my liver ever happier: They can't deliver.

"You can't deliver?!?" I exclaimed. She then explained that I was quite a ways away from any delivery area they serve.

I then hung up, frustratingly in silence. The smell of a "deep fried something" permeated my mind and I was desperate for saturated fat.

Another phone number was pulled from my Yellow Pages directory, this time for a pizzeria. They're known for fat topped and tossed in fat, stuffed with fat in the sensually fatty crust.

The operator from this restaurant sent me to a local franchisee, who then proclaimed that "he didn't deliver" and proceeded to send me to a franchisee who did deliver. From that crosstown location, the third operator sent me back to the main line, where another operator told me that no one delivers to my area!

I then realized that these calls led me absolutely nowhere. Who orders delivery nowadays? In fact, the two chains I called are owned by the same company.

I gave up. I walked to the grocery store next door and fed my gastronomical mandarins with home cooked food. My liver has never been so thankful.

20. Truscott Vindicated
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Description: At the age of fourteen years, a young man was enjoying his life growing up in a town not too far from Windsor, Ontario.

This young man was riding his bicycle, and even gave a helpful lift for a classmate he knew. You could tell that this man was very gentlemanly.

Suddenly, in a blink of an eye he was arrested, charged and brought to death row, reportedly staying there for over a decade. The young man found out that his classmate, the one he gave that helpful lift to, was murdered, and he was the culprit least according to the authorities at the time.

The outrage caused by his potentially lethal sentence was reduced to time in prison, and after he was released the man had lived discreetly, never to be heard until recently.

Stephen Truscott sought to clear his name, and the same court system that sentenced him to the gallows, acquitted him.

As a miscarriage of justice, it was about time he was cleared of something he didn't do. This case shut him out from enjoying the most lively years of his life, and I for one am angry that it has happened in the first place.

At least Mr. Truscott can live the rest of his life confident that he was vindicated. That is good to hear.

21. Political Seal Fluff
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Description: A Californian has got me riled up again.

Ignoring the ridiculously airy fluff you can otherwise find in budget ice cream at your local Loblaws, comes the frothy but lucrative views of American politics.

The constituents that elected the House of Representatives of our southern neighbour passed a resolution that doesn't affect them at all. In fact, a good-sized group of Maritimers would be affected first (if it affects anyone at all).

Tom Lanos, a US representative from the Golden State presented, and successfully passed, a bill condemning the so-called "stunning barbarianism of Canadian hunters".

Might I remind you, I have fumigated most of this premises before with the seal hunt. But this has happened in the wake of Belgian lawmakers giving us a shot in the foot.

Let's face it. Some politics are dirty. And some, corrupt. But this is ridiculous...

Given that seal pelts are sold mainly in China and the less confrontational (compared to Belgium) countries of Scandinavia.

22. The Poor Old Loonie (and its rise to even more confusion).
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Description: It's obvious that patriotism will be in quite a high recently, given that our humble Canadian Dollar has soared into the sights of rates we haven't seen since "King of Kensington" was still on television. It's not very shocking at all for some, but others are worried of a possible death knell to an important part of the Canadian economy. But that's life in a capitalist society like ours.

Canada has been known to be cheap. So cheap, a lot of economic life depends on us being cheap. And other than those "No Name" brand generic products you see in the supermarket, it's quite a good thing to have. That means more employment for people all around, from moviemakers who have moved their craft to Spadina Crescent for a good vigorous filming to carmakers who like their parts being a bit cheaper to produce.

But the heydays of a booming Canadian economy leading from the 90s are ending, quite soon perhaps. We have been in quite the limbo when you think about it. Economic resources and unusual politics have given us some more wealth, but the manufacturers and city governments who used to cherish those dollars coming in are worried they would cease to exist in advantage to other places because our loon has flew up near space.

Should we be worried? In my opinion, no. Back when the Canadian Dollar was worth less than the Canadian Tire dollar in morale and spiritual principle, residents were complaining of how much their money isn't worth so much in places like ahem... south of the border.

Maybe that spending from companies outside the country will be headed back to where they originated? We all don't know.

But we remain envious of Alberta's flower gardens; remember, they have no debt anymore!

23. Birchmount Bitching
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Description: Birchmount Park Collegiate in Scarborough was home to quite the set of disturbances earlier today. And in the end, in my opinion, the events that followed was the fault of everyone, apart from the police and media.

The freedom of speech is cherished here in Canada, to the point of being legally enshrined. This was the message that students brought out in their protest after a number of students were suspended for making comments online. The demonstration grew, especially after the fire alarm was pulled, and thanks to an altercation with police, a couple of students are now detained.

What is the point of the freedom of speech, anyways? Well, even the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has its legal interpretation, but in the raw, it's about expressing views.

The school was right in the first place for determining that the students were basically striking down the reputation of the teacher involved. It is unfair and intolerant to have teachers being disrespected to this point. It's ridiculously arrogant, however, to suspend students without explaining what these comments were. It is too much for the Toronto District School Board to have a heavy hand over something they don't have authority in. The internet is open to all, but responsibility involves the school, not just the students.

The students involved are just as arrogant, even self-centered, to use such a fundamental right to further their own interests. I understand that the right to speech is paramount, but by high school, students are taught that there is a responsibility involved with a line between freedom of speech and libel. It's ridiculously rude to bully, even teachers, and it's not freedom of speech if you cross the line.

It seems that students and teachers have feet in their mouths. That's fine... if you can walk with your buttocks.

24. We celebrate for less, everyday.
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Description: I am reminded by a commercial for Wal-mart that aired a few years back. An employee of this conglomerate approached a member of the famous country group, Lonestar, asking if he knew a particular tune that caught her attention. It was, quite obviously, one of Lonestar's early hits that this employee was belting out, and this member of Lonestar decided to follow the sing-a-long. That was the first commercial I've ever seen from Wal-mart.

Several years later, this large retailer decided to put the word "Christmas" back into holiday shopping. The mandatory advertising campaign that most retailers undertake has seen a dramatic turn into the politically correct, and Wal-mart decided to revert to "the good old days", when speaking of holidays were not frowned upon.

I am reminded by the outrage that was the result of renaming Toronto's Christmas Tree. Critics and pundits alike feasted on this decision with indulgence, claiming that "Holiday Tree" simply doesn't make sense for a holiday mostly celebrated in Canada by Christians.

In my opinion, the kind of changes we have seen to have our December holidays more inclusionary have done quite the opposite, creating havoc to those that are religiously convicted.

No one in this right world will say "I'm Dreaming of a White Holiday" or re-tooling that hit by Wham, "Last Holiday". Mariah Carey won't say that all she wanted for holiday is you. That's like touching the Koran and calling it "The Religious Book".

Regardless of my opinion in the severity of making the holiday season politically correct, I believe that Wal-mart's right. We should be inclusionary, not exclusionary to everyone.

25. Isolationist Tendencies
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School shootings have been a plenty recently here in the great continent of North America. It comes as no surprise, as we have all gone through this before, and the only thing we can do is hope it doesn't happen again.

But how do these shootings happen in the first place? Some say that the social fabric of an educational institution can leave a few out of "the mainstream". Others believe the system of gun control, or lack of one, may be the cause of all this. Or could it be the parent to blame, not preventing their attacker/child from performing all this suffering?

In my humble opinion, it's probably a combination of some or all of these factors. The childhood playground may serve as a temporary nirvana to students, relatively innocent to the eye.

But the prescence of bullying can be just about common in many playgrounds, isolating those who then consider themselves as "loners". As a child, I admit I had been subjected to this kind of war tactic, but although I remained peaceful into the high school years, some may want to take revenge. If this was the cas,e inclusion to the social fabric would have solved most of the concern.

As some people may bring grudges into adulthood, our next step to preventing such heartbreak would be controlling the flow of guns. If a possible assailant can't get ahold of his killing machine, we needn't worry. But we obviously know that we cannot control every single gun.

Our could it be the parents? The shooter in the Dawson College incident was an avid collector of guns, and his mother never realised his deadly potential.

All in all, we cannot pinpoint on any one cause. We need a very effective strategy to figure this all out.