My family does a lot (okay, most) of their shopping at Costco. Which is pretty cool; Costco has a lot of quality goods. But over the past year I've noticed something... INSIDIOUS.
*cue dramatic music*
You see, there's this brand called Kirkland Signature that I've become familiar with. My first experience with Kirkland Signature was when my parents bought a massive package of burgers in that particular brand. Now, everything from Costco comes in a massive package, so that was to be expected. The burgers were some of the best I've ever had too. So far so good. But every time we went to Costco, we looked around...
Kirkland Signature Hydrating Conditioner.
Kirkland Signature Whole Fancy Cashews.
Kirkland Signature Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware.
Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers.
Kirkland Signature Artichoke Hearts.
Kirkland Signature Men's Solid Dress Pants.
The list goes on and on; it's disconcerting, I tells ya!
The thing is, Kirkland Signature is a Costco-only brand. In-house, if you may. Essentially, most of the products in Costco are produced by Costco themselves. Which is when we realized the truth; the Kirkland Signature brand is the real life version of the Dharma Initiative brand.
Think about it. *sage nod*
Mar 28, 2009
Mar 27, 2009
Expanding My Online Reading List
Two new feminist blogs I have discovered:
Screaming into the Void - She's angry and scathing, just the way I like my feminists.
Diary of a Black Male Feminist - Now there's something you don't see everyday. *thumbs up*
An excerpt from his latest post, addressing Chris Brown (for obvious reasons):
It's a fantastic piece, I'd recommend it to anyone. But especially men.
Screaming into the Void - She's angry and scathing, just the way I like my feminists.
Diary of a Black Male Feminist - Now there's something you don't see everyday. *thumbs up*
An excerpt from his latest post, addressing Chris Brown (for obvious reasons):
My crossroad came when a person came into my life and shook me to the core. This person started the deconstruction of my male belief system and 20 years later am I continuing that work. I was stuck in this “man prison” because my definition of masculinity was limited. Once I alleviated both perceived and real peer pressure that motivated me to engage in physical and sexual aggression to affirm my masculinity I was free.
It's a fantastic piece, I'd recommend it to anyone. But especially men.
Mar 25, 2009
Canadian Content
Daily factoid:
Hoo boy, I hate to paint people with the same brush but my first thought after reading this? Fox News. :P
Speaking of Fox News, not going to dwell upon the whole horrible event where the Canadian Forces were mocked on national television. The host apologized, but in a predictably smarmy way. "Misunderstood" my ass.
In other Canadian news (or should I say Torontonian news?) there's a kerfuffle going on over Karen Stintz taking public speaking lessons with the taxpayers' money.
Fnargh, I cannot stand the use of the adjective "shrill" when describing a woman's voice. It's a gender-coded insult; how many times are men described as shrill? Shrill is used to dismiss women, to shame them into silence. Using shrill to describe a woman's voice immediately detracts from the content of her message and focuses on its presentation. And isn't that a woman's lot in life, to have her content ignored in favour of her presentation?
And yet, women clearly recognize that to succeed in a man's world, you have to talk like one. Hence the lessons. Not saying that I approve of her using taxpayer money. There's a before and after video at the link above and frankly I think the voice lessons turned her into a lifeless automaton. When she was "shrill", she was speaking passionately and from the heart. Her voice was freaking fine the way it was and haters should have just sit down and shut up instead of criticizing a competent and successful woman's voice of all things.
(As an aside, I've been tweaking zee blog over the past few days. It's looking mighty shiny right about now. :D)
The Dunning-Kruger effect is an example of cognitive bias in which people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it.
Hoo boy, I hate to paint people with the same brush but my first thought after reading this? Fox News. :P
Speaking of Fox News, not going to dwell upon the whole horrible event where the Canadian Forces were mocked on national television. The host apologized, but in a predictably smarmy way. "Misunderstood" my ass.
In other Canadian news (or should I say Torontonian news?) there's a kerfuffle going on over Karen Stintz taking public speaking lessons with the taxpayers' money.
Criticized for talking too fast and sounding "shrill" during city hall meetings, Councillor Karen Stintz decided she needed to do something about it.
So she spent $4,500 (U.S.) for public-speaking lessons last year. Then she got taxpayers to cover the costs.
The vocal opponent of Toronto Mayor David Miller used the services of Lynda Spillane, an author and vocal coach who has advised other female politicians.
Fnargh, I cannot stand the use of the adjective "shrill" when describing a woman's voice. It's a gender-coded insult; how many times are men described as shrill? Shrill is used to dismiss women, to shame them into silence. Using shrill to describe a woman's voice immediately detracts from the content of her message and focuses on its presentation. And isn't that a woman's lot in life, to have her content ignored in favour of her presentation?
And yet, women clearly recognize that to succeed in a man's world, you have to talk like one. Hence the lessons. Not saying that I approve of her using taxpayer money. There's a before and after video at the link above and frankly I think the voice lessons turned her into a lifeless automaton. When she was "shrill", she was speaking passionately and from the heart. Her voice was freaking fine the way it was and haters should have just sit down and shut up instead of criticizing a competent and successful woman's voice of all things.
(As an aside, I've been tweaking zee blog over the past few days. It's looking mighty shiny right about now. :D)
Mar 21, 2009
More Music Discoveries
I thought I couldn't love Lily Allen more!
Shame For You
I've been thinking that you've crossed the line,
if you disappeared that would be just fine,
'cause you waste my time and waste my money
and you're not too cool and you're not so funny!
Spreading your seed all over the town
getting too greedy and messing around
Oh my gosh you must be joking me
if you think that you'll be poking me.
[Chorus]
Don't take me on no, no
Don't take me on no, no
Don't take me on
Shattered the lie but you think I don't already know,
Don't try to deny 'cause my fuse is ready to blow
It's your turn to learn I think you know where to go
It's a shame, shame, shame, shame for you
Please don't come around and knock on my door
'cause I don't want to have to pick you up of the floor,
when you ask if we can still be lovers,
I'll have to introduce my brothers,
I think that they could teach you a lesson or two,
By the time they've finished you'll be black and blue
You'll be crying like a baby,
A sea of tears they'll call the navy in.
[Chorus x 2]
LOL @ that second verse. Lily Allen's lyrics can be so spiteful, but she sings them so cheerfully. ;)
Aside from that song, there's a few others I've acquired:
I've been thinking that you've crossed the line,
if you disappeared that would be just fine,
'cause you waste my time and waste my money
and you're not too cool and you're not so funny!
Spreading your seed all over the town
getting too greedy and messing around
Oh my gosh you must be joking me
if you think that you'll be poking me.
[Chorus]
Don't take me on no, no
Don't take me on no, no
Don't take me on
Shattered the lie but you think I don't already know,
Don't try to deny 'cause my fuse is ready to blow
It's your turn to learn I think you know where to go
It's a shame, shame, shame, shame for you
Please don't come around and knock on my door
'cause I don't want to have to pick you up of the floor,
when you ask if we can still be lovers,
I'll have to introduce my brothers,
I think that they could teach you a lesson or two,
By the time they've finished you'll be black and blue
You'll be crying like a baby,
A sea of tears they'll call the navy in.
[Chorus x 2]
LOL @ that second verse. Lily Allen's lyrics can be so spiteful, but she sings them so cheerfully. ;)
Aside from that song, there's a few others I've acquired:
- Ani Difranco - Loom (reminds me of her songs Firedoor and Shameless)
- Hilary Duff - Reach Out and Touch Me (I KNOW, SHUT UP. *facepalm*)
- The Prodigy - Piranha (good ol' industrial electronica)
- Flyleaf - All Around Me (so Rock Band, reminds me of Paramore)
- Estelle ft. Sean Paul - Come Over (mellow with a smooth, reggae vibe)
- Metallica - St. Anger (I mostly like this song for the beginning verses)
Feb 28, 2009
Reading and Rocking on a Friday Night
For my own reference: links of interest. (Both pertaining to the whole 'Rihanna is back with Chris Brown' thing.)
- What It Doesn't Mean
- Putting Yourself In Someone's Shoes
Now that I've got that out of the way, on to lighter fare. Fact: playing Rock Band has done very funny things to my taste in music. Here is a list of songs that I have downloaded that I never thought in a million years I would like, much less listen to repeatedly.
Still trying to get through the book Consumed by Benjamin Barber, but it's hard because it's so dry. Also, I don't really agree with the author's ideology, but I'm trying not to hold that against him. His theories are interesting, in any case.
Eh, might as well throw up a progress bar while I'm here...
42,801 / 200,000 words. 21% done!
Passed 40,000 on Monday. I've been doing well lately; I've exceeded my quota so thoroughly that technically I don't need to write a single word until the 19th of this month. I like having a little bit of leeway like that.
- What It Doesn't Mean
- Putting Yourself In Someone's Shoes
Now that I've got that out of the way, on to lighter fare. Fact: playing Rock Band has done very funny things to my taste in music. Here is a list of songs that I have downloaded that I never thought in a million years I would like, much less listen to repeatedly.
- System of a Down - Chop Suey (I always thought this song was too hardcore for me. But it's one of the best most fun songs in Rock Band. I got attached after singing it a hundred times or so.)
- AC/DC - Let There Be Rock (I've always had a massive aversion to classic rock for some reason. This song, however, was too infectious for me to resist. Again, great guitar and fun to sing too. It comes together really well.)
- Judas Priest - Painkiller (I'm still getting used to the crazy vocals, but the guitar solo = WOW. Just... WOW. I just want to jump around and air guitar when I hear it.)
- Steely Dan - Bodhisattva (I knew this song only vaguely and it's actually really groovy and jazzy and fun to sing as well. It's the sort of song that makes you wish you could jam.)
- Modest Mouse - Float On (I have a bunch of Modest Mouse songs but I hate them all, but this one I actually like. It's the music that does it for me. But the singer's voice still annoys me a bit.)
Still trying to get through the book Consumed by Benjamin Barber, but it's hard because it's so dry. Also, I don't really agree with the author's ideology, but I'm trying not to hold that against him. His theories are interesting, in any case.
Eh, might as well throw up a progress bar while I'm here...
Passed 40,000 on Monday. I've been doing well lately; I've exceeded my quota so thoroughly that technically I don't need to write a single word until the 19th of this month. I like having a little bit of leeway like that.
Feb 26, 2009
Feb 21, 2009
Gossip Is The Lowest Form Of Communication
*facepalm*
Either whoever wrote this poll is trying to trick everyone into answering a certain way, or the people who filled it out really don't have a clue.
Yes, it is important to raise awareness about domestic abuse. However, splashing pictures of a bleeding pop star on every gossip site on the web does not raise awareness about domestic abuse. It's a lurid violation of privacy. Domestic abuse is not something you gawk over, I don't care how famous Rihanna is. You want to raise awareness about domestic abuse, TMZ? It's a little thing I call 'charity fundraiser for a women's shelter'. Seriously.
To end, here's a quote from The Smoking Gun, on TMZ's history of printing photos of abuse victims:
The gossip outlet, which pays for stories and likely shelled out a fortune for the Rihanna image, last April published the name and photograph of a 14-year-old boy whom TMZ identified as the alleged victim of a sex crime. The child, the site reported, was the son of a celebrity, hence its interest in this particular minor's sexual abuse. ... [The story] was illustrated with a photo of the alleged victim that was taken when he was 10. So if TMZ editor Harvey Levin ... pops up on television to talk about his tortured decision to publish the photo of a domestic violence victim, know that he is full of shit.
This whole mess has confirmed what I already knew; TMZ is a pox upon humanity.
Feb 18, 2009
Progress And Such
Since the last word count bar I tried failed so badly, here's another:
26716 / 200,000 words. 13% done!
Much better. I have cracked 25,000 which is a great milestone. Here's an excerpt from my latest idea.
I have no idea where it's going but it's holding my attention for now. The best part? I have two main characters and when I write them I actually have two different voices. Awesome!
Much better. I have cracked 25,000 which is a great milestone. Here's an excerpt from my latest idea.
As soon as the sun sank beneath the horizon, I was back in action. Hidden underneath layers of straw was a small knife that I could barely grasp in my talons. If I could have used my beak to hold it, I would have. But my bastard owner had decided to bind my mouth shut as punishment for biting him earlier. And so I was left with no choice but to use my wretched claws instead. The knife was horribly dull, barely putting a dent into the bars of my cage. I pushed harder with the knife, metal noisily screeching against metal. Noise was the last thing I wanted; Qadir would bind my feet and clip my wings if he found me trying to escape like this. So I eased up on the pressure, slowly dragging the knife back and forth across the bar, praying to see some kind of chink in my prison. The light slowly faded, giving way to a dark night. Shadows were creeping across the vast treasure room when I realized that the knife was doing absolutely nothing. With a frustrated (but muffled) squawk, I tossed it through the bars of my cage, where it landed on top of a filigreed jewelery box.
I wished for a moment that Giedre was still here, to tell me that it was better to stay calm and unruffled, to tell me that I'd certainly be free one day, she was sure of it. But she was gone now and I was alone without a friend for the first time in five years. It was true that I knew I would one day be free of this place, that I was destined to lead a life of wonder and magnificence, but it was nice to hear it from someone else besides myself every now and then.
"Simmer down, Nisr. I'm trying to sleep."
Go to hell, old man. I fixed my steely gaze on Bilal, wishing I could screech at him through the darkness. Sensing my foul mood, he grumbled about my bad attitude, his grizzled form curling up on a carpet of indigo and gold that was his home. There were others in the vault, imprisoned treasures such as myself, but no one else spoke to me. I was too fiery, too stubborn, too willing to go too far and earn Qadir's wrath. If it was within their control, they didn't speak a word to me; Qadir was the strictest of men and they dared not get in his way.
Me, on the other hand? I wasn't afraid of Qadir. I'd seen worse than him. I had no qualms about testing his patience.
I have no idea where it's going but it's holding my attention for now. The best part? I have two main characters and when I write them I actually have two different voices. Awesome!
Feb 12, 2009
I Cracked 20,000!
Feb 10, 2009
New Song Of The Moment!
I've been watching clips from the Grammys on YouTube (all I saw on TV was M.I.A. and her boys doing Swagger Like Us) and was immediately drawn to this performance: Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke doing a song called Tie My Hands.
It's so soulful for a hip hop song, I really liked it. After downloading it and listening to it a couple of times I went hunting for the lyrics and realized that the words are a lot sadder than I originally thought. And I already knew it was a song about New Orleans. Robin Thicke's chorus is especially down:
I work at the corner store, we all got problems, problems
No one's gonna fly down low, no one's gonna save us now
How you feel, you're not alone, we're all just jealous, jealous
We don't reach the sky no more, we just can't overcome, no
You tie my hands, what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad? What is my destiny?
You tie my hands, what I am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad? What am I gonna be?
Wah. But still, I love this song. I'm listening to it on repeat, as per my usual modus operandi.
It's so soulful for a hip hop song, I really liked it. After downloading it and listening to it a couple of times I went hunting for the lyrics and realized that the words are a lot sadder than I originally thought. And I already knew it was a song about New Orleans. Robin Thicke's chorus is especially down:
No one's gonna fly down low, no one's gonna save us now
How you feel, you're not alone, we're all just jealous, jealous
We don't reach the sky no more, we just can't overcome, no
You tie my hands, what am I gonna be?
What have I done so bad? What is my destiny?
You tie my hands, what I am I suppose to see?
What have I done so bad? What am I gonna be?
Wah. But still, I love this song. I'm listening to it on repeat, as per my usual modus operandi.
Feb 9, 2009
Laughing Is Good For You
I was reading Pandagon this morning and for some reason, something Amanda Marcotte said struck me as hilarious.
*snort* Funny. Because I watch too much TLC, whilst lamenting how low that station has gone over the past fifteen years or so.
Anyhow, here's my profound question for the day, courtesy of a joke on The Daily Show, I think: how come cheese tastes so good when you put it on Italian food but so wrong when you put it on Chinese food? Think about it. ;)
"At this point in time, I had the stunning realization that the octuplets mom, who is being lambasted from every corner of the planet, might be on the sane side of over-fertile. She has certainly exposed how the pro-patriarchal arguments about the glories of unemployed, fertile femininity and the embracing of human life were all 100% empty---in the end, it’s all about having a man, and that was the difference between hero and villain. But maybe Nadya Suleman saw “Jon & Kate” and realized that you can have a litter of small children or a happy, peaceful marriage, but you can’t have both. (I guess the Duggars achieved it by removing Michelle Duggar’s personality and will from the equation.)"
*snort* Funny. Because I watch too much TLC, whilst lamenting how low that station has gone over the past fifteen years or so.
Anyhow, here's my profound question for the day, courtesy of a joke on The Daily Show, I think: how come cheese tastes so good when you put it on Italian food but so wrong when you put it on Chinese food? Think about it. ;)
Feb 4, 2009
Back On Track
After being seriously behind (I didn't even make my quota for January) I have worked hard and am now ahead of my required total word count for GYWO: 18,787 / 200,000. Hooray!
Then again... so very tired. *collapses into bed*
Then again... so very tired. *collapses into bed*
Jan 29, 2009
I Love My Crazy, Mind-Bendy Show
The Top 10 Things That Haven't Been Answered In 'Lost' That I Really Want To Know
- Where did the frozen wheel come from and who put it there?
- Who built the four-toed statue?
- What are Walt's powers and does he still have them?
- Why was Libby in Hurley's mental asylum?
- Why do pregnant women die on the island?
- What exactly is the smoke monster?
- Why did Charlotte find a polar bear in Tunisia?
- Who is Jacob?
- What the hell happened to Claire?
- What are the whispers?
Jan 27, 2009
Turn For The Worse
Good lord, I am a great deal behind on my writing quota for GYWO. I should have around 14,000 words by now but I'm only at 10,715. And not much of that has been dedicated to writing The Last Breath. *disgruntled face* I've been reduced to gathering my word count from my random blogging instead of fictional pieces, which is something that I wanted to hold off on.
Jan 26, 2009
In The News, On The Radio
Ex-Montreal pastor gets five years in prison for sex with 10-year-old 'wife' Um, NEWSFLASH you cannot "have sex" with a 10-year-old. (Age of consent, blah blah of course.) But I guess using the word 'rape' in the headline was just too much for some journalist to handle. *eyeroll*
Manitoba lesbian couple says doctor refused them because of sexual orientation I was an idiot and decided to read some of the comments to the article. Helloooooo racism. I should have know it the moment I saw the phrase 'foreign-trained'. *headdesk*
Goat detained over armed robbery BWAH?! THERE ARE NO WORDS. The sad thing? I don't see much difference between those who think a robber turned into a goat to evade prosecution, and those who think hurricanes are symbols of a sky spirit's displeasure. :P
Let's put that aside and listen to some tunes. Today, I bring to thee... NON-dance music! This is the song 'The Fear' by Lily Allen.
Great song. It's fun pop music, but she actually has a message omg.
I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear
Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars cussing each other
But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic
and that’s what makes my life so fucking fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah we're on to a winner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I’m killing them all on my own little mission
Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I’m getting thinner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cause I’m being taken over by The Fear
There are so many subversive elements to this song that it's pretty amazing. She talks about the pressure to be vacuous, conflict diamonds, useless tabloids (The Sun and The Mirror in the UK), and materialism to name a few. I just keep listening to this song on repeat. :)
Manitoba lesbian couple says doctor refused them because of sexual orientation I was an idiot and decided to read some of the comments to the article. Helloooooo racism. I should have know it the moment I saw the phrase 'foreign-trained'. *headdesk*
Goat detained over armed robbery BWAH?! THERE ARE NO WORDS. The sad thing? I don't see much difference between those who think a robber turned into a goat to evade prosecution, and those who think hurricanes are symbols of a sky spirit's displeasure. :P
Let's put that aside and listen to some tunes. Today, I bring to thee... NON-dance music! This is the song 'The Fear' by Lily Allen.
Great song. It's fun pop music, but she actually has a message omg.
I don’t care about clever I don’t care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them
I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
‘Cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah I’m on to a winner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear
Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars cussing each other
But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic
and that’s what makes my life so fucking fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption
and its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function
I’ll look at the sun and I’ll look in the mirror
I’m on the right track yeah we're on to a winner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cuz I’m being taken over by The Fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition
Cause I’m killing them all on my own little mission
Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner
Now everything's cool as long as I’m getting thinner
I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore
I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore
When do you think it will all become clear?
‘Cause I’m being taken over by The Fear
There are so many subversive elements to this song that it's pretty amazing. She talks about the pressure to be vacuous, conflict diamonds, useless tabloids (The Sun and The Mirror in the UK), and materialism to name a few. I just keep listening to this song on repeat. :)
Jan 14, 2009
Let The New Tunes Roll
I have received news that the Music Store for Rock Band 2 on Wii is now open!
OH GLORIOUS DAY!!!
OH GLORIOUS DAY!!!
Jan 10, 2009
Detours Are Fun
Hmm. I joined GYWO so that I could finish my novel, but it seems like I am simply using my daily word count to write other little things. Anything but my novel. Still, I'm doing well so far: 6,124 / 200,000 words as of today.
Jan 2, 2009
Long-Term Plans
I joined this online group called Get Your Words Out, where I pledged to write 200K words for the year 2009. I definitely think this will turn out better than my previous NaNo failures because my quota turns out to be ~550 words per day. Quite doable. I'm currently trying to finish a few one-shot stories I was writing, but once I get those out of the way it's back to finishing up my novel. I'm currently at 665 words out of 200,000, hahaha.
Here's to a brand new year of goals and challenges.
Here's to a brand new year of goals and challenges.
Jan 1, 2009
Writing Progress
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