Jason's Misguided Blog -- Dec 2003

Dec 30: We saw hyper-kinetic performances by the Mudmen and Spirit Of The West tonight. It was the first time seeing Spirit, and liked some of their music, enough to buy an album, but my friends and I went especially for the bagpipe-rockers.
Dec 24: My better half and I have plans, but for the indecisive (and cheap), I recommend either Mark "Bird" Stafford @ Chicago's, or Horseshoe's unofficial house band The Sadies' third annual New Year's Eve bash. Celebrating 2004 shouldn't require spending a paycheck to have a good time.
Dec 22: Have a joyous holiday season, but remember to drive safely!
Dec 15: My mother says we did a mitzvah by joining other volunteers on the weekend sorting frozen foods for distribution through Second Harvest.
Dec 7: The weekend offered an open house for the New Terminal 1 at Pearson International Airport. Much like Terminal 3, only bigger, decorated with art, and more traveler-friendly. We were greeted by an army of tour guides with glossy brochures that described the construction and purpose of the multi-billion dollar facility. Although we love planes, museums are preferred over actual flying.

Big box stores are sprouting across the city faster than low-cost housing. Soon, there will be another development up the street from where I live. Traffic during rush-hour is already chaotic, but the arrival of a supermarket and other popular retailers could be more irritating than convenient. Especially, with a store of Wal-Mart's size and appeal. The more is revealed about their business and employment practices, the more justified I feel taking my money elsewhere.

If AIDS, cancer, and Alzheimer's are diseases, what is antisemitism? How can you treat racists like alcoholics and drug abusers by using support groups and sensitivity courses to reform them? Condemning entire peoples, based on the actions of a few, is demeaning. After reading Neil Baldwin's thoroughly researched and well written book, Henry Ford and the Jews: The Mass-Production of Hate, I'm angered by how little has changed. Ford bought a newspaper to spread his bigotry, which was republished across the world as gospel. Unfortunately, being wealthy is not a mark of intelligence. Too many newspaper owners use their clout to promote right-wing ideals or extreme points of view. Ford's cars, like his uneducated and narrow opinions, were aimed at commoners. Maybe, his sights should have been set higher.
A recent article directed me to a local comic called m@b. They're witty, not always funny, snippets of Toronto life. This strip is my favourite. I won't hide my anti-SUV bias. They're dangerous and costly monsters that do more harm to others than to the drivers of these misused 'light trucks.' Studies show just how poorly built and fuel inefficient SUV's can be. Driving is already a nightmare in this city. Let's work together before it gets worse.

The year's end brought updates to the directory, including merging two pages. Next month, a new reading list section.

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