24K Pizza

If you have a little disposable income, and you just can't think of what to do with it, consider placing an order for a 24K gold-topped pizza at Toronto's Magic Oven. At the moment, all you'll need is $108.00 CDN for a large pizza topped with five gold-leaf sheets. Since the metal in its pure state adds no odour or taste to your order, it's a good thing that the Magic Oven uses other, more flavourful ingredients they proudly declare to be "free of additives, sweeteners, colourings, and preservatives". Founded in 1997 by a husband and wife team, the restaurant staff also make pizzas to accommodate various dietary concerns, so vegans, the lactose-intolerant and those with gluten problems can all happily chow down.
Even those who want to do their part to protect the environment can patronize the Magic Oven, knowing that the establishment uses bio-degradable packaging, recycled paper menus, pizza boxes crafted from recycled cardboard, and bio-degradable plastic bags. "Magic Oven restaurant locations are all reclaimed sites, saved from
demolition crews and featuring recycled furniture and fixtures."
People have been ingesting the metal for centuries, in food and in medicinal preparations in the Ayurvedic tradition. In 2006, the preserves manufacturer, F Duerr and Sons, created the world;s most expensive marmalade by including golf-flake in the list of ingredients. It sold for more than $10,000. For a little less of a hit to the wallet here in Toronto, lawyers and corporations celebrating major deals have been the biggest purchasers of the gold-topped pizzas, but you might want to consider joining their ranks just once, especially if there's a significant other you really want to score with. After all, gold is said to be an aphrodisiac.

Carbon Offset Screw-Ups?

The idea of carbon offsets is gradually gaining wider acceptance. I've blogged about it before, back in January of this year, with the story about the NHL's Andrew Ference and other players who are purchasing carbon credits. The David Suzuki Foundation is "work(kng) with them to ensure that this initiative has environmental integrity..."
I was at the Foundation website tonight, noshing on a few tidbits of info offered there, and I came across the "Who's Doing It?" listing of organizations and individuals who are going carbon neutral. The rock band Coldplay is included among those who have "offset the emission associated with their concerts and albums". There can't be a whole lot of people left who don't know about the farce that their carbon offset effort morphed into. In order to offset the carbon emissions created by their second album, released in 2002, they nobly paid for 10,000 mango trees to be planted in India. The problem is that these short years after the righteous action was undertaken, the trees are all dead.
The Suzuki Foundation needs to update their website. Leaving sloppy loose ends like that one lying around is only going to trip them up. It isn't going to add to their credibility. Of course, there are wrinkles to be ironed out of the carbon offset fabric, but staying right up to date in the info you offer and acknowledging the setbacks has to be a better way to go.

Too Important to Be Left to Environmentalists?

The June 2008 issue of Wired magazine declares that "the war on greenhouse gases is too important to be left to environmentalists" and then proceeds to dispense their own words of wisdom on today's major buzzword issue. They don't waste a whole lot of print citing sources for their purported facts, which should lead readers to wonder, whence come these stats?
I read their blurb about tree farming, for instance, wherein they state that a tree "shifts from being a vacuum cleaner for atmospheric carbon to an emitter". They aver that it is only during the first 55 years of its lifespan that a tree functions as the aforementioned vacuum cleaner. According to the giants of environmental wisdom at Wired, a tree absorbs approximately 1,500 pounds of carbon dioxide during those 55 years, and then its growth slows and it begins to take up more space than it's worth in the effort to tame the carbon beast.
Intrigued by the broadside of supposed facts fired from the magazine's page, I went in search of support or dissent. I found Carbon-info.org, a self-described not-for-profit, social enterprise founded by Flemming Bermann in 2006. One of Bermann's reasons for founding the organization is what he calls the urgent requirement to consolidate the info on global warming that is publicly available, and to explain it in layman's terms. The problem with the concept of layman's terms arises when you have an explanation beginning with unqualified laymen, who make supposedly factual declarations that could misdirect the public understanding of an issue. This is happening in Wired's article.
The "answers" provided by the mag are all far too simple. Hell, most of them fit into a couple of paragraphs. Come on guys, global warming is a complex issue. How can you pretend you know better than those who make it their life study? How can you presume to encapsulate answers in little blurbs that give sadly simplistic pretend-solutions? Are you trying to salve the collective american conscience by throwing around enough ballyhoo to raise clouds of dust and cover a retreat from common sense?
Interestingly, if you take a little time with Carbon-info.org, you'll see a data model that details the generic CO2 absorption from the atmosphere for one tree over a one-hundred-year period as being about 1,100 kg. Look at the tables they show and you'll see that the tree's absorption continues increasing during this time. It does not begin a decline at the 55-year mark.
Another interesting little nugget you'll encounter if you wander around the Carbon-info website, is their declaration that "America is a climate bully". If those words strike a responsive chord, get yourself involved in the campaign that speaks $$$$, "the only language the U.S. listens to", according to Bermann. Not one to simply make a declaration, unlike the folks at the zine, Bermann's organization has compiled a U.S. climate dossier that shows America's repeated failure to act on climate change. Gotta' love how the site wedges its tongue firmly in cheek and calls the stateside lack of action, "the new weapon of mass destruction".
Unless you have your head stuck in the sand, you've acknowledged global warming as a fact. If you want some info on the topic you can trust, look a little further afield than the way-too-easy reading offered by writers who don't even bother to cite sources. Get yourself directly involved, instead of waiting for someone else to fix the problem. There's nothing like giving kids a sense of ownership and empowerment re environmental problems, so get the whole family on board. Consider starting with a carbon footprint calculator. There's one available from the good folks at Carbon-info.org, if you want to find one quickly and easily. They'll give you a free demo and three months free support, and you can do your calculations in imperial or metric.
After you've raised your awareness of the problem and possible solutions, you can take a little time this summer, especially if your town is hit by a blackout, and go for a walk. Find a tree that looks especially hoary and give it a hug. Lay your face on its craggy surface and breathe in some of the cleaner air it offers. Then feel a moment of gratitude that there are people around who don't rush out to chop down every tree older than 55 years of age just because some dork at a magazine thinks s/he knows everything.

Say It Loud and Clear, Stephen

An announcement that some thought was years away has just been made by Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl. On June 11, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will raise his voice in the House of Commons to offer an official apology for abuses suffered by former residents of the hell-holes that were the native residential schools. Strahl is promising it will be the "meaningful and respectful" apology sought by the First Nations for so many years. "I am hopeful that the apology will help turn the page from the sad legacy of Indian residential schools and open a new chapter — one that is founded on renewed hope, faith, mutual respect and trust," Strahl said in his statement.
On June 1, a five-year truth commission will begin its work, hearing personal stories from survivors of the residential schools' systemic abuse. The apology and the truth commission are long overdue.

May they help the healing to begin.

An Act of Criminal International Misogyny

According to the World Health Organization, (WHO) gender-based violence, or violence against women is a "a major public health and human rights problem throughout the world." There are likely not too many countries where stats could not be gathered on this problem, but one that provides far too many of the most heinous is the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the words of Stephen Lewis, former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, what is happening there "is an act of criminal international misogyny, sustained by the indifference of nation states and by the delinquency of the United Nations." the current UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs has said that the Congo was the worst place in the world for women.
Stories about the situation crop up now and again, but the move to help from the privileged western countries seems to be sadly out of step with the need. The Economist magazine carries an article in its May 2008 edition titled "Atrocities Beyond Words". It speaks of the "barbarous campaign of rape" being conducted there, and echoes Lewis' words when it emphasized the need for outside aid and intervention. "The hope is that outside governments ... may offer political and financial support."
For the ordinary Joe like you or me, some of the details of the violence perpetrated in the Congo may by more than you want to know; they would probably stay in your mind far longer than you'd want, presenting images likely to interfere with your sleep. You can look up Eve Ensler's article written after returning from a visit to the Congo, but be warned you're going to need a strong stomach. I will not try to detail any of it here. After reading some of it yesterday - I could not make it all the way through - I am still trying to forget it. What I can not allow myself to forget is the suffering going on there and my responsibility to help in any way I can. If you find yourself feeling the same way, you can write a letter to His Excellency, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila Kabange, demanding that he take action to stop the attacks on women. Send it to U.N. Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, P.O. Box 3862, New York, NY 10163, and it will be delivered to Kabila.
Another way to help, of course, is to pull out your wallet. Giving to the Panzi Hospital is going to provide you with a chance to spend a little or a lot, in one of the best ways possible - reaching out to others in need. The Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, South Kivu, the Congo, cares for thousands of women and girls who have survived brutal acts of sexual violence and torture. The figure is a staggering 3,500 each year, all of whom are cared for by Panzi's lone gynaecologist, Doctor Mukwege, and his dedicated staff. Click here to access the Stephen Lewis Foundation website, where you can find the info you'll need to donate online or over the phone.
Please, do something. The need for your involvement is desperate.

Set Your Sights on the Olympics, Bladerunner

The International Association of Athletics Federations had previously banned South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius from all competitions involving able-bodies athletes because of claims that the specially adapted carbon fibre blades he runs on gave him unfair advantage. Today, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned that ban.
A double amputee below the knees, since he was 11 months old, Pistorius had a personal best of 46.46 seconds in his event, the 400m. Minimum Olympic qualifying time is 45.95. Don't you think if those blades gave him that much-feared unfair advantage, he'd already have set records seconds below the Olympic standard?
Take a look at the man, and it is impossible to miss the musculature evident of all the hard training he does. If anything will help him land a spot on the slow boat to China and the games at Beijing, it will be his dedication and determination, blades or not. Said Pistorius, "Today, I can pursue my dream of competing in the Olympic Games. If it's not for Beijing, it will be for London in 2012." The response of Lamine Diack, President of the IAAF, was to say, "The IAAF accepts the decision of CAS and Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer. He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future."
Maybe what this decision says, far more than just giving the green light to someone who is differently-abled to compete the able-bodied is that the distinction between the two is not quite as important as so many seem to think it is. Maybe the message implicit in this whole tale of Oscar and his bid for the Olympics is that the clock should be the only to make any distinction between Pistorius and the other runners.
Maybe labels like disabled and able-bodied have no place in this race, at all.

Tidbits

A couple of items caught my eye today.
The first one is the fact that you can now order aquatic eyewear made with your eyeglass prescription, so you can now swim confidently off in the right direction, without bumping into pool walls or sea life, like I would do if I had to leave behind my land-lock lenses.
Both competition and recreational swim goggles are made by Sable WaterOptics and distributed in North America by See Worthy Inc. The goggles are made with anti-fog and anti-scratch technology, as well as with optional prescription lenses. If you're interested, the part I like best is that the head office of See Worthy Inc. is located here in Toronto.
These people are serious about goggles, offering individualized fit provided by a selection of narrow, medium, and wide nose bridges, as well as free once-in-a-lifetime lens replacement. I don't even get that from my landlubber lens providers.


The other tidbit I chanced across this morning was the newly discovered arachnid found last year in Jefferson County, Alabama by Jason Bond, a biologist at East Carolina University. The eight-legged newbie is a member of the genus Myrmekiaphila, or trapdoor spiders.
In order to identify the spider as a new species, it was necessary for scientists to examine both its physical features and genetic material. Most of all, apparently, the ID is done by discerning differences in genitalia. Spiders, sipposedly, have some of the most elaborate genitalia of all animals.
Bond decided to name the new member of the trapdoor set, "Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi." He says it is because he enjoys Young's music and respects him as an activist for peace. There's no mention of genitalia in his reasoning, however, so I don't think Young will be able to use the naming to start any rumours about himself, like Sting did.

Fair Trade Flowers for Mom

"For every flower that we are able to sell, a child is able to study. Here in Ecuador, there are so many children that do not study. For this reason, it's very important to buy Fair Trade flowers, because our children are our future."

Those words were spoken by Mariana Vasquez, of the Hoja Verde Flower Farm, but they could be a quote from anyone who works on a fair trade flower farm in any of the other countries where they operate.
With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, you might be thinking of making a gift of flowers on Sunday May 11. Your gift, intended to make your mother's day a little brighter, can do so much more than that, if you make sure the flowers are fair trade certified. In addition to fair wages paid to the workers and protection from harmful pesticides, Fair Trade certification requires the flower farms provide employee benefits that include 12 weeks paid maternity leave, vacation and sick leave, and childcare. The workers are given a premium of between 8 and 12% of each sale to invest in community development, and provided with training to implement development projects of their choosing. These projects can include adult literacy and gardens to feed their families. Some Fair Trade Certified flower farms have even given supervisory positions to women, quite a departure from the norm in most of the countries boasting these farms. Your mother's fair trade bouquet can help to ensure that women worldwide have an opportunity to equal access of employment. It will also help to protect the environment, since Fair Trade certification ensures that farms "comply with rigorous environmental standards governing the use of pesticides, conservation of water, treatment of waste water, protection of ecosystems and more. There is an extensive list of agrochemicals that are completely prohibited on Fair Trade farms, and others that must be phased out over time."
If you have any question about the quality of fair trade flowers,a few figures from Switzerland might provide answers for you. 50 per cent of all roses sold there are fair trade certified, and a whopping 97 per cent of Swiss consumers say the Fair Trade Flowers are of equal or even better quality than the norm.
Click here to find fair trade flowers in Canada, and have a great day this Sunday!

Shoe Sales One-Oh-One

We had the pleasure this past weekend to meet one of the best shoe sales persons you could ever hope to have serving you. Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet her until after our money had been scorned by one of the worst you'd ever want to encounter.
Let's start with Mr. Dumbass, shall we? He works for Harry Young Shoes and we met him at their 67 Front Street East location, although he told us that he was only "on loan" there from the Yonge Street branch. He was going to help us with shoes for my daughter, who wears a B width and has a rather narrow heel compared to the front of her foot. This can mean the shoe salesperson needs to have a little patience, a little more willingness to actually perform the duties for which they were hired, since it is rare for the first pair offered to be the one she takes. That said, however, the number of shoes brought out for her to try is often no different than that brought out for many a woman who simply wants to find the nicest pair, the most comfortable or fashionable pair they can. If the salesperson has that aforementioned skill set, they may well see their efforts end with a satisfied customer trekking to the cash register, wallet in hand. When you get right down to it, isn't that what any sales clerk is supposed to be after - that walk over to ring in the purchase and add to the profit margin of their employer? It would seem to make good sense for a salesperson who wants to help their employer to continue writing pay cheques.
Mr. Moron, obviously, failed Sales One-Oh-One. He started out by measuring my daughter's foot and saying, "Well, you're not one of my narrowest-foot customers." Pardon me for asking, but what exactly was that supposed to mean? For most North American women, "B" width is regarded as the average. It is not out of the norm, so why did he feel obliged to say anything about it? Even if it were a little unusual, any salesclerk with a little bit of a pleasant manner would have nothing to say about it.
This public relations failure headed out back and brought back three pairs for my daughter to try on. With each one, she experienced the problem she so often does, which is that she "walks out" of the heel of the shoe when she lifts her foot in a normal walking motion, if the fit of the shoes is not just right for her. He very quickly began to lose interest, and even said to her about the last pair she tried and declined, "Well, I thought they looked good on you." Again, I have a question to ask. Was that comment supposed to tell her to ignore the comfort factor and buy shoes simply to get out of his way?
At this point, he said "We specialize in narrow fitting shoes." and then he seemed to shut down, standing there just looking at us for a moment. I had gone to their website before our shopping trip, however, and saw that they list themselves as providing shoes up to a "C" width, so I tried saying to him, "You know your stock. You know what you have available. Is there a pair of shoes that you think might fit her better than what she has tried so far?"
His response was actually, " I would suggest you try another store." Not exactly what you might expect to hear, right? Well, we took him up on that, and ended up at "K Shoes of England" where my daughter purchased two pairs of shoes, contributing over $300.00 toward the economic health of that store. The idiot back at Harry Young seemed to have no qualms at all in turning away a potential sale. It makes you wonder how many other times he does that in a day. It makes you wonder if his boss knows about his sales technique, or even cares.
The saleswoman we encountered at the second store was as different from Mr. Moron as night from day. She greeted us with a smile, and it reappeared repeatedly during the time she was helping us. She brought out pair after pair to be tried on, and never once acted as though it was the least bit of a chore for her to do so. She quickly understood what kind of shoe was being sought, (after all, it really doesn't take a rocket scientist to do that) and even brought out a couple of pairs my daughter had not looked at, saying when she did so. "Here's a pair I thought you might like to try. They're a little different from the others you were trying, so you can compare and decide which one feels best." Now that's one heck of a good salesperson. That's a clerk who actually does what she was hired to do. Her super pleasant, helpful manner is one that will bring repeat business to that store.
Both of those clerks provided material for word-of-mouth advertising, and I have no problem offering it to anyone who's interested in listening. As well as telling readers here about the two stores and the encounters we had there, I've already spread the word to various friends and family members. After hearing the details, which store would you rather visit?