Visit amazon.com/author/moffat to get free short stories and huge discounts on fantasy books by Charles Moffat. Sale ends on October 20th.
Fantasy Book Sale, Oct 16 to 20
Visit amazon.com/author/moffat to get free short stories and huge discounts on fantasy books by Charles Moffat. Sale ends on October 20th.
Reflections & Reveries: A Poetry Book
If you enjoy poetry by Canadian poets do check out Gail M. Murray's book: Reflections & Reveries
She has a book launch coming up on April 14th 2024 at the Stone Cottage Pub in Scarborough, Ontario. See the book launch details below:
About the Author
Gail M. Murray B.A. B. ED. was an English teacher and teacher-librarian with a focus on drama and literature. Gail grew up on a small farm in Pickering surrounded by nature, walking in woods, fields and gardens like the Romantics. For several years, Gail performed with Scarborough Theatre Guild and Scarborough Music Theatre. After retiring Gail became a free-lance writer. Like Keats, she seeks to capture the essence of the moment. Gail’s writing is a response to her natural and emotional environment.
Her poems have been published in Written Tenfold, Blank Spaces, Wordscape, Arborealis, The Banister, CommuterLit.com and her collection Reflections and Reveries. Her creative non-fiction has appeared in The
Globe and Mail, Trellis, Heartbeats, Renaissance, The Ontario
Gardener, NOW Magazine, Blank Spaces, Just Words Volume 2, Stony
Bridges, Ottawa Review of Books, Historical Novels Review, Our Canada,
More of Our Canada, Devour and Our Canada, Our Country, Our Stories.
Peasant Magazine releases its First Issue
Download a copy of the free PDF version by visiting the Peasant Magazine website, or order the 8x11 magazine of Peasant Magazine via Amazon for $4.99 USD.
The Lilith eZine Summer Edition 2011
Greetings!
If you are wondering why this isn't titled "The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition" its because we don't usually send out these emails any more. Indeed according to our records we haven't sent out a Sunday Edition since September 27th 2009.
If you have joined this mailing list in the last 2 years this will be the first time you are receiving this newsletter.
First off we should explain why the long absence... The reason is simple. We now use the Lilith News blog much more frequently and writing a weekly newsletter as opposed to a daily blog just seems silly when the blog is accessible to millions and the newsletter is only accessible to the several hundred people subscribed to this newsletter. The blog is currently getting 45,000 visitors per month so we must be doing something right. (Nudge nudge, please follow/subscribe to the Lilith News blog and follow the Facebook group too.)
Since 2009 there has been some dramatic changes at the Lilith eZine. We have redesigned our websites and reorganized them into sub-domains. Some of our website is still undergoing revisions (especially the Feminist eZine which is in the final stages of its redesign and later this year the Art History Archive will be redesigned).
There's also been some staff changes. Suzanne MacNevin (the chief editor) is currently writing a book about feminism (which you can learn more about at her blog Feminist Truths) and Charles Moffat (the website designer / co-editor) is now the CEO of the website design and SEO company designSEO.ca. Dare we say yeehaw??? Thus since we are working so much on other tasks we have handed down some of the responsibilities to new people like Ai Lung Nguyen and Monique Bellamont. (If you'd like to help out in any way we're always looking for new writers.)
And now to the juicy bits...
The United States is heading down the road of financial turmoil. We won't say disaster, because we don't think that is the case. For a little over a decade now the USA has been riding on its economic coat tails and expecting to stay on top financially. While this may be true of the executive class, the reality is that poverty in the United States is increasing at a dramatic rate while companies continue to outsource to China, India and other locations where wages are cheaper.
This financial mayhem and the unwillingness of the economic elites in the USA to protect American jobs has resulted in growing resentment (Tea Party anyone?) against the rich. If this continues the USA could find itself facing a disgruntled population, domestic terrorism (similar to what is currently happening in Norway) and a surge in anarchist / communist groups, to say nothing of a surge in crime. (Sad to say it, but Barack Obama is not the most powerful man in the world. The tycoons of Wall Street are running the show now and the US Congress / White House are just along for the ride.)
Meanwhile in Canada hell has frozen over. If you're not from Canada you might think this is normal. In May 2011 Stephen Harper's Conservative Party managed to win a majority government, and the Liberal Party of Canada is now practically an obsolete dinosaur because they're "too centrist" and "too status quo". In their place the NDP has soared to huge popularity and are poised to replace the Liberals as the new left wing party of Canada.
But in the meantime Canada has to deal with having Stephen Harper as its Prime Minister... a man who denies the existence of climate change and global warming, bullies his own political party, suspended parliament twice to avoid non confidence votes and keeps flip flopping on previous statements that he would like scrap the right to abortion, gay marriages, cut immigration and a slew of other civil liberties. To say nothing of the G20 fiasco in Toronto which failed to accomplish anything, resulted in people being arrested for blowing bubbles and it later turned out the anarchists dressed in black were really police in disguise acting as agitators (see the video on this page about Rob Ford's gravy train).
But civil liberties suspended aside, at least we don't live in North Korea.
Our advice for when the world's problems get you down? Relax. Take up yoga (check out Jock Yoga for men), painting or go for a walk. Enjoy life, family, friends and the beauty of the natural world.
All our best!
Suzanne MacNevin and Charles Moffat
Co-Editors of the Lilith eZine
PS. We may try to make a habit of sending out newsletters once every season, just for fun, but we strongly advise just following our Lilith News blog instead.
If you are wondering why this isn't titled "The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition" its because we don't usually send out these emails any more. Indeed according to our records we haven't sent out a Sunday Edition since September 27th 2009.
If you have joined this mailing list in the last 2 years this will be the first time you are receiving this newsletter.
First off we should explain why the long absence... The reason is simple. We now use the Lilith News blog much more frequently and writing a weekly newsletter as opposed to a daily blog just seems silly when the blog is accessible to millions and the newsletter is only accessible to the several hundred people subscribed to this newsletter. The blog is currently getting 45,000 visitors per month so we must be doing something right. (Nudge nudge, please follow/subscribe to the Lilith News blog and follow the Facebook group too.)
Since 2009 there has been some dramatic changes at the Lilith eZine. We have redesigned our websites and reorganized them into sub-domains. Some of our website is still undergoing revisions (especially the Feminist eZine which is in the final stages of its redesign and later this year the Art History Archive will be redesigned).
There's also been some staff changes. Suzanne MacNevin (the chief editor) is currently writing a book about feminism (which you can learn more about at her blog Feminist Truths) and Charles Moffat (the website designer / co-editor) is now the CEO of the website design and SEO company designSEO.ca. Dare we say yeehaw??? Thus since we are working so much on other tasks we have handed down some of the responsibilities to new people like Ai Lung Nguyen and Monique Bellamont. (If you'd like to help out in any way we're always looking for new writers.)
And now to the juicy bits...
The United States is heading down the road of financial turmoil. We won't say disaster, because we don't think that is the case. For a little over a decade now the USA has been riding on its economic coat tails and expecting to stay on top financially. While this may be true of the executive class, the reality is that poverty in the United States is increasing at a dramatic rate while companies continue to outsource to China, India and other locations where wages are cheaper.
This financial mayhem and the unwillingness of the economic elites in the USA to protect American jobs has resulted in growing resentment (Tea Party anyone?) against the rich. If this continues the USA could find itself facing a disgruntled population, domestic terrorism (similar to what is currently happening in Norway) and a surge in anarchist / communist groups, to say nothing of a surge in crime. (Sad to say it, but Barack Obama is not the most powerful man in the world. The tycoons of Wall Street are running the show now and the US Congress / White House are just along for the ride.)
Meanwhile in Canada hell has frozen over. If you're not from Canada you might think this is normal. In May 2011 Stephen Harper's Conservative Party managed to win a majority government, and the Liberal Party of Canada is now practically an obsolete dinosaur because they're "too centrist" and "too status quo". In their place the NDP has soared to huge popularity and are poised to replace the Liberals as the new left wing party of Canada.
But in the meantime Canada has to deal with having Stephen Harper as its Prime Minister... a man who denies the existence of climate change and global warming, bullies his own political party, suspended parliament twice to avoid non confidence votes and keeps flip flopping on previous statements that he would like scrap the right to abortion, gay marriages, cut immigration and a slew of other civil liberties. To say nothing of the G20 fiasco in Toronto which failed to accomplish anything, resulted in people being arrested for blowing bubbles and it later turned out the anarchists dressed in black were really police in disguise acting as agitators (see the video on this page about Rob Ford's gravy train).
But civil liberties suspended aside, at least we don't live in North Korea.
Our advice for when the world's problems get you down? Relax. Take up yoga (check out Jock Yoga for men), painting or go for a walk. Enjoy life, family, friends and the beauty of the natural world.
All our best!
Suzanne MacNevin and Charles Moffat
Co-Editors of the Lilith eZine
PS. We may try to make a habit of sending out newsletters once every season, just for fun, but we strongly advise just following our Lilith News blog instead.
September 27th 2009
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Its been awhile, but hey that's life. The Lilith eZine went through a transformation over the summer. We have a new server, a new look and some talented new writers who have joined our staff (and we're looking for new editors). Please browse around and check out what our new writers have to offer.
Lets recap what has happened this past summer... Global warming and climate change is still getting worse. The recession is still here, but its not as bad as it used to be. Two of North America's Big Three automakers are now partially owned by the United States and Canadian governments. Plaid is back in fashion, but then again so it preppies and rebels. Its like the 1980s all over again. H1N1 (the influenza virus formerly known as Swine Flu) is all over the globe now and has killed over 4200 people thus far, including roughly 200 in the last week. Canada is now on the verge of an election, except nobody really wants one despite the fact 78% of Canadians are sick of Stephen Harper, and apparently the previous 2008 Canadian election wasn't legal in the first place.
Oh and according to the Republican Party in the United States, their president is a Communist because he finally allowed the USA to join the rest of the free world by creating a free health care program that covers all Americans. About time. I am speaking of course of Barack Obama. Just think, three years from now we will be discussing Obama's re-election campaign and whether he was successful combating the biggest financial downturn since the Great Depression, two wars and still managed to bring in free health care.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Co-Editor of the Lilith eZine
Automotive
General Motors
Canada
Is Multiculturalism in Canada Dead?
Entertainment
Risque
Women's Retreats
Toronto International Film Festival Reviews
Politics
The Cult of Obama Criticism
The Future of Afghanistan
The Neo Liberal Dogma and Canada
Religion
Patenting Marriage
Is Suicide Spiritual Starvation?
Searching for the Pagan Goddess
For daily news and blog posts check out the Lilith News.
Letter from the Editor
Its been awhile, but hey that's life. The Lilith eZine went through a transformation over the summer. We have a new server, a new look and some talented new writers who have joined our staff (and we're looking for new editors). Please browse around and check out what our new writers have to offer.
Lets recap what has happened this past summer... Global warming and climate change is still getting worse. The recession is still here, but its not as bad as it used to be. Two of North America's Big Three automakers are now partially owned by the United States and Canadian governments. Plaid is back in fashion, but then again so it preppies and rebels. Its like the 1980s all over again. H1N1 (the influenza virus formerly known as Swine Flu) is all over the globe now and has killed over 4200 people thus far, including roughly 200 in the last week. Canada is now on the verge of an election, except nobody really wants one despite the fact 78% of Canadians are sick of Stephen Harper, and apparently the previous 2008 Canadian election wasn't legal in the first place.
Oh and according to the Republican Party in the United States, their president is a Communist because he finally allowed the USA to join the rest of the free world by creating a free health care program that covers all Americans. About time. I am speaking of course of Barack Obama. Just think, three years from now we will be discussing Obama's re-election campaign and whether he was successful combating the biggest financial downturn since the Great Depression, two wars and still managed to bring in free health care.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Co-Editor of the Lilith eZine
Automotive
General Motors
Canada
Is Multiculturalism in Canada Dead?
Entertainment
Risque
Women's Retreats
Toronto International Film Festival Reviews
Politics
The Cult of Obama Criticism
The Future of Afghanistan
The Neo Liberal Dogma and Canada
Religion
Patenting Marriage
Is Suicide Spiritual Starvation?
Searching for the Pagan Goddess
For daily news and blog posts check out the Lilith News.
May 3rd 2009
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
The big news around the world this week is the H1N1 flu epidemic (commonly known as Swine Flu) which has been spreading across the globe at a mathematical rate and is one step away from being declared a global pandemic.
So far its killed 102 people in Mexico and the United States and made thousands more sick and because its airborne its difficult to control its spread, sparking worry that it could kill millions world wide since a vaccine can't be made in a hurry.
There's also been widespread confusion about how H1N1 is spread (Paris Hilton for example said "I don't eat that stuff", referring to pork products without knowing its not spread that way), questions of the seriousness of the disease, how deadly it is and lastly questioning whether the mass media has overblown the situation.
Well, lets step back a second and remember the SARS epidemic of 2003. It started in China, infected 8,096 people in seventeen countries and killed 774 (that is a fatality rate of 9.6%) in seven countries (including killing 44 people in Canada). Thankfully it wasn't airborne. You actually had to touch someone or something carrying the SARS virus for it to be passed on.
The problem with SARS and the reason why it still managed to spread is that initially people didn't take it seriously. Health organizations were unprepared for how easily it spread through human contact. Even nurses and doctors were falling sick and dying because they failed to take every precaution. If it had spread out of control, reaching pandemic levels 5 and 6, we could have seen a huge catastrophe instead of a mere disaster.
With the H1N1 virus however... there's still a lot of people who don't know anything about it or how its spread. People aren't taking it seriously and it is the mass media's responsibility, their civic duty, to warn people about the dangers so they know enough to wash their hands constantly, quarantine themselves if for several days if they recently returned from Mexico and see a doctor if they suspect they have the H1N1 virus instead of the common cold. Failure to do that, and we could see a global pandemic that will make SARS look like a minor infection.
Is it possible the media has overblown the situation? Nonsense. Wait until the pandemic is over and then we can argue whether all the media attention is warranted, and I can tell you right now, if this extra media attention manages to save just one life... it was worth it.
If an American child falls down a well and becomes a media spotlight of the week, is it worth it? Not really some might say. But if nobody had even bothered to notice the kid shouting for help then it would be worth it. That would be the true tragedy.
Media pundits spending their time worrying about the score of the football game, what Michelle Obama wore to so-and-so's funeral or what brain-dead-hunk is currently dating Paris Hilton. Those kinds of things are truly wasteful. So why is it when its something important suddenly people want us to stop talking about it?
Sometimes its just necessary to get the word out and anyone who wants to stick their head in the proverbial sandbox and ignore the world around them should be well-advised the world has a nasty habit of sneaking up on people and smacking them where they least expect it.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Fashion
Advanced Corset Design
Paulina Porizkova
Feminism
The Problem that Has No Name
The Happy Housewife Heroine
Religion
The Politics of Religion
For daily news and blog posts check out the Lilith News.
Letter from the Editor
The big news around the world this week is the H1N1 flu epidemic (commonly known as Swine Flu) which has been spreading across the globe at a mathematical rate and is one step away from being declared a global pandemic.
So far its killed 102 people in Mexico and the United States and made thousands more sick and because its airborne its difficult to control its spread, sparking worry that it could kill millions world wide since a vaccine can't be made in a hurry.
There's also been widespread confusion about how H1N1 is spread (Paris Hilton for example said "I don't eat that stuff", referring to pork products without knowing its not spread that way), questions of the seriousness of the disease, how deadly it is and lastly questioning whether the mass media has overblown the situation.
Well, lets step back a second and remember the SARS epidemic of 2003. It started in China, infected 8,096 people in seventeen countries and killed 774 (that is a fatality rate of 9.6%) in seven countries (including killing 44 people in Canada). Thankfully it wasn't airborne. You actually had to touch someone or something carrying the SARS virus for it to be passed on.
The problem with SARS and the reason why it still managed to spread is that initially people didn't take it seriously. Health organizations were unprepared for how easily it spread through human contact. Even nurses and doctors were falling sick and dying because they failed to take every precaution. If it had spread out of control, reaching pandemic levels 5 and 6, we could have seen a huge catastrophe instead of a mere disaster.
With the H1N1 virus however... there's still a lot of people who don't know anything about it or how its spread. People aren't taking it seriously and it is the mass media's responsibility, their civic duty, to warn people about the dangers so they know enough to wash their hands constantly, quarantine themselves if for several days if they recently returned from Mexico and see a doctor if they suspect they have the H1N1 virus instead of the common cold. Failure to do that, and we could see a global pandemic that will make SARS look like a minor infection.
Is it possible the media has overblown the situation? Nonsense. Wait until the pandemic is over and then we can argue whether all the media attention is warranted, and I can tell you right now, if this extra media attention manages to save just one life... it was worth it.
If an American child falls down a well and becomes a media spotlight of the week, is it worth it? Not really some might say. But if nobody had even bothered to notice the kid shouting for help then it would be worth it. That would be the true tragedy.
Media pundits spending their time worrying about the score of the football game, what Michelle Obama wore to so-and-so's funeral or what brain-dead-hunk is currently dating Paris Hilton. Those kinds of things are truly wasteful. So why is it when its something important suddenly people want us to stop talking about it?
Sometimes its just necessary to get the word out and anyone who wants to stick their head in the proverbial sandbox and ignore the world around them should be well-advised the world has a nasty habit of sneaking up on people and smacking them where they least expect it.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Fashion
Advanced Corset Design
Paulina Porizkova
Feminism
The Problem that Has No Name
The Happy Housewife Heroine
Religion
The Politics of Religion
For daily news and blog posts check out the Lilith News.
March 8th 2009
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Today is International Women's Day.
And sure, you're thinking we've come a long way since 1911, the first year it was held.
But have we really? In western culture women have seen a dramatic increase in the education of women, pay equity and better treatment. But we're still not there. Some might argue we will never be there, but improving standards and treatment of women is something worth fighting for.
But western culture is less than one quarter of the world. Here we are in 2009, ninety-eight years after the first International Women's Day and women in Iran are still being arrested for celebrating the event. True, women serve in the Iranian militia, but thats not equality because they're unpaid and voluntary. Only men in the Iranian military get paid for their service.
It is difficult to measure progress, but with Barack Obama as the new president of the United States there is a new beacon for equality and hope around the world. Progress is a slow process, goes hand and hand with education, and we will rarely see overnight change unless we fight for it.
International Women's Day isn't just a day, its a symbol to remind women and men to fight for equality.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Entertainment
Anime Reviews
Online Strategy and Roleplaying Games
Environmental
Geothermal Heating Sytems
Fashion
The History of Tailoring
Feminism
International Women's Day
Health
The History and Benefits of Yoga
Yoga Tips for Beginners
Sex
101 Sex Positions
Technology
Internet Initialisms Acronyms
Letter from the Editor
Today is International Women's Day.
And sure, you're thinking we've come a long way since 1911, the first year it was held.
But have we really? In western culture women have seen a dramatic increase in the education of women, pay equity and better treatment. But we're still not there. Some might argue we will never be there, but improving standards and treatment of women is something worth fighting for.
But western culture is less than one quarter of the world. Here we are in 2009, ninety-eight years after the first International Women's Day and women in Iran are still being arrested for celebrating the event. True, women serve in the Iranian militia, but thats not equality because they're unpaid and voluntary. Only men in the Iranian military get paid for their service.
It is difficult to measure progress, but with Barack Obama as the new president of the United States there is a new beacon for equality and hope around the world. Progress is a slow process, goes hand and hand with education, and we will rarely see overnight change unless we fight for it.International Women's Day isn't just a day, its a symbol to remind women and men to fight for equality.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Entertainment
Anime Reviews
Afro Samurai - Akira - The Animatrix - Astro Boy - The Boondocks - Cowboy Bebop - Escaflowne - Gargoyles - Ghost in the Shell - InuYasha - Irresponsible Captain Tylor - Love Hina - Princess Mononoke - Ranma 1/2 - Samurai Jack - The Simpsons - The Slayers - South Park - Spirited Away - Steamboy - Vampire Hunter D - Video Girl AI - Wonderful Days - X-Men EvolutionKatrina Kaif
Online Strategy and Roleplaying Games
Environmental
Geothermal Heating Sytems
Fashion
The History of Tailoring
Feminism
International Women's Day
Health
The History and Benefits of Yoga
Yoga Tips for Beginners
Sex
101 Sex Positions
Technology
Internet Initialisms Acronyms
December 7th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
The economy is the biggest concern lately. Almost everyone is worried about it. In Canada the minority government was nearly overthrown this past week because opposition parties are so worried about the economy and the governing party's lack of action that they decided the best thing to do was to try to make a new coalition government which would actually do something about the economy.
In the USA the automotive industry is looking for $34 billion in government loans so that they can restructure and give more car loans. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are also asking for another $6 billion in Canada. As if that is not enough the banking industry has its paws out for $700 billion for all the bad mortgages on their hands.
And then there's the credit card companies which are cutting back, which highlights what got us into this mess in the first place: Too much credit and too many people given mortgages for houses not worth the amount they spent. But here's the thing... what month of the year does Americans and Canadians spend the most on credit? December. The holiday shopping season. Typically, we go out and spend spend spend, get drunk for New Years and then get the bill sometime in January. According to a poll 40% of Canadians are cutting back 10% or more on their Christmas shopping this year and approx. 55% of Americans are doing the same thing.
It might actually be a good thing for people to learn some fiscal responsibility. Too much credit seems to be the source of our problems, not the solution to it. Should we really be giving money to the banks and automotive industry to solve their credit problems? The doom-and-gloom-sayers claim if the automotive industry's Big Three collapse that the economy will follow, but is that really the case? No, although they could certainly become leaner.
The issue at stake here is that these automakers have been RECKLESS spenders and spending billions and billions on cars that due to America's low emission standards can only be sold in the United States. Most American-built cars can't be sold in Asia or Europe because their emission and fuel mileage standards are so pathetically low, and Asian/European car manufacturers have trouble selling in North America because they not only meet the standards, they exceed them. The solution, arguably, is not a bailout, but higher fuel efficiency and emission standards in the USA.
The same concept could and should be applied to the banking industry. Higher standards, more regulation of housing prices and less reckless loans/mortgages.
Remember the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis? The country of Thailand went essentially bankrupt and all the neighbouring countries who had loaned them money were suddenly on the hook for a great deal of cash, taking substantial losses. That spilled over into the financial markets, effecting mortgages, credit cards, personal and business loans. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) stepped in with a series of prudent bailouts tied to changes that raised standards and it took two years for the markets to calm down and recover.
And roughly the same thing is happening now for North America's automotive and financial industries: Bailouts contingent on higher standards. Our economy should recover sometime in 2009 or 2010, but it will depend on those higher standards.
That doesn't mean we should all rush out and spend spend spend. Prudent spending is probably still the wisest course of action, such as buying things people need rather than just want.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Art History
Abstraction: Perfection and Amateurism
Canada
Stephen Harper: Stifling Democracy
Creating Jobs in Canada
Canadian Christmas Shoppers
Feminism
Top 20 Influential Women
Health
Suicide Entertainment
Politics
The Death Spasms of American Racism
Sex
Less Violence, More Sex
Technology
Canadian Spam
FOR DAILY UPDATES SEE THE LILITH NEWS.
Letter from the Editor
The economy is the biggest concern lately. Almost everyone is worried about it. In Canada the minority government was nearly overthrown this past week because opposition parties are so worried about the economy and the governing party's lack of action that they decided the best thing to do was to try to make a new coalition government which would actually do something about the economy.
In the USA the automotive industry is looking for $34 billion in government loans so that they can restructure and give more car loans. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are also asking for another $6 billion in Canada. As if that is not enough the banking industry has its paws out for $700 billion for all the bad mortgages on their hands.
And then there's the credit card companies which are cutting back, which highlights what got us into this mess in the first place: Too much credit and too many people given mortgages for houses not worth the amount they spent. But here's the thing... what month of the year does Americans and Canadians spend the most on credit? December. The holiday shopping season. Typically, we go out and spend spend spend, get drunk for New Years and then get the bill sometime in January. According to a poll 40% of Canadians are cutting back 10% or more on their Christmas shopping this year and approx. 55% of Americans are doing the same thing.
It might actually be a good thing for people to learn some fiscal responsibility. Too much credit seems to be the source of our problems, not the solution to it. Should we really be giving money to the banks and automotive industry to solve their credit problems? The doom-and-gloom-sayers claim if the automotive industry's Big Three collapse that the economy will follow, but is that really the case? No, although they could certainly become leaner.
The issue at stake here is that these automakers have been RECKLESS spenders and spending billions and billions on cars that due to America's low emission standards can only be sold in the United States. Most American-built cars can't be sold in Asia or Europe because their emission and fuel mileage standards are so pathetically low, and Asian/European car manufacturers have trouble selling in North America because they not only meet the standards, they exceed them. The solution, arguably, is not a bailout, but higher fuel efficiency and emission standards in the USA.
The same concept could and should be applied to the banking industry. Higher standards, more regulation of housing prices and less reckless loans/mortgages.
Remember the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis? The country of Thailand went essentially bankrupt and all the neighbouring countries who had loaned them money were suddenly on the hook for a great deal of cash, taking substantial losses. That spilled over into the financial markets, effecting mortgages, credit cards, personal and business loans. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) stepped in with a series of prudent bailouts tied to changes that raised standards and it took two years for the markets to calm down and recover.
And roughly the same thing is happening now for North America's automotive and financial industries: Bailouts contingent on higher standards. Our economy should recover sometime in 2009 or 2010, but it will depend on those higher standards.
That doesn't mean we should all rush out and spend spend spend. Prudent spending is probably still the wisest course of action, such as buying things people need rather than just want.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
Art History
Abstraction: Perfection and Amateurism
Canada
Stephen Harper: Stifling Democracy
Creating Jobs in Canada
Canadian Christmas Shoppers
Feminism
Top 20 Influential Women
Health
Suicide Entertainment
Politics
The Death Spasms of American Racism
Sex
Less Violence, More Sex
Technology
Canadian Spam
FOR DAILY UPDATES SEE THE LILITH NEWS.
November 23rd 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
The human race seems to be going through a rough patch right. I mean look at the issues... terrorism, climate change, oil and water shortages, food prices skyrocketing, wars in the Middle East and Africa, collapsing stock markets, the American automotive industry falling apart at the seems and a global recession. Gee, how stressful can it get?
We look to our leaders like George W. Bush, Stephen Harper and the newly elected Barack Obama and we would hope they have the solutions for these problems, or at very least know people who can come up with solutions and delegate the problem solving appropriately. When they fail or turn out to be incompetent we get more stressed and bitter about the status quo because it feels like we gave these leaders a chance and instead they squandered it. Stress, frustration and outright anger compound the issue.
And I am not just talking about adults stressing about these things. I have seen teenagers and kids panicking about the issues too. Unless you're the type of person who doesn't care about the issues I guess you don't care. Some people care more about who wins American Idol, who's dating who and what to wear on a Friday night.
And who can blame them? Who wants to worry about the fate of the planet 24/7? Worrying about these things all the time would drive a person crazy.
I also wonder if it would give most people an ulcer. I even went and checked some statistics. In the United States ulcer rates have gone up 27% between 1999 and 2006 according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. But that can be misleading because ulcers are not stress induced. Ulcers are more closely tied to bacteria infections, diabetes and obesity. Stress just lowers the immune system, and thus stressed out people are more likely to get sick from common colds and a variety of ailments.
So the best solution is to relax. Have a spa day, go read a book or see a movie, maybe the new James Bond movie... oh wait, that has an environmental theme. The Day the Earth Stood Still? No wait, that has a war/terrorism theme. A lot of movies these days have something to say about the issues. How you relax will really come down to personal preference.
You can't help save the world if you're stressed out too much.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
PS. I give Quantum of Solace 4.5 stars out of 5. And the old 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is also worth seeing.
Art History
Bizarre Architecture
Canada
Stephen Harper: Biography & Quotes
Entertainment
A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming
Feminism
Feminist Fashionista
Health
Water: A Human Right
Religion & Philosophy
The Philosophy of Atheism
Letter from the Editor
The human race seems to be going through a rough patch right. I mean look at the issues... terrorism, climate change, oil and water shortages, food prices skyrocketing, wars in the Middle East and Africa, collapsing stock markets, the American automotive industry falling apart at the seems and a global recession. Gee, how stressful can it get?
We look to our leaders like George W. Bush, Stephen Harper and the newly elected Barack Obama and we would hope they have the solutions for these problems, or at very least know people who can come up with solutions and delegate the problem solving appropriately. When they fail or turn out to be incompetent we get more stressed and bitter about the status quo because it feels like we gave these leaders a chance and instead they squandered it. Stress, frustration and outright anger compound the issue.
And I am not just talking about adults stressing about these things. I have seen teenagers and kids panicking about the issues too. Unless you're the type of person who doesn't care about the issues I guess you don't care. Some people care more about who wins American Idol, who's dating who and what to wear on a Friday night.
And who can blame them? Who wants to worry about the fate of the planet 24/7? Worrying about these things all the time would drive a person crazy.
I also wonder if it would give most people an ulcer. I even went and checked some statistics. In the United States ulcer rates have gone up 27% between 1999 and 2006 according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. But that can be misleading because ulcers are not stress induced. Ulcers are more closely tied to bacteria infections, diabetes and obesity. Stress just lowers the immune system, and thus stressed out people are more likely to get sick from common colds and a variety of ailments.
So the best solution is to relax. Have a spa day, go read a book or see a movie, maybe the new James Bond movie... oh wait, that has an environmental theme. The Day the Earth Stood Still? No wait, that has a war/terrorism theme. A lot of movies these days have something to say about the issues. How you relax will really come down to personal preference.
You can't help save the world if you're stressed out too much.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
PS. I give Quantum of Solace 4.5 stars out of 5. And the old 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is also worth seeing.
Art History
Bizarre Architecture
Canada
Stephen Harper: Biography & Quotes
Entertainment
A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming
Feminism
Feminist Fashionista
Health
Water: A Human Right
Religion & Philosophy
The Philosophy of Atheism
November 9th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
We are dedicating this issue to George W. Bush, the outgoing president of the United States of America.
Mr. Bush, the staff at the Lilith eZine (and indeed many people around the world) have made fun of you for 8 years or more now. Your quotes and antics are, to say the least, amusing. We may not approve of the stupid things you do, and we question your level of intelligence, but we've managed to deal with your mistakes and inadequacies during a troubling time in the world's history.
Some of us would like to blame you with the world's problems. We could saddle you with problems like global warming, climate change, terrorism and war, but that would not be fair. You didn't create the war, or the terrorism or environmental problems. You didn't create the credit crisis facing the United States either, or the corporate crime. There is a convincing argument for blaming you for high oil prices, but we cannot make you solely responsible.
As much as we hate your guts, you are just one person of many who deserve the blame for a variety of problems. We humans created these problems with our greed, our laziness and our unwillingness to change. It is mankind that will be punished for our mistakes, not you. You had the opportunity to change things for the better, but you wasted it just like the rest of us regularly do. C'est la vie.
That said, there is also the issue of your alleged war crimes, torture, imprisonment. You could be held responsible for those actions, and we won't have much sympathy for you in that situation. Barack Obama will no doubt be faced with the prospect of giving you a presidential pardon, but that will not protect you from the International Criminal Court should they decide to arrest and charge you.
We're also taking bets as to when someone will attempt to assassinate you Mr. Bush. Somehow, it seems highly plausible that someone out there is feeling trigger happy. Will we shed tears should it happen? Maybe, but they will be tears of joy. Your controversial methods are not universally liked.
My colleagues and I have created a comprehensive biography of George W. Bush's life and his time in office. We think it is a fitting end to Bush's career in politics. What will he do next?
If his father's post-presidential career is any sign George W. will be serving on the board of directors for the Carlyle Group and helping the Saudi Royal Family with their investments. Considering the price of oil quadrupled during Bush's time in office that seems like a fair bet. The Saudis must be rolling in cash by now.
With any luck Barack Obama will be able to fix the mess Bush left us with and finally catch Osama bin Laden. Bush couldn't even get that one right, could he? Oh well, he's only human.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Canada eZine
You Know You're A Canadian When...
The Environmental eZine
Seven Environmental Problems That Are Worse Than We Thought
The Feminist eZine
Whose Slut?
The Politics eZine
George W. Bush
GEORGE W. BUSH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Family & Personal Life
Education
Dodging the Vietnam War
Business Career
Governor of Texas
The Republican Primaries
Election 2000
The Bush Administration
Domestic Policy
Economic Policy
Environmental Policy
Foreign Policy
The Anti-Bush Movement
Alleged War Crimes
Re-election 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
Stock Market Collapse & Recession
Letter from the Editor
We are dedicating this issue to George W. Bush, the outgoing president of the United States of America.
Mr. Bush, the staff at the Lilith eZine (and indeed many people around the world) have made fun of you for 8 years or more now. Your quotes and antics are, to say the least, amusing. We may not approve of the stupid things you do, and we question your level of intelligence, but we've managed to deal with your mistakes and inadequacies during a troubling time in the world's history.
Some of us would like to blame you with the world's problems. We could saddle you with problems like global warming, climate change, terrorism and war, but that would not be fair. You didn't create the war, or the terrorism or environmental problems. You didn't create the credit crisis facing the United States either, or the corporate crime. There is a convincing argument for blaming you for high oil prices, but we cannot make you solely responsible.
As much as we hate your guts, you are just one person of many who deserve the blame for a variety of problems. We humans created these problems with our greed, our laziness and our unwillingness to change. It is mankind that will be punished for our mistakes, not you. You had the opportunity to change things for the better, but you wasted it just like the rest of us regularly do. C'est la vie.
That said, there is also the issue of your alleged war crimes, torture, imprisonment. You could be held responsible for those actions, and we won't have much sympathy for you in that situation. Barack Obama will no doubt be faced with the prospect of giving you a presidential pardon, but that will not protect you from the International Criminal Court should they decide to arrest and charge you.
We're also taking bets as to when someone will attempt to assassinate you Mr. Bush. Somehow, it seems highly plausible that someone out there is feeling trigger happy. Will we shed tears should it happen? Maybe, but they will be tears of joy. Your controversial methods are not universally liked.
My colleagues and I have created a comprehensive biography of George W. Bush's life and his time in office. We think it is a fitting end to Bush's career in politics. What will he do next?
If his father's post-presidential career is any sign George W. will be serving on the board of directors for the Carlyle Group and helping the Saudi Royal Family with their investments. Considering the price of oil quadrupled during Bush's time in office that seems like a fair bet. The Saudis must be rolling in cash by now.
With any luck Barack Obama will be able to fix the mess Bush left us with and finally catch Osama bin Laden. Bush couldn't even get that one right, could he? Oh well, he's only human.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Canada eZine
You Know You're A Canadian When...
The Environmental eZine
Seven Environmental Problems That Are Worse Than We Thought
The Feminist eZine
Whose Slut?
The Politics eZine
George W. Bush
GEORGE W. BUSH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Family & Personal Life
Education
Dodging the Vietnam War
Business Career
Governor of Texas
The Republican Primaries
Election 2000
The Bush Administration
Domestic Policy
Economic Policy
Environmental Policy
Foreign Policy
The Anti-Bush Movement
Alleged War Crimes
Re-election 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Hurricane Katrina
Stock Market Collapse & Recession
November 2nd 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
In two days Americans vote on the future of the world.
That is just how powerful the United States presidency is. Regardless of the advances of China's economy, the USA still has the most influential economy and the current economic slowdown in America is effecting markets around the world.
Americans have to make a choice: Do they want change or more of the same. If they do vote for change it will send a fundamental message to the world that America is turning a new page in its history books, that the Bush era is coming to an end and the philosophy of "attack first, ask questions later" will be over.
That isn't to say Barack Obama won't lead America into war. This is the United States we're talking about. They average a major military engagement every 4 years. Every president since the birth of the United States has been involved in some kind of military incursion. What will change is the reasoning behind how Americans go to war, if and when they go to war.
When the United States went into Afghanistan it made sense to remove the Taliban from power and hunt down Al-Qaeda members. But when the Bush Administration went into Iraq it was based on phony charges of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Behind that the belief that Iraq would somehow be better off without Saddam Hussein, who had brutally stamped out religious violence between the Sunni and Shia sects. With Hussein's authority gone and the USA's authority tarnished that violence has returned.
What will also change is the idea that America's economy can just rumble on without regulation or supervision. Bush has been so focused on his war on terrorism that he has virtually ignored the failing American economy, an economy that is like a central cog to the world economy and when it slows down the whole world slows down. Bush's approach to economics has been to do nothing. Just let the market regulate itself.
And so it has, with disastrous results. Banks gave out too many sub-prime mortgages, the economy faltered, houses lost their value, people defaulted on the mortgages and the banks ended up owning properties they couldn't sell because the housing market had collapsed. So now the banks own a lot of land they paid too much for and don't have the money to pay for other investment opportunities. Hence the current credit crisis.
A president who had paid attention to the economy could have spotted the warning signs and pushed for changes to the banking/mortgage industry, could have stimulated and boosted the economy and staved off a housing market collapse.
So the question for Americans on Tuesday is: Who do you think will keep a watchful eye on the economy? John McCain or Barack Obama? The world awaits your answer.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Tomma Abts
The Fashion eZine
Escada
Fendi
Firetrap
Gsus
The Feminist eZine
The Beauty Myth
The Health eZine
American Obesity Rates
The Politics eZine
Malcolm X Speeches - December 1962
Malcolm X Speeches - June 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - December 4th 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - February 14th 1965
Letter from the Editor
In two days Americans vote on the future of the world.
That is just how powerful the United States presidency is. Regardless of the advances of China's economy, the USA still has the most influential economy and the current economic slowdown in America is effecting markets around the world.
Americans have to make a choice: Do they want change or more of the same. If they do vote for change it will send a fundamental message to the world that America is turning a new page in its history books, that the Bush era is coming to an end and the philosophy of "attack first, ask questions later" will be over.
That isn't to say Barack Obama won't lead America into war. This is the United States we're talking about. They average a major military engagement every 4 years. Every president since the birth of the United States has been involved in some kind of military incursion. What will change is the reasoning behind how Americans go to war, if and when they go to war.
When the United States went into Afghanistan it made sense to remove the Taliban from power and hunt down Al-Qaeda members. But when the Bush Administration went into Iraq it was based on phony charges of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Behind that the belief that Iraq would somehow be better off without Saddam Hussein, who had brutally stamped out religious violence between the Sunni and Shia sects. With Hussein's authority gone and the USA's authority tarnished that violence has returned.
What will also change is the idea that America's economy can just rumble on without regulation or supervision. Bush has been so focused on his war on terrorism that he has virtually ignored the failing American economy, an economy that is like a central cog to the world economy and when it slows down the whole world slows down. Bush's approach to economics has been to do nothing. Just let the market regulate itself.
And so it has, with disastrous results. Banks gave out too many sub-prime mortgages, the economy faltered, houses lost their value, people defaulted on the mortgages and the banks ended up owning properties they couldn't sell because the housing market had collapsed. So now the banks own a lot of land they paid too much for and don't have the money to pay for other investment opportunities. Hence the current credit crisis.
A president who had paid attention to the economy could have spotted the warning signs and pushed for changes to the banking/mortgage industry, could have stimulated and boosted the economy and staved off a housing market collapse.
So the question for Americans on Tuesday is: Who do you think will keep a watchful eye on the economy? John McCain or Barack Obama? The world awaits your answer.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Tomma Abts
The Fashion eZine
Escada
Fendi
Firetrap
Gsus
The Feminist eZine
The Beauty Myth
The Health eZine
American Obesity Rates
The Politics eZine
Malcolm X Speeches - December 1962
Malcolm X Speeches - June 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - December 4th 1963
Malcolm X Speeches - February 14th 1965
October 19th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
While we are saddened that Stephen Harper is still prime minister of Canada, we are overjoyed that he only won a minority government. Just barely. We came very close to seeing the Conservative Party win enough seats to turn back the clock on gay rights, the environment, arts funding, women's issues and a host of other things Harper's conservatives don't consider important enough to spend tax dollars on.
Technically, and this is an important point, gay married couples now pay more taxes than if they were simply single and living together. Thats more money in government coffers. Why would you want to reverse that?
Here's the thing however, and this is a mathematically oddity: Only 61% of Canadian adults over the age of 18 actually voted in the election this past Tuesday.
Of those who did vote the Conservatives got a mere 38%. For those of you who are good at math that means only 23.18% of potential voters actually voted for Stephen Harper's party. Certainly not a vote of confidence.
Part of the problem is young people who don't vote. Indeed quite a few adults don't vote either and its mindbogglingly difficult to comprehend why they don't bother. They either:
A. Don't care about politics.
B. Don't think it will do any good because some politicians are corrupt.
C. Don't think their 1 measly little vote will make much difference. Some MPs win their riding on just a few votes.
D. The politicians are talking about issues (ie. education, university spending & college loans) that don't speak to young people.
E. Think they're too busy, forget, figure the party they hate or like will win anyway, think its all rigged, etc.
F. Some or all of the above.
Years ago when I lived in Prince Edward Island I got into a huge argument with my mother about why I wasn't voting in a local township election. My reasons were: Its a township! I didn't know the candidates, I didn't know what they stood for and I didn't know any of the issues facing the municipality. Even now, living in Toronto, I have yet to vote during a mayor's election or for a member of city council. Same reasons. I simply didn't know enough to care about voting in it.
So could it be young people today think the same way about provincial and national politics? They simply don't know enough to want to vote in it? Ignorance creates apathy.
My answer is ignorance and apathy? Start watching the news and reading newspapers. Politics is like karma. If you don't learn about the issues and vote you get the leaders you deserve.
On November 4th the United States will make a choice between John McCain and Barack Obama. One would hope that people will actually vote in such a historic election in large numbers. If they don't then Americans will get the leader they deserve, not necessarily the one they like.
To paraphrase Mr. T: I pity the fool that doesn't vote.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Carl Schaefer
The Canada eZine
The Canadian Petro Dollar
The Fashion eZine
Agent Provocateur
Burberry
Diesel
Gucci
Levi Strauss
Prada
The Feminist eZine
The Good Wife's Guide
Advice for Young Brides
Aristotle: On a Good Wife
Letter from the Editor
While we are saddened that Stephen Harper is still prime minister of Canada, we are overjoyed that he only won a minority government. Just barely. We came very close to seeing the Conservative Party win enough seats to turn back the clock on gay rights, the environment, arts funding, women's issues and a host of other things Harper's conservatives don't consider important enough to spend tax dollars on.
Technically, and this is an important point, gay married couples now pay more taxes than if they were simply single and living together. Thats more money in government coffers. Why would you want to reverse that?
Here's the thing however, and this is a mathematically oddity: Only 61% of Canadian adults over the age of 18 actually voted in the election this past Tuesday.
Of those who did vote the Conservatives got a mere 38%. For those of you who are good at math that means only 23.18% of potential voters actually voted for Stephen Harper's party. Certainly not a vote of confidence.
Part of the problem is young people who don't vote. Indeed quite a few adults don't vote either and its mindbogglingly difficult to comprehend why they don't bother. They either:
A. Don't care about politics.
B. Don't think it will do any good because some politicians are corrupt.
C. Don't think their 1 measly little vote will make much difference. Some MPs win their riding on just a few votes.
D. The politicians are talking about issues (ie. education, university spending & college loans) that don't speak to young people.
E. Think they're too busy, forget, figure the party they hate or like will win anyway, think its all rigged, etc.
F. Some or all of the above.
Years ago when I lived in Prince Edward Island I got into a huge argument with my mother about why I wasn't voting in a local township election. My reasons were: Its a township! I didn't know the candidates, I didn't know what they stood for and I didn't know any of the issues facing the municipality. Even now, living in Toronto, I have yet to vote during a mayor's election or for a member of city council. Same reasons. I simply didn't know enough to care about voting in it.
So could it be young people today think the same way about provincial and national politics? They simply don't know enough to want to vote in it? Ignorance creates apathy.
My answer is ignorance and apathy? Start watching the news and reading newspapers. Politics is like karma. If you don't learn about the issues and vote you get the leaders you deserve.
On November 4th the United States will make a choice between John McCain and Barack Obama. One would hope that people will actually vote in such a historic election in large numbers. If they don't then Americans will get the leader they deserve, not necessarily the one they like.
To paraphrase Mr. T: I pity the fool that doesn't vote.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Carl Schaefer
The Canada eZine
The Canadian Petro Dollar
The Fashion eZine
Agent Provocateur
Burberry
Diesel
Gucci
Levi Strauss
Prada
The Feminist eZine
The Good Wife's Guide
Advice for Young Brides
Aristotle: On a Good Wife
October 6th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
This is a belated Sunday Edition, not only because its Monday, but because its been 2 months since our last Sunday Edition.
For me personally its a busy time of the year teaching. There's also stress, not just from work, but from society and politics.
I have yet to decide whom I shall vote for the August 14th Canadian election for example. Its bothering me because usually I know a month or two in advance whom I intend to vote for. Its also bothering me because Stephen Harper actually has a serious chance of winning a majority government.
And as a teacher working in Canada... that scares me.
Stephen Harper has worked hard to change his public image over the past several years, trying not to appear like the penny-pinching, don't care about the common person, privatize health care, sell out Canada to the USA, censor movies and television, sell the CBC, cut funding to the arts, cut funding to literacy, cut funding to women's shelters and women's programs, puppet for the American Republicans, oil industry pawn, bribery monger, fraud artist, lying, cheating and overall general scumbag that he is.
Instead his minority government has pushed the idea of Stephen Harper as the family man, the hockey lover, the guy who believes in laissez-faire economics... To me laissez-faire doesn't mean hands off. It means lazy. Harper doesn't like to mess around in economics and as a result does nothing about the economy. If the economy goes bad he blames problems in the USA.
Remember the glory days of Jean Chretien? An endless stream of trade missions to Asia, Europe, Africa and South America? He promoted Canadian products and exports overseas so that Canada didn't become so dependent on the American economy. Harper has been too busy trying to get rid of gay marriages and keep Kyoto and environmental change off the table that he has totally ignored promoting Canada overseas.
So in deciding whom to vote for I will be weighing multiple issues: Who will promote Canada overseas? Who will make environmental change for the better? Who will protect the integrity of Canada's health care, education and social programs?
I will tell you it won't be the Green Party. I'm sorry, but the Greens are just contributing to vote splitting and could hand Harper a majority. Canadians afraid of a Harper majority should seriously consider voting strategically this election. I'd rather see a Liberal and NDP coalition than see Harper get a majority.
One last scary thing: Harper still hasn't announced his party's platform for this election. Its a huge secret what his party intends to do... but I can guarantee it will include doing nothing about the environment and further eroding Canada's social programs.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Art History Archive
Henderson Cisz
The Canada eZine
Uniting the Canadian Left
The Entertainment eZine
The Napster Revolution
The Fashion eZine
Open-Cup Bras
Nursing Bras
The Health eZine
Smoking in Canada
The Politics eZine
The United States of America - History, Politics and the Decline of as Superpower
The Sex eZine
The Five Languages of Love
History's Greatest Lovers
TO SUBSCRIBE
Letter from the Editor
This is a belated Sunday Edition, not only because its Monday, but because its been 2 months since our last Sunday Edition.
For me personally its a busy time of the year teaching. There's also stress, not just from work, but from society and politics.
I have yet to decide whom I shall vote for the August 14th Canadian election for example. Its bothering me because usually I know a month or two in advance whom I intend to vote for. Its also bothering me because Stephen Harper actually has a serious chance of winning a majority government.
And as a teacher working in Canada... that scares me.
Stephen Harper has worked hard to change his public image over the past several years, trying not to appear like the penny-pinching, don't care about the common person, privatize health care, sell out Canada to the USA, censor movies and television, sell the CBC, cut funding to the arts, cut funding to literacy, cut funding to women's shelters and women's programs, puppet for the American Republicans, oil industry pawn, bribery monger, fraud artist, lying, cheating and overall general scumbag that he is.
Instead his minority government has pushed the idea of Stephen Harper as the family man, the hockey lover, the guy who believes in laissez-faire economics... To me laissez-faire doesn't mean hands off. It means lazy. Harper doesn't like to mess around in economics and as a result does nothing about the economy. If the economy goes bad he blames problems in the USA.
Remember the glory days of Jean Chretien? An endless stream of trade missions to Asia, Europe, Africa and South America? He promoted Canadian products and exports overseas so that Canada didn't become so dependent on the American economy. Harper has been too busy trying to get rid of gay marriages and keep Kyoto and environmental change off the table that he has totally ignored promoting Canada overseas.
So in deciding whom to vote for I will be weighing multiple issues: Who will promote Canada overseas? Who will make environmental change for the better? Who will protect the integrity of Canada's health care, education and social programs?
I will tell you it won't be the Green Party. I'm sorry, but the Greens are just contributing to vote splitting and could hand Harper a majority. Canadians afraid of a Harper majority should seriously consider voting strategically this election. I'd rather see a Liberal and NDP coalition than see Harper get a majority.
One last scary thing: Harper still hasn't announced his party's platform for this election. Its a huge secret what his party intends to do... but I can guarantee it will include doing nothing about the environment and further eroding Canada's social programs.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
The Art History Archive
Henderson Cisz
The Canada eZine
Uniting the Canadian Left
The Entertainment eZine
The Napster Revolution
The Fashion eZine
Open-Cup Bras
Nursing Bras
The Health eZine
Smoking in Canada
The Politics eZine
The United States of America - History, Politics and the Decline of as Superpower
The Sex eZine
The Five Languages of Love
History's Greatest Lovers
TO SUBSCRIBE
Facebook Blabble
If you're a fan of Facebook you'll probably like this new Facebook application called Blabble. Loads of fun for you and your friends.
August 3rd 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
The world of art is so much more than Europe and the United States, although sometimes it certainly feels that way if you live in the USA and so rarely see anything that is not made in America. If you open an art history textbook in any high school in the United States the book likely starts with Egyptian, Greek & Roman art, various stages of European art and eventually ends with American movements. Its a very narrow view on the history of art.
Is it the art historians that are to blame? Not so, says our resident art historian Charles Moffat. He blames the publishing industry for turning down more comprehensive books in favour of smaller, more Americentric books. The school boards who choose books too are likewise to blame. They figure students won't appreciate books with a more comprehensive view of African, Asian, Russian and (mon dieu!) South American art... and lest we forget Arabic, Indian, Australia and New Zealand... oh and that place north of the USA... Canada.
So lets say we were to go looking for a book that is comprehensive, what would you choose? Charles Moffat recommends a book called "The Visual Arts: A History" by Hugh Honour and John Fleming. The book was 1st published in 1984, but since then has had multiple updates and editions. The huge 960 page textbook had its 6th edition released in 2002 and is due for a 7th edition sometime in the near future.
Glancing through the book its quick to understand why Moffat recommends the book. It has everything from prehistoric art, Islamic art, Asian art and goes all the way up to contemporary art the late 1990s. It also has a lot of information on printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture too. Almost nothing is left out or ignored. Moffat does point out the book is missing one large aspect of 20th century art however, and that is fantasy illustrations and paintings (fantasy art he says isn't taken seriously by some art historians and publishers).
For this he recommends a book called "Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History" by Randy Broecker.
There is a dozen or so other books Moffat recommends, but his point is clear. Art history books, if they are to be accurate, should also be comprehensive. The same goes with websites; Art history websites should endeavour be more comprehensive. Below we've added some new pages on Estonian and Turkish artists.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Turkish Artists
Estonian Artists
The Canada eZine
Cop Killer in Ontario
The Fashion eZine
Cuteocracy: The Apotheosis of Cute
The Politics eZine
The Tiananmen Square Massacre
Letter from the Editor
The world of art is so much more than Europe and the United States, although sometimes it certainly feels that way if you live in the USA and so rarely see anything that is not made in America. If you open an art history textbook in any high school in the United States the book likely starts with Egyptian, Greek & Roman art, various stages of European art and eventually ends with American movements. Its a very narrow view on the history of art.
Is it the art historians that are to blame? Not so, says our resident art historian Charles Moffat. He blames the publishing industry for turning down more comprehensive books in favour of smaller, more Americentric books. The school boards who choose books too are likewise to blame. They figure students won't appreciate books with a more comprehensive view of African, Asian, Russian and (mon dieu!) South American art... and lest we forget Arabic, Indian, Australia and New Zealand... oh and that place north of the USA... Canada.
So lets say we were to go looking for a book that is comprehensive, what would you choose? Charles Moffat recommends a book called "The Visual Arts: A History" by Hugh Honour and John Fleming. The book was 1st published in 1984, but since then has had multiple updates and editions. The huge 960 page textbook had its 6th edition released in 2002 and is due for a 7th edition sometime in the near future.
Glancing through the book its quick to understand why Moffat recommends the book. It has everything from prehistoric art, Islamic art, Asian art and goes all the way up to contemporary art the late 1990s. It also has a lot of information on printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture too. Almost nothing is left out or ignored. Moffat does point out the book is missing one large aspect of 20th century art however, and that is fantasy illustrations and paintings (fantasy art he says isn't taken seriously by some art historians and publishers).
For this he recommends a book called "Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History" by Randy Broecker.
There is a dozen or so other books Moffat recommends, but his point is clear. Art history books, if they are to be accurate, should also be comprehensive. The same goes with websites; Art history websites should endeavour be more comprehensive. Below we've added some new pages on Estonian and Turkish artists.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Turkish Artists
Estonian Artists
The Canada eZine
Cop Killer in Ontario
The Fashion eZine
Cuteocracy: The Apotheosis of Cute
The Politics eZine
The Tiananmen Square Massacre
July 20th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
In 1971 Linda Nochlin popped the question "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?". The answer she gave is that artists are effected by social forces and "that art is not a free, autonomous activity". Instead artists become famous and "great" as the result of the institution of art, the stereotype of the artist-genius, and that women artists are not given the same status because women don't fall into the stereotype of the artist-genius.
Essentially, male artists being accepted as geniuses is the status quo and self-perpetuating. So in reality it is not a matter of skill or genius. It is purely psychological. There are plenty of great women artists out there, but they're not treated the same way because women aren't considered to be geniuses.
Indeed historically women's art has largely been considered to be "arts and crafts", comparative to things like knitting and quilting. But seriously lets stop and consider knitting. What genius woman invented knitting? Somebody, extremely skilled with knots, must have had a brainfart and the next thing you know they've combined yarn and two knitting needles and created elaborate garments composed of knots.
While we're at it, what genius woman invented bread? How did someone, regardless of their sex, manage to combine flour, sugar, water and yeast, and heat it to the point of creating an edible substance? It is a mind-blowing thought to invent such a complicated food substance with little or no previous knowledge of chemistry. Egypt is home to the world's oldest known yeast-bread bakeries and it is presumed it must have been an Egyptian that somehow first figured out the intricacies of baking.
For whatever reason however the women who invent things, or create great works of art, aren't treated like geniuses the same way men are. If a man had invented bread or knitting we would probably know his name, but because it was likely a woman who invented these things their names have been lost to the mists of time.
While we're at it, was Pablo Picasso really that great? I think not. He stole most of his ideas from other artists. Even he himself admitted that Guernica was not as successful as he wanted it to be, and thus Picasso never again attempted a large scale work.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Martha Rosler
Feminist Art Practices & Political Art
Pablo Picasso
The Feminist eZine
Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?
The Sex eZine
Flirting
Letter from the Editor
In 1971 Linda Nochlin popped the question "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?". The answer she gave is that artists are effected by social forces and "that art is not a free, autonomous activity". Instead artists become famous and "great" as the result of the institution of art, the stereotype of the artist-genius, and that women artists are not given the same status because women don't fall into the stereotype of the artist-genius.
Essentially, male artists being accepted as geniuses is the status quo and self-perpetuating. So in reality it is not a matter of skill or genius. It is purely psychological. There are plenty of great women artists out there, but they're not treated the same way because women aren't considered to be geniuses.
Indeed historically women's art has largely been considered to be "arts and crafts", comparative to things like knitting and quilting. But seriously lets stop and consider knitting. What genius woman invented knitting? Somebody, extremely skilled with knots, must have had a brainfart and the next thing you know they've combined yarn and two knitting needles and created elaborate garments composed of knots.
While we're at it, what genius woman invented bread? How did someone, regardless of their sex, manage to combine flour, sugar, water and yeast, and heat it to the point of creating an edible substance? It is a mind-blowing thought to invent such a complicated food substance with little or no previous knowledge of chemistry. Egypt is home to the world's oldest known yeast-bread bakeries and it is presumed it must have been an Egyptian that somehow first figured out the intricacies of baking.
For whatever reason however the women who invent things, or create great works of art, aren't treated like geniuses the same way men are. If a man had invented bread or knitting we would probably know his name, but because it was likely a woman who invented these things their names have been lost to the mists of time.
While we're at it, was Pablo Picasso really that great? I think not. He stole most of his ideas from other artists. Even he himself admitted that Guernica was not as successful as he wanted it to be, and thus Picasso never again attempted a large scale work.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Martha Rosler
Feminist Art Practices & Political Art
Pablo Picasso
The Feminist eZine
Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?
The Sex eZine
Flirting
July 13th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Less than a month from now the Olympics will begin in Beijing China. Leaving nothing to chance China is even drilling its Olympics hostesses in how to smile for 10 minutes at a time, and to hold that position flawlessly.
To pass testing they must always show between six and eight teeth and be capable of unflinchingly holding their grin for 10 minutes at a time. Training includes hours of walking around with a chopstick clamped between their smiling teeth to build up their facial muscles.
800,000 students are being taught how to clap and cheer in unison, and even the weather will be strictly controlled using "cloud-seeding" techniques to ensure it doesn't rain during the Olympic Games' scheduled hours.
For all its welcoming smiles, for all of China's cultural heritage and charm, this is the face of modern China. A rigidly controlled one where Freedom of Speech is only allowed if it doesn't go against the government's wishes and where even religion has to be strictly controlled and government sanctioned.
The Communist government has even made a set of strict rules for how Chinese are expected to behave during the Olympics, with severe punishments for disobedience.
For example failure to to be neatly dressed will result in people being "transferred to public security departments". That is just for a minor infraction, likely the result of public drunkenness.
There are much more worrisome rules like how Pro-Tibetan demonstrators are to be imprisoned during the length of the Olympic games and only released at the end. There's even a silly new law saying that demonstrators need a permit to demonstrate, implying imprisonment will be done without trial and violators will have no due process.
Then there is all the propaganda prepared for the games. The Chinese government has created a lengthy list of statistics to show all the improvements China has made in recent years. Many of the statistics seem geared to cover up some of China's very serious problems.
The Chinese government claims the carbon monoxide levels in Beijing has dropped 39.4% since 1998, but since its one of the most polluted cities in the world I doubt it makes a difference. With all the rules and propaganda China is pushing many visitors are likely to be both impressed with China, and utterly dismayed with China's government.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
PS. I don't recommend drinking the local water.
The Art History Archive
Visionary Art
Manifesto of Visionary Art
The Politics eZine
China
Letter from the Editor
Less than a month from now the Olympics will begin in Beijing China. Leaving nothing to chance China is even drilling its Olympics hostesses in how to smile for 10 minutes at a time, and to hold that position flawlessly.
To pass testing they must always show between six and eight teeth and be capable of unflinchingly holding their grin for 10 minutes at a time. Training includes hours of walking around with a chopstick clamped between their smiling teeth to build up their facial muscles.
800,000 students are being taught how to clap and cheer in unison, and even the weather will be strictly controlled using "cloud-seeding" techniques to ensure it doesn't rain during the Olympic Games' scheduled hours.
For all its welcoming smiles, for all of China's cultural heritage and charm, this is the face of modern China. A rigidly controlled one where Freedom of Speech is only allowed if it doesn't go against the government's wishes and where even religion has to be strictly controlled and government sanctioned.
The Communist government has even made a set of strict rules for how Chinese are expected to behave during the Olympics, with severe punishments for disobedience.
For example failure to to be neatly dressed will result in people being "transferred to public security departments". That is just for a minor infraction, likely the result of public drunkenness.
There are much more worrisome rules like how Pro-Tibetan demonstrators are to be imprisoned during the length of the Olympic games and only released at the end. There's even a silly new law saying that demonstrators need a permit to demonstrate, implying imprisonment will be done without trial and violators will have no due process.
Then there is all the propaganda prepared for the games. The Chinese government has created a lengthy list of statistics to show all the improvements China has made in recent years. Many of the statistics seem geared to cover up some of China's very serious problems.
The Chinese government claims the carbon monoxide levels in Beijing has dropped 39.4% since 1998, but since its one of the most polluted cities in the world I doubt it makes a difference. With all the rules and propaganda China is pushing many visitors are likely to be both impressed with China, and utterly dismayed with China's government.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
PS. I don't recommend drinking the local water.
The Art History Archive
Visionary Art
Manifesto of Visionary Art
The Politics eZine
China
July 6th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Assistant Editor
Wikipedia is the ultimate tool for spammers and stalkers.
Think about it.
Thanks to the user information files you can look up a person's interests, everything they've ever added or talked about on Wikipedia, and provides a stalker with some pretty detailed personal information.
Furthermore, it allows people to contact all the users who have contributed to a particular topic or topics just by clicking on the e-mail this user link. I have several issues with this.
#1. This is a clear violation of my personal privacy, but Wikipedia's Privacy Policy is sadly in need of an update. Wikipedia allows users to contact other users as much as they like, allowing them to abuse the system for any nefarious reason with little or no policy on abuse.
#2. It allows anyone to view your personal information, and email you about it, possibly posing as a person of authority or celebrity, and then using that personage to con you.
#3. Children use Wikipedia frequently for school purposes. It is discouraged by teachers, but they still do. Wikipedia thus becomes a back door for pedophiles and stalkers to contact your children.
#4. It allows spammers to narrow their focus to only those people who contribute to a particular topic. ie. Viagra, breast implants, fashion knockoffs, etc. More spam for you just for being an active user.
#5. It also means that if you make a change or leave a comment on a topic that someone else doesn't like, that person can then snoop into your personal information and then harass you for it. Wikipedia is a virtual forum for a plethora of controversial topics... and such discussions are bound to get personal.
I have complained to Wikipedia about the privacy issue and was bluntly told that nothing less than a lawsuit would encourage them to change their Privacy Policy and change the ease of use that people have for invading other users' personal data. I've decided to go the other way: Public Pressure.
Please email info-en@wikimedia.org and complain about their lack of measures to protect the personal privacy of users. We live in a society today that values personal privacy, but thanks to the internet and Wikipedia's lack of measures that personal privacy can be very easily invaded.
Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
Assistant Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Pablo Picasso
The Environmental eZine
Solar Power becoming Profitable
The Fashion eZine
Canadian Fashion and Chic
The Politics eZine
Iran: Nuclear Threat of Hype?
The Technology eZine
Worth Repeating: Crapipedia: Wikipedia is Crap
June 29th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Abortion is my topic of discussion today and I am going to start off with some abortion statistics:
73% of American women who have abortions are living below the poverty level (earning $9,570 or less per year).
60% of American women who have abortions already have 1 or more children.
66% of American women who have abortions are not married.
33% of all American women who have abortions are between the age of 20 and 24 and are the largest percentage by age bracket.
52% of American women will have an abortion during their lifetime.
From these statistics it appears that there is a very sizable percentage of young American women who already have kids, are single mothers, are not married and aren't making very much money. Its really not surprising that they choose to have an abortion. If I was working two jobs, making very little money and already had one child to worry about the last thing I would want is to double the problem.
When you're in that situation it doesn't really feel like you have much of a choice. Abortion suddenly became more like a need rather than a choice.
For years the anti-abortionists have been pushing this idea that the stereotypical women who have abortions are "corporate risers" who have sex with the boss to get a promotion, backstab their co-workers, get pregnant and dump the fetus in the nearest available abortion clinic all for the sake of capitalist greed.
And while I admit the United States is very capitalistic, the statistics show that this is simply not true. Instead the women who have abortions are much more likely to be making minimum wage, is already a single mother, may be trying to work their way through university or college, and simply doesn't have the finances to raise 2 or 3 kids by themselves when they have enough trouble with the 1 or 2 they already have.
Why is suddenly a topic for discussion?
John McCain, the Republican Candidate for the 2008 Presidential Election wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, but keep abortion legal for incest & rape exceptions and when the mother's life is in danger. He also wants to prosecute abortion doctors and says he would nominate supreme court justices based on their experience and shared values with respect to abortion.
Could you imagine if abortion suddenly became illegal and the only way you could get an abortion is if you went across the border to Canada or Mexico or pretended that someone had raped you? False rape allegations would skyrocket and cross border shopping and sneaky terrorists would be the least of the border guards' worries. Young pregnant women would be lined up at the border needing abortions.
That or we'd go back to the old fashioned way... illegal abortions in secretive clinics.
And lest we forget the protests. If 52% of American women will have abortions during their lifetime, what about the % who still believes in the right to have an abortion even if they don't need one themselves?
I've been ignoring the male equation in this issue, but think about all the problems that would cause as well. Extra children being born to unwed mothers... shotgun weddings, family strife, homelessness, paying child/spousal support, broken families. Men won't be liking this change much either (despite the fact that 77% of all anti-abortionist leaders are men).
Politicians generally like to stay away from the abortion issue. Its too controversial for many people and they don't want to deal with it. John McCain has been pretty blunt what his intentions are, and for once I don't think this politician is lying.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Lucian Freud
The Automotive eZine
Hypermiling
The Feminist eZine
Open Letter to Anti-Abortionists
The Politics eZine
OPEC Predicts $170 Oil
Letter from the Editor
Abortion is my topic of discussion today and I am going to start off with some abortion statistics:
73% of American women who have abortions are living below the poverty level (earning $9,570 or less per year).
60% of American women who have abortions already have 1 or more children.
66% of American women who have abortions are not married.
33% of all American women who have abortions are between the age of 20 and 24 and are the largest percentage by age bracket.
52% of American women will have an abortion during their lifetime.
From these statistics it appears that there is a very sizable percentage of young American women who already have kids, are single mothers, are not married and aren't making very much money. Its really not surprising that they choose to have an abortion. If I was working two jobs, making very little money and already had one child to worry about the last thing I would want is to double the problem.
When you're in that situation it doesn't really feel like you have much of a choice. Abortion suddenly became more like a need rather than a choice.
For years the anti-abortionists have been pushing this idea that the stereotypical women who have abortions are "corporate risers" who have sex with the boss to get a promotion, backstab their co-workers, get pregnant and dump the fetus in the nearest available abortion clinic all for the sake of capitalist greed.
And while I admit the United States is very capitalistic, the statistics show that this is simply not true. Instead the women who have abortions are much more likely to be making minimum wage, is already a single mother, may be trying to work their way through university or college, and simply doesn't have the finances to raise 2 or 3 kids by themselves when they have enough trouble with the 1 or 2 they already have.
Why is suddenly a topic for discussion?
John McCain, the Republican Candidate for the 2008 Presidential Election wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, but keep abortion legal for incest & rape exceptions and when the mother's life is in danger. He also wants to prosecute abortion doctors and says he would nominate supreme court justices based on their experience and shared values with respect to abortion.
Could you imagine if abortion suddenly became illegal and the only way you could get an abortion is if you went across the border to Canada or Mexico or pretended that someone had raped you? False rape allegations would skyrocket and cross border shopping and sneaky terrorists would be the least of the border guards' worries. Young pregnant women would be lined up at the border needing abortions.
That or we'd go back to the old fashioned way... illegal abortions in secretive clinics.
And lest we forget the protests. If 52% of American women will have abortions during their lifetime, what about the % who still believes in the right to have an abortion even if they don't need one themselves?
I've been ignoring the male equation in this issue, but think about all the problems that would cause as well. Extra children being born to unwed mothers... shotgun weddings, family strife, homelessness, paying child/spousal support, broken families. Men won't be liking this change much either (despite the fact that 77% of all anti-abortionist leaders are men).
Politicians generally like to stay away from the abortion issue. Its too controversial for many people and they don't want to deal with it. John McCain has been pretty blunt what his intentions are, and for once I don't think this politician is lying.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Lucian Freud
The Automotive eZine
Hypermiling
The Feminist eZine
Open Letter to Anti-Abortionists
The Politics eZine
OPEC Predicts $170 Oil
June 22nd 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor and Assistant Editor
The Summer Solstice came and went, but did any of you bother to celebrate it? Or even notice it? Not that it matters. I have a more interesting topic to talk about:
Marriage, Divorce and Sex
Call them the Bermuda Triangle of relationships if you want to. So many marriages die due to lack of sex and/or communication. Many of them are doomed from the start because the people getting married don't really understand what they are getting into. To explain properly I will need to split this topic into two sections:
Sex Before Marriage (1): If you're in this camp you believe that your physical and sexual wants have to be met before marrying a person. You know that sex is an important part of a healthy relationship and you want to be sexually compatible with your potential spouse. Marriage for you isn't about having sex, its about the loving relationship you have and the desire to start making babies. This camp has the potential for pregnancy, STDs and the sex may get dull after awhile (which could lead to adultery and divorce).
Sex After Marriage (2): If you're in this camp you believe that love must come first and that your sexual desires will have to wait until you have the ring on your finger. When you do start having sex you will probably be disappointed with your partner's ability, your own lack of experience and/or regret not trying this sooner (possibly with someone else). This camp has the potential for divorce and adultery, but at least when the female in the relationship does get pregnant it will probably be intentional.
Pregnancy and Babies: Nothing throws a wrench into a relationship like a baby, especially if it wasn't planned. The responsibilities, a lifetime commitment and eventually the prospect of kicking them out of the house/putting them through college can be a lot of stress on any parent. Marriage, as an institution, was designed specifically to protect women from being burdened with all of these responsibilities by themselves (and possibly burdening their parents). Most religions are in the sex after marriage precisely for this reason, so that women in society won't be burdened and impoverished by men with loose morals.
For feminists this is a tricky matter because many feminists won't even agree on which camp is best. Camp 1 means the woman is sexually liberated and free to do whatever she pleases but she has to be very cautious about who she is sleeping with and confident enough in her use of protection and her ability to raise the child alone in the event the male has a fear of commitment. Camp 2 means the woman will be sexually inexperienced and repressed, but at least she won't be left holding the baby if the man decides he's not up for this kind of responsibility and financial commitment. (This is why deadbeat dads rank so high on many a woman's list of complete scumbags.)
For men the risks are significantly less and that is one of the reasons men aren't cautious about sex the way women are. Men have a tendency to forget that the sexual act is really about making babies and that there is a financial responsibility attached to it. That financial responsible is virtually guaranteed by laws these days with very rare exceptions. Centuries ago some cultures had much harsher penalties for getting a woman pregnant than merely docking your weekly pay. Marriage at sword point for example was likely more common than we think.
Divorce as a concept has been around a lot longer than most people think and the earliest recordings of divorces date back to ancient Mesopotamia. The Romans for example believe that "matrimonia debent esse libera" ("marriages ought to be free") and that either spouse could get a divorce at will simply by renouncing it. Emperor Constantine however began placing restrictions on divorces during the 6th century and the Holy Roman Catholic church followed suit, making significant efforts to get rid of divorce entirely in order to make men more happy (mistresses were relatively common during such circumstances). Eventually the church made marriage a sacrament and that only annulments (essentially a tax on divorces) could free people from their marital bonds.
Not all men were happy however. King Henry the Eighth, to six wives he was wedded: One died, one survived, two divorced, two beheaded. Britain's modern very high marriage and divorce rate can be traced back to his desire for a divorce and the creation of the Church of England and the separation of that church from the Holy Roman Catholic church.
For our modern society divorce is basically now the sacrament, because without it women would be virtual slaves in their own homes. Feminists unfortunately get the blame for this however despite the laws being in the books for centuries (largely thanks to King Henry the VIII), with many disgruntled ex-husbands blaming feminism and their uppity ex-wives for their financial commitment for raising the kids involved (although they might not complain so much if they had custody more often and had to deal with the stresses of actually raising those kids).
Shared or dual-custody is pretty much the norm these days, unless one of the parents is an alcoholic, abusive, a drug abuser, has a mental disorder or any number of other reasons that would give child services a reason to remove the child from their care.
After reading all of this do you still want to have unprotected sex to a person's you're not married to? If so, try watching this video:
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin & Charles Moffat
Editor and Assistant-Editor of the Lilith eZine
PS. Exam season is over and Suzy is now on vacation, which means you can be expecting the Sunday Edition to be back on its weekly schedule every Sunday.
The Automotive eZine
Ride Sharing and Avoiding Gridlock
The Canada eZine
Building a Wind Turbine Factory in Ontario
The Entertainment eZine
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Review
The Environmental eZine
Green Burials
The Gothic eZine
Toronto Goth Reviews of Clubs, Shops and More
The Politics eZine
Afghanistan: A Tale of Two Countries
Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction and Civil War
Oil Shortages in America
Two Hundred Dollar Oil?
Letter from the Editor and Assistant Editor
The Summer Solstice came and went, but did any of you bother to celebrate it? Or even notice it? Not that it matters. I have a more interesting topic to talk about:
Marriage, Divorce and Sex
Call them the Bermuda Triangle of relationships if you want to. So many marriages die due to lack of sex and/or communication. Many of them are doomed from the start because the people getting married don't really understand what they are getting into. To explain properly I will need to split this topic into two sections:
Sex Before Marriage (1): If you're in this camp you believe that your physical and sexual wants have to be met before marrying a person. You know that sex is an important part of a healthy relationship and you want to be sexually compatible with your potential spouse. Marriage for you isn't about having sex, its about the loving relationship you have and the desire to start making babies. This camp has the potential for pregnancy, STDs and the sex may get dull after awhile (which could lead to adultery and divorce).
Sex After Marriage (2): If you're in this camp you believe that love must come first and that your sexual desires will have to wait until you have the ring on your finger. When you do start having sex you will probably be disappointed with your partner's ability, your own lack of experience and/or regret not trying this sooner (possibly with someone else). This camp has the potential for divorce and adultery, but at least when the female in the relationship does get pregnant it will probably be intentional.
Pregnancy and Babies: Nothing throws a wrench into a relationship like a baby, especially if it wasn't planned. The responsibilities, a lifetime commitment and eventually the prospect of kicking them out of the house/putting them through college can be a lot of stress on any parent. Marriage, as an institution, was designed specifically to protect women from being burdened with all of these responsibilities by themselves (and possibly burdening their parents). Most religions are in the sex after marriage precisely for this reason, so that women in society won't be burdened and impoverished by men with loose morals.
For feminists this is a tricky matter because many feminists won't even agree on which camp is best. Camp 1 means the woman is sexually liberated and free to do whatever she pleases but she has to be very cautious about who she is sleeping with and confident enough in her use of protection and her ability to raise the child alone in the event the male has a fear of commitment. Camp 2 means the woman will be sexually inexperienced and repressed, but at least she won't be left holding the baby if the man decides he's not up for this kind of responsibility and financial commitment. (This is why deadbeat dads rank so high on many a woman's list of complete scumbags.)
For men the risks are significantly less and that is one of the reasons men aren't cautious about sex the way women are. Men have a tendency to forget that the sexual act is really about making babies and that there is a financial responsibility attached to it. That financial responsible is virtually guaranteed by laws these days with very rare exceptions. Centuries ago some cultures had much harsher penalties for getting a woman pregnant than merely docking your weekly pay. Marriage at sword point for example was likely more common than we think.
Divorce as a concept has been around a lot longer than most people think and the earliest recordings of divorces date back to ancient Mesopotamia. The Romans for example believe that "matrimonia debent esse libera" ("marriages ought to be free") and that either spouse could get a divorce at will simply by renouncing it. Emperor Constantine however began placing restrictions on divorces during the 6th century and the Holy Roman Catholic church followed suit, making significant efforts to get rid of divorce entirely in order to make men more happy (mistresses were relatively common during such circumstances). Eventually the church made marriage a sacrament and that only annulments (essentially a tax on divorces) could free people from their marital bonds.
Not all men were happy however. King Henry the Eighth, to six wives he was wedded: One died, one survived, two divorced, two beheaded. Britain's modern very high marriage and divorce rate can be traced back to his desire for a divorce and the creation of the Church of England and the separation of that church from the Holy Roman Catholic church.
For our modern society divorce is basically now the sacrament, because without it women would be virtual slaves in their own homes. Feminists unfortunately get the blame for this however despite the laws being in the books for centuries (largely thanks to King Henry the VIII), with many disgruntled ex-husbands blaming feminism and their uppity ex-wives for their financial commitment for raising the kids involved (although they might not complain so much if they had custody more often and had to deal with the stresses of actually raising those kids).
Shared or dual-custody is pretty much the norm these days, unless one of the parents is an alcoholic, abusive, a drug abuser, has a mental disorder or any number of other reasons that would give child services a reason to remove the child from their care.
After reading all of this do you still want to have unprotected sex to a person's you're not married to? If so, try watching this video:
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin & Charles Moffat
Editor and Assistant-Editor of the Lilith eZine
PS. Exam season is over and Suzy is now on vacation, which means you can be expecting the Sunday Edition to be back on its weekly schedule every Sunday.
The Automotive eZine
Ride Sharing and Avoiding Gridlock
The Canada eZine
Building a Wind Turbine Factory in Ontario
The Entertainment eZine
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Review
The Environmental eZine
Green Burials
The Gothic eZine
Toronto Goth Reviews of Clubs, Shops and More
The Politics eZine
Afghanistan: A Tale of Two Countries
Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction and Civil War
Oil Shortages in America
Two Hundred Dollar Oil?
April 20th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Spring is here and I want to be outside so I will keep this short so you can all go outside and enjoy the wonderful weather.
I figure we should all enjoy it while it lasts because in two months meteorologists are predicting record breaking heat waves, lots of smog alerts and are already getting ready to warn people to stay inside, stay in air conditioned rooms and avoid becoming dehydrated.
Lest we forget what happened in 2005 when even chilly Canada had people dying from dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
White Box Gallery - Why should art galleries be so boring?
Estonian Feminist Artists
The Automotive eZine
The Nano Car Revolution - Small Cars the New Trend
The Canada eZine
Military Suicides in Canada Double
The Fashion eZine
Prostitution in the Fashion Industry
Letter from the Editor
Spring is here and I want to be outside so I will keep this short so you can all go outside and enjoy the wonderful weather.
I figure we should all enjoy it while it lasts because in two months meteorologists are predicting record breaking heat waves, lots of smog alerts and are already getting ready to warn people to stay inside, stay in air conditioned rooms and avoid becoming dehydrated.
Lest we forget what happened in 2005 when even chilly Canada had people dying from dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
White Box Gallery - Why should art galleries be so boring?
Estonian Feminist Artists
The Automotive eZine
The Nano Car Revolution - Small Cars the New Trend
The Canada eZine
Military Suicides in Canada Double
The Fashion eZine
Prostitution in the Fashion Industry
April 13th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Letter from the Editor
Toronto Mayor David Miller has started a petition to ban handguns in Canada, but really that is just a smoke screen. While I support the proposed ban to a limited extent, what we really need is tougher border security on both sides of the US-Canada border.
Hypothetically if I wanted to I could quite easily walk across the border under the pretense of cross-border shopping, purchase a new or used gun in either Michigan or New York state, and walk back with it in my purse and no one (thanks to reverse discrimination against women) would even think to search me or my backpack, purse or shopping bags. I would be just one of thousands of cross-border shoppers who go across the border every day to find cheaper deals. I could then sell the gun on the Canadian side of the border for a tidy profit, paying for all the cheap goods I purchased in the malls south of here and then some.
So much for border security.
We have three options:
#1. Super Tight Border Security - Nothing gets across without being searched, X-rayed and interviewed by border patrol guards on both sides of the border. No more of this cross-border shopping nonsense. Only transport trucks, tourists, people doing business or working on the other side would get across and there would be high fees just to cross the border.
#2. Invest heavily in getting more undercover police officers to catch gun smugglers and illegal arms dealers.
#3. The status quo. Leave things as they are. Continue to allow the flow of drugs/guns and whatever across the border and be prepared to pay the consequences whenever our citizens get killed.
Banning handguns would make it easier to prosecute criminals who take part in violent crimes, but it isn't going to solve the problem of cross border gun smuggling. We can ban handguns if we want to, but it is just one step towards finding a much larger solution.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Toronto Mayor David Miller's Petition
https://wx.toronto.ca/handgunban.nsf/
The Automotive eZine
Green Sports Cars - Fast and Eco-Friendly
Rinspeed sQuba - The first amphibious car for the mass market
The Canada eZine
Living in Capitalist Times - Survival of the Wealthiest in Ontario Schools
The Entertainment eZine
3D Movies becoming more Commonplace - 10,000 new movie theaters to offer the 3D experience
The Health eZine
Olympics Profits & Profiteerism in China
April 6th 2008
The Lilith eZine Sunday Edition
Why did the Turkey cross the road? To join the European Union.
Sorry, I couldn't resist poking fun at the name we westerners call the Republic of Turkey or Türkiye Cumhuriyeti. (I also think Cum hurry yeti is quite funny.)
The Republic of Turkey sits literally on the border between Asia and Europe (making it one of very few transcontinental countries), and likewise its culture is a mixture of east and west. For 85 years now Turkey has been growing as a secular and democratic republic ever since the Ottoman Empire fell in 1923.
Turkey is also the location of the legendary city of Troy, boasts more ancient temples and palaces than both Greece and Egypt combined and has neolithic architecture dating back to the stone age. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1922) was one of the longest lasting and most widespread empires of the pre-industrial age (the Roman Empire was slightly larger, but lasted only 500 years).
Turkey helped the allies during WWII, was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945, helped the United States during the Korean War, was a bulwark of stability against the Soviets during the Cold War, has had some diplomatic problems with Cyprus that are now being solved, and is a major source of oil for the rest of Europe with major pipelines from the Middle East and the Black Sea traveling through Turkey.
Today Turkey has a population of 71 million people but has a per capita GDP of approx. $9300, which is to say that most Turks are dirt poor despite the economic growth of recent years (5.1% in 2007 and sustained high growth over the last 2 decades). 20% of the Turkish population lives below the poverty line, but things are improving.
And they would improve a lot faster if they became an EU member. Turkey is currently in the process of becoming a full EU member and only yesterday Turkish President Abdullah Gul held a summit meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Bucharest. Sarkozy expressed that the "Year of Turkey" in France in 2009 will help eradicate negative notions on Turkey.
And what are the negative notions about Turkey? Well, they did fight on the side of Austrians/Germans during WWI, but have since redeemed themselves. Oh, and 99% of Turkey's population is Muslim, which makes them an excellent model for other Muslim states on how democracy works. France has a strong anti-Muslim community...
But really those seem kind of minor. I think the major problem with Turkey (asides from the name) is that most people don't really know much about Turkey's culture, history and arts (let alone the language Türkiye).
Here to help remedy that we've compiled an overview of the history of art in Turkey. Check it out below.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Turkish Artists
Turkish Feminist Artists
Ismail Acar
Hoca Ali Riza
Avni Arbas
Esref Armagan
Tomur Atagok
Bedri Baykam
Nevin Çokay
Adnan Coker
Gürkan Coskun
Abidin Dino
Burhan Cahit Dogançay
Erkan Genis
Bahadir Gökay
Nazmi Ziya Güran
Osman Hamdi Bey
Abdulcelil Levni
Setenay Özbek
Seker Ahmet Pasa
Fikret Muallâ Saygi
Fahrelnissa Zeid
The Canada eZine
Funding Ontario's Schools - Privatization of Education
The Commodication of Students - Privatization of Education
Why did the Turkey cross the road? To join the European Union.
Sorry, I couldn't resist poking fun at the name we westerners call the Republic of Turkey or Türkiye Cumhuriyeti. (I also think Cum hurry yeti is quite funny.)
The Republic of Turkey sits literally on the border between Asia and Europe (making it one of very few transcontinental countries), and likewise its culture is a mixture of east and west. For 85 years now Turkey has been growing as a secular and democratic republic ever since the Ottoman Empire fell in 1923.
Turkey is also the location of the legendary city of Troy, boasts more ancient temples and palaces than both Greece and Egypt combined and has neolithic architecture dating back to the stone age. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1922) was one of the longest lasting and most widespread empires of the pre-industrial age (the Roman Empire was slightly larger, but lasted only 500 years).
Turkey helped the allies during WWII, was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945, helped the United States during the Korean War, was a bulwark of stability against the Soviets during the Cold War, has had some diplomatic problems with Cyprus that are now being solved, and is a major source of oil for the rest of Europe with major pipelines from the Middle East and the Black Sea traveling through Turkey.
Today Turkey has a population of 71 million people but has a per capita GDP of approx. $9300, which is to say that most Turks are dirt poor despite the economic growth of recent years (5.1% in 2007 and sustained high growth over the last 2 decades). 20% of the Turkish population lives below the poverty line, but things are improving.
And they would improve a lot faster if they became an EU member. Turkey is currently in the process of becoming a full EU member and only yesterday Turkish President Abdullah Gul held a summit meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Bucharest. Sarkozy expressed that the "Year of Turkey" in France in 2009 will help eradicate negative notions on Turkey.
And what are the negative notions about Turkey? Well, they did fight on the side of Austrians/Germans during WWI, but have since redeemed themselves. Oh, and 99% of Turkey's population is Muslim, which makes them an excellent model for other Muslim states on how democracy works. France has a strong anti-Muslim community...
But really those seem kind of minor. I think the major problem with Turkey (asides from the name) is that most people don't really know much about Turkey's culture, history and arts (let alone the language Türkiye).
Here to help remedy that we've compiled an overview of the history of art in Turkey. Check it out below.
Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
Editor of the Lilith eZine
The Art History Archive
Turkish Artists
Turkish Feminist Artists
Ismail Acar
Hoca Ali Riza
Avni Arbas
Esref Armagan
Tomur Atagok
Bedri Baykam
Nevin Çokay
Adnan Coker
Gürkan Coskun
Abidin Dino
Burhan Cahit Dogançay
Erkan Genis
Bahadir Gökay
Nazmi Ziya Güran
Osman Hamdi Bey
Abdulcelil Levni
Setenay Özbek
Seker Ahmet Pasa
Fikret Muallâ Saygi
Fahrelnissa Zeid
The Canada eZine
Funding Ontario's Schools - Privatization of Education
The Commodication of Students - Privatization of Education
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