2013: Happy New Year!

I look forward to starting off 2013 with a nice clean slate... as I did in 2012, 2011 and DEFINITELY 2010. 

This clean slate I'm talking about doesn't mean I erase everything from the past. I realize this now.

It is an addition to the clean slates I had collected from years back. I just keep stacking them. Why?

If you start with a clean slate every year, you're left with nothing but replaceable, disposable and temporary (365 days) worth of events, memories and lives. If these important things are easily replaced, then why did you spend all year with them?

My clean slate isn't that way. It's more of an addition to the positivity... the laughs.

For a lot of people, 2012 was rough. I know these people and these are good people with good intentions and big hearts. They see the new year as not just a place to restart, but to rebuild. 

My good friend had a rough year this year. Although I don't know the details of this part of his life, I feel as though he will get through it. He has a positive outlook on life and seems like the type of person to find peace within himself to overcome life's obstacles. This is an important aspect--- to be at peace.

In 2012 I met some amazing people that made me laugh, cry (happy tears) and tell bad stories when I was intoxicated. I shared great food with them, had intelligent conversations. I met their families and children and they were so welcoming I felt I played an important role in their lives. I reconnected with people and I let go of some that I felt were idling in my life but there were no hard feelings. I stood up for myself and for those who could not. I got my degree, I'm starting a business and it seems there are an endless amount of things I need to get done that I'm excited for this year.

I'm sure that I've done wrong as well. I've let others down, gave up on them for my own advantage and had to lets them be. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes not so much!

Many people are doing the 2012 in review... and it's a lot of negativity. If you have to let people go, then do it. But don't wish them pain and suffering. That's not letting it go, that's dwelling on ill feelings.

My 2012 in review: Two thumbs up. I hope to double this in the following year and many after that. I hope to share my experiences with all of you. For those that are a part of my life, I appreciate all that you have done to keep me happy. I will be sure to do the same.

Happy New Year Everyone!

xoxo

UPDATE: Executive Charged for Salvation Army Theft

David Rennie faces 51 charges from $2M theft

Last week, I blogged about the $2 Million dollars in theft of toys and food initially donated to the Salvation Army by the well-intentioned people and corporations of Toronto. The theft was discovered after an internal audit and the Executive David Rennie was suspended back in September of this year.

Now, police have released to the media that Rennie faces 51 charges after the stolen items were found in warehouses in Brampton. When shipments came in, certain items would be put aside for strict control and redistribution without the permission of the Salvation Army.

Rennie currently faces the following charges:

10 counts of theft over $5,000
2 counts of possession of stolen good for the purpose of trafficking
17 counts of possession of property obtained by crime
7 counts of theft under $5,000
Criminal breach of trust
Traffic in stolen goods over $5,000
Conspiracy to commit an indictable offence
Traffic in stole goods under $5,000

Spreading the Bad Word

Freedom of speech. It is a beautiful thing. Unless you're using it to-- oh I dunno -- claim the Holocaust never happened perhaps?...

People tend to believe that freedom of speech has absolutely no limitations. WRONG.

Limits on speech were incorporated in the criminal code in relation to treason, sedition, blasphemous and defamatory libel, disruption of religious worship, hate propaganda, spreading false news, public mischief, obscenity, indecency and other forms.

For example, James Keegstra, an anti-semite who also happened to be a school teacher in Alberta decided that he was going to teach his students a lesson: THE HOLOCAUST NEVER HAPPENED.
According to Keegstra, the genocide of Jews NEVER HAPPENED. Gas chambers, extermination, the dead bodies of victims... it was all made up!....

What a goof.

He Knows How To Kill A Dream

Santa Claus is coming to town! Well... According to a 24 year-old drunk man in Kingston, Ontario, Santa isn't real. As adults, we very well know that. But for kids, it's the greatest time of the year aside from their birthdays and getting to eat 5 pounds of sugar filled treats on Halloween.

So who is this dream killer? Unfortunately, the police haven't released the identity of the real life grinch. Apparently, it strolled down during the parade telling kids that Santa isn't real.

Can't Even Go For A Pizza

A 17 year old girl was attacked twice by the same attacker while waiting for the TTC train. It has been reported that on October 30th and November 12th, the same man believed to be in his late 40s early 50s attacked the same victim around 7am on the Bloor-Danforth line.
Not only did this victim have to suffer through one assault, but a second one by the same perpetrator. I think we can all agree that one incident is traumatizing enough.

$2 Million in Toys and Food Missing

Oh where is the humanity...

The Salvation Army in Toronto reported that 2 Million dollars worth of toys and food have gone missing. An internal audit back in September has sent a former executive director from suspension to dismissal yesterday (Monday, November 19th). Although no charges have been laid, many people are assuming that David Rennie was responsible for the theft, however, he may have been penalized for the lack of  security over the donations.

I would like to remind the public that regardless of the heartless individuals that steal for those who need it most, please don't be discouraged in donating food and toys or even your time, especially around the holidays. We may have family dinners and presents to open, but some people don't have a place called home to retreat to. This is the time when we not only think of the new iPad we're going to get, but think of how privileged you are to even have one. 

This is just as immoral as the man that recently stole 3 boxes of poppies. I know I know, 2 million dollars versus 3 boxes of poppies. Regardless of the monetary value, isn't it still immoral? Isn't it still wrong?

Who the hell are these people?

This Is How They Do Obama

I rarely write about politicians on here. I avoid it because of all the mess!

But this was really interesting. This image has been circulating through social networks with the claims that various Shell gas stations had an Obama doll hanging from a noose on display. The claims were from Florida, Texas, Mississipi and so on.

One news report claims that this was a hoax. They say that this photo was actually from a novelty truck that had ALL politicians with a noose around their neck. But that only the photo of Obama was taken and posted on the internet has a national prank. How do we know if this was a prank or not?

It was apparently taken in North Carolina and the two owners of the Shell Gas Station on Bay Meadows Road near Interstate 95 all the way in Jacksonville, Florida deny involvement.

Various figures were screaming RACISM when this photo emerged. Some say, "Don't be so quick to scream racism"... Ok, true. This may all be a hoax.
BUT... being the only black president the U.S. has every had, has Obama's counterparts' race ever experienced lynching because of their "whiteness"?
Yeah I didn't think so.

So when a single image of an Obama doll appears on the internet, you get why people are screaming racism right? Prank or not... Someone made it, hung it, displayed it...

I hope that this tasteless prank urges all the Obama supporters to go and vote today.

Don't vote for the candidates solely based on their race. Vote to support the candidate that you believe will make a positive difference.

Heart Beats TO Glows!

Two of my favourite people decided to get with the Halloween times and has brought out glow in the dark HBTO shirts. This is a limited time offer and is available here.

This shirt is great for casual wear but also for a bit of dressy attire when suited with a blazer and bootcut jeans. When it's dark outside, people may not be able to see that your heart beats TO. Well now they can!

Visit my people

Racist Tweets Pulled

People tend to have this sense of freedom when they log onto social networks to be the bold, fearless and most times senseless internet user. This freedom is basically anonymity and deindividuation all mixed up in one.

Twitter pulled racist and anti-Semitic tweets posted in French earlier this month. Many of the German neo-nazi supporters on twitter claimed that a ban on their expression was a ban on their freedom of expression. However, what these users failed to understand is that there is a limitation to the freedom of speech. This limitation means that spreading hate speech is not granted under human freedom. A call for murder isn't a freedom for anything really.

This isn't the first--and definitely not the last-- of users tweeting hate speech on social networks. This definitely isn't news to celebrities and public figures tweets inappropriate texts. Paraskevi Papachristou was suspended from the Olympics after her rant earlier this year.

In 2009, the news was flooded with reports of a Northwest Career and Technical Academy teacher that claimed to the students that Holocaust never happened. This caused other non-Jewish students to make anti-Semitic jokes and follow the claim that the Holocaust was made up.
Oh... I guess the story was just creative writing that spread globally with evidence existing by chance?

Smh...

Halloween Events in TORONTO/GTA

It's that time of year again. Just between summer's end and hectic Christmas/New Year's holidays sits a nice spooky day. People of all ages dress up, trick or treat and throw great events.

Here are some upcoming Halloween events. If you have an event to post, please e-mail them asap!


Halloween Fun for Kids with Exceptionalities

- 1 in 91 children are diagnosed with autism. Come out this Sunday and help raise money for those with autism all while having somne family fun. Pumpkin carving, costumes and other fund Halloween activities are on the schedule! Visit their site here.

Where: Bright Star Academy 2950 Keele Street Toronto Ontario
When: October 28th, 2012
Cost: $10-$19 ... Donations are welcome!

Andrews' Scenic Acres

- Enjoy a nice walk through raspberry bushes, pumpkin patches, floral gardens and say hello to farm animals before you walk through the spooky hay stacks of halloween decorations. Afterward, purchase Andrews' Scenic Acres' freshly made pumpkin, peach, and apple pies, kiwi and other fruit jams and caramel apples. See there seasonal calendar and website here.

Where: 9365 10th Line Milton Ontario
When: check website for upcoming dates

Rocky Horror Show

- Lower Ossington Theatre features the 5th Annual Rocky Horrow show. This live performance classic and comedy. Visit their site here.

Where: Lower Ossington Theatre 100A Ossington Avenue Toronto Ontario
When: October 19th - November 3rd, 2012
Cost: $40-$49

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

- With a little more experience than the list above, this Rocky Horror Picture Show Toronto Cast has been happening for the last 30 years. Enjoy the show and... BOO!

Where: Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 506 Bloor West Toronto Ontario
When:  
Friday, September 21st at 11:30pm
Friday, October 26th at 11:30pm
Saturday, October 27th at 11:30pm
Wednesday, October 31st at 7:30pm
Wednesday, October 31st at 10:30pm

Cost: $10-$19

Pumpkinfest on Kingsway

- Enjoy dress up, pumpkin carving and music and street entertainers at Pumpkinfest on Kingsway

Where: Bloor & Royal York
When: October 27th, 2012
Cost: FREE


For night life events this Halloween, check out Toronto.com for the listings!