White Poppies? Fuck Off.

by Liz Heather in

Not enough words for how much this enrages me. I almost don't want to have too strong of an opinion here since, well, people can do whatever they want and everyone has that right. But I find this whole thing tactless, disrespectful and wildly ignorant. 

 

"A handful of university students have hopped aboard the left-wing Rideau Institute's "white poppy" bandwagon for Remembrance Day, promoting their pacifist ideology by piggybacking on the Royal Canadian Legion's red poppy campaign.

"Young people don't want to celebrate war," Celyn Dufay of the University of Ottawa said. "We want to work for peace."

With the imposing National War Memorial behind him, Dufay unveiled a pin Monday he and a gaggle of activists will distribute this week.

The pin puts the Rideau Institute's "I Remember for Peace" slogan on a white poppy - a controversial symbol that has angered the legion before.

Bill Maxwell, secretary of the legion's poppy remembrance committee, said Dufay and the Rideau Institute don't understand Remembrance Day symbols.

"The red poppy is a symbol of sacrifice," Maxwell said. "It's not a glorification of war."

Conservative MP Erin O'Toole, a military helicopter navigator before entering politics, said the red poppy already stands for peace.

"That peace came at the cost of many, many lives," O'Toole said. "So, to run a simultaneous (white poppy) campaign that really detracts from the day I think is not only inappropriate, it actually undermines the message."

Dufay hopes to distribute about 2,500 white poppy pins, including at the national Remembrance Day ceremony next week.

Maxwell said that won't go over well with veterans.

"I think they may even take it personally," he said. "I'm sure they would."

Dufay said he'll distribute the pins anyway.

"We can't account for other people's feelings, however, no one has a monopoly over Remembrance Day," he said."

Wengenn in Wonderland

by Liz Heather in

California artist Queenie Liao took this series of photos - entitled Wengenn in Wonderland - that show her baby boy on magical adventures when he is sleeping and dreaming. She used “plain cloths, sheets, scarves, stuffed animals, and other common household materials to create the background settings” for Wengenn’s dreams. Can't even tell you how much I love this. I think the trapeze one is my favourite.  Click on the photo to see more.

Person To Follow - Mike Scully

by Liz Heather in

Sometimes Follow Fridays (#ff) ) aren't enough. Sometimes you need full posts devoted to endorsing good people to follow on Twitter. And if you are on Twitter, you should definitely be following Mike Scully.  

I first heard of him when he was the showrunner on The Simpsons and I listened to countless commentaries that he was apart of for the show. He's really funny and seemed crazy nice from those commentaries, so I added him and I'm so glad I did. Here are some of my favourites of his:

Eat Raisins!

by Liz Heather in

Are you eating raisins? You really should be. Everyone and their brother has been telling me to eat breakfast for years, so I've started. And the only consistent cereal that I can daily love is any form of raisin bran (and I don't mean the Kellogg's one - get an organic brand, like the one shown below, so the raisins don't come coated in extra sugar). 

Cascadian Farm Organic

And every time I find one of those sweet little raisins on my spoon full of milk, I get maybe 5% excited. Why is this? I don't know, I guess I treat the raisins as the little prizes of my breakfast. They're definitely the highlight of forcing myself to eat bran every morning, but I've also come to realize that they're just really tasty in general. Do you have any idea how good they are for you? Other than the eons of reasons why they're so good for you, here were the ones that stood out in my mind. 

  • Enhances mouth health

Unlike candy, raisins contain oleanolic acid, which provides protection against cavities and tooth decay, and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause gingivitis and other periodontal diseases. 

  • Enhances bone health

Raisins are a rich source of calcium, which is necessary to strengthen bones and teeth. A micronutrient that is abundant in raisins–boron–aids in calcium absorption and bone formation. If you are a postmenopausal woman, raisins are a good snack for you because the calcium and boron present in them help prevent the development of osteoporosis. 

  • Stimulates sexuality

You could find natural stimulation through regular consumption of raisins. An amino acid in raisins called arginine helps to arouse the libido.

     All those facts were found here.