I am beginning to appreciate Canadian humour more fully

My first introduction to Canadian humour really was the sketch series 'The Kids in the Hall' that aired on Comedy Central years ago. It was funny, odd, and surreal at times. Now YKWIA and I have been watching a comedic horror series called 'Todd and the Book of Pure Evil', which is somewhat like the American show 'Reaper' but just so wrong. Todd is a stoner who encounters a book that makes people's desires come horribly true. His sidekick is Curtis, a guy with a prosthetic arm who seems to have a thinly-veiled crush on Todd. Together with Jenny (who oozes attitude) and Hannah (the brains), they fight evil with mixed results. The whole town (Crowley) is full of Satanists who want the book, and there is a prophecy out there about the Pure Evil One, who might be Todd, or might be someone else. A cabal of Satanists direct the guidance counselor to get the book, and the counselor is convinced he is the Pure Evil One. Almost every person who uses the book dies horribly, consumed by their own desire. A fat girl might wish to be thin and then her shed fat engorges other girls. A gay guy wants the whole school to understand what it's like, and when all the guys turn gay, he winds up the straight one, still the outsider and bullied. An ueber-eco-queen squelches technology and the students revert to cavemen, with her turning into a giant tree goddess, until she is stopped. There are two seasons. It is being streamed on Netflix, and I think it's also being shown on Fearnet here in the States. You might want to check it out. It's not what I'd call absolutely brilliant, but it is pretty damn funny.

:) This is one reason I like Canada

Canadian Affirms Oath of Citizenship on Pagan 'Holy Book'

There is no act more political in nature than making an oath of citizenship to a nation. On Tuesday, Melissa Gold, a Pagan living in Canada did just that. Like many new Canadian citizens, she did so with her hand resting on a book containing stories, poems, and hymns sacred to her religion. What makes this event extraordinary, and possibly a first in North America, is that the book wasn’t a Bible, a Torah, or a Koran – it was a text containing Hesiod and Homer.

Oh, my, nothing like body bags to say you're all going to die

Canada anger at 'flu body bags'

Large numbers of body bags were sent to a number of indigenous reserves in Manitoba. The government has said that it was part of a routine re-stocking. The indigenous peoples were alarmed and offended. The Minister of Health, herself an aboriginal, has ordered an enquiry. The indigenous communities had suffered a disproportionate rate of H1N1 influenza (swine flu) several months ago. The latest faux pas came after hand gel was delayed over concerns that alcoholics would abuse it.

A moment, a place

This is a rather mesmerising video, set to Loreena McKennitt's 'Between the Shadows'. It was created using time-lapse photography at a certain place along the Thames River in Komoka Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. It is by John Martineau. Enjoy.

Also from the Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper

When gay couples fail to reach happily ever after

Canada's had same-sex marriage on the books for awhile now. Columnist Sarah Hampson explores the challenges such marriages face but also the benefits they have in terms of gender roles.

Oh, and I absolutely understand the 'common-law' relationship vs. marriage 'oh, I'm stuck' thing. I was with my ex-husband for six years, but walked out after only 6 months of marriage. Of course, he is gay, so it was rather necessary. But it took getting married to really give me the trapped feeling of having made a huge mistake and needing to get out of the relationship.

A nice bit on conservationism at the British Library

via The Beached Librarian, which I in turn found whilst perusing BlogShares

You never know about that mild-mannered library assistant in your department

Man who shot cop in '69 allowed to pay $250,000 to police fund

For about three decades, Pannell raised a family and worked as a research library assistant near Toronto under the alias of Gary Freeman. He had been fighting extradition since 2004. A graying Pannell, now 58, wore a hearing aid in each ear as Circuit Judge Daniel Darcy placed him on 2 years' probation in addition to imposing 30 days in jail. An attempted murder charge was dismissed.

The police officer shot did not die, but lost much of the use of an arm and had to retire early from the force. The officer himself was one of the people who came up with the idea of a payment into the fund as part of an agreement to lighten the sentence, figuring nothing would be served by the man spending a lot of time in jail. Joseph Pannell has already served over six years in custody in Canada, where he fled to after the crime, and the US. The fund helps support families of officers who are severely wounded in the line of duty, including scholarships for their children. It is the largest payment ever made to the fund.

Okay, one last thing

Americans clueless about Canada



Geography, among others things, is apparently lost on many Americans--such as the famous Russian invasion of Saskatchewan. ;)