BODIES... THE EXHIBITION

For some, learning about the human body is something only achievable with the help of textbooks and documentaries. Our knowledge about human anatomy is typically acquired through the examination of images and literature. Unless an individual is studying a subject related to a medical field at the postsecondary level, it’s uncommon that any of us will have the opportunity to examine human remains up close. However, for a short time, Winnipeggers will have the opportunity to see dissected human remains in the flesh at BODIES… The Exhibition.

BODIES… The Exhibition, which runs until January 9, 2011 at the MTS Centre Exhibition Place (311 Portage Avenue), is a travelling show which displays almost 200 organs and body parts, as well as corpses in a variety of life-like poses on display.

According to Premier Exhibitions, the group responsible for the touring exhibitions, the specimens on display are preserved by using a liquid silicone rubber. The silicone prevents the natural decay of the bodies, which allows viewers to look at the various systems of the body in a preserved state.

The exhibition has garnered media attention because of protests over the content of the displays. The corpses and body parts used in the exhibition are leased by the Chinese government to Premier Exhibitions for the travelling show. According to an article in the Winnipeg Free Press, Premier Exhibitions can’t independently verify the identities of the bodies on display, nor can the company verify whether or not the bodies came from executed prisoners.  

The exhibition itself, controversy aside, is remarkable. The displays are spread throughout two levels of the MTS Centre Exhibition Place. The tour starts on the second level of the building. After a brief escalator ride, visitors begin a journey through the various systems of the human body. Each system, skeletal, circulatory and so on, is displayed in separate sections.

The atmosphere on the second floor is almost foreboding. The house lights are dimly lit, and the walls are covered in dark paint. Every display, including the cadavers, is spotlighted which makes them standout against their dark surroundings.

The most remarkable display on the second floor is a body which has been stripped of all its flesh and organs, left only to display the entire circulatory system. The veins and arteries are bright red, and instantly catch viewers’ attention.

Photo from Sara Harrison

The tour ends on the main level of the building where visitors can view such displays as the digestive system. The setup of the displays is different from those on the upper level. Whereas the upper level is divided neatly into separate, well defined exhibits, the main level is more open. The feeling that you are following a defined path throughout the exhibit is lost on the main level.

BODIES… The Exhibition allows viewers an unparalleled opportunity to view the human body. It’s an incredible experience that is worth seeing before it ends on January 9, 2011. The exhibition runs from 10:00 to 9:00 Mondays through Saturdays, and 12:00 to 6:00 on Sundays. Tickets for the show are less expensive on weekdays ($19.95 on weekdays for an adult versus $23.95 on weekends), and family and group packages are available. 

BIRDSONG REVIEW

The short story Birdsong, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is about a Nigerian woman living in Lagos who recounts her love affair with a well-to-do, married Nigerian Businessman.

The protagonist, who works as a community-relations worker for a telecom company, remembers her ill-fated relationship with her lover while stuck in traffic. Also while caught in the gridlock, she grows concerned about a woman sitting in a car next to hers, who is staring at her. She can't help but wonder if the woman in the car next to her is her former lover's wife.

One recurring theme that is buried within the story is the veiled references to the impacts of modernity on Nigerian society. Whether it's references to new lifestyles - the fact that the protagonist is one of two women working in her company, unmarried at 32, and engaged in an affair - and the suggestions that the ways of the past were backwards - references to tribes.

The relationship the protagonist and her lover are engaged in is a product of changing societal pressures in Nigeria. The lover is from the new gentry, pursuing the same lavish lifestyles - mistresses included.

In my opinion, the story's greatest strength is the way the protagonist goes from present to past throughout the story. The narrative flows from the protagonist's experience in the car, to experiences she had with her coworker and friend Chikwado, and the experiences she shared with her lover. The author effortlessly jumps from one setting and memory to the next without making the story feel cumbersome and hard to follow. 

The story appeared in the New Yorker, the September 2010 edition. Ngozi Adichie, born in Nigeria, is an accomplished writer whose work has been published in several journals and anthologies, and has also written novels, poems, and a play. She holds a master's degree in creative writing from John Hopkins University. For a more detailed biography of the author, including a full list of publications and awards, visit Ngozi Adichie's website. 

If you would like to read Birdsong, go to the New Yorker's website. 

BYELECTION RESULTS DO PROVIDE DEEPER TRUTH

In a recent article about the November 29 federal byelections appearing in the Winnipeg Free Press, writer Dan Lett laments the fact that the byelection results didn't provide, in his opinion, a substantive change in the overall composition of the Canadian electoral landscape.

Lett writes "We in the media are trained to detect and report the slightest change in the fortune or momentum. But the results in these most recent byelections do not change the fact that this is a country in political gridlock."

Although I agree with the assertion that the country is, based on the current distribution of seats, in a state of political gridlock, I believe that the byelections do provide us with an intriguing view of Canadian politics. The results provide us with a glimpse into the potential makeup of the next parliament.

I make this claim based on the potential for a minority government (I personally loathe the idea of a minority government, but constitutionally it could be done). The NDP and the Liberals each lost long-held seats. The NDP lost to the Liberals in Winnipeg North, and the Liberals lost Vaughan to the Conservatives. The NDP seem to be losing momentum, and the Liberals are stagnant.

Vaughan byelection winner Julian Fantino

(Picture from vaughanelection.wordpress.com/) 

Without rehashing years of political studies course notes (I will paraphrase for everyone's benefit), we are living in an era of minority government politics. This will remain the case, in my opinion, so long as the Bloc Quebecois is strong. If the NDP and the Liberals feel that they can't overtake the Conservatives, a likely outcome would be a coalition.

You can always find greater meaning in byelection results, even if it doesn't look like it at a quick glance.

WHO KNEW KIA WAS COOL?

This is not an advertisement for Kia. Really. It's not. Although indirectly, I guess it kind of is...

It's a fitting slogan, because Kia's ads surprised me. (Photo from MultiVu)

I've never been in a Kia. In fact, it's not really a brand I would ever consider purchasing when car shopping. That being said, it came to me as a huge surprise when I found a plethora of super funny and clever Kia advertisements on YouTube. What originated as a search for a specific car ad - which I have yet to find - led me to these ads.

Below are a few a few of them I really enjoyed. The first two are American and the second two are from Australia. I also really enjoy the copy that accompanies the Australian ads. It reads: "Cultured and stylish. Sporty and cosmpolitan. The all new Kia Sportage is designed to take you places far beyond the urban jungle."

On that note, enjoy the ads!

2010 KIA Soul (US)



2010 Kia Sorrento (US)



2010 KIA Sportage (Australia)



2010 KIA Sportage (Australia)

FREE SPEECH? NOT ON MY CAMPUS!

GROWING HYPOCRISY ON CANADIAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES?

There are very few issues that are as polarizing as abortion. Both pro-life and pro-choice supporters are incredibly passionate about their views on the highly controversial matter. Frankly, there’s very little hope of ever reconciling either groups’ differing views.

In my personal experience, abortion is one of those topics I avoid bringing up at all costs unless my goal is to stir up a rousing debate. Regardless of what your particular opinion may be, you’re guaranteed to get an incredible reaction if you bring up the topic in any social setting. Try it; you’ll see what I mean.

The point of this article isn’t to debate pro-life or pro-choice positions. In my opinion, it’s a moral issue I feel I am unqualified to address.

It should be made clear right now, that I will not advocate pro-life views, nor will I advocate pro-choice positions in this article. My personal opinion on the issue is irrelevant as it pertains to my main issue relating to free speech on university campuses.

I ran across an article in the National Post which I found disturbing. According to the online article, the Carleton University Student Association (CUSA) recently decertified a student group named the Carleton Lifeline due to its anti-abortion views. The CUSA told the club that being anti-abortion violated the association’s anti-discrimination policy. The CUSA did however state that if Carleton Lifeline embraced pro-choice views, the club could be reinstated.

In an interview with the National Post, Ruth Lobo, the president of Carleton Lifeline said that the CUSA was assuming a hypocritical position. “It’s very ironic that they have a discrimination policy that allows them to discriminate against pro-life groups,” she said. 

Carleton Lifeline is now preparing to take the CUSA to court over its decision. In an article appearing on the National Post’s website on November 19, Carlton Lifeline’s lawyer Albertos Polizogopoulos, said the decision to ban the pro-life group was ludicrous. “Their own constitution states they will not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation or belief,” Mr. Polizogopoulos said. “They’ve enacted a policy that is clearly in violation of their own constitution.”

I am just as appalled by the CUSA’s decision to ban Carleton Lifeline as the group’s lawyer. What the CUSA did is blatantly discriminate a student club. It is absolutely hypocritical. It’s a complete violation of the concept of free speech.

I suspect the CUSA will likely reverse its position. Lawsuits generally aren’t pleasant – not speaking from experience of course.

Universities are supposed to be institutions wherein the free and open exchange of ideas occur, and where differing views should be debated. However, it seems to be a growing trend in Canadian institutions of higher learning to curb conservative viewpoints. Universities are liberal institutions, but there are some glaring examples of students opposing groups, and people with socially-conservative viewpoints.

The most notable example that instantly jumps to my mind was right-wing pundit Ann Coulter’s cancelled visit to the University of Ottawa in March. She’s brash and controversial, but in the spirit of free speech she should’ve been allowed to speak on campus without the threat of intimidation. She ended up cancelling her scheduled stop at the U of O.  

Picture of Ann Coulter

More recently in Winnipeg, University of Winnipeg valedictorian Erin Larson blasted MP Vic Toews because she believes the minister’s views are at odds with those of the U of W. Whatever his views, Toews has as much right to air them as the valedictorian does.

Photo from actionplan.gc.ca

The hypocrisy that exists on university campuses when it comes to free speech demeans all institutions of higher learning. Free speech is for all, not just self-righteous students and student associations. 

DANCING BEHIND BARS

Who would’ve thought a nice evening watching ABC's Dancing with the Stars would end in an all-night standoff with a SWAT team?

Bristol Palin (Photo from nydailynews.com)

According to a report from the Associated Press, Steven Cowan, a rural Wisconsin resident, was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment after he fired his shotgun at his television screen following Bristol Palin’s dance routine on Dancing with the Stars.

Cowan’s wife, Janice Cowan, said that her husband became enraged because a political figure's daughter was dancing on TV even though he felt she didn't have talent.

Steven Cowan (Photo from CBS News)

What makes this story scarier is the fact that Cowan suffers from bipolar disorder and he has weapons. This is as good an example for some form of gun control legislation as I’ve ever seen... 

SHORT STORY

The following post is not news, nor is it views. It’s an excerpt from the beginning of a short story I wrote for a Creative Writing class. I hope you enjoy what will one day, surely be a literary masterpiece.

There was nothing sinister about his appearance. He didn’t look threatening at all. On the contrary, he was as plain as could be. In fact, from head to toe, he was the poster child for blandness.

His thick brown hair was meticulously brushed. He liked to slick his hair back. No stray hairs could be found; they all fell neatly into place. He was clean-shaven, mostly due to the fact he couldn’t grow facial hair if his life depended on it.

He had a long, thin face. His nose was disproportionately large, and his squinty brown eyes were disproportionately small. The 30 year old showed no visible signs of ageing, with the exception of a single crease above his brow. His skin was perpetually bronzed. He never frequented tanning salons, nor did he spend any time in tanning beds. His tan was the kind that you can only develop from a lifetime living in sunny Florida. 

Perhaps the only thing that stood out on his entire body was his glistening, unnaturally white teeth. Years of bleaching had resulted in a blindingly bright set of teeth.

He wore a business suit to work every day. It was perfectly fitted to his tall, slender frame. He didn’t like wearing a suit. He felt his uniform made him look awkward, and he was right. He didn’t have a choice though. It was an occupational requirement.

He polished his dress shoes every day. It was a practice he found humorous. He knew full well that nobody would be able to see his shoes. He knew nobody would see him at all below the waist.

He was as plain as could be. He looked like a generic businessman. Despite his appearance, there was nothing ordinary about him.

He spent his workdays in a studio. Under the bright lights, he sat behind a desk doing what he was born to do. It wasn’t by choice. Rather, this occupation was his birthright. He was a televangelist, and a good one at that.

But he wasn’t just any televangelist. He was Joel Esteen, the United States’ foremost televangelist. He spread his message with energetic zeal. There was a certain naivety about his enthusiasm though. But one thing was clear, he was in his element when in front of the cameras.

He was the only son and heir of John Esteen. His father, a Southern Baptist, was a man of great influence and power. His father founded the Church of Heavenly Redemption. John was incredibly charismatic and was able to build a following which grew with every passing Sunday.

Within a short period of time, John hit the airwaves on radio broadcasts, followed by television. He built up an impressive and lucrative media empire based purely on his interpretation of the bible. His followers eventually numbered in the millions around the globe. He led the biggest flock in the world, rivaled only by the Pope.

When John passed from his earthly shell, Joel inherited the family business. It was a vast empire that brought the young man wealth, power, and influence. Despite his remarkable good fortune, Joel wasn’t happy.

“It was a good program today. I think I really nailed His message,” Joel announced to his studio crew before he headed to his dressing room. He was careful not to tread on the cables. Joel always feared that if he accidentally tripped and unplugged a wire, it might bring down his media empire. 

BOOK LAUNCH

It felt like a university seminar.

Frankly, that could’ve been due to several factors. Perhaps it was the topic, Manitoba premiers of the 19th and 20th centuries, or perhaps it was due to the people in attendance, mostly professors and other academic-types.

In any case, the book launch for Manitoba Premiers of the 19th and 20th Centuries edited by Barry Ferguson and Robert Wardhaugh held at McNally Robinson Booksellers on Thursday, November 4, brought back memories of my time studying politics and history at the University of Manitoba. 

Poster near the entrance of the store.

As I walked into the lobby of the bookstore, passing by a poster advertising the book launch, one of the many scattered throughout the store, I couldn’t help but walk towards a neatly laid out display of the books. Copies were stacked one on top of the other on a small wooden table, surrounded by flowers and prairie grasses – bear in mind I know next to nothing about gardening, and those arrangements could’ve been anything.

I decided to pick up a copy and glance at it. As I was flipping through the book, Ferguson happened to walk by. For whatever reason, rather than setting the book down from where I had picked it up – as was my intention – I kept the copy and marched right towards the counter to purchase it. I don’t quite know why I bought it. Somehow, I almost felt obliged to purchase the book and probably would have felt guilty if I hadn’t.

Me, standing next to display of books.

Jonathan Toews, not to be confused with his namesake from the Chicago Blackhawks, hosted the event. His job wasn’t particularly easy. In my opinion it’s rather hard to jazz up a crowd for a book about history, especially a book about Manitoba premiers. His duties also had him silencing construction crews working on renovations in the store. Frankly, there’s nothing quite as annoying as a buzz saw going off in the middle of a speech.

On a side note, I did find it impressive that a construction crew was working well into the evening. If only we could get that kind of dedication from city repair crews. But I digress.

After a brief introduction by Toews, Ferguson took to the podium. His coeditor Wardhaugh was not in attendance, therefore Ferguson had to introduce the book on his own. He spoke at length of the support he received from his publishers, and from the contributors who wrote biographies of Manitoba premiers for the book. It was a rather dry affair offering up little in terms of enthusiasm or entertainment, hence my comparison to a university seminar.

Barry Ferguson introduces book.

A few of the contributors were in attendance at the launch, and Ferguson invited some to address the crowd. James Mochoruk, who wrote a chapter on Thomas Greenway, the premier of Manitoba from 1888 until 1900, was one of three contributors who addressed the gathering.

Of all that was said at the book launch, Mochoruk offered the most insightful comment about writing biographies. He noted that “when you write a biography about a historical figure, you either learn to love them or hate them by the end of your story.”

The speeches lasted roughly half an hour in total. Once the speeches were through, a reception followed, and the sawing was allowed to resume.

FOOT IN MOUTH

Twitter is good. You can connect with people from around the globe. Journalists, comedians, and your common, day-to-day, boring individuals (such as myself) can post comments about anything and everything. It's a phenomenal tool to interact with a large audience. Unfortunately, it can lead to foot-in-mouth syndrome.

Glen Murray in less controversial times. (Photo from cbc.ca)

Cue former Winnipeg mayor, Glen Murray. Murray made (defamatory) comments warning readers that Rob Ford, Toronto's new mayor, is a bigot. On the eve of Toronto's mayoral election, Murray tweeted "If u vote Ford u r voting for bigotry." (Somebody should have told Murray that he has 140 characters available, it wouldn't have killed him to spell out 'you' and 'are'...)

To make matters worse, he retweeted a comment that read: "Ford, [Tim] Hudak [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper [are] the trifecta of Republican-style, right-wing ignorance and bigotry."

 

Rob Ford (Photo from nationalpost.ca)

Although Glen Murray's recent defamatory comments truly are egregious and show poor judgment coming from an accomplished politician, it illustrates a fatal flaw in social media: people can write things without thinking about the possible repercussions. Had Murray taken the time to consider how his message may have been received, I would like to think he wouldn't have posted the tweets at all.

I truly look forward to more outrageous comments from our elected leaders as they learn to use social media effectively, and may they all be as controversial as this example.

IT'S NOT PIRACY - IT'S PUBLICITY

I am guilty as charged. I watched bootlegged concert footage. It's a great video, and you should watch it too.

It's footage of a recent Phoenix concert at Madison Square Garden, in which Daft Punk made a guest appearance. The concert generated a ridiculous amount of coverage online.

It really got me thinking about how different things are in the music industry today. A few short years ago, it didn't have a clue how to harness the power of online content. Frankly, it took the music industry what seems like an eternity to understand that digital media, whether pirated or otherwise, wouldn't bring forth its demise. If anything, the plethora of video sites (not to mention fans' blogs) have improved the industry's advertising capabilities.

Case in point, the concert footage. Daft Punk hasn't released material since 2007, and is set to release the highly anticipated soundtrack for Tron Legacy in December.

Publicity-wise, playing a surprise set was an incredibly savvy business move. As noted, it generated a ton of press. In a day in age where virtually everyone has a smartphone, it was only a matter of time before videos of the concert started to emerge online.

At the time I publish this post, some youtube videos of the concert - and there are several - have been viewed just under 100,000 times in the first two days since it was posted.

Online video content, in this case unauthorized concert footage, is doing Daft Punk and its record label a favour. It's providing them with free advertising. What's more, video content of a surprise concert appearance is undoubtedly going to generate more attention from fans than a simple article in a magazine ever would.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

The movie The Social Network provided an interesting look into the founding of Facebook, a revolutionary website that changed the way we interact with each other. Apart from being an interesting exposé, it cast Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a negative light.

Scene from The Social Network

Facebook has redefined societal interactions, and has made its mark on global society. The movie The Social Network has defined Zuckerberg as an aloof individual. Although the film certainly makes a point to show that Zuckerberg is an incredibly intelligent individual, it also portrayed him as a narcissistic individual.

Granted, I have absolutely no way of knowing without a shadow of doubt that Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal is an accurate representation of the internet mogul or not, the overall depiction makes Zuckerberg look bad. Granted the character comes across as an intelligent individual, but that fact is overshadowed by his self-absorption.

Picture of co-founder and CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg's reaction to the movie was mixed. There's an interesting analysis of his reaction on The PR Post written by Tiffany Gallicano. On her blog, Gallicano mentions that Zuckerberg played the movie off as fun, and characterized it as fiction. He gave the appearance that the movie was of no concern to him whatsoever. 

Zuckerberg did however stumble when he announced a donation of $100 million dollars to the Newark school system on Oprah the day the movie was released. Gallicano refers to the tactic as a little league strategy "when a company looks bad and decides to sponsor the little league team in hopes that this gesture will make up for things." This effort seems disingenuous, and very calculated.



Despite doing some damage to Zuckerberg's image, overall I don't think The Social Network will have a negative impact on Facebook. I doubt that any of the +500 million users on Facebook deleted their profiles in disgust over Zuckerberg's conduct. Furthermore, although the donation to the Newark school system seemed disingenuous, most people will focus on the number rather than the reason behind the donation. In the end, the movie The Social Network will have little to no impact on the popularity of the website.

Here's a shameless plug for The Social Network. Enjoy the trailer.

POLITICAL SOUP

How can I, in good conscience, enjoy a bowl of soup now?

A protest is brewing over Campbell's soup. 

Well, not so much the soup, rather Campbell's decision to have Canadian halal soup products certified by the Islamic Society of North America. US government prosecutors allege that the company had ties to Hamas in a 2007 conspiracy case.  

I look forward to the day where members of all societies can sit and enjoy a warm cup of soup without creating an international incident.

           

CAN BAGGERS BE CHOOSERS?

Green isn’t just a buzzword anymore; increasingly, it’s becoming a way of life. We are constantly urged to buy products that have as little an environmental impact as possible. 

A plethora of eco-friendly products line the shelves of department stores across the city offering us alternatives to conventional products. We can now add garbage bags to the list of green products hitting the market.

The trend towards using greener forms of garbage bags is apparent in some Canadian cities. Cities like Brampton and Mississauga participate in a weekly curbside organic waste program which requires citizens to use biodegradable bags.

As biodegradable bags are gaining popularity, our Buyer Beware team, Chadd, Sharon, Brea, Michelle, and me, decided that now was as good a time as ever to test out whether or not biodegradable garbage bags were as sturdy as regular garbage bags.

Michelle and Brea organized a focus group. We wanted to find out what Winnipeg consumers considered when purchasing garbage bags, and what they thought of biodegradable bags.

What was interesting was that none of the focus group members were aware that biodegradable garbage bags even existed. As interesting our discovery was, I learned first-hand that it wasn’t that surprising. Most department stores don’t have them on their shelves.

There are very few large biodegradable garbage bags for yard waste sold at retail stores in Winnipeg. I spent three hours scouring 13 different stores before finally stumbling upon biodegradable garbage bags.

It was by far the most frustrating part of the whole project. Frankly, there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than not being able to find the major component of your tests. It’s an adventure I’m glad I don’t have to repeat any time soon.

But I digress.

We conducted tests on five products:

RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste

24” x 30” (61 x 76.2cm) – $4.99 per package of 10 bags

Great Value Ty-Up Flaps Regular Outdoor Bags

26” x 32.5” (66 x 82.5cm) – $4.47 per package of 40 bags

GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags

30” x 33” (76.2 x 83.8cm) – $4.88 per package of 15 bags

Husky Garbage Bags

26” x 36” (60 x 91.4cm) – $9.99 per package of 100 bags

RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags

26” x 32.5” (66 x 82.5cm) – $4.99 per package of 40 bags

The biodegradable product we used was the RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste.

All the other products are conventional garbage bags; however the RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags is a product made from 65 per cent recycled plastic, 20 per cent of which is post-consumer content.

Our first test determined how much weight each bag could handle before ripping. The RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste ranked in last, breaking at 40 lbs.

 RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste

Our second test determined which bag had the most visible signs of rips and tears after having twigs and branches inserted within them. Once again, the RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste had the poorest showing.

GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags

The last test was a seepage test. We filled each bag with two litres of water and threw the bags roughly 10 feet onto a concrete pavement. We found out that RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste don’t mind taking a beating on the pavement.

Product Testing

Product Name	Tensile Strength*	Tearing Test*	Seepage Test*	Overall Score Total**
RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste	1	1	4	6
Great Value Ty-Up Flaps Regular Outdoor Bags	4	4	1	9
GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags	3	5	2	10
Husky Garbage Bags	3	2	4	9
RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags	5	4	5	14

*(Ranking: 5=Best; 4=Good; 3=Decent; 2=Bad; 1=Worst)

**(Scored out of a maximum total of 15)

The overall score was determined by adding the scores of all three tests. The maximum score possible is 15. The product with the highest overall score total is the product that is most recommended. Conversely, the product with the lowest overall score is the product that performed the worst.

At the conclusion of our tests, we discovered that the biodegradable product RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste was at the bottom of the table.  It can therefore be said that it is not as sturdy as conventional garbage bags.

If the environment is your major concern, the best product was the RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags. It performed the best overall, and because it’s made from recycled materials it is the most eco-friendly of conventional garbage bags.


Last but not least, we decided to celebrate the end of our tests by participating in an unconventional potato sack bag race.

EYE WIDE SHUT

No, Stanley Kubrick hasn't come back from the dead to produce a prequel to Eyes Wide Shut.

I stumbled on this absolutely ridiculous news story about a woman who superglued her eye shut.


A woman from Arizona who had cataract surgery a year ago was reaching for what she believed to be her eye drop medication. Suffice to say, what she grabbed wasn't her eye drops. She grabbed a bottle of superglue instead.


Her excuse, you ask? She said the bottles for the eye drops and the super glue are nearly identical.


Granted, the bottles can look similar. But my question is a simple one: what are those two bottles doing next to each other? Last time I checked, my superglue is nowhere near my medicine cabinet. These bottles shouldn't be anywhere near each other.


Whatever happened to common sense...

RRC MAYORAL FORUM

On October 6th, 2010, Winnipeg mayoral candidates Sam Katz and Judy Wasylycia-Leis duked it out at Red River College at a mayoral forum.


Wasylycia-Leis spoke at length about her vision of safer streets, which involve community hubs. The concept has been elaborated and spoken about ad nauseam. I first wrote about the topic in a previous blog post on September 9th. I thought her proposed initiatives were redundant then, and that view has not changed.

Photo from CTV

What has changed is the fact that I'm absolutely sick and tired of hearing about her community hubs.


Katz did what he does best: said next to nothing new. I wrote a blog post on September 19th indicating that it was in Katz' best interest to keep quiet on controversial issues. This view has also not changed.

Photo from CTV

It's Katz' election to lose. All he needs to do is deflect questions, promote past initiatives, and take a few jabs at Wasylycia-Leis from time to time.


Although the forum was heated at times, there was nothing meaningful or new that was elaborated upon. At the end of the day, it was interesting to watch, but lacked any substance.