British Columbia mini-rant - Deer at the dinner table · Wednesday August 12, 2009 by colin newell
A Ucluelet woman has been ordered by the Ministry of Environment to stop keeping a black-tailed deer as a house pet.
Janet Schwartz took in “Bimbo” as a fawn five years ago, after its mother was killed by a car, she told CBC News.
The doe sleeps in a bed in Schwartz’s home, dances to Elvis, hugs like an old man and eats at her table. Its diet includes fruit and junk food.
The blue meanies at the Ministry of the Environment say that the Doe has got to go.
Bimbo has been with Ms. Schwartz for almost 6 years now…
so, In B.C. this is a legally binding common law relationship.
I say leave the couple alone.
And isn’t it funny that a government that behaves like an obsequious old house-elf from Harry Potter towards every little ache and pain from the likes of VANOC – bares their teeth at a little old lady and her live in venison.
Shame. Shame I say, shame!
A government that is now less popular than swine flu and less credible than the RCMP can ill afford to be smacking around old hippies and their hoofers.
So back off already… before we call in the rest of the herd.
Summer Food Fun and Drink - why Ikea sucks · Tuesday August 11, 2009 by colin newell
Ikea. Junk furniture made with unsustainable materials manufactured and collated by exploited workers so we can have dilapidated and readily disposable crap in our shrinking living space.
Ikea is in the hot seat this month after being caught vandalizing hundreds of pieces of public and private property. Picture at upper-right: Unreal.
Given that IKEA’s environmental stewardship is more global wrecking ball than actual contributor to real solutions, their recent botched ad campaign seems entirely apropos – Corporate guerrilla art it’s called. They spray-paint (vandalize) public space in the name of corporate kitsch and coolness – and it bites.
Ikea. You stink and it ain’t the reek of laminate.
IKEA—third largest global consumer of wood— gets many of its raw materials from regions where illegal logging is rampant and environmental stewardship is as absent as your parents on your first big night out. IKEA’s wares, and the industrial location of its big-box stores (consumers have to travel by car to make their purchases, or even exchange faulty small parts), speak to a unfailing disregard for environmental consideration.
The hoo-haw around Ikea’s use of “chalk spray” graffiti to complement a TV ad campaign aimed at driving viewers to a website where they could enter a contest to win $15,000 worth of furniture – has caused them to back peddle faster than a RCMP officer at a taser inquiry.
The ads featured a yellow dotted line framing the slogan “Any Place Can Be Beautiful,” a website of the same name and “Aug. 10,” the date Ikea plans to deliver 5.5 million flyers to Canadian homes.
Although I have never been a fan of the crap that they sell, I am now even more resolved to never set foot in one of their soul crushing retail outlets. Shame on Ikea for stealing our public space and branding it for commercial gain.
Comment [4]
Summer Food Fun and Drink - we review a Bolivian cup of excellence · Monday August 10, 2009 by colin newell
Geir and Carson Oglend of Drumroaster Coffee gave me 1/4 of a pound of one very, very fine Bolivian coffee – COE. Lot#: 11 Félix Yana Mamani – Café Montaña
Cup of Excellence.
Félix Yana is a young coffee producer. Married a few years with three children, who will be going to school this year, Félix belongs to the Cooperativa San Ignacio, an organization that has been a Cup of Excellence winner in the past. Félix has participated in the competition before, and he understands the importance of the event. “It’s very important. I’ve participated before, but I’ve never won. For me the good thing about the competition is that it’s good for the coffee sector. It’s helped us improve our quality.”
This great coffee comes from Colonia San Ignacio, Carrasco La Reserva County – some 1600 meter above sea level in Bolivia – and we were astounded!
Café Montaña has a remarkably balanced cup with nary a trace of bitterness. It has a delightful milk chocolate overtone that is enveloping and comfortable – with some very distinctive tangerine notes. The Drumroaster coffee folks roasted this a tad on the light side – probably a minute or two after first crack – and they appeared to be getting the best possible profile on this bean.
If you live on Vancouver Island or know someone who is carrying this Bolivian COE – Café Montaña… jump at it!
Comment [1]
Summer Food Fun and Drink - writing contest on coffeecrew · Wednesday August 5, 2009 by colin newell
I have been having a creative writing contest over on my coffee website – turn out has been great and the voting is brisk. I need a few more readers and voters to keep the process fair and balanced.
So head on over here, read the stories – and cast your vote via e-mail.
I am giving away an $800 coffee maker and I want the most talented writer to win.
Thanks!
Comment [1]
