Article: GM Crop Trial Locations May be Hidden from Public

I will not go into a full entry here on my opinions on Genetically Modified (GM) Foods because I fear I will never stop writing.

The Guardian in the UK reports that there are plans for GM crop trials out of the public eye. The companies behind GM organisms and food are well aware of the public backlash against this attack on their foods, their privacy and their freedom of choice.

Another story, perhaps more shocking/disturbing, on the consequences of GM crop contamination, something we're all too familiar with here in Canada.

I strongly suggest you learn more about the terminator seeds, the campaigns to ban them around the world, and what you can do to help stop this. The future of our food is at stake.

Brain Purge

(inspired by pamused who was inspired by audra)



thankful for:my family and friends

proud of: finally getting my ass to the gym consecutively
missing: what can never be again
looking forward to: a warm bed to crawl into

preoccupied by: politics, capitalism, the state of the world. What style will i get my hair cut next?thrilled by:everything

disappointed by: politicians, fellow humans, that my Christmas tree won't grow

thinking of:being more creative

wondering:if anyone can ever know for sure

hoping:that i'm over exaggerating everything negative

wanting: une maison to call home

reading: The Story of French

recommending: lying on the floor at 3 am in the dark and listening to konstantine by something corporate

making:cupcakes

listening to: patrice

would kill for: 311 day concert in New Orleans

forgetting to:breathe

most recently snuggled by:toby cat

most recently slept on: not so comfy bed

Recommendation: Empire Builders - Third Wall/GCTC

We have season tickets to the Great Canadian Theatre Company, here in Ottawa. They put on fabulous and energetic plays and performances by Canadian and local playwrights, with Canadian and local actors. The new Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre, newly opened this season, provides a lovely space and location for bigger productions.

Interestingly, the new theatre also has a smaller studio theatre so two productions can be rehearsing and performing at the same time. Enter Third Wall Theatre Company. At the last GCTC production we saw an advertisment for the upcoming Third Wall production to be held there.

Third Wall has made the studio theatre it's new home, and we were delighted to catch their adaptation of Boris Vian's 1958 play Empire Builders. It's funny, because neither of us fully understood everything about the play, but we both loved it. It's one of those plays that encourages discussion afterwards. This family who is continually fleeing an unknown enemy/fear and who refuse to talk of it raises questions that are eerily relevant today. How do we deal with fear? The Enemy? The Unknown? What/how much are we willing to risk for freedom/safety? Do we collectively repress the past so as to pretend it's not how we arrived to the present?

The actors were all phenomenal. Katie Bunting, Julian Doucet, Matt Miwa, Alix Sidaris, Maureen Smith and Riley Stewart all played their parts (some of them non-speaking!) extremely well and it really added to the performance. We've been lucky enough to see some of these same actors in other productions at the GCTC and love when we get to see them return!

One of the things I love about theatre is the use of the stage and props. The studio theatre is quite small, but the whole team did a lovely job with the space. The actors were in between the audience and the story moved from side to side. Voice projection wasn't a problem in the small area, even if the actor had their back to you. The costumes were eerie and great - though I haven't figured out if the all-white clothing and pale faces/white hair was supposed to sybolize something? Death? Limbo...? Regarless...it was striking.

I don't want to give away too much, except to say it's a stellar performance and a great play to follow up with a coffee or drinks or a nice drive home to discuss the issues raised.

The show runs until February 16 at the GCTC and I strongly recommend you check it out.

Up next: For the GCTC it's The Optimists, by Morwyn Brebner, running until February 17. For Third Wall, it's Moliere's Tartuffe, running May 27th to June 7th.

Ten Myths about the Canadian Healthcare System

Great article here debunking common myths about our healthcare system.

Election Fun

While I am born and bred Canadian, I can't help but be interested in US politics. They're such a global player, and so close to home, that practically everything they do, say, and make policy has some bearing on us folks to the North.

Some interesting quizzes you can do to see which candidates your views align with most:

Glassbooth

Electoral Compass

Happy quizzing!