Variousicities

[felis_ultharus]

First, some news stuff:

1. Canada will soon have a new Governor General named Michaëlle Jean. Most people in English Canada have never heard of her, though she's well-known enough in French Canada. Most of the comments have been good, but a few of the letters at the CBC and The Globe and Mail show that racism and sexism are alive and well in this

Comments

[em_fish]

I love Michaëlle Jean! I have been watching her on CBC forevah and I have tremendous respect for her.

The racism/sexism that bugs me the most is that people are cloaking it in this bullshit "Why do we need a GG anyway?" [sorry excuse for an] argument. Yeah, right. Where were all these "concerned Canadians for Independence" when white men were GG? Uh-huh. That's what I thought.

[felis_ultharus]

Even if we became a republic (and I don't think Canadians care enough about the queen to want to depose her), it'd be a bad idea to get rid of the Governor General.

• She does all the ribbon-cutting and funeral-attending and diplomatic wining-and-dining that in other countries are the tedious jobs foisted on Prime Ministers and Presidents (who thus have less time to do real work).
  
• She's a one-woman diplomatic corps -- her diplomatic mission with Russia is the most successful we've ever had, and brought in a lot of trade.
  
• She gives out our top literary prize -- meaning she has to read an absurd number of books and hand out prizes for them. In a country where literature is probably the key artform -- and where art in general is so important -- this is a really important duty.
  
• Anyone who can read the Speech From the Throne -- announcing the government's policies for the next year -- without laughing or making snide remarks ought to be given a prize for their heroism.

In other countries, those tasks might be handled by a dozen people,

[em_fish]

I know this, and you know this. Now let's eddicate all of the yellow-bellied jerks who are writing to The Gazette.

[felis_ultharus]

Or the people who are writing for The Gazette. They announced in a front-page headline that Jean was our new head of state.

Actually our head of state is still Lizzy, Part II. I don't know how many people would have to die for Jean to be in line for the throne.

Far from the worst gaff The Gazette has made -- I've long since stopped thinking of them as a reliable source. But you'd think an editor of a major daily newspaper would have basic high-school civics down as, you know, a part of their job.

[man_dragora]

what is Gravitation?

[felis_ultharus]

'Tis an anime. It's frequently compared to Queer as Folk but probably because it's about an optimistic younger guy who falls for a cynical, bitter older guy, and tries to win his heart.

Beyond that, the resemblance ends. It's a very good series, though, and while a lot of anime features guys in love, this is the first one I've seen that shoots for some kind of realism -- coming out, for instance, is a major issue.

Of course, a lot of it is far from realistic. Like in any anime, the comic relief scenes frequently break the laws of physics :)

[infinitecomplex]

Thank you! I hope you'll come out for a belated celebration dinner with us when we next see you. :)

[felis_ultharus]

Thanks. I hope it won't be too long :)