Simon Fraser University Talks About Climate Change

Simon Fraser University speaker series has started off well. The kick-off is September 27 and climate change is the topic. I attended the first seminar and it was highly educational. I learned so much from the presentations. Tim Cooper was an excellent speaker and had a great sense of humour. Alison Shaw seemed nervous and was not as smooth as Tim Cooper, but her work was equally impressive. I am pleased to know that Canadian government is part of Kyoto Accord. Go Canada! Only Australia and America have not yet signed up. Australia has its own environmental plans, which are quite effective, and doing well. On the other hand, I am extremely sorry to say that American government should feel ashamed for not caring about the planet. I believe those, who do not help protect the environment, do not deserve to live in it. Are they waiting to witness the day that New York City is in water? It will seriously happen in less than 50 - 80 years if they continue to ignore the impacts of global warming. Is the war in the Middle East really more significant than saving the planet? Please enlighten me. I am utterly confused. Sighs, I sincerely pray Canadian government starts improving the security along the coast lines. Building higher foundation at the bottom of each house could work. Building walls on the coast line and near the dikes seems doable. I am particularly worried about delta and Richmond. People gotta stop demanding for more housing on the farm lands. Having strong economy will mean nothing when we can't even sustain ourselves and future generations. I would hate to see those areas get wiped out. I would hate to see the snow up at whistler and grouse mountain slowly disappear. Help!

Disney Princesses, White Exclusively

So I was in Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. My sister and i dined at this restaurant in California theme park. The Disneyland princesses came out to greet us and take photos with us. There were Ariel, snow white, Cinderella, sleeping beauty, and belle. I wondered whether they were wearing wigs because each of their hair was so perfect that it wouldn't even move. Their dresses were beyond dreamy. Their makeup was flawless. Then i noticed - wow they were all white. Where was jasmine? Where was Mulan? Where was Pocahontas? You could argue that neither Mulan or Pocahontas was really a princess per se. I'll give you that. What about jasmine? She was an Indian princess from square one. Why wasn't she there? Because she's Indian? Let's leave historical accuracy aside first. Stories of Mulan and Pocahontas still represented what the modern society would call 'fairy tales'. Mulan overcame the oppressive patriarchal system, became the ultimate hero, and saved her country. Her achievement was beyond fantasies that any Chinese woman could have had at the time period. Pocahontas, a daughter of a native tribe chief, never had a chance to explore the outside world or even learn to write. Yet she married a white, English man named John Rolfe and eventually became a celebrity in London. What a miracle. A white man came along and saved the poor native girl. Western soils symbolized 'promised lands' and over there, even a non-white person could share some years of fame. These were and still are fairy tales. Mulan and Pocahontas had every right to be featured in the Disneyland. They claim Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. You really have to make a trip down there to be fully convinced that you have been utterly fooled. I'll admit some of the rides and shows were entertaining. I just won't call it the happiest place on earth. What a misleading advertising slogan.