Remember When? Summer 2010

This beaver has nothing to do with any kind of current events..but look how huge it is!

It’s been quite the summer for newsmakers. While we were enjoying our slow days and numerous heatwaves, underfed, underpaid journalists worked overtime to deliver top stories to our Crackberries while we lounged on our decks in bikinis sipping ice cold beers (…no? Just me?). Don’t worry, In a year from now, I’ll be shaking my fist at summer Romi too.

But seriously, the news has been far from slow this season making it hard to remember what happened when, or was it that humidity-induced coma? Perhaps it’s beneficial to take a look at planet earth’s crazy summer, if only to remind ourselves that the worst things to happen to Toronto are a puny earthquake, a delightful heatwave, and an irritating mayoral race (or to assist those journalism buddies who went news reading cold-turkey this summer and are playing catchup).

JUNE:

The Unfavourable Vampires

I originally wrote this for one of my classes with the intent of pitching it to some magazines, but I have decided against it since the topic has been shot out of the limelight.

I did decide, however, to resurrect it and republish it on my blog because I was just reading an article in the Star about dogs that are sniffing out G20 delegates’ hotel rooms for bed bugs. If the city of Toronto is trying to avoid housing delegates in a bed-bug infested hotel room, perhaps they should take that persistence and apply it to the residents of this city who have been spending thousands of dollars out of their own pockets to rid themselves, often unsuccessfully, of infestations.

Alright, here’s the piece I wrote:

I vant to suck your blood

Beyond A Matter Of Pride

The atmosphere in Toronto is tense not only as a result of the massive price tag put on the G20 summit, but also in light of a controversial decision made by the organizers of the city’s annual pride parade.

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid has been banned from participating in the parade unless they undergo a name change because, according to parade authorities and the provincial government, “Israeli Apartheid” is a term that is hateful and offensive.

Has the line been drawn too soon?