Kisscafe

Like lots of you out there, I'm a pet owner. I have a big fluffy white dog and a wicked cat that likes to claw things, like my bedsheets and my face. Naturally, I was appalled when I heard through the Humane Society's expose, fur lined garments made in China like the coats, hats, boots and gloves we see everywhere, are not faux, but actually lined with real cat and dog fur. And here we thought Cruella DeVille was just a fictional character.
Most of the garments that are made are not full coats, but rather, the trim on a coat, boots, gloves, and hats, which makes them easier to pass as faux fur. Since there are no labeling regulations in China, they don't require labeling to indicate that the fur has actually come from, say, a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd. Those that do put labels on their products, do so to make them appear more valuable, often mislabel them as being from animals like, "Asian wolf" or "rabbit". These bits of fur are usually dyed to look faux or like they are from a different animal.

It was estimated that in the Chinese fur industry, over 2 million cats and dogs are killed and skinned every year. The fur producers use abhorrently brutal methods to kill the animals and needless to say, their living conditions are less than humane. The methods used to kill the animals include stringing dogs up by their paws and cutting a main artery in their hind legs to let them bleed to death while causing minimal damage to the fur, strangling cats, or throwing animals from trucks with the hopes of breaking necks and backs. Even more disturbing, these methods are not always effective, and some animals are skinned while they are still alive. The animals that are used for fur are any animal that the suppliers can get their hands on, be it from strays or family pets that have been caught. If you're brave enough, you can watch this video, but be aware that there are very graphic and disturbing images.
In 2000, largely thanks to the Humane Society's work and public pressure, importing and selling these products in the United States became illegal. In Canada, however, it is not. Furthermore, there are no strict labeling regulations in place to prevent garment producers from misleaing people to believe that the trim on their clothes is real, or made from cats and dogs. Under the Textiles Labelling act, it is only required that a label includes "(i) the generic name of each textile fibre...", meaning that a label as simple as "fur fibres" would be sufficient.
The first thing you can do to help is avoid buying any fur and any "faux" fur that is not labeled. You can also email the Prime Minster at pm@pm.gc.ca (www.pm.gc.ca).

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So what’s so great about love anyway? Many of us know that being in love, being loved by someone else, and being in loving relationships is good for the “soul”. While that does sound great, is there anything more that love can offer? For the cynic in all of us, studies and experts have provided us with tangible results that love can be good for your physical health. The benefits that come with loving and being loved show that love is not only good for the soul, but for the body as well.

Some things to know about love, you, and your health:

• Being in a stable relationship can help bring greater emotional stability, making a person calmer, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the chances of developing heart disease
• Stress levels are significantly decreased for people in healthy relationships.
• Married people live an average of 8 years longer than those that are divorced or have never been married
• Married women are 20% less likely to die from heart disease or cirrhosis of the liver, while men are 2 to 3 times less likely to die from these causes
• A healthy relationship can help boost your immune system. Married couples have lower rates of developing long term illnesses.
• Feeling loved can help boost your self esteem and mood. It can also positively affect the way that you look at others and the world around you

Sex is a significant part of being in a committed relationship. The positive effects that sex has on your health can add an extra (although probably unnecessary) incentive to have more sex with your partner:

• On average, sex burns about 150 calories every half hour
• According to a study done by Queen’s University in Belfast, having regular sex (3 times a week or more) cuts your likelihood of having a heart attack in half.
• Having sex boosts your immune system by increasing the levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A by 30%. People that have regular sex are less likely to get develop colds.
• Blood pressure is lowered for up to a week following sex
• Endorphins released during orgasm are natural pain relievers and can help to ease or delay the onset of arthritis.
• Deep breathing during sex reduces stress in a similar way that yoga does.
• Higher frequency of male orgasms decreases the likelihood of developing prostate cancer
• For women, hormones contained in semen may have anti-depressant qualities and can help boost mood.

Kissing has its benefits too:

• The extra saliva that is involved in intimate kissing can help prevent tooth decay, breaking down plaque and removing bacteria
• You use over 30 muscles when French kissing, which can help to work and tone your cheek and jaw muscles

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• The adrenaline rush that you get from kissing can help to boost your mood and lower stress, while deep breathing increases relaxation
• On average, kissing burns about 10 calories every 10 minutes.
• Kissing gets your heart pumping and your blood rushing, giving your heart a good workout
• Those that kiss frequently are less likely to suffer from stomach, bladder, and blood infections
• A platonic kiss can help soothe, release stress, and increase social bonding

As we know, love can exist in many forms. Pets are known for offering unconditional love and forming bonds that make them a member of the family. This kind of love can bring positive results too:

• Pets are a great source of constant emotional support.
• Having a pet can help improve your mood
• Petting or playing with your pet can help alleviate stress and tension, reducing blood pressure
• Having a dog to walk gets you out of the house and playing outdoors. Pets get you off the couch and keep you active, helping with the health of your heart.

With all the good that love has to offer, it’s little wonder that so many people are looking for more love in their lives. However, few people think of the good they are doing for their health when they are in positive relationships. The good news is that love not only brings you happiness, but also has tangible benefits even if you’re not aware of it. No matter what form of relationship it is, love brings all kinds of great rewards, for all aspects of your life. All the more reason to start searching for that perfect person, make more connections, and bring more love into your life!

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Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

Beautiful Victoria....? There is little doubt that Victoria, B.C. is a beautiful city. In fact, Victoria’s largest industry, tourism, is fuelled by the charm and natural aesthetic allure of the city. The green landscape, grassy knolls, over abundance of flowers, and frolicking marine life shown on postcards and in tourism brochures really do seem to exist in the capital city of “Beautiful British Columbia”. But despite her squeaky clean image, Victoria may be living a dirty secret life. The issue here is Victoria’s difficulty with waste management treatment. That is, there is none. This means there is nearly 130 million litres of raw sewage a day being pumped directly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. With the focus on the state of the environment growing more and more every day, concerned residents and neighbours see the necessity for an intervention to help Victoria change her self-destructive ways.

Unfortunately, merely releasing waste into the water and watching it drift out of sight is not an effective method of waste management. Where does it go? Lots of places- it stays in the water, is evaporated and released into the air, ingested by marine life and brought back up the food chain, and sent south to Victoria’s American neighbours. The Juan de Fuca Strait, where the untreated sewage is being released, is the body of water between Victoria and Washington State. For Washington State residents, Victoria’s loss is their unwanted gain.

Back in 1993, BC Premier Harcourt and Washington Governor Lowry signed an agreement that would implement primary sewage treatment methods by 2002, followed by an upgrade to secondary treatment in 2008. Primary sewage treatment (the most basic method) removes, ahem, “solids”, while secondary treatment can help reduce or remove some of the many toxic chemicals found in sewage. In 2003, however, this commitment was contradicted in favour of the 25 year Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP), a decision approved by the B.C. government. Unlike the agreement signed with Washington State, the LWMP gave Victoria continued rein to keep pumping raw sewage into the ocean.

Victoria’s LWMP relies on an “environmental trigger” to reveal if and when treatment is “necessary”. The goal is to implement treatment three years after the trigger goes off. But what happens between the trigger and the beginning of treatment? After three years, if the rate of waste production does not increase (despite with the upcoming 2010 Olympics in neighbouring Vancouver) that’s over another 47.5 billion litres of raw sewage being released into the ocean, in addition to the impact that would have on the environment and marine life.

The hazardous pollution does not only come from rising fecal coliform levels and the presence of bacteria and diseases such as Hepatitis, but also from the chemicals that are flushed through people’s drains. Rain and storm water runoff brings chemicals like motor oil, paint thinner, nail polish remover, among many others, directly into the ocean. Organochlorines (toxic chemicals like chlorine and sodium hypochlorite) are known to cause cancers, birth defects, and damage to reproductive, hormonal, and immune systems, as well as harm to water, soil and sediments. Heavy metals, pathogens, PCBs, Hydrocarbons, are among other scary and highly dangerous materials that seep into ocean water, while carbon dioxide and methane (greenhouse gases) are released into the atmosphere by waste.

Whale watching is one of the most popular tourist activities in Victoria. However, due in part to the chemicals and toxins polluting the local waters, killer whales are now an endangered species in Canada, not to mention several other whale, dolphin, and fish species. Toxins consumed by plants and smaller marine life are carried up through the food chain, exposing larger animals to huge, magnified amounts of ingested chemicals. A recent study showed that toxin levels were so high that fish exposed to Victoria’s effluent could only survive for about 20 minutes, in comparison to the over 96 hours they could live in pulp mill effluent. Further evidence of the level of pollution in this area is provided by the shellfish harvesting ban that exists for the 40 square kilometres around the outfalls. Kayakers, windsurfers, sport fishermen, and other people that use the waters around the outfalls also face significant health risks.

Continuation of these practices not only increases health risks and further damages the environment, but also threatens Victoria’s economy and reputation. In 1993, disgusted Washington State residents decided to boycott tourism in Victoria. The boycott ended with Victoria’s false pledge to begin treating sewage. Particularly with the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver quickly approaching, Victoria is under pressure to finally make good on their promise to implement change. Not surprisingly, the largest obstacle is cost. The bill for new treatment facilities would reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars, payment that the provincial government wants to avoid. Recently, however, the federal government committed to supporting 1/3 of the roughly $200 million bill for a new sewage plant, if the municipal and provincial governments would also cover 1/3 each. Unfortunately, the B.C. Government was still resistant, and would not agree to cover their portion of the cost.

That is, until a few months ago. On July 21, 2006 BC Minister of Environment Barry Penner ordered the CRD (Capital Regional District) to develop an in depth plan to implement sewage treatment by June 30, 2007. Environmental groups are applauding Penner for encouraging the development of new and innovative technologies, and pushing fro secondary sewage treatments to be in place by 2010. Christianne Wilhelmson, Program Coordinator of the Georgia Strait Alliance said that, “after decades of polluting the marine environment with untreated sewage, this is a significant step forward in protecting the health of our marine environment."

Unfortunately, the same steps have not been taken to encourage the much needed secondary treatment plans for the nearby GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) facilities at Lions Gate and Iona Beach. As Wilhelmson states, “At present, the GVRD refuses to remove from its sewage the same toxic substances which have turned Greater Victoria’s sewage outfalls into confirmed contaminated sites,” putting Burrard inlet at a similar risk. At the beginning of August of 2006, private prosecution was brought forward by environmental groups and commercial fishermen against the province of British Columbia and the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Despite warnings from the federal government and frequently failing toxicity tests under the Fisheries Act, the area’s sewage plants continue to dump gallons of toxic sewage into the ocean. Particularly with the upcoming Olympic Games in 2010 in Vancouver, the need for adequate sewage treatment is immediate.

Until any changes are seriously implemented, small, everyday efforts can have a significant impact. The release of chemicals is causing much of the environmental and marine life damage. A reduction in the use of chemicals such as Draino, nail polish remover, paint thinner, or any other toxic substance, would decrease the amount of chemicals released back into the system. Opting for biodegradable or non-toxic products over those that use chemicals would also significantly reduce the amount of harmful substances. In addition to cutting down the amount of chemicals being released into the ocean, reducing the amount of water used every day would bring down the volume of sewage. Simply put: the less that is used, the less that needs to be thrown away.

While for now, ‘out of sight, out of mind’ may ring true for Victoria and Vancouver, the consequences of sweeping waste management issues under the rug are coming to the surface. The effects will have, and already have had, an immediate impact on the residents of British Columbia (fishermen, water sports enthusiasts, and those in the tourism industry), the environment, and the residents of Washington State. Thankfully, the BC government has finally realized that the time to implement change has arrived, and is beginning to take the necessary steps to introduce primary treatment. Hopefully with everyday efforts and the coming treatment plan, we can help restore both Vancouver and Victoria’s tarnished and muddy reputations.

Despite the picturesque landscape and postcard perfect image, Victoria does have a dark side. Bathroom talk is never a glamorous issue, and one that is often avoided in everyday conversation. As a result, there was relatively little being said and done about BC’s filthy sewage habits. As proven by action being taken in Victoria, public desire can create change. Hopefully Vancouver will soon follow Victoria’s lead and introduce plans for secondary treatment. At the very least, we can get past our reservations and begin discussing the problems and potential solutions. Unfortunately for Victoria (but fortunately for the rest of us), her dirty little secret is out.

 

Sources and More Information

www.georgiastraitalliance.org

www.davidsuzuki.org

www.sierralegal.org

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I came across an online psychological exam you can take that determines if you have implicit prejudices or not. Implicit prejudices are prejudiced feelings you have towards a specific group of people that you may not be aware you have, or act consciously as though you do. Take one of the tests and see how you do- the results may be surprising.

One important thing to keep in mind before you take it though, is that it's not abnormal for people to have implicit prejudices, especially those that are culturally primed within us. I saw an episode of Dateline where they gave this test to Civil Rights lawyers. The woman I saw tested had been working as a Civil Righs lawyer for over 15 years. She had an implicit prejudice against black people. This just goes to show that just because someone has an implicit prejudice, this doens't mean that they're going to act on their subconscious feelings. It's the EXPLICIT prejudices that we should be truly concerned about. Besides, once you know you have an implicit prejudice, you can start becoming aware of it and working on sorting through whatever issues you may have. Again, I should stress that implicit prejudices are often brought out in people through culture. That is, we're often told through the media and other outlets about what certain groups of people are "often" like. This is also known as stereotying.

Another critique that some people have is that the test primes people to respond in a certain way. Harvard has extensively tested this and apparently it has no affect on the test results.

Anyway, take the test, and take it with a grain of salt. If nothing else, it's interesting to see how some psychological tests are created to see what our sunconscious thoughts and feelings are.

Here it is: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

Click on "demonstration" then follow the rest of instructions and choose which test you want to take.

it would be interesting to see how some of you do.

Good luck!  

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 Some people just aren't fit to make thier own decisions.  I think this guy falls into that  category.  Ouch.

 

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