October 30th, 2009
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According to a recent CBC News article, pediatricians in B.C. are convinced that children under the age
of two should not be watching TV. Absolutely zero television. Not a couple of hours, not even child-friendly content- pediatricians believe that any and all television for children under two is bad for their development.
The pediatricians cite several studies that identify a link between television viewing at a young age with things like obesity and violent behavior.
The article itself has incited a barrage of moral posturing in the comments section, along with some creative retorts from a few defensive parents. Relying on the “what the hell else am I supposed to do with a crying one-year-old” argument, some parents feel that a little TV exposure can’t be that harmful.
And as long as companies keep producing content specifically designed for young children and marketing it as educational, parents will be able to justify their choice.
While the CBC article is new, the debate surrounding children and television has gone on for years. There are numerous studies that talk about the harmful effects of television on young children. Still, despite the studies and repeated warnings, this issue remains a matter of personal opinion, values and experience.
After all, we are talking about a proposed guideline, not a law. There is no enforcement. As always, the final decision lies with the parents.
Based on the reaction from the article, the decision will not be an easy one to make.
October 26th, 2009
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I think I just baited you in with a misleading title.
No need to worry. I always deliver on what I promise and I promise you will get your tips.
Initially, I wanted to use this post as a way of ranting about how consumer culture has turned shopping into a pastime. No matter how often we hear about the bad economy and consumers being forced to adopt a more budget-conscious lifestyle, the visual evidence tells a different story.
October 22nd, 2009
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I’ve heard that it takes a dramatic event to create dramatic change. There are numerous stories of people who 
turned their lives around after either hitting rock-bottom, having a near-death experience, or reaching a point of total desperation.
Last week, as I clung onto the side of a mountain with a bag of dynamite strapped to to my side, questioning my choices in life and trying desperately to find my footing, I felt no such sense of discovery.
October 8th, 2009
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Scene from 30 Rock:
Liz Lemon: I really enjoyed watching MTV Canada with you.
Gavin Volure (played by Steve Martin): They can’t seem to get anything right up there, can they?
By now I think most people have heard of the Stop the TV Tax movement. We have seen the corny TV ads. Here’s the set-up:It’s in typical man-on-the-street fashion where the interviewer approaches people randomly. The interviewer asks if they have heard about the new TV tax that the “big networks” are trying to impose on the public. The reaction is shock and outrage. The interviewer then looks into the camera and announces a call to action: visit stopthetvtax.ca.
September 27th, 2009
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For years, women have been struggling for a voice on mainstream television. In the past, women like Lucille Ball and Carol Burnette earned the respect of TV audiences by showing that talent plays a bigger role than gender in earning credibility.
And now that these pioneers have paved the way for the female television personalities we see today, I can’t help feel that, as important as it is for women to have a voice, some of them need to keep the volume down.
September 14th, 2009
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It looks like everyone’s favourite egomaniacal hip-hop star is at it again. The outspoken rapper 
interrupted Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for Best Female Video at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards. Kanye stormed the stage to make an unsolicited declaration of what he considers to be the best video of the year – no wait – best video OF ALL TIME (easy on the Dom Perignon there, Kanye).
It didn’t take long for the outraged Twitterati to blast Kanye West. Many on Twitter were ready to boycott the rapper’s music (can you boycott music you steal off the internet?). Judging by the reaction on Twitter, it was easy to assume that Kanye had directly criticized Swift, or worse (I thought he had kicked Swift off the stage and ran off with her award).
