Rating: NNNNN
Green bins doing their job
I feel sorry for Mr. Wanagas’s chewed-up fish (NOW, October 27-November 2), but one of my neighbours had the same problem with raccoons this summer, so he placed a humane trap with tuna fish near his pond and the problem was solved. All Wanagas did was whine and moan about the green bins doing their job in getting rid of organic waste.
Why didn’t he come up with another solution to this city’s growing landfill problem instead of griping?
What does he want people to do – go back to backyard burning of trash and putting it back in garbage bags again?
Julian Bynoe
Toronto
Stuff this muffin
Sunday morning I ran downstairs like it was Christmas morning to a brown paper bag sitting on my kitchen counter.
Behold! The “best muffin,” from Urban Herbivore, as determined by NOW in its Best Of Toronto issue (NOW, October 27-November 2). Was it love at first bite? Not so much. In fact, this “best” muffin left a thirst that couldn’t be quenched by an entire bottle of water. Burnt on the top, this massive muffin was way too dense, heavy on the honey and completely lacked flavour.
The body was tough and gluteny from an overworked hard flour batter, and the added fruit of choice? Dried apple slices.
Who are these people? More importantly, who is the person who wrote that this muffin was the best in Toronto? How about Phipps’s (420 Eglinton West), whose lemon poppyseed muffins are tart and buttery?
Or the chocolate chip muffins from Bregmans (1560 Yonge) that are always sold out by 11 am? I understand that this muffin is organic and good for the earth and the body, but let’s be serious: it is far from Toronto’s best muffin.
Katie Rosenberg
Toronto
Graham a real cracker
As one of the other standouts mentioned in his category, I’d like to congratulate Graham Wagner on being named best comedy host. If he’s better than I am, he must be awesome. All the best,
Simon Rakoff
Toronto
Looking Sharp
Imagine our surprise to discover the Sharp Centre for Design on the cover of NOW’s Best Of Toronto issue! We are thrilled to have the Sharp Centre voted Toronto’s best new building.
Thank you so much, and congrats on another terrific Best Of Toronto issue. Best regards,
Sarah Mulholland
Media & Communications Coordinator,
Ontario College of Art and Design
Video screens pumping art
Regarding the Upfront item Video Screens That Beam Art, Not Ads (NOW, October 27-November 2) and Andy Barrie’s “great idea” of promoting local arts and culture on Toronto’s ubiquitous video billboards . Year Zero One, a collective that curates Net art and digital art in public spaces, is currently screening Transmedia :29:59, one-minute video artworks, on the pedestrian-level video billboard at Dundas Square on the 29th and 59th minutes 24/7.
Transmedia :29:59 runs till next August, with two different artists each month.
For November we’re featuring two webcam video pieces: Cheryl Sourkes’s Live From The Wedding Chapel In Las Vegas, and Bluescreen’s streamScape.
For more info, check out www.year01.com/transmedia2959.
Michael Alstad
Toronto
Ad bucks too irresistible?
The very same issue in which now criticizes Wal-Mart for teaming up with General Electric, “one of the world’s largest military contractors” (NOW, October 27-November 2), you run an ad on page 5 for SOCOM3, a PlayStation game that glorifies U.S. military hardware and world domination.
Let’s not forget that these video games are recruiting devices.
Is it too much to expect consistency of anyone these days, or are the advertising dollars just too irresistible?
Ken Klonsky
Toronto
True to Trudell
Re Your review of Trudell and your suggestion that the former American Indian Movement chair “scores higher as an activist” (NOW, October 20-26) [than as a spoken-word artist].
I absolutely disagree with this narrow-minded, negative view. The film was outstanding in that John Trudell’s values regarding racism, sexism, ecology and other aspects of life were beautifully woven together. Trudell eloquently speaks about things that concern each of us. Just don’t expect to see a Hollywood drama.
Christine Witte
Toronto
This cover blows
The cover of Uzodinma Iweala (NOW, October 20-26) was possibly one of the worst you’ve ever run. What creative mind thought that some dude with gnarly-looking feet reclining on a staircase, seemingly ready to receive a blow job, would make a great shot? Boggles the mind.
Lesa Hannah
Toronto
Whale that got away
The headline appearing on your Noah Baumbach piece (NOW, October 20-26), “Whale of an intellect, first-time director…” contains misleading information. Baumbach has been making movies since 1995. The film under discussion, The Squid And The Whale, is in fact his fourth film as a director.
David Reynolds
Toronto
Copping big trouble
So some geniuses in the Toronto Police want us to learn the “best practices” of the Israeli security forces (NOW, October 20-26)? What “best practices” do they want us to copy, the routine use of torture? Maybe the police can use Israeli F16 jets to carry out targeted assassinations of trouble-makers.
How about collective punishment of entire ethnic communities if any of their members is suspected of a crime?Perhaps next we can use guards from Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo to teach interrogation techniques?
Gord Ruddin
Toronto
Collectivism equals injustice
Re Andrew Cash’s Hello God? It’s Us, The Left (NOW, October 20-26). What is the point? The NDP problem with religion is that the NDP is a religion – or at least it’s pretending to be one. Collectivism has nothing to do with social justice. On the contrary, it means social injustice. Because it tries to satisfy each and every individual, it rejects accountability before God.
Cesar Fernandez-Stoll
Cambridge, Ontario
Left should look to U.S.
I read your piece Hello, God? It’s Us, The Left and thought you might be interested in checking out a new organization in the U.S. called the Network of Spiritual Progressives (www.spiritualprogressives.org). They have some objectives similar to those espoused by the NDP Faith and Social Justice Caucus. In fact, you might want to pass this reference on to members of the caucus – for their information.
Gabe Epstein
Toronto
Mean-spirited routine
Letter writer Joe Clark attacks Sheila Gostick for allegedly “dining out” on the homeless in Parkdale (NOW, October 13-19). Those long acquainted with Gostick’s writing and the allegiances so strongly expressed therein have no doubt where her heart is and for whom it beats.
Why would NOW publish such a mean-spirited letter? Come to think of it, that more or less describes what you publish routinely.
Jane Wayne
Toronto
Earth, the final frontier
I know it may be a little late, but I wanted to say thank you to Tim Tiner for The Final Frontier (NOW, September 8-14), for sharing his good words and thoughts toward protecting our children’s future. Children become adults when they learn to take responsibility, and respect and honour life in a way that creates harmony and health. Society continues to drift away from the natural world and the natural cycles that sustain life. The life-giving forces are now wounded and cannot continue their duties as natural forces for humans they are wounded, suffering and neglected from disrespect.
We as humans must find our health and harmony by protecting and honouring the life forces: the Sun, Moon, Air, Water, Mother Earth, all the trees, plants, roots, everything that crawls, flies, swims and walks. Our forests are the natural world.
We human beings are given the duty to be a voice for Creation, we are given the responsibility from the natural world to be thankful with our ceremonies, words, thoughts and actions for justice, peace and harmony. In these times in the history of Mother Earth, the universe is waiting for the songs of thanksgiving, the words of wisdom and the action needed to bring balance back to humanity so that life can continue.
Danny Beaton
Turtle Clan, Mohawk Nation
Correction
Incorrect information appeared in the October 13-19 issue. Avalon Organics, Now Foods and Desert Essence are not owned by Tyson Foods.
