Traipsed across the continent.

I had a major meltdown on Friday. And that would be all day Friday, started the day in tears and finished it sniffling and puffy eyed. I took procrastination to a whole new level and left my ENTIRE distance course studying until the day before the midterm. I had close to a hundred pages of notes and nine chapters of text to know for my Saturday morning exam.

I missed Robyn's birthday party and that sucks cause her shindigs always make me lol to the max. You know mine and Robyn's love tale, but since I didn't get to tell her in person I'll say it on here: happy birthday, Ro-yn Mchizzle! It looks like I missed a slammin' good time, jeez, just check out this cake. I'm sad to have not gotten a piece!

I have another midterm on Monday which I'm not nearly as worried about. It's with Professor YouTube, aka the I'M A TRAINED STAGE ACTRESS CAN'T YOU TELL prof from last semester. Nothing from the textbook because girl didn't order enough for the bookstore so no one could read it. Yup, she's still a flake.

Alex and I found this website and have been doing some of the assignments from it when the mood strikes. Yesterday, while it snowed, we ventured out to make a field guide of our yard. Called it quits after a few pictures though because we both agreed that we were probably freaking out the lady downstairs.


P.S. It's my birthday on Saturday! So don't make any Halloween plans because everyone is invited to Salisbury to help me greet a new year, 21 peeps!

Ageless beauty.

Last night I got to fulfill one of my life goals. Cool, huh? I have a list of ten bands I need to see live before I die... now I can cross a second off (the first was OLP)!

Stars makes me musicgasm all over the world. I don't know how else to describe it. I bought Set Yourself on Fire in 2005 and there has been no going back.

AND I GOT TO SEE THEM LIVE. LAST NIGHT. WOW.

We were like three metres from the stage and I peed a little when Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell came out with giant smiles and handsome attire. They were made for live music.

Oh, and Torquil threw me a rose. Yup. Why not. It almost bet the Raine Maida pointing at me thing. I WAS MADE FOR THIS STUFF.


Now if only Muse would play here so Matthew Bellamy could blow me kisses...

Take a sad song and make it better.

Now that the election is over a lot of people are still looking at Stephane Dion. Not to be leader of this country. Not even to be leader of his party.

Its been questioned over the past few months if Dion will resign as leader of the Liberal party without ever being elected. Let me just say that this would be VERY abnormal. Actually it has only happened once before, back in 1887 (did you learn about that in Marland's class yet, Dave and Leah?! See his teachings ARE relevant!).

But now the question has turned from if to when. If Dion doesn't step down, he'll probably get the boot during the Liberal's convention. Which really saddens me. The dude is too awesome for those conniving politicians.

And he deserves some respect. Its so Paul Martin-esque of these people to be chasing at the guy's coattails already. CUT HIM SOME SLACK, HIS DOG IS NAMED KYOTO FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

So who's it going to be: Bob Rae or Michael Ignatieff? Ignatieff writes kick ass books but hasn't lived in Canada for the past like thirty years. Bob Rae swam naked with Rick Mercer on national television but is a former NDP-er. Oh, the choices!

Are you sick of me talking about politics yet?


P.S. I totally created that Stephane. I AM SO MANY KINDS OF NERD IN ONE AMAZONIAN SIZED PACKAGE.

Equalization impasse.

Looking at that makes you ache for proportional representation, huh?

Well I can't say I'm surprised. I'm trying to be grateful that Harper only gained a minority, but now it just means we have AT LEAST another year with him. Probably more since the Liberal party is still hanging out in shit land.

And Dictator Danny got his goose egg. I think a lot of people haven't caught on that it means we'll have NO representation from the current government. Expect the roads to get shitty. Literally and figuratively.

I was for the goose egg, don't get me wrong. ABC voters don't have to buy me a birthday present. But it only adds fuel to Harper's and William's whip-it-out-and-measure contest.

But I'm looking to the future! In a few more years, with some experience under his belt, sexy reincarnation man is going to come and save this country like his ol' pops did in the eighties. Oh please come and save us, Justin. :)

I cannot believe he's going to get his goose egg.

Early poll results give me false hope.

As I watch them count the ballots (in Atlantic Canada only so far, because of the time difference), I see this:

10 Liberal (6 Newfoundland)
3 NDP (1 Newfoundland - my district!)
2 Conservative
1 Green
1 Independent

WHAT A PERFECT WORLD. This is why we should separate! I wish the house had representation like this.

But I realize we need all the help we can get right now. We have to head over those conservative prairies... shudder.

Elizabeth May is actually beating Peter MacKay as of this moment! Enjoy it while it lasts for these few minutes, May.

Without a doubt, Harper will end up winning. I just cannot handle the idea of him having a majority government.

You're the only one catching hell.

I was going to ask what everyone thought of the leader's debate tonight but then I realized... none of my friends have televisions. What hippies! Allison, fellow tv owner and poli sci major, what did YOU think?

I'd just like to say that Stephane Dion makes me laugh and I hope that I'll be able to find some very cute and VERY frenglish clips on Youtube to share with you. He is really stuck on twins-ing Harper to Bush thing.

One question: why is Duceppe still around? To appease Quebec? It just irks me. The whole Quebec vote going to him and whatnot.

Anyway. I wrote a paper and now I'm going to submit it... 1:30am, yes.

And I am excited for my weekend to see my lovely S'ville family who I have abandoned this week in favor of school work. And I'm excited to Rock Band with Meagan, pick a good song for us to perform together!

I'm just excited.

Are you ready for this?

Canada's federal election is on October 14th and I have made it my mission to see to it that all of my friends vote (preferably not Conservative, but we all have our democratic rights so ultimately the decision is up to you).

Everyone has been asking me the same kinds of questions in this quest: How do I register? Who are the people running? Where do I vote? And so on.

So consider this...

SARAH'S HANDY GUIDE TO VOTING

Let's begin!

Am I registered to vote?

The National Register of Electors is a database containing basic information – names, sex, date of birth and addresses of Canadians who are qualified to vote. It is used to produce the voters lists when an election is called. The National Register of Electors is maintained using a number of different sources, including federal income tax returns.

Election officers update the preliminary voters lists during the revision period of an election. The revision period starts three days after the election is called and ends six days before election day.

Door-to-Door Revision
Elections Canada does door-to-door revision in specific areas where elector information needs updating, such as in new subdivisions (this is how I registered to vote in the last election and why it was so easy for me, I just signed a piece of paper saying I was 18, living here and a Canadian citizen).

Voter Information Cards
Elections Canada will send you a Voter Information Card (VIC) if your name is on the preliminary voters lists. The card will tell you that you are registered, and where and when to vote (note: for most of you this won't be sent to you in St. John's, but to your "real" home, usually wherever your driver's license is registered). For this election, a Voter Information Card will be mailed to all registered voters between September 17th and September 19th.


How do I add my name to this almighty voters list?

The two easiest ways would be:

Contact your returning officer. You should have your VIC by September 24th, so if you don't get one (or if it got sent to your parents' home, meaning the information is wrong) these are the people to call. Find out where yours is here (because I'm not sure if they change by constituency or by city).

Or you can register at the polling station on election day (although Elections Canada advises you to register before then). You must show valid identification, meaning:
1. A government document with your photo, name and address, such as a drivers license (this won't work for any of you because I am assuming none of you changed your address, this is based on the assumption that you're voting for the district you live in within St. John's).
or
2. Two pieces of identification from an "authorized list", one with your name such as a social insurance number card, and one with your name and address, such as a utility bill.
or
3. If you don't have acceptable pieces of identification, you can also be vouched for by an elector whose name appears on the voters list in the same polling division and who has acceptable ID. Both of you will need to make a sworn statement and the person doing the vouching can only do it for one other person. Make sense?

Here is a fancy way of saying all that as well as that "authorized list".

Still with me? Because the rest of it's simple. To find out if you're on the voters list, where you vote, what you need to take when you vote, who the candidates are in your area and pretty much everything else in handy form GO RIGHT HERE. Seriously, handiest little thing ever.

Other links:
The terrible "youth" site on Elections Canada's website
How to vote by mail if you are not in your district at the time of the elections
FAQs, like "am I allowed to eat my ballot?"

Are we good? Remember, the leader debates are on October 1st and 2nd. For the first time in Canada's history there will be FIVE party leaders on the stage.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

We're better off alone.

In the United States millions of dollars, countless people and dozens of months of effort are poured into their presidential elections. It is international news for almost a solid year before their Inauguration Day. Pretty much anyone in the Western world can tell you who the contenders are for the upcoming American elections.

Quick. Who are the leaders of all five major parties here in Canada? (And considering half of the people who read this blog are Poli Sci majors, you better know the answer)

That being said, the United States will have to share the limelight with Canada because it's...

ELECTION TIMEEE.

Ohhh, yes. Parliament has been dissolved and on October 14th (like an early birthday present!) Canadians will go out and choose a new (please, oh please, be new) leader for this country.

I am definitely getting involved in this election. Stephen Harper reigning this country for almost two years is LONG ENOUGH.

And maybe Stephane Dion looks like a mouse, but at least he is on the right path about the current war, the environment (his dog's name is Kyoto for goodness sakes) and social programs.

SO REGISTER TO VOTE. Do you realize none of you voted in the last provincial election ("none of you" being the friends who read this blog)? Consider it my birthday present. :)

Just don't vote Harper.

P.S. Looking for a laugh? Check out the Conservative Party's Youtube page and view the ads currently plaguing television. And what a surprise, they have comments disabled.

Atcha: In Pictures.

The trip was a great success! During the five nights (four spent sleeping in my car) and 2600km these are some of the pictures that were taken.

Clutching mickey mouse.

The idea of Guantanamo Bay has always confused me. The whole putting an American prison in the same country they refuse to take sugar from is... funny. In that flabbergasting kind of way.

The rest of it just pisses me off.

The Omar Khadr tapes released last week have caused a frenzy here in Canada. Imagine, a Canadian citizen, jailed at fifteen and tortured. He is the youngest prisoner and the only Westerner left within the prison as Australia and Britain have already said "give us back our citizens and let us try them!"

Shit. I'm getting all shaky angry. Calm, Sarah. Finish what you have to say.

This is a matter of politics pure and simple.

In any other country, in the poorest countries of the world, a child soldier is told "it is not your fault". We as a people accept that a child's mind is too susceptible to the rantings and ravings of lunatics. So what's the problem here?

Khadr was arrested for allegedly throwing a grenade that killed an American soldier. Except the Pentagon accidentally leaked documents earlier this year saying that it was in fact another militant who did so. Oops.

But still Khadr sits in a prison cell six years later. Well, not in the same prison cell since he is moved to a different cell every three hours so that he is sleep deprived and more willing to talk.

Our government refuses to do anything. And though some would suggest it is a matter of race or religion, I would wager a guess that our PM has moved back into his perpetual state of fear. Go against AMERICA? Not on Harper's life.

Canada's indifference to this young man is a slap in the face. That these political games are allowed to continue in one of the freest nations on earth with absolutely no consequence for the players involved is a slap in the face.

And I'm wondering when people are going to wake up and see this country for what it really is.

Mister anchor assure me.

I caught the tail end of the CBC news tonight and it was that part where they do the “here’s what our viewers have to say” thing. There were a great number of responses to a piece that had aired on Friday about a protest in Kelligrews against a 64 year old sex offender who planned to move to the small town. The man had been convicted for two sexual assaults against children, acts he committed over a decade ago.

Okay. I can pretty much guarantee I know more about sexual offenders than your average adult, simply because I’ve taken several classes for my criminology certificate on the subject.

So when I see something like this, I get about 20% mad and 80% frustrated. Ignorance irks me!

Pedophilia is a disease. This man will always be attracted to children and I am not saying that a couple years in prison have fixed him. Probably made it worst.

But Canada has been labeled a sex offender's “heaven”. We have the lowest legal consent rate like EVER. And our sex offender registry is s-h-i-t. I really wish I could convey to you how pretty much non-existent it is. It would scare you.

So when a convicted offender registers with the police in hopes of bettering his life, I can’t help but have respect for him. You might say “Sarah! You can’t respect a person like that!” But he is human.

And think about it: a sex offender who doesn’t register could be living in Kelligrews right now. But we wouldn’t know it. And he isn’t getting any help or therapy because he isn’t registered.

At least this man is trying to live his life the right way. And what do we do? Protest a man with a proven mental condition? Would you protest someone with AIDs on the off chance they might spread it to you?

I’m going to tell you what will happen here. This man will stop checking in with the RCMP so that he can live somewhere with his wife in quiet without the neighbourhood being notified. His neighbours will befriend him and his wife, taking them to be a retired old couple living in rural Newfoundland.

And it might work for the first year or two.

But after awhile the man will become sick again, there is no cure for pedophilia. And he will have no access to therapy or guidance because he will be too scared to face the penalties for not having kept the registry updated.

And he will slip and fall like any other human. Except it won’t be an extra piece of cake for dessert. It won’t be a few bottles of beer wrecking his liver. It will be a child.

And I cannot believe that these adults who are protesting this man in Kelligrews cannot make this connection.

There was a FANTASTIC article in Maclean’s a few months ago about Canada’s sex offender registry. And you can read it online here. And it might seem long or gory, but seriously people, educate yourself. Before you go out protesting something you don’t even understand.

Almost 1,300 of the 16,000 people listed on the national registry (eight per cent) have disappeared. That may seem encouraging. After all, that means 92 per cent are doing what they're told. But remember, thousands of convicted offenders are not on the registry - and that number gets bigger every single day. Where those people are living right now is anybody's guess.

Blonde hair to brown.

Today in pros and cons:

Pros:

Paid time and a half for working on a holiday. Paid DOUBLE time!
Working a later shift so that I can "sleep in" (aka waking up at 8:30am).
Banana pancakes.
Eighteen degrees (Iqaluit has had higher temperatures than SJ everyday this week).

Cons:
Working on a holiday.
Working late and missing the fireworks at Quidi Vidi.
Darryl's last day.
The power going off three times last night (and waking me up with a resounding beep of the fire alarm every time).
Having to reset all my clocks because power went off.

Happy Canada day, folks!

Supa-pa troupa-pa.

I have been listening to so much ABBA lately it's not even fit. Every song speaks to me in a way that only disco era music from Sweden can.

I went to see the pretty animals yesterday! AND IT WAS FREE. Man, I love Newfoundland. I took (and labeled) lots of picture for you. :) It was in Salmonier Line in case you ever feel like visiting it for yourself (it's free!).

I was most excited to see the owls and the pine marten. Owls cause I love owls (OOKPIK!) and pine martens because I'm pretty sure I've never seen an alive one and they'll all be dead by the time I get around to taking my [improbable] kids to this place.

Happy love for all!