Sub-Title
Singer Ann Mortifee returns to her homeland in search of her roots and inner peace
Sub-Title2
Content
Ann Mortifee has always known when to quit. Throughout a music career that spans five decades, the Vancouverite has retired her powerful four-octave singing voice several times to pursue other interests. Those pursuits have taken her from working in Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut to working with Mother Teresa in India.
Mortifee’s latest journey was to her native South Africa, which she left as a child after her father, a South African politician, took his family to Canada following the rise of Apartheid. During her return, Mortifee spent time with Vusamazula Credo Mutwa, the legendary Zulu Sangoma (shaman) who is considered a national treasure in South Africa. After returning to Canada, Mortifee chronicled her experiences in Africa with her first CD in more than a decade, Into the Sangoma. Starting this month, Mortifee will be performing a stage version of Into the Sangoma with Toronto singer Jeni Burke. Mortifee took some time to speak with Shared Vision’s Jon Azpiri.
How would you describe your new show?
I’ve taken my experiences with Vusamazula Credo Mutwa and how I was led there and put it into a theatrical story. What I’ve done is extended the CD and brought in another character to sing with me.
You’ve travelled a lot in your life, but going to South Africa must have been special because of your roots there.
Definitely. I grew up on a farm in Zululand and my grandfather’s prosperity came from the Zulu people who farmed the sugar cane farm we lived on. I feel a debt on behalf of my family, and furthermore on behalf of my race, to the people that have made the wealth of the white people in South Africa possible.
How did you come to terms with the idea that your family thrived off of the work of others?
What I had to do was go back to Africa and actually go through the ceremony and be forgiven by Credo Mutwa. He said, “Never be ashamed of the privilege into which you’ve been born. Use it. Use it for the good of us all.’”
Before going to Africa you had given up singing.
I’ve given up singing on several occasions actually [laughs]. I didn’t think I’d do another CD as long as I’d live. I thought that part of my life was over. What happened was that, quite unexpectedly, I ended up here.
Did leaving music make you realize that it really is what you wanted to do?
I think it’s what I want to do but more it’s what I’m called to do. I would give it up if I could find a better way to be of service here. We’re in pretty dire straits at the moment and singing so often felt like a weak response to the situation. But my opinion has changed about that. I realize we need to re-enchant the world.
How have you changed since you were in South Africa?
It’s been huge. And it’s unfolding even as we’re speaking. When I had the actual experience, I thought, “Wow, this is interesting.” But as the years have gone by, I have been led deeper and deeper into the world it represents.
People often think that a life-changing experience is a revelation that occurs in an instant like a light bulb going off over someone’s head, but it often takes time.
It takes a lot of time. I’m still in the process. Perhaps the process is never over. I was saying to Mutwa when I was there, “Why is all this happening? I’m trying to figure it out and make sense of this.” And he sort of chuckled to himself and said, “Oh, you white people. You’re all the same. You want to understand everything. Sometimes understanding is the booby prize.”
Ann Mortifee and Jeni Burke will be performing Into the Sangoma March 9 – April 8 at the Arts Club Theatre-Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston). Tix: $22.75-$25.50. Info: annmortifee.com [1].
top of page [1]
SV News
Hoop It Up
One thing Christa Giles has learned is that her hula-hoop is a great conversation starter. During a recent trip to the post office, Giles started to chat with the counter staff, who commented on the homemade hoop she was carrying. Giles, a part-time hooping instructor, quickly put the hoop around her waist and gave them a demonstration. She even got the postal workers to get out from behind the front counter to try it. “You cannot ignore a hula-hoop,” says Giles.
Indeed, hula hoops are garnering attention as they continue to pop up at raves, jazz concerts, and folk festivals around the city, and hooping enthusiasts have used Internet chat rooms and websites to help spread the gospel.
This generation of hooping takes the traditional hooping motion of swinging the hoop around your waist and adds a series of movements, such as stepping through the hoop or spinning it overhead, that turn it into a form of dance. In addition to being a creative outlet, hooping can also improve physical fitness. “It can help in terms of core stability, since your body is continually counteracting the momentum of the hoop as it travels around,” says Giles. “You’re getting a very good inner workout just by keeping your balance.”
Giles teaches classes in hooping and is part of a thriving online community that helps organize events throughout the city. She sees the community growing even more since hooping, as her demonstration at the post office illustrates, seems to have an infectious charm. “It’s bringing back a sense of play,” says Giles. “It would be really nice if more adults were able to play and not worry about looking immature.”
Giles hosts her next hooping class on March 25, 1:30 to 3:30 pm at the Roundhouse Community Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews). Cost: $25. For further info, visit christahoops.com [2]. (Jon Azpiri)
Pivot Legal Wears VPD Criticism Like a Badge of Honour
Early last month, Vancouver Police Union president Tom Stamatakis released a public statement demanding that the Pivot Legal Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending the legal rights of the underprivileged, open its accounting books for public scrutiny. “It’s time for Pivot to display the kind of transparency and accountability it keeps demanding from the police,” said Stamatakis.
The accusation of less-than-transparent accounting came as a bit of a surprise to Pivot lawyer David Eby. “Our annual report is posted on the front page of our website,” he says. “So if Mr. Stamatakis had taken the time to visit our website to find out if our books were open, he would have found it.”
The VPU president made his remarks after the B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal launched by Pivot executive director John Richardson. The appeal related to a libel and wrongful arrest case filed by Richardson against the Vancouver police after his 2002 arrest for trying to cross police lines to access his clients who were squatting in the Woodward’s building.
Stamatakis accused Pivot of using the organization’s funds for Richardson’s private litigation against the VPD, but according to Eby, Richardson and his lawyer paid for the legal costs out of their own pockets. Pivot decided not to put resources toward Richardson’s case, as it wanted to focus on cases that would have greater social impact.
While Eby was taken aback by Stamatakis’s claims, he wasn’t surprised by what he calls the VPU president’s method of attacking critics of the VPD. In the past, Stamatakis has publicly condemned organizations such as the Vancouver Courier, Vancouver Sun, and even city council.
“In one way, we found it kind of annoying,” says Eby, “but in another, we found it kind of reassuring in that, at least, he’s recognizing that we’re doing our best to ensure accountability in the Vancouver Police Department and that we must be on point.” (JA)
Despite Council, Organizers Give Peace Forum a Chance
Reports of the death of June’s World Peace Forum have been greatly exaggerated. Last month, city council decided to deny $50,000 worth of promised funding for an International Association of Peace Messenger Cities conference planned in conjunction with the forum.
After council made its decision, some local media outlets falsely reported that the forum was cancelled altogether. In fact, the forum will be going ahead as planned. “We’re going full steam ahead,” says Rex Weyler, World Peace Forum organizer and Shared Vision editor-at-large. “We have 156 events that will be in production in June. It’s a huge conference and it’s going to happen.”
Vancouver city council voted 6–5 to withdraw the funding for the event that would host mayors from around the world. Council said they took back the $50,000 because a city report stated that the conference would cost more than four times that amount to host, a claim WPF organizers deny. (JA)
Sound Body, Sound Mind
Vancouver Community Mental Health Services has been awarded a $70,000 grant from Lilly Neuroscience Solutions for Wellness Fund to work with various mental-health sites on a pilot project called Why Weight.
The program is designed to help mental-health patients lose weight and improve their overall fitness. The project will provide education, peer support, and activities related to diet, nutrition, fitness, and exercise.
According to program co-ordinator Rene Corbett, mental-health patients often struggle with weight due to side effects from medication, lack of motivation, and other factors. Very often, weight gain can lead to low self-esteem, which can further exacerbate mental problems.
“I think we can’t ignore the physical health of our clients while we’re treating their mental health,” says Corbett. “People’s self-esteem will boost and they will feel better as a person as they feel better in a physical sense.”
Why Weight is patterned after a successful program in Manchester, England, where nurse John Pendlebury started a weight-loss program for patients at a mental-health facility during his lunch hours. The 30 patients who participated lost an average of four kilograms, with some losing more than 20 kilos.
Corbett is hoping to start the program in five mental-health sites, with the possibility of having it expand further. (JA)
30 Days of Sustainability
For the past two years, Alcan has awarded the Alcan Prize for Sustainability, a US$1 million prize, to a non-profit organization dedicated to integrating economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Last year, Vancouver was chosen to host the award presentation, and organizers decided to build an entire month-long celebration of sustainability around the awarding of the Alcan Prize. 30 Days of Sustainability will feature dozens of events designed to raise awareness and encourage sustainable practices. Highlights include a four-day public fair in Robson Square with more than 40 exhibitors focusing on sustainable food, transportation, and energy. Other events include a student art and essay contest done in conjunction with the Robert Bateman Association and a series of lectures hosted by the Vancouver Board of Trade. For more information, visit 30daysofsustainability.com [3]. (JA)
Terminator Seed Update
The UN Convention on Biological Diversity recently recommended lifting the moratorium to allow testing of “terminator” seed technology, which produces genetically modified sterile plants that can’t be re-planted. At a CBD conference last month in Granada, Spain, officials from around the world voted to allow terminator seeds to be tested on a “case by case” basis, a move environmentalists and farming advocates fear could bring the sterile seeds one step closer to market.
The motion must still be approved at a meeting of the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity in Brazil this month.
Officials from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada were instrumental in forcing the change in policy at the UN forum. Canada’s involvement in terminator seeds does not come as a surprise. Last year, Canadian officials led a challenge of the UN’s moratorium on the commercialization of terminator seeds at a similar meeting in Bangkok but backed off following strong public opposition in Canada and worldwide.
Environmental groups such as Ban Terminator are hoping a similar outcry this year will help prevent the motion from being approved. Those interested in voicing their opposition can visit banterminator.org/take_action [4]. (JA)
top of page [4]
Business News
I See Cans for Miles and Miles
Architects and engineers are used to working with bricks and mortar, but during March’s Canstruction event, they will ply their trade with cans of tuna.
This year, 25 teams consisting of architects, engineers, and graphic artists will build sculptures up to eight feet tall made entirely out of canned food. Each team donates and pays for all the food used in their design and then donates it to the Vancouver Food Bank after the competition.
Last year’s creative designs included a giant sculpture of Snoopy that consisted of 12,000 cans. This year, organizers expect to see sculptures of Johnny Cash and Mr. Potato Head, among others.
The sculptures will be on display to the public from March 5 to 12, 10 am–6 pm, at the Cruise Ship Terminal at Canada Place. Admission is free, but cans of food and cash donations will be accepted at the door. For more info, visit canstructionvancouver.com [5]. (JA)
Certified Organic Capers
Capers Community Markets recently became the first company in Western Canada to be designated a certified organic retailer by Quality Assurance International. The certification recognizes compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program Standard.
Capers’ three Greater Vancouver locations are now certified in produce, bulk grocery, and pre-packaged goods. Capers had to take several steps to meet certification criteria, including implementing an information-management system and employing proper sanitary handling practices to prevent co-mingling of organic and conventional products. In addition to having their stores certified, the Capers Organics product lines also meet QAI’s standards.
Canada does not have a national standard and certification system. (The organic industry in B.C. is regulated by the Canadian Organic Association of B.C.) Capers has been working with the Canada Organic Initiative Project to form a national system they believe will benefit the organic community and consumers throughout the country. “We’re excited about the opportunity for consumers to have a national organic standard,” says Capers spokesman Aron Bjornson. “It will make it that much easier for consumers.” (JA)
Biodiesel Made to Order
Delta’s Autogas Propane (10128 Nordel Court) recently opened North America’s first multi-blend biodiesel dispenser. The station offers three biodiesel blends: B5 (five per cent biodiesel and 95 per cent petroleum diesel), B10, and B20. “It’s blended right in the pump,” says spokesman Saul Brown. “They have a petroleum diesel tank and biodiesel tanks, and it’s custom blended right there.”
It’s not the only biodiesel pump in the Lower Mainland. Last year, United Petroleum Products Inc. opened B.C.’s first biodiesel pump in Burnaby. (JA)
top of page [5]
Web Sightings
I’m Lovin’ It
mcvideogame.com [6]
An online game that offers a scathing critique of the corporate and environmental practices at McDonald’s. In the game, you can torch diseased cows with the flame-thrower, plant genetically modified soy, and force your employees to smile all day while paying them minimum wage — all while trying not to drive the company into bankruptcy.
The Real Cost of War
icasualties.org/oif [7]
A website that tracks the number of Coalition casualties in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Sadly, the number is well over 2,000 and counting.
Iraq By the Numbers
brookings.edu/iraqindex [8]
An informative website filled with statistics on modern Iraq, with updated information on everything from crime and telephone and water service to coalition troop strength.
Wookie of the Year
toysrgus.com/gusandpam/house.html [9]
Feel better about your own home-decorating abilities after taking a tour of this Seattle home, which the owners have covered wall-to-wall in Star Wars memorabilia.
top of page [9]
By The Numbers
Mortifee’s latest journey was to her native South Africa, which she left as a child after her father, a South African politician, took his family to Canada following the rise of Apartheid. During her return, Mortifee spent time with Vusamazula Credo Mutwa, the legendary Zulu Sangoma (shaman) who is considered a national treasure in South Africa. After returning to Canada, Mortifee chronicled her experiences in Africa with her first CD in more than a decade, Into the Sangoma. Starting this month, Mortifee will be performing a stage version of Into the Sangoma with Toronto singer Jeni Burke. Mortifee took some time to speak with Shared Vision’s Jon Azpiri.
How would you describe your new show?
I’ve taken my experiences with Vusamazula Credo Mutwa and how I was led there and put it into a theatrical story. What I’ve done is extended the CD and brought in another character to sing with me.
You’ve travelled a lot in your life, but going to South Africa must have been special because of your roots there.
Definitely. I grew up on a farm in Zululand and my grandfather’s prosperity came from the Zulu people who farmed the sugar cane farm we lived on. I feel a debt on behalf of my family, and furthermore on behalf of my race, to the people that have made the wealth of the white people in South Africa possible.
How did you come to terms with the idea that your family thrived off of the work of others?
What I had to do was go back to Africa and actually go through the ceremony and be forgiven by Credo Mutwa. He said, “Never be ashamed of the privilege into which you’ve been born. Use it. Use it for the good of us all.’”
Before going to Africa you had given up singing.
I’ve given up singing on several occasions actually [laughs]. I didn’t think I’d do another CD as long as I’d live. I thought that part of my life was over. What happened was that, quite unexpectedly, I ended up here.
Did leaving music make you realize that it really is what you wanted to do?
I think it’s what I want to do but more it’s what I’m called to do. I would give it up if I could find a better way to be of service here. We’re in pretty dire straits at the moment and singing so often felt like a weak response to the situation. But my opinion has changed about that. I realize we need to re-enchant the world.
How have you changed since you were in South Africa?
It’s been huge. And it’s unfolding even as we’re speaking. When I had the actual experience, I thought, “Wow, this is interesting.” But as the years have gone by, I have been led deeper and deeper into the world it represents.
People often think that a life-changing experience is a revelation that occurs in an instant like a light bulb going off over someone’s head, but it often takes time.
It takes a lot of time. I’m still in the process. Perhaps the process is never over. I was saying to Mutwa when I was there, “Why is all this happening? I’m trying to figure it out and make sense of this.” And he sort of chuckled to himself and said, “Oh, you white people. You’re all the same. You want to understand everything. Sometimes understanding is the booby prize.”
Ann Mortifee and Jeni Burke will be performing Into the Sangoma March 9 – April 8 at the Arts Club Theatre-Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston). Tix: $22.75-$25.50. Info: annmortifee.com [1].
top of page [1]
SV News
Hoop It Up
One thing Christa Giles has learned is that her hula-hoop is a great conversation starter. During a recent trip to the post office, Giles started to chat with the counter staff, who commented on the homemade hoop she was carrying. Giles, a part-time hooping instructor, quickly put the hoop around her waist and gave them a demonstration. She even got the postal workers to get out from behind the front counter to try it. “You cannot ignore a hula-hoop,” says Giles.
Indeed, hula hoops are garnering attention as they continue to pop up at raves, jazz concerts, and folk festivals around the city, and hooping enthusiasts have used Internet chat rooms and websites to help spread the gospel.
This generation of hooping takes the traditional hooping motion of swinging the hoop around your waist and adds a series of movements, such as stepping through the hoop or spinning it overhead, that turn it into a form of dance. In addition to being a creative outlet, hooping can also improve physical fitness. “It can help in terms of core stability, since your body is continually counteracting the momentum of the hoop as it travels around,” says Giles. “You’re getting a very good inner workout just by keeping your balance.”
Giles teaches classes in hooping and is part of a thriving online community that helps organize events throughout the city. She sees the community growing even more since hooping, as her demonstration at the post office illustrates, seems to have an infectious charm. “It’s bringing back a sense of play,” says Giles. “It would be really nice if more adults were able to play and not worry about looking immature.”
Giles hosts her next hooping class on March 25, 1:30 to 3:30 pm at the Roundhouse Community Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews). Cost: $25. For further info, visit christahoops.com [2]. (Jon Azpiri)
Pivot Legal Wears VPD Criticism Like a Badge of Honour
Early last month, Vancouver Police Union president Tom Stamatakis released a public statement demanding that the Pivot Legal Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending the legal rights of the underprivileged, open its accounting books for public scrutiny. “It’s time for Pivot to display the kind of transparency and accountability it keeps demanding from the police,” said Stamatakis.
The accusation of less-than-transparent accounting came as a bit of a surprise to Pivot lawyer David Eby. “Our annual report is posted on the front page of our website,” he says. “So if Mr. Stamatakis had taken the time to visit our website to find out if our books were open, he would have found it.”
The VPU president made his remarks after the B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal launched by Pivot executive director John Richardson. The appeal related to a libel and wrongful arrest case filed by Richardson against the Vancouver police after his 2002 arrest for trying to cross police lines to access his clients who were squatting in the Woodward’s building.
Stamatakis accused Pivot of using the organization’s funds for Richardson’s private litigation against the VPD, but according to Eby, Richardson and his lawyer paid for the legal costs out of their own pockets. Pivot decided not to put resources toward Richardson’s case, as it wanted to focus on cases that would have greater social impact.
While Eby was taken aback by Stamatakis’s claims, he wasn’t surprised by what he calls the VPU president’s method of attacking critics of the VPD. In the past, Stamatakis has publicly condemned organizations such as the Vancouver Courier, Vancouver Sun, and even city council.
“In one way, we found it kind of annoying,” says Eby, “but in another, we found it kind of reassuring in that, at least, he’s recognizing that we’re doing our best to ensure accountability in the Vancouver Police Department and that we must be on point.” (JA)
Despite Council, Organizers Give Peace Forum a Chance
Reports of the death of June’s World Peace Forum have been greatly exaggerated. Last month, city council decided to deny $50,000 worth of promised funding for an International Association of Peace Messenger Cities conference planned in conjunction with the forum.
After council made its decision, some local media outlets falsely reported that the forum was cancelled altogether. In fact, the forum will be going ahead as planned. “We’re going full steam ahead,” says Rex Weyler, World Peace Forum organizer and Shared Vision editor-at-large. “We have 156 events that will be in production in June. It’s a huge conference and it’s going to happen.”
Vancouver city council voted 6–5 to withdraw the funding for the event that would host mayors from around the world. Council said they took back the $50,000 because a city report stated that the conference would cost more than four times that amount to host, a claim WPF organizers deny. (JA)
Sound Body, Sound Mind
Vancouver Community Mental Health Services has been awarded a $70,000 grant from Lilly Neuroscience Solutions for Wellness Fund to work with various mental-health sites on a pilot project called Why Weight.
The program is designed to help mental-health patients lose weight and improve their overall fitness. The project will provide education, peer support, and activities related to diet, nutrition, fitness, and exercise.
According to program co-ordinator Rene Corbett, mental-health patients often struggle with weight due to side effects from medication, lack of motivation, and other factors. Very often, weight gain can lead to low self-esteem, which can further exacerbate mental problems.
“I think we can’t ignore the physical health of our clients while we’re treating their mental health,” says Corbett. “People’s self-esteem will boost and they will feel better as a person as they feel better in a physical sense.”
Why Weight is patterned after a successful program in Manchester, England, where nurse John Pendlebury started a weight-loss program for patients at a mental-health facility during his lunch hours. The 30 patients who participated lost an average of four kilograms, with some losing more than 20 kilos.
Corbett is hoping to start the program in five mental-health sites, with the possibility of having it expand further. (JA)
30 Days of Sustainability
For the past two years, Alcan has awarded the Alcan Prize for Sustainability, a US$1 million prize, to a non-profit organization dedicated to integrating economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Last year, Vancouver was chosen to host the award presentation, and organizers decided to build an entire month-long celebration of sustainability around the awarding of the Alcan Prize. 30 Days of Sustainability will feature dozens of events designed to raise awareness and encourage sustainable practices. Highlights include a four-day public fair in Robson Square with more than 40 exhibitors focusing on sustainable food, transportation, and energy. Other events include a student art and essay contest done in conjunction with the Robert Bateman Association and a series of lectures hosted by the Vancouver Board of Trade. For more information, visit 30daysofsustainability.com [3]. (JA)
Terminator Seed Update
The UN Convention on Biological Diversity recently recommended lifting the moratorium to allow testing of “terminator” seed technology, which produces genetically modified sterile plants that can’t be re-planted. At a CBD conference last month in Granada, Spain, officials from around the world voted to allow terminator seeds to be tested on a “case by case” basis, a move environmentalists and farming advocates fear could bring the sterile seeds one step closer to market.
The motion must still be approved at a meeting of the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity in Brazil this month.
Officials from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada were instrumental in forcing the change in policy at the UN forum. Canada’s involvement in terminator seeds does not come as a surprise. Last year, Canadian officials led a challenge of the UN’s moratorium on the commercialization of terminator seeds at a similar meeting in Bangkok but backed off following strong public opposition in Canada and worldwide.
Environmental groups such as Ban Terminator are hoping a similar outcry this year will help prevent the motion from being approved. Those interested in voicing their opposition can visit banterminator.org/take_action [4]. (JA)
top of page [4]
Business News
I See Cans for Miles and Miles
Architects and engineers are used to working with bricks and mortar, but during March’s Canstruction event, they will ply their trade with cans of tuna.
This year, 25 teams consisting of architects, engineers, and graphic artists will build sculptures up to eight feet tall made entirely out of canned food. Each team donates and pays for all the food used in their design and then donates it to the Vancouver Food Bank after the competition.
Last year’s creative designs included a giant sculpture of Snoopy that consisted of 12,000 cans. This year, organizers expect to see sculptures of Johnny Cash and Mr. Potato Head, among others.
The sculptures will be on display to the public from March 5 to 12, 10 am–6 pm, at the Cruise Ship Terminal at Canada Place. Admission is free, but cans of food and cash donations will be accepted at the door. For more info, visit canstructionvancouver.com [5]. (JA)
Certified Organic Capers
Capers Community Markets recently became the first company in Western Canada to be designated a certified organic retailer by Quality Assurance International. The certification recognizes compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program Standard.
Capers’ three Greater Vancouver locations are now certified in produce, bulk grocery, and pre-packaged goods. Capers had to take several steps to meet certification criteria, including implementing an information-management system and employing proper sanitary handling practices to prevent co-mingling of organic and conventional products. In addition to having their stores certified, the Capers Organics product lines also meet QAI’s standards.
Canada does not have a national standard and certification system. (The organic industry in B.C. is regulated by the Canadian Organic Association of B.C.) Capers has been working with the Canada Organic Initiative Project to form a national system they believe will benefit the organic community and consumers throughout the country. “We’re excited about the opportunity for consumers to have a national organic standard,” says Capers spokesman Aron Bjornson. “It will make it that much easier for consumers.” (JA)
Biodiesel Made to Order
Delta’s Autogas Propane (10128 Nordel Court) recently opened North America’s first multi-blend biodiesel dispenser. The station offers three biodiesel blends: B5 (five per cent biodiesel and 95 per cent petroleum diesel), B10, and B20. “It’s blended right in the pump,” says spokesman Saul Brown. “They have a petroleum diesel tank and biodiesel tanks, and it’s custom blended right there.”
It’s not the only biodiesel pump in the Lower Mainland. Last year, United Petroleum Products Inc. opened B.C.’s first biodiesel pump in Burnaby. (JA)
top of page [5]
Web Sightings
I’m Lovin’ It
mcvideogame.com [6]
An online game that offers a scathing critique of the corporate and environmental practices at McDonald’s. In the game, you can torch diseased cows with the flame-thrower, plant genetically modified soy, and force your employees to smile all day while paying them minimum wage — all while trying not to drive the company into bankruptcy.
The Real Cost of War
icasualties.org/oif [7]
A website that tracks the number of Coalition casualties in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Sadly, the number is well over 2,000 and counting.
Iraq By the Numbers
brookings.edu/iraqindex [8]
An informative website filled with statistics on modern Iraq, with updated information on everything from crime and telephone and water service to coalition troop strength.
Wookie of the Year
toysrgus.com/gusandpam/house.html [9]
Feel better about your own home-decorating abilities after taking a tour of this Seattle home, which the owners have covered wall-to-wall in Star Wars memorabilia.
top of page [9]
By The Numbers
The War In Iraq: Three Years and Counting…
Total cost of U.S. invasion of Iraq: $250,000,000,000
Amount the U.S. is spending on the Iraq war each day: $195,000,000
Cost to provide 12 meals a day to every starving child on earth: $195,000,000
Amount of U.S. funds dedicated to the reconstruction of Iraq that has gone unaccounted for: $8,800,000,000
Average monthly news coverage on the Iraq war on U.S. network newscasts in 2003: 388 minutes
Average monthly news coverage on the Iraq war on U.S. network newscasts in 2005: 166 minutes
Value of Halliburton’s Iraq contracts: $10,770,000,000
Value of U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney’s stock options in Halliburton in 2004: $241,498
Value of Cheney’s stock options in Halliburton in 2005: $8,000,000
Percentage of Iraqi families that report an unstable supply of electricity: 75
Percentage of Iraqi families that have no access to either safe or stable drinking water in 1980: 33
Percentage of Iraqi families that have no access to either safe or stable drinking water in 2005: 25
Percentage of families in urban areas that live in neighbourhoods where sewage can be seen in the streets: 40
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Guardian UK, CBS, London Review of Books, United Nations Development Programme
underimage
Ann Mortifee’s new CD and stage show are based on a return to South Africa.