Mez (keeping it real)

Check out my little brother doing his thing, keeping it real and making his big sis proud.
Support your local T.O artists!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWyAe-BOgb4

Hip- Hop Showcase of Local Talent

Urban music show, "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop" to showcase local talent at Woo Lounge on Thursday 8th 2010.

Toronto, ON - 7th July, 2010- On Thursday 8th at Woo Lounge, King Alexander Entertainment and partners will be featuring some of Toronto’s best local up and coming urban talent with the “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop” showcase. The show will begin at 10:30 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. with an entrance fee of $10.00. The event is meant as a pre-show and fundraiser for Youth Day celebrations which will be taking place on July 25th.
The showcase is reflective of the vision of King Alexander Entertainment which is, “To develop and promote Canadian artists (and) to put Canadian artists on the world stage,” said Alexander Harding, CEO of the company.
The night will feature performances by Jay-Kellz, Brookz, J-Perez, Teddy F House, Bianca, Element, Advent Children, and Jade's Hip Hop Academy. There will also be live art by Sponsors Hector Savage & Fuel of The A Team Laith Hakeem. Over 200 guests are expected at this event as well as special guest speaker Tylaine Duggan who is the founder of Youth Day. The night will also be featuring DJ Law, DJ Eviloution, DJ Tony Blaze and DJ Mike Stoan.

A press conference will be held at 4:00 pm prior to the show at the lounge. Leading local artists, producers and directors are expected to attend.

The 4th annual Youth Day will be held at Yonge and Dundas Square on Sunday July 25th and will be featuring music, dance, art and photography all by local youth. This is an ages event and is free to the public.
For more information on “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop” contact Tashika Gomes at (647) 678-4070 or visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139573126056503.
About King Alexander Entertainment:
King Alexander Entertainment is a management company geared at promoting local Toronto artists, with a focus on urban music talent. An entertainment company with a difference, King Alexander Entertainment prides itself on producing artists with a positive message; artists who are involved in the community and have a desire to be an inspiration.
Contact:
For more information contact Tashika Gomes at (647) 678 4070 or email kingalexanderentertainment@gmail.com
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Karaoke and me

This is *Sarah's Story

The hard liquor streams through them both, her arms are like jelly. He holds her down, her back against the cold leather sofa, his warm breath on her flushed cheeks, she feigns a light giggle and returns his kisses. His hands creep beneath her little, black dress as he presses his drunken body weight on her. A faint laughter enters the room; it’s her boss, drink in hand, the night is going well, his customers are happy. But Sarah isn’t; so embarrassed by having an audience; she escapes the grips of the well-dressed Chinese man and seeks refuge in the dimly lit lavatory. Unknowingly, his footsteps have traced hers and soon there he is, in front of her, unzipped and exposing his most private parts to her.

Sarah was fed-up; fed-up of being broke and of not being able to hold a steady job while trying to stay in school. She was tired of turning to friends for help or government funding, so she decided to be a karaoke girl at “Chicago.” She confesses it was pride that lead to her decision and the money sounded good too. In the summer, girls can make up to $600 /week working part-time. But no karaoke customers means $5/hr pay. About 25 girls work at this lounge; most of them are just over 19 years of age and from Japan without work permits or are international students.

Their job?

“It was like a house party where teenage boys try to see what they can get away with. Your job was to make them have a good time, entice them to drink so the establishment makes more money, and you make more money,” said Sarah.

However, sometimes, the customers, who were not teenage boys at all but middle-aged sometimes married men, would feel entitled to grope and fondle the karaoke girls. The girls, who are expected to drink as much as possible with the men, are sometimes too drunk to resist their progressions or too afraid to loose the men as their customers. If you piss them off they might not choose you from the line-up next time.

“Despite it being very shady, it felt sort of safe, not completely safe but I felt that he wasn’t lying about prostitution because he said that he actually had kicked people out for expecting that,” Sarah said about the job interview she had had with owner.

In a brief interview the owner he denies even having karaoke girls working at his lounge.

“My opinion about women working in places like that is that it is really up to the women. Just as long as they are not forced, then they can do what they seem fit at the moment. I've learned from my experiences, that people in the end will do what they think they should do,” said a fellow church goer and long time friend at Sarah’s church.

In Canada places like this are illegal and one would wonder why a young lady who is a Canadian born would choose to work in a place that she could be arrested for working in and fined up to two years in prison. Her friends, the few she’s chosen to tell, were all surprised of her job at “Chicago.”

“She did have choices. I think she could have went about it differently,” said a close friend of Sarah.

“I do now know of what she did in her past but I don’t view her differently since she has told me about this,” said Sarah’s current boyfriend.

At “Chicago” although Sarah never engaged in prostitution herself inside or outside of the lounge she says, “I am not sure if this (the bar) was just a passive excuse for selling sex outside of the bar…because if they (the karaoke girls) were being honest they might get fired for taking business away from the bar” said Sarah.

In Toronto, rub and tug massage parlours are popular in the local news, originating from similar places in China and Korea but whether “Chicago” is a place like this has yet to be confirmed.

The night that Sarah was approached by a drunken customer in the ladies washroom with his pants dropped, was when she felt it was time to leave “Chicago.”

Thankfully she was not raped; embarrassed that he had taken it too far with “Sarah” they both ignored what had happened that night and went back to the karaoke room.
That was almost a year ago and today Sarah lives on a meagre government funding whilst continuing to pursue her degree in psychology.

*All real names in this story have been changed .

Fashion Trends Spring/Summer 2010- for the ladies

www.fashionmagazine.com

It’s time to put away the bulky winter knits and slip into something soft and feminine; this season designers have stacked the racks with everything to make the modern women feel strong but soft to the touch; dresses, shorts, soft fabrics, tribal/floral prints, pastels and punches of colour that puts everything else in soft focus.

Some trends have survived for another year-the military trend-others have been revived- the jean look- and as for shoes, an eclectic mix that sounds like a culinary disaster – metallics and wedges.

Those fortunate enough to get the fashionista’s preview last season at LG Fashion Week Spring/Summer are sure to be well prepared for this season, whether it be for the 70’s retro look, 20’s inspired details or minimalist glam.

“I loved Katrina Tuttle and Coccolily, it was so feminine, edgy and not too provocative" said Cindyrella Miranda, a backstage volunteer at last season’s Fashion Week, Toronto.

The usual international forerunners have inspired these trends, Lanvin, Chanel and Chloe but “I do find the local designers show a more marketable version of what would go down a runway in Paris. This is not a bad thing sometime(s) but it makes Canadian designers look like they are not as creative with their designs; which is unfortunate because we have a lot of great talent,” said 4th year Seneca, fashion student Danielle Mcallister.

However, just because it’s there, doesn’t mean we want it to wear.

“I think that a softer play on the military wear would be a revival of cargo pants... drawstrings at the bottom made with a softer fabric ...the soft fabric would make it look compatible with the sweat pant look that is in... and could likewise be worn with a heel and a funky shirt,” said fashionista Lisa Banks.

So for those of us who would rather slip into a pair of boyfriend jeans and heels, masculine elements in feminine style are still here. Blazers and leggings, short suits and of course padded shoulders, paired with chunky jewels, are all very tomboy chic.

It may be difficult to predict the weather and thus your duds for the day, but with just a few staple pieces should keep you in the fashionable clear. Here is a list of 10 key investment pieces for this season and where to go to get them:

*Denim- LOVAS Wesley Badanjak
*Black Blazer(fierce shoulders optional)-Aritzia
*Statement necklace- Lucian Matis
*Floral- Joe Fresh
*Pastel– great finds at Urban Outfitters
*Boyfriend jeans- H&M
*Tribal wear –Dare to Wear Love, produced by Hoax Couture, finale show last season with top celebs in tribal wear. Designs by LIDA BADAY and PRICE ROMAN
*Wedged heels- Aldo
*Comfy jumpsuit – Jessica biffi
*Underwear as outerwear -NADA
*Neutral glam- Aime




Go to Fashion Television for all the shows and latest trends.

RSU Elections

No rallying for students with disabilities at Ryerson Student Union and executives elections

Donna Ryder at RSU elections
(Ryerson University/Tashika Gomes)

Tonight, Ryerson Student Union directors, presidents and committee members gave up their seats as new representatives were elected. However, the only person rallying for better services and representation for students with disabilities was Donna Ryder, who sat in a wheelchair.

“There are students with disabilities who are paying RSU fees who are not getting services that are fair. We’re being discriminated against constantly, we’re being oppressed constantly,” said Ryder who is running for course union director .

The prospective electives were asked to give a 2 minute speech indicating their platform and ways they plan to improve student life before the voting process took place. However, there was no mentioned of improving conditions for students with disabilities. Various topics were repeated by canidates, such as, bringing the various student groups together for joined events and
making media equipment and room-bookings more accessible.


Events displayed at RSU elections
(Ryerson University/Tashika Gomes)

Ryder also claims that the annual Ryerson Parade and Picnic does not provide an accessible float for students with disabilities, but instead they are told to use the disability bus. She also mentioned that for this year’s student protest Drop Fees Campaign, although there was a disability bus, it was blocked with a sign.

“Are they ashamed of us?” asked Ryder.

“I would have preferred as the course union director, if she had come to me. That’s what I was there for; for students to actually voice their opinion to me. Students who came to me about their event problems or their grants or room booking, I actually came and helped them but this is the first time I’m actually hearing about it (students with disabilities feeling as though they are not well-represented by the RSU)….,” said last year’s Course Union Director David Hoang.

He also said, given the opportunity he would have had a survey to evaluate what students were interested in pursuing and would meet other groups to discuss this issue.

"I never heard this concern from any executives… now hearing from you, I wouldn’t say that’s it’s a shock, but I’d be willing to do something, if first I’d heard about it,” said Hoang who represents more than 40 course unions.

Ryerson's course union president for social work refused to comment on the issue.


Students at RSU elections
(Ryerson University/Tashika Gomes)

I See You...

Anonymity

For some, being able to remain somewhat anonymous on various internet forums has protected their privacy, retained their professional integrity, opened an opportunity for constructive freedom of speech that does not effectively exist anywhere else and overall give a sense of protection from all those crazy bastards out there. To the creepy old man or the ex-boyfriend stalker, anonymity on the internet is gold. This double edged sword has also given opportunity to the closet KKK member to proudly admit to some heinous race induced crime on his Blogspot account.
In recent times the issue of anonymity has risen to the surface, forcing the public to rethink what they post on the internet most notably Facebook and personal blogs. In mid-August last year Rosemary Port’s identity was revealed after a defamation lawsuit by Canadian-born model Liskula Cohen, who was the unfortunate subject of her anonymous blog. This year, an anti-Mayor Larry O'Brien anonymous blog, zeromeanszero.blogspot.com is currently in court after a petition to reveal the blogger’s identity, after being accused of posting defamatory content on the blog.
Apparently, anonymity does not exist. If needed or petitioned by someone on legitimate grounds the police can easily trace everything you have ever posted on the internet using your IP address and other amazing technology they won’t tell us about. Does the public really recognize this or have they bought into the world wide web of smoke and mirrors? Should we, the public refrain from putting certain content on the internet or should our identity be protected no matter what?

Buried Alive by Shirky

We are in the midst of a revolution. For many, this may be exciting, indulging yourselves with loads of tech candy but for newspaper journalists, this shift has them shaking in their unemployment boots.
Clay Shirky, media guru, believes that although the newspaper industry may be falling to bits (of course, some of them putting themselves back together again online), that the important thing is to save the newspaper journalists who, essentially, matter the most. Like most tragedies, not much could have been done to prevent the demise of this cherished institution. He also mentions that we have shifted from “save newspapers” to “preserve an institution,” so I asked a second-year journalism student at Ryerson University, if and how he would save this industry.
“Definitely, I think that’s our vocation and our calling that we have to save media. We have to save journalism. Right now it’s broken; right now it’s in danger of not existing (newspapers). I’m hoping that we find a way to do that but I don’t know how,” said David Thurton, who has worked for the national newspapers publication, the Trinidad Guardian.
He would like to see a world in which online and print news coexist.




(picture from google pics)

The White Doves

The White Doves from Di Dinnis on Vimeo.

Rub & Tug is Legal in Rhode Island!



Coming Soon- A story of karaoke bars, similar to this one, right here in Toronto.



Asian woman (google images)

“Thinking the unthinkable,” Clay Shirky

Crime and Punishment

Does the Punishment fit the Crime?

"Each year, Canada spends $13 billion on policing, courts and corrections..." reveals "Crime and Punishment" of The Star news online.

If those figures caught your attention, then you will definitely be interested in a fairly new website that gives an inside and very detailed look on crime and punishment in Toronto. Founder and well-renowned photojournalist, Jim Rankin spent 7 years working on the site. Most of his time was spent trying to get every criminal record he could get his hands on, something he says, is an on-going process.

The site, which includes an interactive game where you get to be the judge of a real life crime, also gives a detailed analysis and statistics of those with criminal records in Canada.

Rankin holds the view that prevention is better than cure,“If we spend early, (referring to spending money programs that help those more likely to lead a life of crime) we’re going to save money and fewer people are going to be sitting in jails and cells. (We) should take this money and invest it in other things, example for single mums.”

In the United States, they are people serving unjust sentences for misdemeanors such as possession of a single "joint". Canada seems to be "cracking down on crime" and following suit, filling up the jails and spending about $255/day for Federal jail per prisoner.

TheStar.com: Crime & Punishment


This site intends to educate the public about what is the state of crime in Canada, how the government is dealing with the issue and gives readers a chance to rethink how they view the ways in which criminals are punished.

Higher Grades needed to enter Universities in Toronto

Student at University



In Toronto, the recent surge of college and university applications also means more competition and thus the need for higher grades at entry level. However, even with the right grades, schools may not be able to accommodate the increase of freshman hopefuls.

"I’m hearing there’s going to be a huge bulge in university applications in two or three years," said Ken Lavigne, registrar for the University of Waterloo to The Record.

Universities, like Ryerson, will be forced to either expand or turn away student hopefuls. In the 2009 Ontario Budget, universities were given generous funding but this only maintains the standard so that they could forgo eliminating courses or increasing class sizes that were already operating at maximum capacity. With the state of the economy and the continuous increase of student applications many hopefuls may not get the chance to attend the school of their choice.

According to The Record, even schools outside of Toronto have become more competitive.To get into an arts program at the University of Waterloo, for example, students now need grades in the 77 to 78 per cent range. That’s up from 75 per cent just a couple of year’s ago.

This means that although you may have an A average, you should give yourself many choices when applying to universities or colleges.Toronto is the main preference for many students because of the location but many may be forced to attend universities in other cities, which may pose other complications for potential students.

Increase in univerisity applications means increased competition.In addition, lack of funding for schools means they may be unable to expand as needed and thus unable to meet the demand of new students.

(image from www.allonlinehighschools.com)

Check out these links for more information:
http://news.therecord.com/Life/article/650256
http://notes.ocufa.on.ca/OURIssues.nsf/0/560E5A9FB2EB093485257599006E15E4?OpenDocument

T. Gomes