In My Hair

Black Goths

2012-02-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you've ever looked at gothic people you may have noticed there is quite a few white people and Asians too... I've even met a few Arab goths.

But there is almost no black goths.

And I wonder why that is?

Is it partially because goth people want to stand out whereas most black people in North America just want to fit in and be accepted as equals?

Could it be because black people just don't identify with gothic music and/or the whole dark, moody existential culture that is obsessed with death, the occult and looking d*mn sexy?

Or maybe we just don't want to wear all that black clothing, especially when its hot outside.

I dunno. Probably a combination of factors.

Why is the Pope so evil?

2012-02-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

RELIGION - It doesn't take much to realize why the Pope is so evil. All you have to do is go down the Seven Deadly Sins and you will realize why.

#1. Lust - The Pope covered up the sexual abuse of deaf children in the USA. And frankly I don't like how he looks at little boys... I wouldn't leave my kids in his custody.

#2. Gluttony - He's not horribly fat, but he's not really thin either. Methinks he has been drinking too much sacramental wine.

#3. Greed - The Catholic Church is so wealthy it makes Microsoft look small. It owns stocks in a lot of the banks globally too. Nothing greedier than a banker.

#4a. Sloth - Have you ever seen Pope Benedict jog or exercise? Nope. Me neither.

#4b. Acedia (Neglect) - Millions are dying in Africa from HIV/AIDS and Pope Benedict refuses to change the Catholic Church's stance on condom use. He won't even discuss the topic.

#5. Wrath - Have you seen some of the hateful things Pope Benedict has said about Judaism and Islam? I know they're rival religions, but come'on, being a hater isn't going to earn you any friends.

#6. Envy - This one is harder to prove. He may be envious of the fact that Islam is a growing religion whereas Catholicism is actually shrinking. Hmmm...

#7. Pride and Vanity - Gold, silk and diamonds on his clothing? Those are not the trappings of a holy man. That is the garb of a man who thinks too much of himself.

Cultural Differences

2012-02-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

I just thought this was funny.

And this one is funny too, but for different reasons.

I'm not African-American

2012-02-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

Okay if you want to get politically correct... I am Afro-Canadian. But whatever.

What is interesting is that some people prefer to use the old word many have tried so hard to avoid: "black"

There is even a Facebook group that is growing in popularity called "I'm not African-American" which is promoting the idea that black is the best word too choose.

"I prefer to be called black," says Shawn Smith, an accountant from Houston who is a member of the group. "How I really feel is, I'm American."

"I don't like African-American. It denotes something else to me than who I am," says Smith, whose parents are from Mississippi and North Carolina. "I can't recall any of them telling me anything about Africa. They told me a whole lot about where they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby, N.C."

Gibré George, an entrepreneur from Miami, started a Facebook page called "Don't Call Me African-American" on a whim.

"We respect our African heritage, but that term is not really us," says George. "We're several generations down the line. If anyone were to ship us back to Africa, we'd be like fish out of water."

Obama: The Disappointment

2012-02-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

POLITICS - The Boondocks had it right when Obama was elected president in the USA. Nothing really changed except the puppet directing the show.

The quest for a hat to suit my hair

2012-02-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Finding a hat to fit a difficult head of hair can be tricky for anyone, not just people with Afros.

I think part of it (one third) isn't just the issue of finding a hat that fits nicely with your hair tucked in perfectly, its the issue of identity. If the hat isn't you then you just won't want to wear it.

Maybe it has lines on it the wrong way and you don't like how it looks in a mirror.

Maybe its just the wrong colour and nothing matches it.

Hat hunting (especially in the cold winter months) can be very tricky. You want something warm that will protect your hair from the elements, but won't scrunch up your hair and give you "hat head" when you take it off.

For many people with Afros the answer is a beret-style hat like the one below.

But what if you don't like berets? Maybe you want a cowboy hat or something different. Its all very tricky.

Which brings me to the other 3rd of this conundrum: FASHION.

Or what if you're a man and beret's just don't suit your masculine physique? (See Men's Hats.) Well then you're just kind of screwed, aren't you? You have to cut your hair to match the king of hat you want to wear.

Such is life.

Beautiful Hair / Afros

2011-07-19T05:59:00.000-07:00

Thieves stealing hair???

2011-06-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

FASHION - Its rare when fashion crimes are also actually a real crime.

Such was the case when thieves struck Lisa Amosu’s hair salon in Houston, Texas.

The unorthodox robbery was not after money either. They didn't touch the cash register and or even look at the flat-screen TV that could have easily been sold for cash.

Instead the thieves emptied the store of a more a valuable commodity: hair extensions.

And if you know anything about hair extensions, you know they're pretty damn expensive. The thieves stole an estimated $120,000 worth of hair extensions.

“They knew exactly what they were doing, there’s no question in my mind,” says Amosu. “These jokers walked right past my register, walked right past a beautiful flat-screen TV and didn’t touch them.”

“They cut a perfect square of glass out of the window pane and stayed low once they were in the salon so they wouldn’t set off the motion detectors. It was definitely a professional job.”

Robberies like this one are becoming more common across the United States as thieves realize they can get quick cash on the black market by stealing and selling high-quality human hair extensions.

In separate incidents:

Thieves struck two salons in California and made off with human-hair bundles valued at $70,000.

A robbery in Atlanta saw thieves drive a car through the front window of a beauty salon and make off with $10,000 worth of hair.

In April one Chicago's hair-supply store saw thieves lift $90,000 worth of extensions.

In March, criminals shot and killed Michigan beauty-shop supplier Jay Shin when they targeted his storage facility looking for hair extensions.

Yeah, that is right. Apparently human hair is now worth killing people for. Scary!

Hair extensions sell for as much as $500 for a small bundle at salons, but crooks are selling them on the black market or eBay for as little as $25.

“They sell it to hair stylists who work from home and the average person on the street who is looking for a high-quality product but who doesn’t want to pay for it,” she says.

In addition to hurting hair salon owners, robbers create victims of the customers who need the hair, particularly cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

“It’s tragic. One of my clients, a bride, had a special order because she was a cancer patient and needed hair for her wedding. But the thieves stole her order.”

What is bizarre about cases like this is how you wouldn't think of hair as being a valuable commodity. Jewelry yes. Furniture yes. I could totally see someone stealing windows, doors or metal siding because they too cheap to buy their own windows or doors, etc. I even once heard of someone stealing Ottawa roofing tiles off an hotel, because they were copper and the thieves wanted to sell the copper.

I could also see companies trying to steal staff from competing companies. Its very difficult sometimes to find good IT staff, website designers, nannies, Toronto accountants that actually live in Toronto (as opposed to people who commute and therefore are always leaving work early and complaining about their commute, slacking off at work).

And then there is people who steal boyfriends, husbands, etc...

Or petty shoplifting of small things like gum or batteries.

I suppose in some industries theft is to be expected sometimes. ie. You sell RVs, motorcycles, bicycles... something that is not only transportable, but is transportation itself.

In contrast its well nigh impossible to steal something that isn't meant to move... like an in ground pool, tennis courts or sunrooms.

Its the difference between stealing someone's golf clubs, stealing the golf cart and trying to steal the 18th fairway and hole.

Golf metaphors aside... seriously, hair?

Chinese organ thieves, sure, but what is next? People mugging you on the street and shaving your head for your precious hair?

Head Wraps

2010-11-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

I didn't start covering my hair at night until my early teens. My hair was relaxed at the time and I would use an old pair of stockings with the legs cut off and the ends tied into a knot. Which over the years was switched in favor of a bandana and cotton ones at that. It wasn't until I went natural a few years ago that I discovered how bad that was for my hair.

Using a material such as cotton will suck the moisture out of your hair leaving your hair dry. Using cotton pillowcases also causes friction which can lead to excess breakage.

So while it is important to protect your hair by covering it while you sleep, it is also important to use a material that won't damage your hair. And you can achieve these two things, by wearing a satin/silk scarf or bonnet or by using satin/silk pillowcases. Which helps keep the moisture in your hair. It also causes less friction thereby decreasing breakage and therefore helping you retain length.

Covering your hair also keeps your hair neat lessening tangles in the mornings. Making it easier and more manageable saving you time in your morning routine.

Four Loko Energy Drink

2010-11-18T12:42:00.001-08:00

Four Loko is a high alcohol, high caffeine drink that can be found in many convenience stores. Each fruit punch-flavored 23.5-ounce can has about 2.82 ounces of alcohol and about 156 milligrams of caffeine.

Four states have banned Four Loko after dozens of students have been hospitalized after drinking the energy drink.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer's office is reporting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to rule as early as today that the drink is unsafe and may be banned.

The makers of the drink, Chicago-based Phusion Projects announced it would reformulate its products to remove caffeine, guarana and taurine nationwide.

"Going forward, Phusion will produce only non-caffeinated versions of Four Loko," company co-founders Chris Hunter, Jeff Wright and Jaisen Freeman said in a joint statement.

The three said that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe.

"If it were unsafe, popular drinks like rum and colas or Irish coffees that have been consumed safely and responsibly for years would face the same scrutiny that our products have recently faced," they said.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, are expected to warn manufacturers that adding caffeine to alcoholic drinks is not safe and will caution them against marketing such beverages, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. said.

Doing so "will effectively ban products from the market," Schumer said.

Tetris As A Treatment For PTSD

2010-11-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Tetris is not just for procrastination anymore. A new recent study from Oxford University shows playing Tetris a few hours after being exposed to trauma can help reduce symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Researchers found the block-dropping action-a visually oriented task will positively interfere with other visual (negative) memories. The research also shows the opposite is true—if you perform a verbal task such as playing a quiz game after a traumatic event, you'll likely experience more trauma flashbacks.

The study is based on two experiments with 60 participants.In the first experiment, participants watched a movie for 30 minutes that contained disturbing images such as scenes of injury and death. Then given a 10 minute break and split into three groups. 20 played Tetris, 20 played a game called Pub Quiz and the final 20 sat and did nothing.

The participants who played Tetris suffered from fewer flashbacks. The group who played Pub Quiz suffered from the worst flashbacks out of all the groups.

The second experiment extended the time spent watching the movie from 30 minutes to 4 hours. After watching the film, Tetris players were still found to experience fewer flashbacks than any other group.

Brazillian Blowout Harmful

2010-10-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Brazilian Blowout, is a popular hair-straightening treatment that promises to eliminate frizz and give you smooth and straight hair for months.

In lab tests, the Brazilian Blowout solution has been found to contain 12 percent formaldehyde, (a known carcinogen) when only 0.2 per cent is permitted in cosmetics.

On its website, Brazilian Blowout advertises that all of its products have been tested as "formaldehyde free.

Derek Bodnarchuk, owner of Aru Spa and Salon in White Rock, said that the product was heavily marketed as being formaldehyde-free.

"That was their competitive advantage," he said. "It's alarming for us, because we're the type of place that's trying to promote a healthy, natural lifestyle."

The national health agency has received complaints of breathing difficulties, burning eyes, nose, throat, and even one case of hair loss associated with the treatment. The agency believes that the reactions are triggering when the solution is heated during blow-drying and flat-ironing.

Health Canada is now asking hair salons to stop using the Brazilian Blowout Solution immediately, and is advising customers who have suffered adverse effects to contact their doctors.

Isolde Semple, a Stylist in Vancouver said Thursday that she has stopped using the treatment.
"I think it's absolutely devastating that it got approved,". "There's a lot of victims here, and I'm absolutely upset at the people who produced the product."

Semple said that the treatment does have an awful smell, but she didn't think it was anything serious.

"It makes your eyes kind of water, but it's the same thing as when you're cutting an onion," she said. Some customers have reported feeling slightly ill afterwards. "Now people are realizing, maybe it wasn't what I ate."

Semple said she was charging around $350 for the treatment, and could now be out quite a bit of money.

"If I can't return the product, I'm sucking it up as a very big lesson learned," she said.

Now Semple will have to find a new way to help customers straighten their hair.

"It did a great thing to the hair -- that's the worst part." Other Brazilian Blowout products are not affected by the Health Canada warning.

World's Most Powerful Woman: Michelle Obama

2010-10-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

Forbes magazine has ranked First Lady Michelle Obama as the world's most powerful woman. Beating out heads of state, chief executives and celebrities.

So who rounded the top 5 spots in Forbes magazine's annual listing?
Irene Rosenfeld Chief Executive of Kraft Foods, who led a hostile $18 billion takeover of Britain’s Cadbury, came in second, with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, (who after 25 years is ending The Oprah Winfrey Show next year to launch her cable network, own) coming in third.

Angela Merkel, German Counsil came in fourth, followed by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was put in charge of brokering Middle East peace coming in the firth spot.

Moira Forbes, vice president and publisher of Forbes Woman, said the women on the business magazine’s list were “shaping many of the agenda-setting conversations of the day.”

“They have built companies and brands, sometimes by non-traditional means and they have broken through gender barriers in areas of commerce, politics, sports and media and cultural zeitgeist, and thereby affecting the lives of millions, sometimes billions of people,” she said.

In previous years Forbes ranked women based on power and wealth. This year, however, they decided to concentrate on more on creative influence and entrepreneurship.

Last year Obama ranked No. 40 with the winner being Merkel, followed by Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Forbes said Obama topped the list this year because “she has made the office of first lady her own” while remaining popular.

“In a telling sign of her charisma, the White House is putting her on the campaign trail to headline fundraising events in battleground states like California and Colorado,” Forbes said.

“She’s also effective: In response to her Let’s Move! campaign against childhood obesity, companies like Coca-Cola, Kellogg and General Mills have pledged to reduce the calorie content of their foods by 2015,” it said.

Last week, PepsiCo Inc Chief Executive Indra Nooyi, was named the most powerful woman in U.S. business for the fifth year in a row by Fortune, was in sixth place, while singer Lady Gaga got the number 7 spot.

Gail Kelly, chief executive of Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp, came in eighth place, followed by singer Beyonce Knowles for 9th. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres rounded out the top 10.

Natural Hair Care Tips

2010-09-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Afro hair tends to be dryer and more prone to breakage. That is because the structure of our hair makes it more difficult for the oils to work their way from the scalp to the ends of the hair. And if you relax your hair, you've weakened the hair and reduced the ability for the scalp to naturally oil it.

The points where the hair twists and curls are also points where the hair tends to break. The more of these points, the more the hair is prone to breakage. Also, because our hair is kinky, it tends to tangle more and pulling these tangles out can cause breakage.

So keeping these things in mind it is important that when you are taking care of your hair to treat it gently. Think of your favorite fine silk blouse or delicate piece of clothing. You wouldn't be rough with it, would you? So why be rough with your hair? Treating your hair with care will cause less breakage and lead to healthier hair.

Caring for your hair requires -a few basic tools:
-A large/wide toothed comb.
-A strong bristled brush.
-A Denman Brush
-A silk scarf or "do-rag"
Or a silk pillowcase
-Moisturizing shampoo
-De-tangling conditioner. Most conditioners are de-tangling, but a few are not. Suave, Swiss Formula, White Rain, and almost every one labeled for African hair are. -Deep conditioners are usually not.
-Natural Oil - Coconut oil, Olive oil, (Sweet)Almond oil, Hair wax/hair food, or clear leave-in conditioner
-A spray bottle to mist your hair.

Reducing breakage means retaining length. And there are several things you can do:
Plait or twist it, tie it back or wrap it up using a silk/satin scarf before going to bed. If you don't want to wear a scarf, you can use a silk/satin pillowcase. This will reduce the number of tangles you have to comb out the next morning, which will reduce the chances of breaking your hair. By using silk or satin doesn't suck the moisture out of your hair as a cotton pillow case would. It also helps in avoiding split ends caused by the rubbing of your hair against a cotton "rough" pillow case.

Comb your hair out while you're conditioning it to remove the tangles while it's wet and relatively slick.

Do a deep conditioner or hot oil treatment once a month.

Oil your scalp on a regular basis with a good natural oil like (sweet almond oil).

Try to avoid products with mineral oil or petroleum. They tend to block the pores and are not readily absorbed.

Put as little heat as possible on your hair. Heat, especially combined with perms is very damaging to hair.

Why do you Ignore People?

2010-08-11T13:14:00.001-07:00

If a black person asks a white person a question and they refuse to answer and just ignores them because the person asking is black, is that racism?

I think so.

So if the reverse happens, a white person asks a question and the black person refuses to answer just because the asker is white, that must be racism too. They choose to ignore the person simply because of their skin colour.

Ignoring people, whether because they're Asian, Indian, Native, a different nationality, a different sex, gay, lesbian, straight, queer or whatever... if you choose to ignore someone because of somekind of racism, sexism or bigotry then wait until it happens to you. The tables can be turned very easily.

Now there are several exceptions I can think of:

#1. Ignoring bullies / violent people.

#2. Ignoring the taunts and insults of homeless people.

Any other time that you ignore someone its rude. The question we have to ask ourselves is why do we snub or ignore these people? Is our reason valid or are we basing our decision on a bigoted stereotype?

Peter Nygard: 21st Century Slaveowner

2010-04-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

Peter Nygard is one of the wealthiest men in the world. He's not a billionaire... but he does have a net worth of $800 million USD.

He owns an island in the Bahamas staffed with hundreds of employees... but they are employees in name only, because of two things: #1. According to former employees they are treated like slaves. #2. They aren't allowed to leave without Mr Nygard's permission.

So if they're effectively prisoners on his island... and they're treated like slaves, but still paid... but wait, the employees there are also docked wages constantly for not performing up to Peter Nygard's standards.

According to court documents one of his employees was docked wages so often he was making 87 cents per hour. If that is not slavery then its at least sweatshop conditions.

And its not just small time employees who are treated like dirt. Its managers too. In a recent CBC documentary which exposed Peter Nygard as the two-bit liar he is a multitude of former managers came out to admit how they and other employees (hundreds of them) have been physically abused, intimidated, threatened, verbally berated and even sexually abused.

It doesn't stop there either. According to witnesses 67-year-old Peter Nygard may have even raped a 16-year-old girl from the Dominican Republic... but it can't be verified because the girl has since been bought off by Peter Nygard's lawyers and the girl has disappeared...

Dare I say the Bermuda Triangle?

Or should we say he had the poor girl murdered so that she could be kept silent?

Rapist? Murderer? Who knows? What is known is that Peter Nygard's lawyers are now working over time trying to censor any media group that publishes anything bad about him...

And it hasn't stopped there. His lawyers are also working to intimidate bloggers, trying to insist the CBC documentary is false. They argue the real Peter Nygard doesn't have drunken sex parties with underage women (despite videos on his own website showing otherwise) and that he's really a kind fellow with a heart of gold. They are threatening bloggers with lawsuits just for posting so much as an opinion on whether Peter Nygard is a virtual slaveowner, a rapist... or even speculating on whether he murdered a 16-year-old girl and had her body dumped.

The end result is that Peter Nygard isn't just a criminal, his lawyers are complicit too because they're working to hide his crimes from the public eye. His fashion empire needs to be boycotted.

Facebook: Boycotting Peter Nygard

UPDATE! THE OLD BOYCOTT PAGE WAS DELETED NO THANKS TO NYGARD'S LAWYERS: Please join the new group at Boycott Nygard's Brands

Jason Alexander as Jenny Craig Spokesperson

2010-02-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Seinfeld star Jason Alexander is the latest star to step onto the scales for Jenny Craig— to she pounds as the newest spokesperson for Jenny Craig. “It’s like someone’s clubbing me over the head it’s so obvious I should be doing this,” the funnyman told PEOPLE on Monday. “It was a deadly combination of I’m fat and they work,” he says of his decision to try the program. The former KFC spokesperson says he was drawn to Jenny Craig after watching footage of his recent appearances in film and television. “I just got to a point where when I would look at the Seinfeld reunion stuff or one of these other projects that I had done, I said, ‘I don’t like the way that guy looks. That guy is not attractive in any way, shape or form to me,’” he says. “It made me go, ‘Oh, yuck!’” Alexander hopes to lose between 30 to 40 pounds to reflect his weight during the early years of the show that made him a star. He jokes “Over the course of the nine years of Seinfeld, I can actually see my hairline go away and my waistline increase. One of them I can do nothing about; the other I can,”. He credits his initial weight gain to sympathy-weight during his wife’s two pregnancies where gained about 15 pounds during each — and the increased quality of craft services on the Seinfeld set — “it will absolutely kill ya!”

Jason was also inspired by the success of friend and fellow Jenny Craig spokesperson Bertinelli. The actor says he’s excited to join the mostly-female ranks of Jenny Craig spokespeople. “It’s hard for me to think of the Jenny Craig program — or any weight loss program — as a female thing,” he says. L.A. Clippers player Baron Davis has also endorsed the program. “I’m trying not only to do it for myself but I’m encouraging other guys to come on board and say we can do this. This will work for us, and we can do this and deal with the problem,” says Alexander. “If somebody goes, ‘Well, if George can do it, I can do it!’ – that’s great. Whatever it takes to get you heading in the right direction. If I’m it, great!”

Profiteerism as Haiti suffers

2010-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

POLITICS - There should be a law against trying to make a profit off a bad situation.

ie. Someone trying to take advantage of the recent earthquake in Haiti to sell a calendar and promote a TV show.

I received a spam from someone trying to promote the sale of Max "The Body" Philisaire calendars, claiming part of the proceeds will help people in Haiti. Really? When?

It takes time to transfer funds, by the time his calendars get sold and Max Philisaire actually cuts a cheque for the people in Haiti, by then international aid will have already arrived and done its job in helping the beleaguered people living there.

What the Haitian people need is immediate help. Not some lame "we'll send money later" scheme, which really only has one purpose and that is to extend the fame/reputation/wealth of Max Philisaire. Despicable.

Furthermore the same spam email also promoted Max's participation in an upcoming TV show called "Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2". In other words its more profiteerism. Nothing to do with helping Haiti at all.

And this is just one example. There are plenty of other people, companies and corporations trying to gouge the public right now for a few extra dollars and its questionable how much of that money will actually go to Haiti quickly enough to make any difference.

Wyclef Jean's charity Yele Haiti Foundation is currently under financial scrutiny because apparently its been operating on a "for profit" basis for many years now, without the musician's knowledge.

A number of credit card companies were taking a substantial cut for donations to Haiti and were making millions off it. The Huffington Post got wind of this and blasted the credit card companies for pure profiteerism. Since then the various credit card companies have backpedaled in an angry media firestorm and many of them are now pledging 100% of donations will go directly to Haiti.

Now not everybody is trying to make a profit off the situation. Google and Microsoft have stepped forward just plain giving immediate cash to be spent on food, medicine and relief supplies.

But Apple on the other hand is offering people a way to donate via iTunes, but is refusing to say whether its taking a cut. Shame on Apple!

A lot of cell phone companies have also offered ways to donate by texting "Haiti" to specific numbers, but its questionable how much of that money will actually be sent as relief aid to Haiti.

Worse, telemarketers are now cashing in on Haiti. The situation is so bad in the USA politicians are warning people to watch out for scams using the following tips:

1. Don’t respond to unsolicited e-mails and text messages asking you to donate.
2. Watch out for pushy telemarketers.
3. Don’t give cash over the phone.
4. Protect your personal information.

If you want to donate to Haiti's relief effort I recommend doing your research on the individual charity to make sure what you're sending will actually go to helping people and won't be lining the pockets of bankers or businessmen. Or anybody else who would so greedily try to take advantage of such a catastrophe.

If you are looking for the most reputable organization I recommend The Red Cross.

Building Windmills in Africa

2009-12-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

ENVIRONMENT

“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration!” - Thomas Edison, holds the world record for the most inventions with 1,093 patents.

Essentially all it takes is a little research, some hard work and you can change the world around you.

Disney's first black princess

2009-11-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

ENTERTAINMENT/POLITICS - Get in line, black women are apparently kewl in the United States of America. And around the world too, as I will demonstrate.

First there is Princess Tiana, the first black princess in a Disney film, which debuts in "The Princess and the Frog" on November 25th and in wider release on December 11th just in time for the Christmas rush.

The film is already getting lots of attention from children and parents, even though Tiana spends most of the film in frog shape (she kisses the Frog Prince and instead of transforming him back into a human, she tranforms into a frog).

Which begs the question, when will we get our first real Princess? Technically Tiana isn't a real princess. But then again neither was Belle, Cinderella, Mulan or Pocahontas. I suppose Pocahontas was at least a chieftain's daughter... And Belle and Cinderella only marry princes, starting off poor. Whatever, its really a moot issue.

Secondly there is Mattel's new "So In Style" line of black Barbie dolls which have various skin colour tints allowing little girls and collectors to choose between a dark chocolate to a light mocha. (The biggest complaint however is that the hair is too easy to come through.)

The hair issue is nothing new. That complaint has been around for decades.

Mattel first made a black Barbie in 1967. They also made black and Hispanic versions in the 1980s, a Kenyan Barbie in 1994, and so on. In 1992 they made a Teen Talk Barbie which would talk and say "Math class is tough." which sparked outrage.

According to designer Stacey McBride-Irby: "As far as the hair, I wanted to create dolls little girls would play with. They couldn't have as much fun playing with an Afro." A wardrobe of hair extensions might have been useful and more authentic.

There is a lot of politics around African hair and accepting the way it is. (You will note nobody is complaining that Princess Tiana's hair is mostly straight and only a wee bit curly.)

Thirdly there's what I'd call the "Michelle Obama" effect... black women, young and old, jockeying for position on how to best help humanity and other women. For example singer Rihanna says she wants to be a role model:

"I’ve always been a role model for young women so it’s only natural that I continue to set the right example and encourage them and give them insight," says Rihanna. "It doesn’t have to be a specific topic, but whatever it is I want to help young women."

Overseas there is also Senegalese-French novelist Marie NDiaye, who recently became the first black female to win the Prix Goncourt for her best-selling work Trois Femmes Puissantes (Three Powerful Women). She has been openly vocal and critical of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, sparking rumours she might run for the French presidency. MPs loyal to Sarkozy have been trying to muzzle her ever since.

And in Oklahoma Senator Connie Johnson and members of the Legislative Black Caucus are taking the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to federal court over discriminatory practices against both women and minorities.

The list goes on and on. It is as if collectively black women around the world suddenly all stood up and said "Yes, We Can." Maybe they were taking action before too, but the mass media just wasn't paying attention. Regardless, black women are now in vogue.

Kirikou and the Sorceress

2009-11-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

ENTERTAINMENT - I came across this wonderful film called "Kirikou and the Sorceress" while browsing and decided to see if I could find a copy of it. Lo and behold, YouTube provided me the whole film.

And thus I am passing it onto friends. I think its an amazingly adorable, funny and witty film. I hope you enjoy it.

Kirikou and the Sorceress is the story about a newborn baby who saves his village from an evil sorceress. Despite his small size he manages to outwit her and save all the villagers. The story is based on a West African folk tale and was so popular in France it was made into a stage musical. I admit there is a lot of singing in the film, but it doesn't distract from my enjoyment of it (I normally hate musicals).

Women Prefer Feminine Men When on The Pill

2009-10-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

Those birth control pills taken daily by women around the world might leave husky, masculine types (Daniel Craig) by the wayside, in favor of feminine, boyish types like Zac Efron or Leonardo DiCaprio.

Women who take the birth control pill may be attracted to different types of men than those who do not suggests a new study published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

"When you're on the pill you may choose partners who are more feminine or with different features," says Alexandra Alvergne of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield, one of the study's co-authors.

At different points in their cycle, women are attracted to different types of men Alvergne says. When women ovulate, they prefer masculine men with symmetrical faces who seem most "genetically dissimilar" to them – in other words, men who will father strong, healthy offspring, at least according to women's animal instincts.

During the rest of the month, women look for something different: men for the long haul, who seem caring, more feminine and more similar to them genetically.

"In the long run, you're looking for a parental investment, but for the genetic quality of the child, you're looking for good genes in the man," Alvergne says. "And you can't always have it all."

Upon reviewing seven recent studies, the researchers found that when women take birth control pills, and are not fertile, they are always attracted to the same type of guy – the more feminine one.

Whether this translates into mate choices remains unknown. But when two parents are too genetically similar it can affect the health of the offspring, or be more difficult to reproduce at all, and that may explain women's ovulation-time attraction to masculine characteristics. Also, when a woman meets a man while on the pill and then goes off it, it is possible that she could become less attracted to her partner and realize she craves someone a little more manly.

On the flip side, men also find non-ovulating women less attractive. In a study of lap dancers, the ovulating dancers earned $20 more per hour, on average.

According to the study, ovulation brings about physical changes in women that men pick up on, including changes in facial appearance, odour or voice pitch. As well, women may dress more provocatively or perceive themselves as more attractive when they are ovulating.

"For the same woman, if she takes the pill throughout all her cycles she's going to be less attractive on average than if she was off the pill," Alvergne says.

Increase in Men Going for Clinical Treatments

2009-10-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

Age restoration, was once the exclusive realm of women. Now it is a unisex endeavour.

"I haven't slept in 10 years," says Lende, a top agent who specializes in downtown luxury homes.

"It's seven days a week, full speed. The eyes tell the story."

Slowly, the needle's clear liquid contents empty into the Toronto real estate agent's face in a ritual that is becoming increasingly common among men of a certain age anxious to smooth out the wrinkles.

Lende sits part of the male cosmetic procedure demographic: Mid-40s, successful and in an industry where appearance, especially youthfulness is essential to success.

Experts say real estate agents are among the leading group of male Botox-seekers.

"Presentation is part and parcel of the industry," says Lende. "If you're happy with your face it gives you more energy and vitality. It's not always inside out. It's often outside in."

Achieving the new 30 when you're in your 40s comes with options.

There are creams and serums, invasive cosmetic surgery. And then there is clinical, non-surgical treatments that plump, smooth, lift and brighten.

"We're not going to do anything drastic, just make you look like a better version of yourself," says Diana Phillips, the cosmetician at the DLK on Avenue clinic where Lende sought the fountain of youth.

The process included a "soft lift," microdermabrasion and a photo facial – words and phrases not previously part of the male lexicon.

The soft lift is done by injecting a combination of Juvederm, which promises to restore volume in hollowed-out cheeks and smooth out folds around the nose and mouth. And Botox, which is designed to turn back the clock on frown lines and crows feet.

It's not cheap.

The Juvederm treatment costs at $600 and up for a single treatment requiring a touch-up every six to nine months.

Botox treatments cost $350 and up for each session and must be repeated every three or four months,

Lende's youthful restoration also included intense pulse light (IPL) photo facial treatments in which a technician zaps uneven skin tone and broken capillaries (three to six treatments every two to four weeks; $350 and up for each treatment) and diamond microdermabrasion to suck up dead skin, exfoliate and brighten (three to six treatments every two to four weeks; $150 and up each).

"Men are slowly starting to realize there are options out there that will not drastically change their looks; rather, just make them look and feel younger," says Dr. Lisa Kellett, the Toronto dermatologist who owns the DLK clinic. "The benefit is that there is no surgery so, therefore, no downtime and more reasonable cost than surgery."

The before and after pictures tell the story. Weeks after his procedures, Lende does appear more rested and even youthful.

"I thought it was a subtle but distinct transformation," he says. "It's not a matter of wiping years off your face. But stress and exhaustion do dissipate. It's kind of like Photoshopping your face."

Vika Goodale, owner of Yorkville's Vikaspa, says there are days now when she sees more men than women.

""Men absolutely love facials and pedicures," she says. "When you have younger and younger and smarter guys coming in looking for your job, grooming is a big way of keeping up.

"It's a cultural change," says Dr. Nicholas Nikolov, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who has recorded a 30 per cent increase in male clients over the past three years.

"The perception is that people who are energetic and capable look youthful. Patients want to look younger so that the outside matches their enthusiasm and vigour inside."

Sudanese woman demands the right to wear pants

2009-09-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

Lubna Hussein of Sudan has been charged and convicted of wearing pants in public. Originally her sentence was 40 lashes (enough to nearly kill someone), but its since been downgraded to a fine of approx. $200 USD.

Hussein says she won't pay however and is demanding the Sudanese law against women wearing pants should be abolished.

See The Truth about Who Wears the Pants in Sudan for more details.

Lizzie Miller's Belly

2009-09-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

In Glamour's September issue you'll find plus-size model Lizzie Miller and her midriff. On page 194, is Miller laughing in her underwear while forgetting to tuck in a charming little paunch.

"The reaction to that one picture has been incredible," Miller said yesterday, speaking over the phone from her fourth-floor apartment in midtown Manhattan.

Miller's career might never be the same. The 20-year-old from San Jose, California – a size 12 or 14 who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs between 175 and 180 pounds, said this month is shaping up to be the busiest of her seven-year career.

And there are those who are hoping the buzz surrounding Miller's belly might spur the fashion business which has long been criticized for its seemingly insatiable lust for pencil-limbed models of dubious dietary habits – to change for the better, too. One Glamour reader wrote in to call Miller's signature shot "the most amazing photograph I've ever seen in any women's magazine." Another urged the editors: "Put her on the cover."

"I think it's a sign of the times that women are looking for a little bit more authenticity, a little less artifice, in every part of their lives," Cindi Leive, editor of Glamour, said in an interview with the Today show. "Will (Miller's photo) change our approach (as a fashion magazine)? I think it will."

Miller said she has received emails and messages on Facebook, including one from a woman who said the picture inspired her to throw away her diet pills and laxatives; and from a man who claimed that only now, after Miller's un-self-conscious image hit newsstands, will his similarly proportioned girlfriend believe him when he tells her she's pretty.

"This whole frenzy has shown that people want to see these kinds of photos – of real women in real situations," she said. "So hopefully (the industry) will take notice and they'll say, `Okay, we should do this, too.'"

It was only a few years ago that Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died due to complications from anorexia, her 5-foot-8 frame weighing a mere 88 pounds, an event that spurred at least one runway show to institute minimum height-weight ratios for models. And earlier this month the editor of Self magazine defended the retouching of a cover photograph that made singer Kelly Clarkson look decidedly skinnier.

"(Self magazine is) meant to inspire women to want to be their best," Lucy Danziger, the editor, wrote on the magazine's website.

Miller, for her part, said she understands the inspirational aspect of what she calls fashion's "fantasy world."

"But the problem is, a lot of women are trying, but they can't look like a size-two model, and it's a horrible feeling when you don't see anyone else who looks like you (in magazines)," said Miller. "I've been that self-conscious girl."

Miller will not lie: At first, she didn't love her signature photo. And she hasn't always been the picture of plus-sized confidence. In grade school she says her diet veered between stuffings of McDonald's and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. A post-class bag of Doritos – "A big bag," she says – was a daily ritual.

"At the rate I was gaining weight, I was like, `Wow. I am going to be huge by the time I get to high school.' I was like, `I don't want to be the fat girl,'" said Miller.

It was in Grade 6 that she joined Weight Watchers and dropped 60 pounds. By the time she was 13, she was 5-foot-11 and existing somewhere in the neighbourhood of her current body weight, which she now maintains playing co-ed softball in Central Park and belly dancing. Even then, she said, she didn't begin to feel good about her body until she saw herself in the silhouettes of entertainers Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé.

"I'm a pear shape. I'm small at the top, but I'm thick on the bottom. I started seeing J-Lo and Beyoncé and saying, `They're curvy. They're sexy. If I get in shape, I could look like them.' If I can be the person that girls are looking at now and saying, `She's beautiful. I can look like her,' then I'll be doing my job. I think it's just something people have really, really wanted to see. Let's hope they'll see more of it."