Lindsay Melhoff

First day of full classes today and what can I say?  Other than the excitement that comes with my last year of university, I’m overall not thrilled to be back at school.  Summer seemed to drag on at the start and then flew by without any notice.  But dwelling on what’s over is not going to make my final transition back to school any easier. 

Despite the natural depression associated with the end of the summer, I am surprisingly exciting about most of my classes.  Perhaps the pressure-relieving fact that I have a job after graduation makes the importance of my grades seem obsolete.  It’s hard to believe that this is my last September 5th in University.  The end is finally in sight and, to be honest, I thought it would never come.

So last year resolution….work smarter and play harder.  Although I don’t deprive myself completely from un-school related activities, I have in the past lead a fairly sheltered life in Saskatoon.  But no longer!  Not that you’ll see me out every night, partying it up, but I’m going to make a strong effort to attend a few more law related events and spend a little more time with my fellow students.  Ironically, last year and the year before, I felt surrounded by mindless twits that I was forced to get to know.  Now, those same mindless twits are still mindless but none-the-less my fellow students and it would be a shame to go through law school, only knowing my small circle of friends.  So here is my word….hold me to it!

With the release of his new movie, Sicko, Micheal Moore has been receiving (or accepting) more press than usual.  A few nights ago he appeared on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, his first appearance in three years with the network, despite numerous invitations.  During this appearance, he was outraged, not only at CNN’s report on the movie but also their failure in the past to ask the right questions that the viewers want answered.  Of course, the war came up and Moore belligerently asked Wolf to apologize to the viewing public for “failing” them on that front. 

Moore took objection to the report done by CNN’s own medical expert/journalist Dr. Sanjay Gupta.  He attacked not only Gupta’s credibility but morality as well, questioning what pharmaceutical company had CNN in their pocket.  Moore’s anger started over a disagreement over the actual figures and number, something Moore takes great pride in ensuring their accuracy. 

The feud didn’t end there, with Moore appearing on Larry King Live, with the challenged Gupta.  The debate centered on the numbers for a while and then got down to the real issues, the US health care system, or lack there of.  Gupta’s points were minimal and somewhat irrelevant.  Who cares if Cuba spends $251 per person on health care or $224?  What bloody difference does it make??  Gupta however, was devoid of intelligent comment when Moore pointed out the flaws in the system and the growing number of unhappy Americans.

Although Moore may be controversial, egotistical and sometimes even ignorant, he makes good points that are hard for even the best of experts to refute.  Sicko has received wonderful reviews with some even saying “you’d have to be dead to be unaffected by this movie”. 

This whole debate raised another issue with respect to media coverage.  Moore’s anger was focused on the fudging of the health care facts by CNN but was directed at inaccurate and incomplete media coverage.  When will the day come when media is not censored, reporting solely with their sponsors in mind?  The American, and Canadian, people are capable of interpreting real facts and making judgments for themselves.  They are entitled to this right. 

Will Moore’s spat lead to more fair coverage debates?  Will CNN and other major news outlets take to heart the message being sent, not only by Moore but by the viewing public?  News should be news, not spun or colored or edited to suit a mega sponsor.  Tell the facts as they are and leave the deciphering up to the public.  There is a valuable lesson here to be learnt by all news medias…will they take it??

check out www.michaelmoore.com for videos of the Larry King debate and other info re health care

The perfect lawn is the goal of many homeowners and an elusive dream to others.  Some people will try anything to get a green, lush lawn - from products that you buy to home remedies that promise perfection.  Brad Fresenburg, an extension and research associate at the University of Missouri, was asked to test “The Perfect Lawn Tonic”, an internet recipe that promises the greenest grass on the block.

So what’s in this tonic?  It’s a mixture of five ingredients you can find right at home: beer, non-diet soda, mouthwash, household ammonia and dish soap.  Fresenburg says that “it’s really a home remedy that is simulating a lot of bio-stimulants”, where none of the ingredients are harmful to grasses.

Each ingredient is added for a reason.  The beer and soda feed the microbes in the soil.  The mouthwash is thought to have some fungicidal and insecticidal properties, given the high percentgae of alcohol that’s found in it.  The ammonia is a fertilizer because the nitrogen that is in the product will serve as a product that is causing the green color.  And finally, the dish soap will serve as a wetting agent which breaks down the tension of water and helps water to penetrate into the soil or cover the leaf titesu a little bit better. 

Fresenburg will present the results of the testing later in July but confirmed that the tonic will leave your grass greener and more lush.

On with the competition neighbors!  Mix up a batch of this Perfect Lawn Tonic and watch the results!

This past weekend, the July Long Canada Day weekend, we had one of the worst storms I’ve ever seen blow through Lac Pelletier.  We were down at the south end campgrounds visiting some friends.  Lightning was crashing and the dogs were freaking out, yet some still thought the storm was going to miss us.  I’m terrified of storms, and tried endlessly to convince my boyfriend and sister that it was time for us to return to the safety of our cottage.  We arrived back at our cottage with literally seconds to spare before the trees came crashing and the neighbors roof came flying.  Dustin, my boyfriend, while trying to save his newly purchased motorcycle from the storm, was struck by a piece of the neighbors roof and nearly knocked out.  We all made it inside in time to watch the destruction.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  It was like watching a scene from Twister or the like.  Trees, plants, garbage, and debris flying past the windows.  We couldn’t see a thing until the lightning would strike and light up the whole lake like it was day time.  I curled up in the cottage, holding on firmly to my puppy (who surprisingly wasn’t even half as scared as I was), and waited for the nightmare to end.

From what I was told, the Storm Chasers (my father, brother and boyfriend) went out and cruised the lake afterwards to ensure there wasn’t anyone in danger needing help.  They figured the whole lake got hit pretty hard but our little strip got it the worst.

The 6 a.m. walk around the neighborhood was surreal and depressing.  Trees trampled over everywhere, on cars, on boats, on cottages.  Our neighbors even had a huge tree completely uprooted.  The extent of the damage to our cottage was a broken window, many lost shingles and a few destroyed antennas.  Our cottage was fortunate.  Our out-buildings however, were not quite as fortunate, with a couple holes in the roof of the ski shack and the treehouse split right open.  I must say that I was astounded to see that the treehouse survived (was still in the air), all thanks to my father’s skilled engineering.  Dustin had the worst luck of the weekend, having both his motorcycle and truck parked right out back our cottage.  Two trees fell on his bike, with one smashin on the hood of his truck.  Thanks again to great construction on my father’s part, the fence held a lot of the weight and miraculously both the truck and bike survived with relatively little damage.

Our dock was by far the worst sight.  Pieces of it were flown everywhere and it took the guys a while to even find them all.  The fishing boat was underwater on the other side of the dock and one of the watercrafts was a few cottages away, upside down in the lake.  But thankfully the Malibu was untouched.  It was the glimer of hope in an otherwise completely desolate scene. 

By the end of the day, through the help of family and kind neighbors, we had our lot cleaned up and our dock restored to its previous glory.  It was definitely a sight to be scene.  Such destruction to the place we all love so much was hard to take.  But however tragic the storm was, it definitely brought the community and our family together through hard work and dedication.  In times like these, you see the true compassion and heart that those around you have.  Thanks to all who helped out with the cleanup….it’s greatly appreciated!!

Actor/singer Tyrese is going on tour with R&B stars Ginuwine and Tank, “Shirts Off” Tour.  Tyrese is hoping for the show to be only for the ladies, telling various media outlets the following…“We’re putting a ban on all dudes from coming to the show”.

I love how he is trying to ban the gays in a round about way. I’m not a fan of any of these singers, so there was never a plan to attend their “Shirts Off” tour, but to try to impose a ban on anyone for a concert deters me even further from attending.

Wake up Tyrese.  This so-called ban is only going to hurt you.  With that said, if there are any of you out there planning on attending this tour, don’t!  Don’t support his discrimination through your attendance! 

Beth Ditto is the English rock singer who fronts the indie band The Gossip, which has been given the title of the coolest rock and roll band in Britain.  The Gossip has been together for four years and have toured with the likes of the White Stripes and Sonic Youth.  She’s a Joplin type singer with her mega-powerful voice and a self-proclaimed “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas”.  Her lyrics are explicitly girl-love related and the band’s latest single “Standing in the way of control” is a fiery disco/punk/blues/soul attack on the Republicans’ attitude to gay marriage.

She’s a born and raised Southern Baptist and Pentecostal; “super-bumpkin-style” as she told a British mag, Pop Matters.  She’s not ashamed of her large frame, being quoted as saying “I just like food too much”.  She’s vocal on the overweight issue, while keeping her sense of humour: “It’s treated like no one in the world is like this, and it’s the most shameful thing, but really most of us are fat asses, you know”.  This hip young songstress is comfortable in her own skin, almost too comfortable some might argue. 

Beth Ditto is an out-of-the-box type with only great things to come in her bright musical future.  Keep your eyes out for this talented and somewhat crude, larger than life English star and check out the latest releases by The Gossip!

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/

The above link is to the United States Humane Society’s webpage to help stop puppy mills.  Watch the video and sign the pledge.  The treatment these dogs receive will absolutely break your heart.  Innocent young pups are being neglected and even tortured, all just to make a profit.  The video dwelves into the well-hidden world of puppy auctions and the inhumane treatment that goes along with them.  This is a travesty that needs to be stopped.  Please suppor this cause by refusing to buy puppies online or through pet stores and by NOT buying pet products at any retail store that sells live animals.  We need to stand up for these animals and leave the breeding to breeders who care more about the animals than the money!