May I introduce to you...

She's originally born earthling, lived in a few places...been more recently spiced up with a Canadian flav-our. Loves taking photographs but is a little more shy about having them taken of her(though she is getting better and yes, it is her behind that mask I assure you.) Has a habit of not letting anyone give her gas money eventhough she insists on giving everyone else some. And, I personally believe she was suppose to be a international spy changing her identity to suit her assignments. And, eventhough somehow Kat got sidetracked into her present profession (to the benefit of the spyworld? I don't know..,) occasionally around town she still can be seen sporting a cute little moustache or in an outfit topped off with wings. Perhaps in the company of her favourite rubber chicken.

Kat is a student of the world in the truest sense of the word, wanting to learn or discuss whatever is going on and/or obscure subjects and voices it on her kickin' blog. Give it up for kat's signposts!!!

http://kitlinapai.blogspot.com/

Presents

Why is an unopened present under the tree such a temptation?

When we're children are we more prone to this detective work? Circling the tree, eyeing the brightly covered packages...wondering which ones have the best presents in them? With gifts that foolishly arrived early, my brother and I picked up, shook and sniffed in our attempts to crack the mysterious Christmas Code. Sometimes we were successful(*sigh*, socks A-gain!) and other times we were wisely shooed away from the tree by our mom before we figured it out. As you can guess, my parents learned the wisdom of NOT putting out the presents until Christmas Eve AFTER we had gone to bed. Of course, my parents were looking forward to the day that I would have to deal with this kind of mischief.

Now that I think on that I laugh because I do have to deal with something very similar. I know what you're thinking, with my own children, of course. No, it's my husband Mike...he's such a big kid when it comes to these things. I've spent a few Christmases with him now and have learnt very quickly that when his eyes light up and his trademark, "Oooaah!" is uttered Mike has spotted something for him. And, he has very little if any restraint from picking up packages and shaking or pulling apart any rips of wrapping paper that's come loose. Needless to say, I've had to have hide the presents, wrap them on the sly(in different shapes than they came in no less) and not bring them out until after Christmas morning breakfast! And, eventhough he knows why there are no presents under the tree for him, Mike is even now...disappointed...(insert sad face here)

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This is in response to Squeegeeman,..maybe you're on to something...Mike's in agreement, it just might be a guy thing. Though, I know of at least one girl that's having trouble resisting the temptation(a package from Australia) that's calling her name...

So, the question is, are men more tempted to open the gifts before Christmas than women?

Tree

Have you ever been asked that inane question, if you were a tree what kind of tree would you be? Well, here's one way of answering that...Find your birthday and then find your tree. I don't know if it revealed anything about me, how about you? Apparently, I'm a Poplar. Though, I've always rather thought of myself as a Weeping Willow...

Dec 23 to Jan 01................Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11.................Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24................Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03................Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08...............Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18................Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28................Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10...............Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20...............Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only).....................Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31...............Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10................ Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20.................Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30................Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14...............Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24...............Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 ..............Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13................Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23................Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only).....................Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04.................Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14..................Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25..................Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04................Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13...............Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23...............Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02...............Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12................Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22................Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only).....................Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03...............Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13................Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23................Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11................Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21...............Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01..............Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11...............Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21...............Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only)....................Beech Tree

YOUR TREE (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (the Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (the Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (the Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (the Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (the Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (the Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (the Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (the Noble-Mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (the Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, few sexual relationships, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (the Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (the Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (the Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (the Doubt) -- intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (the Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (the Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (the Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (the Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership Seriously.

Rowan Tree (the Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (the Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (the Melancholy) -- likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others Laugh.

The Ultimate Little Black Dress

Have you even wondered about the effect of a woman in a stunning little black dress? She can captivate a man in an instant...but what about the captivating the hearts of millions?

I fell in love with Audrey Hepburn the first time I saw Breakfast At Tiffany's when I was teenager. I remember watching the movie with my mom and I was fascinated by her face, which I though was perfect. I loved how lost Holly Golightly seemed...Oh, the fabulous Hubert de Givenchy fashions and Tiffany jewellery didn't detrack either. I became a fan and peppered my mom with questions of all sorts. What other movies was she in? Can we rent them? Is she still alive? Tell me about her? My mom answered my questions and allowed me to rent Sabrina, Roman Holiday and such; said that no she had died only that year and that she had been the UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador. Later I learned Audrey Hepburn had lived under the Nazi regime and helped out with the Resistance during the war. Grateful to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration for the food she received when liberation came helped her to get involved with UNICEF later in life.

But, I digress, this entry is about a little black dress. More specifically, one of three evening gowns of black Italian satin designed by Hubert de Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in the 1961 Paramount film Breakfast At Tiffany's, the sleeveless, floor-length gown with fitted bodice embellished at the back with distinctive cut-out décolleté. A dress famous in its own right, inspiration to many fashion designers the world over.

This dress has been given by Hubert de Givenchy to his friends Monsieur and Madame Dominique Lapierre to raise funds for their charity City of Joy Aid. In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Givenchy told Sarah Bailey that since Audrey's death in 1993, he had donated key pieces from his collection to raise money for disadvantaged children around the world... in an attempt to continue the spirit of his late friend's work for UNICEF. When he recently dined with French writer Dominque Lapierre, whose 'City of Joy Aid' charity has been providing aid to the poorest of the poor in India for 25 years, Givenchy decided it was time to release the last Holly Golightly dress for auction - his own....
(excerpt from Christie's Lot 111, Dec. 5, 2006)

The price, paid by a telephone bidder, was almost six times the highest pre-sale estimate. Including the buyer's premium - a fee typically added to a winning bid by the auctioneer - the final tab came to more than $1 million Cdn.

A beautifully designed dress by a world famous haute couture designer worn by an iconic actress who's heart was open to the world's poorest sold for $900,000 and that money will soon build clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers and hospital boats for the very poor in India. A nice circle and I believe Audrey would approve.

Wanna Make a Snowflake?

As promised, I started to add a couple of my favourite websites to My Links. This one is called Snowdays. It's rather fun, you get to make your own snowflake without the danger of the scissors and clutter and mess of the the paper. The downside? You don't have the clutter and mess of the paper. Once you're done your creation you can send a message along with it and send it out to big, wide world. If your not artistically inclined it's always fun to read the messages people write and see other's creative designs. My friend Kat turned me on to it last year and obviously, I've loved it ever since.


Check it out: http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/

Human Trafficking

I marvel at the seemingly strange ease at which society accepts this depravity. At the same time, I don't understand why society vents its disgust and anger the majority of the time at the women and children who are most of the time forced into this exploitation. After all, "Sex work,"..."is not something young females aspire to." I've met women in the sex trade and seen the effects on life that went so terribly wrong and now understands when someone references soul killing. "Soul Killing" a term, describes the effects of being exploited by human trafficking and the sex trade. Victims of this sexual slavery experience emotional, physical, mental and spiritual damage. Therefore it is prudent to remember those that are in the sex trade are more sinned against than sinning. Those who purchase others for sex should be criminally held responsible. It should not be held as a joke, right of passage or a man's perrogative (not to say that women don't purchase sex but the majority are men.)
Children, as young as 4 years old are being bought and sold for thousands of dollars. It is sexual slavery of the very worst kind...men do not have the right to buy sex, in fact users should be criminally charged for buying sex. A Captain in the Salvation Army cited a Swedish approach which criminalizes users and decriminalizes the prostitutes. Women and children, she said, should not be for sale in Canada! The Salvation Army is committed to the intrinsic worth of women and children and is committed to the abolition of sexual slavery now at evidence through the trafficking of people and the linkage to domestic prostitution.
Truthfully, Canada is a port for the world of sexual slavery suppling young children and women from Central and South America, Eastern Europe and Asia. As unimaginable as it seems, slavery and bondage still persist in the early 21st century. Millions of people around the world still suffer in silence in slave-like situations of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation from which they cannot free themselves. Trafficking in persons is one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time.
[U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report, June 2003]
The United Nations estimates that over 700,000 people per year (mainly women and children) are trafficked globally and the revenue generated is close to $10 billion US. Trafficking in persons involves the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of victims for sexual or other forms of exploitation, either across or within borders.
[Department of Justice Canada 2005]
Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world, next to drug dealing, and is the fastest growing.

How is it that Canada has such weak laws and loop holes that allows the funneling of thousands of workers every year?

If you want to read up on the Human Trafficking go to UN Search on the United Nations Website http://www.un.org/english/