Context is King

Sigh, I just got a nasty sounding request from Google Adsense to take down the offensive content on a blog post entitled "That Little Faggot's Got His Own Jet Airplane"

There's a screen shot about the post below.  For the record, as I clearly state in the original post, I'm quoting from the song "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, mentioning a new items about a decades old song being censored and make sure I'm clear to define myself as against homophobia.  Some of my best friends are gay and some of my family members are gay and I love them all dearly.  Further in the post, I walk through all the other potentially offensive terms in the song, yes, poking fun at the situation.

Here's the email from Google AdSense telling me to remove the offensive content or else . . .

The most frustrating thing about this is that there is no indication that a human actually read this to find it offensive, and no way for me to explain that I'm using a derogatory term quoted from a song lyric in order to discuss the concept of censorship.

It's all about the CONTEXT, people.  Context is king.

For the record, I'm not changing that blog post. I like what I have written and I stand behind it.

I'm also not changing this one either.

Too bad for me.

Spirits of Hamilton Haunt New Book

The other day Hamilton Spectator reporter Jeff Mahoney called to talk to me about Haunted Hamilton.  He told me that he quite enjoyed the book, and I was immediately flattered because I had been reading Jeff's articles and columns in The Spec for years and quite like and respect his writing.

Jeff's article about my new book which was headlined with Spirits of Hamilton haunt new book:  Horror author calls his account of ghostly residents - historical and contemporary - a love letter to the city appeared in today's Hamilton Spectator.  It included a great photo that Cathie Coward took of me at my desk.

Here is the photo used in the online version of the article

The print article and the online version (slightly different photos) both show one of my favourite pictures of Alexander on the computer monitor behind me.  Notice, also, that one shot has my coffee mug in it while the newsprint version doesn't.

Jeff's great article garnered some some cool attention. Annette Hamm from CHCH Morning Live contacted me and I'll be on the show tomorrow (Thurs Sept 13th) at 7:50 AM.

And the cool thing:  she asked me to bring my skulls. When I told her about Barnaby (who is still upset he never appeared in the photo shoot - he was at his post in my passenger seat at the time) she said to bring him too.

Wallenda's Key Message: Don't Give Up!

Last night an estimated 1 billion people watched Nik Wallenda's historic border crossing from the US to Canada.  It is historic, of course, because he was crossing over the horseshoe falls; something nobody has ever done, nor likely ever will do, again.  Yes, people had crossed Niagara Gorge on a tight-rope, but nobody had ever done it over the falls themselves with issues like the heavy mist to contend with.

Speaking of the crossing, I thought it was cute when the Canadian border guards who met him asked to see his passport and Wallenda made a joke of sighing as if he forgot it and had to go back across to get it.  It was a subtle, but wonderfully executed little joke, before he pulled the passport (which had been in a sealed plastic bag) out. He then promised them that he wasn't bringing anything across with him.  When asked the nature of his visit to Canada Wallenda said:  "To inspire people around the world."

Nik Wallenda walks over Niagara Falls on a tightrope in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Friday, June 15, 2012. (Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

He certainly did that.

Wallenda fought for two years to get the permission from both countries to be able to do this stunt; in the face of being told it would never happen (stunts at Niagara Falls have been banned for almost 130 years), Nik and his family and team never gave up.  They made it happen.  They even made a small compromise with ABC, who insisted that he be tethered, for the purpose of the broadcast.  (Not that he needed the tether - he never faltered once during his trek across, which took less than half an hour - and he never lost the calm focus that kept him on track and on balance despite the challenges odds of wind, mist and low visibility)

Francine and I let Alexander stay up to watch this historic event.  And it really was something to see.  We had talked about making the trip down to see it live, but the ABC broadcast was well-done and offered some amazing views and perspective. 

In my mind, the message that Wallenda offered was a critical and important one that can be interpreted by individuals into whatever their dreams are.  For me, (for example), it would be related to writing and the importance of concentration, focus and training that Wallenda spoke about; for someone else, it is whatever dreams or goals they might hold fast in their heart.  But chances are, it involves the same sort of dedication, concentration, focus and training.

One of the wonderful scenes at Brick City on Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ontario

It was a wonderful event to watch live, but, as stated, what I was most impressed with was Wallenda's ongoing message in this stunt:  Don't give up! Pursue your dreams! 

He said it beautifully, and it's something for us to all keep in mind as we pursue our dreams and work at the goals that we set for ourselves.  I know that I'll keep his words in mind.

"The impossible isn't quite the impossible if you set your mind to it!"

You Don't Know Jack

Most of us didn't know Jack Layton personally. But that never stopped us from feeling like we did. That's just the way he was, continually presenting himself in a straightforward and honest manner. He was the kind of leader who easily blended in with the "everyman" mostly because, despite his role as a politician and the opposition leader of Canada, he was down to earth and humble.

Photo by Donald Weber/Getty Images News (2004)

Touted as the national party leader most Canadians would want to have a beer with (you can certainly put my name on that list), no matter which role he played, there was always the sense that he was genuine. Whether fighting for the less fortunate of the community, seeking out equal rights, conducting a local town hall or rallying the NDP party to a record-breaking victory, his convictions and integrity consistently shone through.

I remember first paying attention to him with the 2000 release of his book Homelessness: The Making And Unmaking of a Crisis. (I know, strange, isn't it, that a book nerd's first exposure to a long time political advocate didn't occur until said politician released a book) What I remembered most was the approach he took in this book and in the discussions he made when it was released. He gathered analysis, research and merged them with personal anecdotes, offering an understanding combined with proactive solutions. I remember admiring his approach and that's when his name stuck in my head. Except, of course, I was thinking he would continue to write books to inspire change for the better - little did I suspect he would continue to rise in the political arena.

But the approach in this book seemed to be his approach in many of the things he strongly believed and stood for. Well before his national role he continually took a firm stand for the rights of minority groups that the rest of society would rather have continued to shun. He was one of the few leaders who forged the path for attitudes to change in a progressive and positive fashion - and well before it was fashionable for a leader to do so.

When he moved from his role as Toronto city councilor and into the role of NDP party leader, he took his fight for the common person to whole new levels.

I have long admired Jack Layton's leadership and what he has stood for. Like so many Canadians I never had the privilege to know him personally, but that never stopped me from feeling like I did.

I remember bumping into him and his wife Olivia at Toronto's The Word On The Street a few years back.The two were walking hand in hand and enjoying the simple yet magical splash of book culture that WOTS brings to the city each year. And when I saw them and we exchanged a brief nod and smile, I had to remind myself that this wasn't that couple my wife and I have known for years and before this we had never met - despite the fact that that's exactly how it felt when I saw them.

Jack Layton left a legacy of that feeling in many hearts. He conducted himself with integrity, purpose and a wonderfully down to earth charm. He was the type of leader who could inspire and energize.

And in his last letter to Canadians, written just days before he passed away, he left Canadians with truly inspiring thoughts and words.

"Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one - a country of greater equality, justice and opportunity . . . consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.


My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

Thank you, Mr. Layton. Thank you for showing us the importance of standing up for what you truly believe in. Thank you for your integrity, for putting the common person first, for rallying for community and family, and for reminding us of the importance of working together.

I only hope that we take heed and actually listen to this message.

Apocalypse . . . Later

I'm not making fun. Really, I'm not. But I'm certainly having fun. So are a lot of others.

The Rapture and beginning of the end was supposed to happen May 21, 2011.

Let's be honest. The thought of the world ending, of the apocalypse? A little scary.  Even if a person doesn't believe or take it seriously, many can't help whistling past the graveyard.

I wasn't a believer that May 21st was the end of times, but I am a Christian. Religious beliefs are personal, and, of course, something that shouldn't be mocked or laughed at. However, that being said, I have used my own religion in horror stories I have written, both as a mirror held up to my own beliefs as well as a way to attempt to look at the beliefs I was raised with through someone elses' eyes.

I also understand that, for those who truly believed yesterday was a significant day, the fact the Rapture didn't happen is a big disappointment.

But some good did come out of it. People all over the world came together to share in some laughter, sometimes nervous, sometimes just raw unadulterated guffaws. (And in all honesty, I'm a firm believer that, no matter what spiritual belief you subscribe to, humour is universally good and something that can be shared.)

I participated in something being called "Rapture bombing" -- setting clothes up to make it look as if a person has been transported up to heaven. I thought it might freak out or confuse either some drunk stumbling home from a local bar or perhaps make a morning jogger look twice.

Mostly, it just confused my neighbours on their way to Canada's Wonderland early yesterday morning. They laughed when they later saw my Facebook post with the picture and the "ahhh" moment hit them.

There's a great article by Alan Boyle called "Left behind" by humorgeddon which nicely summarizes how the prediction opens the door for levity.

I particularly like the one post he eludes to in which David Kinsey, via a Facebook post suggesting people pose without their clothes (ie, pose their clothes without them in them), and then, at the end of the day, give them away to a charity. Great idea for people to have fun, then donate to a good cause. Two good things - a laugh, then a charitable donation. Smashing idea.

What Boyle says regarding the humour being a reaction to the stress of all the hype makes sense to me. A lot of my horror fiction, for example, pushes over into the absurd and dark humour in recognition of the manner by which we sometimes react to stress and horror -- we laugh. (I think one of my favourite collection of ghost stories is by Robertson Davies - it's called High Spirits, and the stories are just as humorous as they are eerie, they contain parody alongside chills)

But I've quite enjoyed some of the humourous references made to the Rapture, through Facebook, Twitter and in various other media sources. Twitter even had a humorous #endoftheworldconfessions hashtag. One of my favourites was when someone tweeted:  "I let the dogs out. It was me." as their confession.

One of the top 10 lists on David Letterman, for example, was regarding the top things to do during the "end times" - my favourite was the one about playing a slide whistle while the righteous ascended into heaven.

Writer Kevin J Anderson (@TheKJA) posted this on his twitter feed: "Oh, it's 6:30 already. I've been so busy editing I didn't even notice the world ending at 6 PM. Did somebody record it so I can watch later?" Seems he was making as much fun of our society's "I'll have it my way and when I want it" tendency as of the false prediction.

Another writer, Nancy Kilpatrick posted this to Facebook as her status:  "Well, now that the Rapture has come & gone, I can finish up with packing for NYC, I'm at BookExpo America on Wed., May 25th 10 am @ the main autographing (booth 22) for EVOLVE and 3 pm @ the HWA booth for CHILLING TALES. If you're there, stop by & snag a free signed copy."

A tweet I saw this morning from @MarkJustice went like this: "Hi, boss. I know I quit my job and told you I'd be in Heaven while you heathens would be left behind. Uh, could I have my job back? Hello?"

There are too many more examples to point to, but the evidence is clear. Speculation about the Rapture certainly allowed a chance for people to come together, be creative and share humour.

And that's a good thing.

Get Outta Here Ya Bum!

Avert your eyes, children!  Even though we ALL have one, you might never have seen a naked bum before.

There's an award winning book featuring a great bare bum on the cover that's causing a bit of a controversy. The Great bare bum is the naked butt of Alexander the Great, on Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean, which is a fictional account of a time when Aristotle was tutoring Alexander the Great. The cover features a naked man lying on a horse.

B.C. Ferries has decided to remove this book from its shelves because they are a "family show" and have children in their shops.  This decision has raised much discussion in the past week or so about the art vs family appropriate.  My favourite article is from The Guardian in which their title is Alexander the Great novel gets bum wrap in Canada.Their title is a beautiful reference to the fact that B.C. Ferries asked representatives at Random House to include a "belly band" wrapped around the book, which would cover up the offended naked butt.

Of course, as a bookseller, it makes me want to find a whack of covers featuring naked bums on the cover and put up a themed display. Yes, books whose only common feature would be a cover featuring naked bums.  At the centre of the display, of course, Lyon's book would be featured prominently.

I did a quick search and was really trying to find a nice collection of literary/contemporary fiction that featured naked bums on the cover. I did a quick check and came up mostly dry, though I did find a small group of bums from a variety of other books, including a how to Artist book (that was easy, there's no shortage of those), a classic science text and a science-fiction title featuring the naked bums of both a human and alien.

But I'm sure there are more out there.  Why not have booksellers take advantage of the controversy, and put together their own "naked bum book" display -- again, featuring Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean smack dab in the centre of the display?

Of course, the trick is finding a definitive list. Even the great lists provided by Bowker or Ingram featuring various themed groupings of books don't include a "naked bums on the cover" list.  We'll have to generate our own and share it around.

Earthquake Devastation In Toronto

On Wednesday a 5.0 magnitude earthquake rocked a broad region of southern Ontario and surrounding northern US states. Many of my friends and colleages in Hamilton felt it. Francine, who works perhaps 1.5 KM away from where I work said her entire office shook, computers and desks rattling. Her office is on the 2nd floor. My office is in the basement and I think the building I'm in was carved out of petroglyphic rock or something, because I didn't even notice a thing.  Though others in the office across the way said they did experience a strange subtle shaking sensation that they weren't sure about.  Most thought at first that it was construction going on in our building. (Or perhaps the fact i didn't notice is a sign that I was buried under with so much work that I fail to notice certain things -- er, that's NOT a good sign)

But in any case, I first saw this photo of the earthquake devastation in Toronto via Twitter, which is where I was following most updates about the earthquake. Twitter was an interesting combination of updates and info from friends all over, combined with jokes and humourous notes about it, such as the earthquake causing a tsunami in the G20 fake lake or people speculating that it wasn't an earthquake, it was Quebec finally separating. Then a friend forwarded the same earthquake devastation picture via email.

The picture, which may be disturbing to some, shows the devastation to just one neighbourhood yard in Toronto.

This joke picture which is still making the rounds reminded me of several years ago when a massive snowstorm hit Toronto and the army was called in.  That, of course leads to the follow-up punch line where someone speculates that perhaps THAT is why there are thousands of police officers currently in riot gear in Toronto. They aren't there for the G8 and G20 summits -- they were called in to clean up the massive devastation which is obviously going to take weeks to recover from.

Clash Of The Monopolists

I was asked to write a commentary for The Mark News on the roller coaster Amazon vs Macmillan fight that took place last week. Since there were so many other great articles and blog posts already out there talking about the specifics of pricing and what each party apparently did or stated, as well as who was right and who was wrong, I focused on something else.

The need for such a fight to take place.

The fact that pricing needs to be analyzed and discussed and continually brought to the surface.

And the ultimate fact that, at the end of the day, modern technology allows the two ultimate parties at either end of the chain (the writer at one end and the reader at the other), to completely circumvent all the in-between parties in the supply chain: the publisher, the distributor, the bookseller.

How, then, do these in-between parties survive in such a world?

By focusing on where they can ADD VALUE.

Feeding The Coyotes

Yesterday evening, on a trip to Canadian Tire, Alexander was explaining to me about some news items he'd heard on the radio earlier in the day. As we were heading back to the truck, he suggested that we go to the adjacent grocery store to pick up food for the coyotes, because they were hungry.

I said, "Alexander, they were talking about a hockey team called the Coyotes coming to Hamilton. They're in Phoenix right now, but they might be coming to Hamilton" (As of right now, I believe that today is yet another one of the multiple deadlines in the ongoing story of Jim Balsille's bid to bring the team to Hamilton).

"No, Dad!" he insisted. "The coyotes are coming back and we need to make sure there's food for them this time."

And here's the beauty of how a five year old absorbs multiple unrelated news items.

In the late winter and early spring, Hamilton had a bit of a coyote problem with hungry coyotes crawling through certain neighbourhoods searching for food. It lasted at least a few weeks and was a regular news item.

Alexander, of course, remembered that the wild coyotes had been hungry and when hearing news yesterday that they might be coming to Hamilton (as in the Phoenix hockey team), was concerned that there be food for them.

Gotta love my son's interpretation of the news. In many ways it's more insightful and interesting than the regular stuff the media feeds to us.

Please Stay Tuned For Our Complete Lack Of Anything New To Report

I saw this cartoon by John Campbell last week during the endless media parade that occurred in the wake of Michael Jackson's death. Don't get me wrong -- I feel for the loss his family is going through, but have to shake my head at how the media goes on standby to provide updates when no updates are necessary.

Seriously. A famous person has died. The world is shocked. Let's go on 24/7 standby to give you absolutely no new information but simply dwell on the same three facts over and over, rather than report on actual news items.

John got it perfect in this hilarious cartoon . . .

Cartoon by John Campbell

Sweet Deal!

WestJet recently announced that it will offer free flights on Halloween for guests with the last names Candy, Orange, Web or Webb, and Sweet.

Guests with those particular surnames will pay applicable taxes and fees only for flights booked before midnight October 30th, 2008, Mountain Time for travel anywhere in Canada on October 31st, 2008. (Return flights will be regular price)

Cool idea.

I'm just curious how they landed on those particular names. And I'm also curious if people with the last name of Pumpkin, Jack or Treat are really ticked that they weren't included.

Da Count - Mention In The Spectator

It's always fun to get a mention in the local newspaper, but even more fun when the mention includes supporting a talented author.



Wade Hemsworth of The Hamilton Spectator wrote an article about McMaster Graduate Terry Fallis and his Leacock Medal win. I'm quoted in the article as one of the two smartest booksellers in the Hamilton area (Okay, Wade doesn't mention the "smart" aspect -- that's my own editorial interpretation. I call Bryan Prince and Titles Bookstore smart because WE picked up Terry's novel before anyone else in our area. We're not jumping on any Award Winner's bandwagon, we've been along for the ride and believed in the author the whole time)


So this week's count is focused on when newspapers support, recognize and cover local literary talent. Something that always makes me happy. Getting myself and my bookstore mentioned in the article is just a cool bonus.

Wheeling & Stealing

I just read a news short about two men in New York City who were arrested after wheeling a dead friend in an office chair through the streets to a Pay-o-Matic location to try and cash his Social Security cheque.

Apparently David Dalaia and James O'Hare, both 65, pushed O'Hare's dead room-mate Virgilio Cintron's body from a Manhattan apartment to a cheque-cashing store a block away. The body was flopping from side to side as they moved down the street, and the two of them had to keep propping him up while they slowly moved down the street, all of which started to attract attention. When they went inside to cash the cheque, a crowd had gathered outside the cheque-cashing venue.

A detective having lunch at a restaurant next door noticed the crowd and immediately recognized that Cintron was dead. He called uniformed police and EMS. Dalaia and O'Hare are facing fraud charges.

Poor Mr. Cintron. He dies of natural causes and his room-mate immediately schemes to steal from his dead friend. Crappy sort of luck.

But you can't help but smile at the antics of these two. It's sort of a "Banking With Bernie" sequel to the dark humour Weekend at Bernie's movie franchise. I must admit, it does inspire some dark humour/horror ideas in this twisted mind. I mean, if they got away with cashing the cheque, would they have proceeded to at least be courteous to take their friend out for lunch next door?