Keira-anne.com

Very recently, a (not to be named here) mens’ publication formulated a list of the most unattractive female celebrities, strictly in their opinion. I had heard about this through word of mouth and not by finding the list online. Instantly I stated that I didn’t want to know who had nabbed the number one spot though accidentally found out by reading entertainment headlines.

What I want to know is this: unattractive in comparison to what? In comparison to whom? What were these women being measured against? My guess would be impossibly high standards. The first thought I had was for those actually named in the list. As a celebrity, it seems most likely that shedding off negative press becomes second nature, but to me, this is over the line. How hurtful it must be to read such bullshit, knowing it’s bullshit, but also well aware that it takes a very direct and “purposeful” stab at you.

Was the point of this list pure entertainment? Probably. But in an age of media where 75% of what we read, hear and see is harmful, why create such moral destruction on purpose?

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Make room for one more on the greenwagon. November’s copy of Cosmo contains an entire section on “green” beauty products that make you simply smashing while doing their part at taking care of the environment.

One for getting top marks? Burt’s Bees consider themselves Earth Friendly Natural Personal Care for The Greater Good. Their line of total body care products for the entire family, largely comprised of organic ingredients, and environmentally-friendly business practices are “the DNA of Burt’s Bees.” And further to that, the company is committed to 100% natural product formulas in addition to 100% PCR/biodegradable packaging by the year 2020.

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Lastly, tomorrow sees the annual recurrence of Halloween. Not being much of one to celebrate, dress-up or get loser drunk this year, it’ll be like any other day for me. I do, however, tend to delight in movies designed to make me squirum. I considered posting my top ten frightening flicks but that’d just be superfluous. Quite obviously, if you haven’t seen The Shining, there’s no point in waiting any longer. Even to this day that is one movie I still cannot watch by myself.

Alternatively, if you’re simply looking to be grossed out, then grab my other all-time favourite, The Devil’s Rejects. Any of you who are regular readers of my blog know that this Rob Zombie-directed gore-o-rama gets a lot of praise from this girl. Why? Because if you can look past the content of this movie, there’s a lot of great acting, memorable lines and fantastic direction.

Because we all know I’m such a tease, I’ve included a clip of each.

Happy Hauntings…

The Shining (1980)

The Devil’s Rejects (2005)

Videoclips courtesy of YouTube

I know that by most peoples’ standards, yesterday’s post about Christmas was very premature. Before it’s time to don our jingle bells and down the rum and egg nog, the spookiest night of the year must first be braved.

Halloween is a time I cherished as a kid, and often dressed up as an angel. Typical, yes, but true to life as well. *wink*wink* As I’ve gotten older, the night has lost most of its novelty, but I’m attempting to get my terror-inducing mojo back. I’ve already planned out my costume for the 31st and locked in a few friends for plans. Today I flipped through the Vancouver Sun at lunch and was reminded of the PNE’s Fright Nights.

Fright Nights has returned from the dead and is haunting us for another year! We’ve expanded the horror, the terror, and the hair-raising rides that will leave you crying with fear. Goosebumps and chills will accompany you on your journey through new haunted houses and creepy attractions. Dare yourself and double-dare your friends to experience one of the scariest Halloween events in Vancouver! [Fright Nights website]

Becky and I have already decided that we’ll get our fill of frights next Friday, the 19th, so look for two lovely and luscious bloggers scampering around and kicking the really scary guys in the “shins” (as Becky likes to refer to which area she’ll be kicking). Fright Nights is not for the faint of heart, so don’t blame me for not warning you when you give birth to an eight-pound mud baby.

What: Fright Nights at the PNE
Where: Playland (2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia)
Who: Fright Nights is not recommended for children ages 12 and under, seniors over age 65, people with sensitivity to strobe lights, people with high blood pressure or pregnant women
When: October 12, 2007 - October 31, 2007, Nightly from 6:00p.m.-11:00p.m.
How Much: Sunday - Thursday, $20.00 per person or Friday - Saturday, $25.00 per person (discounted tickets can be purchased in advance at Lower Mainland Safeway, 7-11 and Shell locations)

For more information, visit the Fright Nights website.

…And You’re Running Out of Time

What did you have for dinner tonight? What was on the menu for breakfast and lunch? For most of us, turkey’s been on our plates at least once during the last 24 hours. Have you given much thought to where that turkey comes from? And further, have you considered where your vegetables were grown or the wheat from your bread harvested?

Photo courtesy of Port Alberni Farmers’ Market on Flickr

Last week I watched a story about something known as the 100-Mile Diet during the local evening news. Though I wasn’t paying close attention at the time, I understood that the idea behind the 100-Mile Diet is to only purchase food products that come from within 100 miles of your home. As my family gathered around the feast spread before us last night, my “uncle” Jim and I were discussing local produce, meat, dairy products and anything else edible. He said that it’s quite frightening because, all too often, we as a society are always in far too much of a rush to take a moment and consider what we’re consuming and what kind of treatment that product has gone through to reach our tables.

Photo courtesy of bchow on Flickr

Did you know that the average food product travels 1,500 miles before it hits the shelves at your local grocery store?

Alisa Smith and James McKinnon are two Vancouver-area authors based in Kitsilano who penned the book “The 100 Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating,” which was published in March, 2007. They’re quick to point out that, as British Columbians, we have a wealth of excellent, hearty and healthy food running the entire gamut of the Canada Food Guide at our fingertips. The book was based on their experience of a year-long experiment to eat only foods produced within 100 miles of their Vancouver home.

Photo courtesy of Natural Pastures Cheese Company

So why jump on the bandwagon? From the outset, yes, an endeavour such as the 100-Mile Diet will probably be a costly one because choosing to buy locally will most definitely ding your pocketbook a bit more than shopping the flyer sale at Safeway. But let’s look at some good reasons for doing so:

1. Buying locally will support both your local business owners and your community’s economy;

2. Every little bit makes a difference, and one person choosing to purchase only locally-made produce is one less meal that needs to be delivered over 1,500 miles (and thus you’re helping in part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions);

3. When you buy a jar of BeeMaid honey, for example, that honey is mass-produced and mass-marketed. It’s part of a business and the business is making money, not honey. Because local small business owners literally depend on their products with their livelihoods, much more care and concern is going to go into the product itself and into the quality being delivered to consumers - thus, it’s healthier for you; and

4. Shopping within 100 miles isn’t as difficult as you may think!

As I said, British Columbia is a hotbed for fantastic food, homebaked breads, creamy cheeses, divine wines and fresh produce. It’s true that purchasing all food products from local producers isn’t going to be realistic for everyone, but there are some things that you can do. Purchase your wines and beer from local vintners and breweries, visit a farm market on the weekend instead of stopping in at your local grocery store, or treat yourself and pick up some Vancouver Island-produced cheese. Not only is this doable, it’s fun and delicious too!

For ways in which you can join the 100-Mile club, so to speak, visit some of the following links:

100-Mile Diet
Seasonal British Columbia Produce
Local Food Directory

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If you haven’t done so already (like myself), you have less than a week to witness a slice of nautical history at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.

Running until Sunday, October 14th, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition bring over 250 artifacts recovered from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean in one of the greatest-known tragedies at sea. Aside from featuring items that offer a glimpse into life aboard the “unsinkable” ship, the museum has reconstructed corridors and cabins, is offering education stations and has brought the ship to life with actors in period costumes taking on the roles of some of her most famous passengers, including Molly Brown.

For you self-confessed “IMAX freaks” out there, the adjoined National Geographic IMAX Theatre takes you under the waves and onto the deck of the sunken vessel for a first-hand look with “Titanica.”

What: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition/Titanica at IMAX
Where: Royal BC Museum and National Geographic IMAX Theatre (675 Belleville Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Telephone: 250-356-7226)
When: Now through Sunday, October 14, 2007

For more information on prices, directions, hours of operation and other exhibits featured at the museum and at IMAX, visit the following websites:

Royal BC Museum
National Geographic IMAX Theatre

I’ll be hopping over to Victoria this coming Friday after work to check it out with my friend Antonio (who’s one of those self-confessed IMAX freaks), so look for me there!

Photo courtesy of the Royal BC Museum

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And lastly, unbeknownst to almost no one, Halloween is just around the corner and fast approaching in only 20 days. If you haven’t had a chance to even start about thinking about a costume yet, now is the time!

My friend Matthew has been running an online costume site for a couple years now, and you can easily find nearly anything you’re looking for on there, whether it’s an idea from scratch or the finishing accessory to your perfectly-planned secret disguise.

Sorry about this blatant plug, but his stuff is awesome. Head on over to Costume Cauldron if you haven’t already.

Photo courtesy of agoodveilsays on Flickr

It’s 7:18 a.m., and a little under five hours ago I finally went to bed. Since that time I’ve showered, packed and “slept enough to efficiently get me through the day.” I highly doubt that’s the case though - I can already feel a crash coming on.

Why the late night? Rob Zombie’s new vision for “Halloween” is being released in theatres today, but knowing how long I’d been anticipating the flick, Becky managed to score passes for a midnight showing at the Rio. As we entered the theatre, “Halloween’s” trademark score was pumping through the speakers as throngs of tattooed, dreadlocked and pierced people filed in. Wiping the grin off my face was a near impossibility. I got in line to grab us ladies some popcorn, and the man at the stand asked me if I’d been looking forward to this.

“Are you kidding me? For months!” was my reply. He told me he’d already seen it and that it was “very scary.”

Want to know what I think? It wasn’t scary. It wasn’t even the bloodbath I’d expected it to be.

The premise, in a nutshell, tells the story of Michael Myers, a 10-year-old boy with sinister inclinations who butchers members of his family on Halloween night. He’s then institutionalized and placed under the care of Dr. Samuel Loomis, only to escape 17 years later. What’s unique about the 2007 remake of the 1978 original is that this film largely focuses on Michael Myers’ childhood and time spent in the institution. It was, perhaps, the murderous scenes of Myers as a child that were more disturbing than the hell that fell when he escaped.

Truth be told, my expectations for this movie were very, very high. I feel almost ashamed to say that I actually have a critique about it. Rob Zombie is, in my opinion, a highly visionary director. I can’t pretend to know all the work that goes into directing, and though he captured some interesting shots, this movie lacked the usual stylization found in his freshman and sophomore efforts (being “House of 1000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects”). I also felt that “Halloween” lacked any decent script writing, the majority of lines cheesy in their delivery.

However, at the end of the day, I considered that perhaps Zombie was trying to recapture that tacky feel of the original slasher flicks of the 70s. This was, after all, a John Carpenter original. Malcolm McDowell, as always, was a delight to watch. What was perhaps most charming (if you can use such a word when discussing “Halloween”) for me was to see nearly every single cast member of “The Devil’s Rejects” show up in this film in one way or another. Most interesting was that the tables had been turned and those that were once debaucherous murderers are now helpless victims.

Photo courtesy of Alliance Atlantis (2007)

“Halloween” is playing at the Rio Theatre through to September 6th. The theatre is located at 1660 East Broadway (at Commercial) and shows flicks for a decent $8.00.

After many weeks of promise, August 28th has come and (almost) gone. This summer I got hooked on Denis Leary’s “Rescue Me” and burned through the first three seasons within two weeks - pun intended.

Miss604 and her husband have been watching the fourth season for a few weeks now online, but it was only tonight that it finally has its official premiere in Canada. Fast forward a few months from where the third season left off: Janet gave birth, but whether it’s Tommy’s baby or Johnny’s is yet to be seen; Colleen has taken up the pill, penises and peppermint schnaaps; Sean and Maggie have hit their first relationship plateau, while things are going seemingly just fine for Franco, Chief Reilly and Mike. This is one show that you can never watch with held breath because events tend to turn on a dime. Though tonight’s premiere didn’t hold much of the normally expected rush, there’s just something about seeing Denis Leary holding a baby that was frighteningly thrilling.

Photo courtesy of FX Networks
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Whether you’ve noticed or not, I did a little bit of reformatting with my blog. If you click the black and white photo of yours truly to the left, you’ll be directed to a new page containing my biography, as well as useless trivia designed to amuse.

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There’s been a great response to my recent post with regards to tattooing. If there is anyone out there that’s got a good hand at sketching and is interested in perhaps drawing something up for me, get in touch by e-mail and we’ll talk.

I know I promised something ridiculously ridiculous tonight but it’s time for bed. Oh! But before I do, I just remembered…it seems that the Rio Theatre is only playing “Hairspray” until this Thursday because at midnight that night, the maiden screening of “Halloween” will be underway. I can’t even begin to tell you how exciting this is for me! Be sure to tune in on Friday for a full review.

Last night, I forgot to mention something with regards to Hanson that is actually quite a bit more important than having the group write a song for me. The first single from this year’s record “The Walk” is called Great Divide. From the first listen, I fell hard for the song, but in particular for the sense of inspiration that the lyrics give. It wasn’t long after that I found out that the song was written and released to coincide with World AIDS Day. The three Hanson brothers have recently done extensive work with children in Africa, in particular those who have become orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic. Great Divide was their labour of love and tribute to those children and the work currently being done in Africa. Take a couple minutes to watch the video below.

Everytime someone downloads Great Divide off iTunes, the proceeds are donated directly to HIVSA (HIV South Africa). HIVSA is a non-profit organization created to support those infected with or affected by HIV. Click here to learn more about this organization, or visit iTunes to download Great Divide.

Video courtesy of YouTube.

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For those of you from Vancouver Island who are keeping up with the latest Comox Valley debate, it seems as though recent talks have hit a brick wall. The Strathcona Regional District, which encompasses a fair chunk of the North Island, is weighing out the pros and cons between revamping the hospitals currently located in Comox and Campbell River or simply building an entirely new and “centrally-located” facility.

Personally speaking, everyone has the right to fast and efficient healthcare. To place a hospital facility between the Comox Valley and Campbell River defeats both of those factors. In the event of any potential emergency, the trek to a regional hospital would be far too long. When lives are at stake for the sake of dollars, there is no choice except that lives are by far more important.

To learn more about the Comox Strathcona Hospital District, visit this link.

Photo of St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Comox courtesy of hospital’s official website.

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And lastly, before I sign off and head to bed at a ridiculously early hour, need I remind you of three things?

1. LA Ink is on tomorrow night…if you’ve been missing it, then you don’t know what you’re missing.

2. Season 4 of Rescue Me premieres tomorrow night in Canada on Showcase. I’m ready for Denis Leary. Very ready.

3. Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” is being released in theatres this Friday. In case you didn’t know, I’ve been highly anticipating this one. If anyone knows of a local midnight showing this Thursday, please let me know. I was counting on the Rio Theatre, but it seems as though they’re showcasing “Hairspray.” Note that I am not providing an external link to that flick for y’all.

I guess that’s it. It’s time to dive between the sheets with yet another chick flick. Last night I checked out “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (U.S. spelling) and found it beyond delightful. Stay tuned tomorrow for something ridiculously…ridiculous.

Love-love.