Read Rover: July 2009

Monday, July 27, 2009

How to use the Web for socially responsible shopping

While this blog typically consists of first hand reviews of books, music and other media, I want to promote an entry written by Josh Catone for Mashable: The Social Media Guide. In his article, Catone writes short reviews of nine Web Sites dedicated to promoting ethical consuming. It's a great intro to the topic and a very helpful guide to navigating the countless sites out there. Check out this link:
http://mashable.com/2009/07/26/ethical-shopping/2009/07/26/ethical-shopping/

Monday, July 13, 2009

March's (Not-So-)Infinite Playlist

This was my infinite running playlist for March but I've heard the songs too many times so I'm creating a new list. However, I still think this playlist is worth a listen so I'm archiving it as a blog post.

Image Credit: http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_02/adeleES1012_468x666.jpg

Beautiful U R - Deborah Cox. A feel good anthem about surviving changes to your life and finding the strength to forgive and move on.

Poker Face - Lady GaGa. Techno-infused, good beat. The lyrics leave a little something to be desired but for this type of music they're better than most. A real celebration of money and the whole culture of wealth (which is not my thing) but the song is good for running.

Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings. Quick pace, kicky lyrics. I like these kinds of "I have self esteem" songs. ha!

Hot N Cold - Katy Perry. Perry's voice reminds me of Alanis Morissette (don't believe me? listen to her latest). I feel like she could have a long career if she avoids falling into the pop tart trap and actually tries to move further with her music on her next album.

When I Grow Up - Pussycat Dolls. This group drives me bonkers sometimes because they are so cheezy and materialistic. That said, this is a very catchy song and makes for good workout material.

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyoncé. Great for dancing. It's kind of the ultimate revenge song but also kind of not. Why is she dedicating the entire song to someone she supposedly is over? Why even care if he's jealous? Isn't the opposite of love indifference?

My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson. I am a little conflicted about this one. I call this an "awful-good" workout song because I don't feel like Clarkson has any real artistic merit but her songs are always fast paced and light enough that they're great for running.

So What - Pink. Pink consistently puts out feel good, rocking songs that belie the pain from which the lyrics are generated.

Untouched - The Veronicas. LOVING this song. A great beat for running and something about that kind of obsessive love really gets me (even if I should know better)

Cross My Heart - Marianas Trench. So infectious you would never notice that it's actually a pretty sad song about someone who would almost efface themselves in order to just be with the other person.

A-Punk - Vampire Weekend. Another infectious tune. I have no idea what the lyrics mean but that makes this song even better somehow.

5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale. My newest favourite song. This album was overlooked when it was released but it's great. Highly recommend.

American Boy - Estelle. Catchy song. It'll stay caught in your head for days. A real ode to American consumerism.

Cold Shoulder - Adele. How much do I love Adele? She is old school and funky and has one crazy powerful set of pipes. Highly recommend.

Paper Planes - M.I.A. A cool and different sound. Is it unusual to hear the gangster lifestyle sung about by a woman?

How Do I Find Good Books?

http://ramp.torontopubliclibrary.ca/secondary/booksmore/one-content.jsp Ramp: Books & More - Toronto Public Library. Check out the books of the week for 2007. There are 52 books here with something for everyone. Also check out teen picks, graphic novels, magazines and audiobooks. Ramp is TPL's site for young adults and it's really well organized. There is a segment in the Stuff to Do section that tells you where to go in Toronto for free and there are links to a variety of useful pages, including the TTC schedule and movie times.
http://www.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/books_dvds_and_more/cat/C528/ Book Lists - Vancouver Public Library. The booklists are kind of confusing because the children's lists are mixed in with the Y. A. ones but don't let that put you off. Just read through the one sentence summaries and you'll quickly see that they have guides for selecting books in a variety of interesting areas, like GLBQT youth, First Nations, Historical Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, Multicultural Fiction and so on. The booklists are part of VPL's larger VPL Teens' Zone, so if you're local you might want to navigate through the rest of the site to see what they have to offer (check out the events!).

Magazines

http://www.fazeteen.com/main.htm. Faze. Faze is a Canadian teen magazine covering music, sports, careers and social issues. The covers make it look like your typical mindless fashion mag but Faze’s editors focus on showing people of different body types and writing about more than how to land a boyfriend. But for how long will this continue? While it started off proudly displaying a tiny, stylized maple leaf on its cover the editors have chosen to abandon the icon in favour of a more Americanized cover, which is kind of a shame. Why can't we ever be proud of our cultural heritage? I hope that Faze doesn’t bow to the pressure of fitting into one particular image in order to increase sales. Time will tell. That said the issues I read featured well written and informative articles on a variety of subjects. While there is a sizable section focused on beauty/make up/clothing, the models were of different races and ethnicities and appear to be real people (although none were overweight). The clothing is relatively affordable and available in Canada (Yay!) but sometimes only in big cities such as Toronto. I LOVED that one quiz I read was titled, “Test your Classic Literature IQ” rather than “Is He into You?” Awesome. The articles will appeal to both genders (ex. musician biographies, skateboarding tips) and the career profiles are a great way to get people thinking about what they want to do when they finish school, which is particularly important given the rocky state of today’s economy. All in all, there is a really positive vibe to this magazine and I would recommend it to teenage girls looking for something beyond the run-of-the-mill.
http://www.vergemagazine.ca/ Verge Magazine: Travel with Purpose. A magazine for people finishing high school who are considering volunteering, working, studying or travelling abroad. The Spring 2009 issue features a wide range of interesting articles on ecotourism, wildlife photography, Québecois youth working with Peruvian youth and a debate about whether tourism can actually benefit endangered animals and spaces. The magazine focuses on international development and even offers an award for people making a difference in this field. Verge’s website features a resource centre with links to programs like the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP) that could be very useful to anyone seriously considering spending time abroad. The founder of the magazine is from Waterloo, Ontario, and Verge publishes articles with both a Canadian and American perspective. Highly recommended for people ages 16-18 with an interest in either travel or international development.

Featured Films

Coraline. Adapted from Neil Gaiman's graphic novel of the same name, Coraline tells the story of a young girl who is dissatisfied with her own parents and yearning for something "other," some magical world where her parents and friends meet all of her desires. The movie may have been marketed as a children's or family film but it is clearly too dark for children and will be appreciated far more by older teens and adults. The graphics are lush and fantastical and seeing the movie in 3-D, which some theatres offered, was an intense experience where incredible flowers enveloped the viewer. But it is that same sense of falling deeply into another world that makes the movie so intensely frightening when it inevitably turns darker. For, as we all must come to learn, there is no world where all of our desires are met without a catch. We all must recognize that the sort of egocentricity that demands others bend to our will can ultimately be both self-destructive and damaging to the relationships we hold most dear. Will Coraline be able to reverse the agony she's caused by entering another world at night, one where her Other Mother and Other Father entertain all of her whims? Go see the movie and find out. And when you've finished, head to your local public library and pick up the graphic novel!