Today's puzzle is related to a long-standing institution in Montreal. Under Pressure is an international graffiti festival that has been showcasing the best and brightest in graffiti culture year after year.

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Welcome to this quick survey on childbirth (for everyone*)!

*(whether you are male, female, or otherwise, and whether or not you have any experience with childbirth, this survey is for you!)

It's just 9 short questions, so it should only take a minute.

The goal is to get an idea of how different people feel about the process of labour and giving birth.

The surveys are tailored to 3 different groups: females who have previously given birth, females who have not given birth, and non-females. To access the survey which is right for you, please click on one of the buttons below:

If you are biologically female and you have given birth, please

If you are biologically female and you have NOT given birth, please

If you are NOT biologically female, please

Thank you so much for your participation! =)

The Davied's, a family of four, immigrated to Montreal in 2009 from Wilksbury, Pennsylvania. Robyn works as a nurse in the JGH and Allan as an I.T. manager in an electronic company in downtown Montreal. Their combined gross income is $130,000. They enrolled their two children- Kyle 4; David 2 in a Monkland daycare.

The couple is in the market to buy a home. They face the challenge of buying a home similar to their Wilksbury one, but Montreal real estate is significantly more expensive. Whereas their 4-bedroom detached PA cottage on a 7000 sqf lot cost $169,000, such a home in the city of Montreal would be between 600,000 and 800,000, unless they decide to buy in the suburbs which would decrease the price by about $300,000.

Image source: Flickr

After a couple of months of searching, they narrowed their choice down to 4 properties:
1. A single family 5-bedroom cottage in Dollard. Asking price of $369,000
2. A 5 ½, 6 1/2 duplex in Cote des Neiges. Asking price of $495,000
3. A 3-bedroom condo in Monkland. Asking price of $420,000
4. A 3-bedroom preconstruction townhouse in Cote st. Luc. Asking price: $519,000/

Dollard:

The Laval home is very similar to their PA lifestyle, large living area, bedrooms, garden and room to grow. The price is within their budget, but the location is unattractive. A long drive to work and daycare and they only have one car. The technicalities of all the drop-off and pick-ups will present great challenges, aside from the fact that suburb homes have weaker resale values than homes in the city.

Should Allan and Robyn sacrifice a large home for every day convenience and resale purposes?

Cote Des Neiges:

The duplex requires renovation, but it is in a great location - near Robyn's work, near transportation, and close enough to daycare. Shopping malls are in proximity. They will also receive a rental income from the upper duplex and the area has a good resale value.

Should Allan and Robyn forgo their dream home, for resale value and quality of life?

Monkland:

The Condo is an attractive option for the couple. It is in close proximity to daycare, near transportation, close enough to work and near fabulous malls. The condo is brand new with the latest appliances. The area is young and vibrant, but they're not so keen on living in a building. Also the condo resale value is not as high as the duplex

Should Allan and Robyn sacrifice the privacy and growth potential a home offers for the convenience and beauty of a renovated condo?

Cote St. Luc:

The townhouse is a balance between a cottage and duplex. The design of the townhouse can be according to their specifications. The price is slightly over their budget and there is no income. Metro is not within walking distance. Also it's an older demographic - not so appealing for a young family. Do Allan Robyn sacrifice neighborhood and going beyond their budget for upscale living space?

Of course they will have to make compromises, evaluating what is most important to them. Is it location? Neighborhood? Resale value? Rental income? Proximity to work and daycare?

Find out. First test your basic knowledge on home-buying and journey with the Davied's on their house hunting experience. Which home do you think they chose?

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Welcome to this quick survey on childbirth (for everyone*)!

*(whether you are male, female, or otherwise, and whether or not you have any experience with childbirth, this survey is for you!)

It's just 9 short questions, so it should only take a minute.

The goal is to get an idea of how different people feel about the process of labour and giving birth.

The surveys are tailored to 3 different groups: females who have previously given birth, females who have not given birth, and non-females. To access the survey which is right for you, please click on one of the buttons below:

If you are biologically female and you have given birth, please

If you are biologically female and you have NOT given birth, please

If you are NOT biologically female, please

Thank you so much for your participation! =)

Check out the latest and biggest rock concerts in Montreal.

Rock concert.JPG (Photo credit: Udy)

The term "fashion blogger" or even just "blogger" is one that has blown up in the past decade. Blogging has gone from a fun internet hobby and procrastination tool to something that can be turned into a full-fledged career, if you're smart about it.

Street style blogs especially have become a crucial part of the fashion industry. Designers and industry insiders have realized the power of the personal style blog, and now successful bloggers can be seen front row of fashion week shows, along with celebrities and other powerful fashion elite.

The personal style blog is a great way of seeing how real people are wearing the latest trends. It's often way more inspiring to look at how real girls and guys are putting outfits together than to look at stock fashion editorial spreads.

Twenty-something Anik Lacasse-Richard is a Montreal-based style blogger, tackling two aspects of the fashion blogging scene - personal style blogging and street style blogging, in French and English. She lives and breathes the industry; when she's not working on her two blogs - Montreal In Style and Simplement Fashion - she manages the trendy Mile End boutique Unicorn.

She often photographs patrons in Unicorn whose style captures her eye, and intersperses that with her own outfits and style inspirations. Her blogs act as a cross between a mood board and a style diary. She has a keen eye and an attention to detail that has allowed her to become one of Montreal's top style bloggers.

When did you begin blogging?

I started Montreal In Style at the end of May 2009, almost three years now!

How would you describe your personal style?

I'm never good at describing my style! Feminine with an edge, a mix of high and low, I like to punch it up with my shoes.

Where are your favourite places to shop in Montreal?

Boutique Unicorn of course, but also Zara, H&M and Editorial.

Since you do a combination of personal style and street style blogging, what catches your eye when you're photographing other people?

I look for styles that are well put together, from head to toe. Something on trend, but not over the top trendy, that is worn effortlessly. And I always go with my fashion instinct!

What would you describe as the biggest trends in Montreal right now?

I think there are a lot of different styles going on in Montreal, which is really great, because that way we don't all look alike! Coloured denim is very in, and I'm sure we will be seeing a lot of it this spring!

What trends are you most excited for in the upcoming spring season?

I love the femininity and softness of pastels, which I wouldn't wear normally, but I'm excited to try to incorporate in my wardrobe.

Who are some of your celebrity style icons?

Definitely Alexa Chung and Diane Kruger, Kate Bosworth and Rachel Bilson. They all wear clothes with such easiness and coolness, it's inspiring.

What other fashion blogs do you read?

I follow a lot of personal style blogs, like Chicmuse, Fashion Squad, The Man Repeller and Style by Kling. I also love Because I'm Addicted, Garance Doré and Studded Hearts, to name a few!

The compact disc (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the light of journalistic integrity, I urge anyone with positive, negative, or balanced information regarding Bill C-10 to please post comments in the section below. You can even do so anonymously, as we will all soon be subject to the electronic monitoring and Exceptional power to search proposed under the new legislature.

If you have no knowledge of the laws presented in Bill C-10, and the consequences they will inevitably cause, I urge you to watch this short video:

Inform yourself as soon as you can.
The future of our county's social justice is at stake.
More to come.

One way to gauge a nation's progression toward gender equality is to analyze the historical fiction it has produced. According to Finke (1996), fiction is generally less politically coercive than government sanctioned media because authors generally focus on text as an art form rather than maintaining hegemonic agendas. There are, however, exceptions. While analyzing a series WWI and WWII posters, I discovered a female author named J. G. Sime, who, during WWI, was commissioned to use her vaguely feminist fiction to help coerce women who sought freedom from domestic servitude into serving the war effort instead. Her story was reprinted widely during the Second World War due to the effective nature of its propaganda.

Juxtaposing Sime's story with war posters demonstrates how the notion of gender equality was used to bait hundreds of thousands of women to join the war efforts. This paper describes common key elements in the posters that were supposed to have signified the empowerment of women. Further investigation reveals how phallic symbols and erotic innuendo subliminally convey the impending sexual liberation of woman workers, while serving to malign those who wished to maintain the new status once the wars had ended.

According to Arnheim (1969) the shape of a visual form is not limited by its physical dimensions but extend to the psychological forces that instruct the viewer on how to react through preconceptions to its status. For example, we know that the status of a photo is static, but that a film involves motion. We adjust our senses respectively to experience them because we are conditioned to their status. Similarly, as Nelson (2002) states, "socialization prepares persons for statuses they either now occupy or will occupy sometime in the future and for the roles attached to those statuses." He also   refutes the media's claims of being "our best friends and companions" (Nelson, 2002). The shape, or status of wartime posters makes people believe they are experiencing important and helpful truths (Jowett, Garth, and O'Donnell, 1999). The "unidirectional" mood and status of mass media inherent to wartime propaganda convinced "all the members of a demographic category" (Nelson, 2002) to rise to the occasion of improved social status, but did not tell them the status would be revoked. That type of bad form persists in the federal government to this day; Bill C-10 proposed to financially penalise films that openly disagreed with its public policy of anti-gay rights, for example.

Symbols, characters, objects, and even text are considered form. Rather than describing posters individually, this paper describes the key forms they share, thereby exposing their messages.

Image via Wikipedia

However, other posters make implicit suggestions about how women can best serve their countries. The question of satisfaction is implicitly sexual, and upon closer inspection of each poster, a pattern of phallic symbols and erotic innuendo emerges as the women are gripping or handling equipment in subtle yet sexually suggestive ways, which alludes to the idea that sexual liberation can be attained by taking matters into their own hands, so to speak. If men have the capacity to be "happy and satisfied" away from the company of women, then women should have this freedom as well by striving to become more like men. This is definitively illustrated in a poster that states: I Wish I Were A Man.

This "agency-transmitted" gender socialisation falls under the precepts of the "media outlet[...] determin[ing] the specific expectations and skills they wish to endorse." Although Nelson (2002) states that the consequence of this is either "mutually reinforcing or contradictory and conflicting," in this case, it is both; women did find a level of unprecedented liberation and status, though not all of them achieved this by becoming more like men, rather, by promoting the reality of feminist strength. It is the latter group, according to Woollacott (1994), who faced the well-documented and disastrous consequences of post-war vilification. Women who were reluctant to part with the liberation advertised were often labelled as loose and dangerous carriers of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Image via Wikipedia

Sime's story Munitions! (1917), was first published in the federally funded Saturday Night magazine which according to Keshen (1996) practiced hegemonic and biased dedication to wartime propaganda. The story's form is closely linked to the poster campaign; narrative is replaced with a manipulative form of social realism where nothing occurs except getting a job manufacturing munitions. Much like the figures in the posters, the main character, Bertha, is a blank slate - a flat, stock model with whom the average female reader was expected to sympathise and emulate. She is living a "half-dead life" (Sime, p.44) as an "excellent servant" in the "well-ordered house" of domestic servitude (Sime, p.38). Upon learning of the opportunities provided by the local munitions factory, she leaves her housekeeping job for a position at the factory which is "insistent and creative." Bertha labels those who choose to produce munitions as a means of achieving a "sense of freedom" as "self-respecting girls," while those who do not must forgo the possibility of being "extraordinarily happy" (Sime, p.33). Much like the posters, the story makes vague allusions to the sexual liberation of the "munitionettes" by hinting at, but never describing their "masculine" behaviour and the "unprecedented candour" that came "streaming out" on the bus-ride to the factory (Sime, p.40). Sime relies heavily on slogan-like platitudes of "[i]t's time we lived," and "...it's great out there" (Sime, p.42), while downplaying the "noise and discomfort and strain" of the work as a small price to pay for such "liberty" and "joy" and "relief" (Sime, p.43).

The story makes no mention of the copious women who became infertile or contracted debilitating illnesses from poison at the factories; who were killed or irreparably maimed in explosions of faulty munitions; who promptly lost their jobs and were relegated back to domestic servitude and second-class citizenship upon the men's return. Most women who tried to resist were quickly denigrated as unfit mothers, unworthy wives, and social rabble-rousers. Many of these feminists were institutionalised, because who but crazy women would want the jobs of men? The women who resisted this hegemonic duplicity have paved the way for true gender equality, yet it is writers like Sime who get touted as part of our literary heritage.

 References.

 Arnheim, R. (1969). Art and Visual Perception: The Psychology of the Creative Eye. Berkely, CA: The University of California Press. Print.

Finke, Ronald A (1996). "Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure : Consciousness and Cognition." 5.3: 381--393. Print.

Jowett, Garth, and O'Donnell. (1999). Propaganda and Persuasion. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Print.

Keshen, J. (1996) Propaganda and Censorship: During Canada's Great War. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press. Print.

Nelson, A. (2002). "Development and Socialization in Childhood and Adolescence." In Gender in Canada (2nd Edition). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. 112-160.

Sime, J. G. (1917) Sister Woman. Ottawa: Tecumseh Press. Print.

Woollacott, A. (1994) On Her their Lives Depend: Munitions Workers in the Great War. Berkeley: University of California Press. Print.

Many other posters were described than appear in this blog.

I do not claim to understand a life of crime, or what it would feel like to continue on once that life is over. Because my parents work with Prison Fellowship I've been able to hear the dark tales of a criminal life, and see the life that continues on afterward. During the interview you can hear my parents phone ringing, comments on my mother's cooking, and stories of how my parents helped DHN. I know one of the major rules of an interview is to remain unbiased, and I try to abide by this rule to the best of my ability; yet when the person you're interviewing talks about how he met your parents and the impact this had on him, it's difficult not to be personal. I apologize to any critic that may read this, professional or not, on the journalistic rules broken during this interview. All the same I'm not a journalist, I want the real story, and if the rules are broken so be it.

This is my own personal disclaimer, if I dare break another journalistic rule, and
it's not regarding the foul language, violence, sexual objectification or drug use talked about during the interview. This disclaimer regards the much more avoided topic of God, faith, and at one point the Holy Spirit. This was not put in to be disputed, debated or as propaganda, this was put in because it changed DHN from a man who would end your
life if you got in his way, to a man who wants to help the unfortunate; that's all. For those
who find it insulting that God could be aligned alongside such fowl language and behavior, all I have to say is it's hard walking a mile in criminal shoes without getting some shit on your heel, so have some grace and I hope you enjoy.

JD: Ya?

DHN: I hooked up with a crazy bitch. I gotta get rid of her.

JD: Hooked up with a crazy bitch? What's up?

DHN: It's like the song, "Crazy Bitch". Hahahaha. That's about it. I gotta get rid of this.

JD: Why are you so successful with women?

DHN: I don't know. I keep trying to dump her and she keeps coming back. She breaks into my house and she's there waiting for me and I'm like, "No way man". I can't help it. Than she died on Monday, literally.

JD: What?

DHN: She hit the floor, pulse stopped, and her breathing stopped.

JD: Jesus

DHN: I hit her in the chest, CPR stuff, and she came out of it. Than I nursed her-

JD: Is that drugs?

DHN: Um. More of a hydration . . . a rundown, she didn't get enough sleep right.

JD: She died because of lack of sleep?

DHN: And stopped to go to the bathroom and collapsed. Wham. And I went "Holy fuck".

JD: Ya, no shit man. So, where were we here. DHN: I can't remember where we ended up.

JD: I think you were . . . you were 27.

DHN: Okay . . .

JD: Ya. Okay I can just ask you some questions if you want?

DHN: K that will work. Ya.

JD: One of them is, how are you so successful with women?

DHN: I wouldn't call this one a success.

JD: Ya this one.

DHN: Cause I got a good sense of humor. I'm not a bad looking dude. You know what I mean?

JD: What about the bad boy angle?

DHN: That to, and I've got a bit wrench. Works every time. Hahahahaha.

JD: So would you say more handsomeness or badboyness?

DHN: Probably a little bit of . . . I got a good side to that they see. They see the good side of me. That . . . initially it's the bad boy, good look thing that gets it going. That attracts them. And then um - then I get to - start to care about them obviously and then um, it kind of changes than they see the other side of me. Than they get hooked on that, cause they got a big teddy bear. I'm very protective of them. I won't let any harm come to them. So they feel safe with me. When they're with me, I've been told they feel really safe, everyone I've been with. Cause I've never hit them. I never hit a women.

JD: Which is odd considering your childhood.

DHN: I just can't. I can't bring myself to hit a woman. It's just not proper.

JD: Seems like it's part of your code of honor.

DHN: Ya.

JD: What would your code of honor be?

DHN: You never - never screw away - Never screw over any of your friends, or friends of friends. Never do anything that would jeopardize that. You know what I mean. Have respect for people, initially - um - It's changed now, now I try to give everybody respect, even if they don't deserve it.

JD: Why did that change?

DHN: Cause I found God.

JD: Ya?

DHN: Ya. So now things are different like I don't crime anymore. I'm not involved with crime or anything cause I found God.

JD: When did you do that? DHN: Five years ago.

JD: Five years ago. That was in prison I guess?

DHN: Um . . . 2007, roughly. But I always believed in him, I just never . . . I don't know, I never really took that on. So now it's different, so now I can't go do crime. Cause I can't . . . I just won't do it. I'll suffer through whatever, you know, hardships, and I know cause I have faith he will take care of me, and things will be taken care of. Roof over my head will be paid for. The food in the fridge will come. And the money will come. So now I live more on faith than I do self, I don't rely on me as much as I used to.

JD: Holy cow dude.

DHN: Now I rely on God. It's like ,"Okay, I know I got this and this and this and this coming up, and I have faith in you". Like I just landed a 72 hundred dollar quote, I got another 38 dollar quote, I got 12 second cups, (inaudible) and that's all personal.

JD: Wow

DHN: For me.

JD: That's -

DHN: That's my own payout. Than I got cooper stuff, and I work for another guy. Now we're getting ready to jump out of the one company and go to another company and start 30 bucks an hour. So that's good.

JD: That's very good.

DHN: You know that's like . . . 'bout 70 000 a year. JD: That's incredible dude.

DHN: That's good. You can live on it. Hahahaha

JD: Ya, you can live on that. Plus, you know, it's all legit.

DHN: . . . well, you know where it's coming from. It's coming from God, right. So, I haven't been tithing, I have to start doing that, and then get back the relationship. Cause I've been letting it slide, right. It's - I notice that things are starting to go to shit, cause I'm not - I haven't been paying enough attention.

JD: How are things going to shit?

DHN: I've just got to focus more -

JD: Like with the girl and all of that?

DHN: My anger. Garbage. Habits. Like, it's hard to turn around. I'm reading the bible more, praying more. You know, and stuff like that.

JD: Ya.

DHN: But than I'm hooked up with this crazy bitch.

JD: Ya

DHN: So that's - I don't think he likes that too much aye? Hahahahaha.

JD: I don't think so. No, not at all. It's - How do you feel about your-

DHN: (incomprehensible)

JD: . . . How do you feel about your mother today?
(pause)

JD: How do you feel about your mom today?

DHN: Well, she's my mom. I love her, right. And I forgive her. For all . . . it wasn't her fault she was probably raised up all fucked up to, right. And that in turn gets passed on from generation to generation. It's like a generation curse type of thing, right. And, you've got to break that chain. So I hope I've broken it. Well I don't have any kids. I didn't raise any kids up so, I won't know till I raise a kid. Maybe I'll never raise a kid. I don't know. (pause) I doubt it, I'm 46, kind of late now. The kid will be 14 and I'll be 60.

JD: Ya

DHN: You know it just doesn't add up, right. So . . . fuck it. Hahahahaha. (pause)

JD: Do you believe you became a better man than your parents intended?

DHN: Um, I don't think I'm living up to my potential right now. I'm fucking around. I've been using a little bit of dope now and then.

JD: Ya, how is that?

DHN: I just gotta stop, right.

JD: Ya, you've struggled with dope for a while.

DHN: Ya, it's not a steady thing, but it does screw you up no matter how much. Like when it's - even if it's not a consistent thing, it still screws you up. Right?

JD: Ya.

DHN: So I need to put that away. I'm planning on going to meetings everyday. You know, church or meetings. Everyday. Seven days a week . . .

JD: Ya well, it's hard to give up man -

DHN: and then I'll be okay. That's the plan. And get rid of this crazy bitch. Especially if you've got a crazy bitch coming over and throwing it on the table, (impersonating her) "Hey honey, here" (impersonating his lack of words in the situation) "errrrrrrrr" Hahahahah.

JD: shit.

DHN: Than she disrobes and I'm like, "I'm in" Hahahaha. (pause). She's had it rough too, but I can't help her. I got to get out of this. She'll killing me bro.

JD: Ya sounds like it.

DHN: I even went to church with her today and we had a talk I said, "Listen, you do this again. Beat it." And then she's, "I'll be here when you get back." I had to do a service call, right. I come back. She's gone. I'm like, "oh fuck". So I can't live like that.

JD: No man.

DHN: I've got to pack it in and tell her to go. Just out of self respect I've got to tell her to go.

JD: So -

DHN: Than she's like, "Well, if we're not together this way can we just be fuck friends?" Hahahaha. "I'll just come by and get your . . . you know, once in a while, is that okay?" I'm like, "Damn". Cause she's like hmmm hmmm (uses hands to show size of breasts, than rubs hands together), it's hard to say no. Hahahahaha.

JD: So are you going to do that?

DHN: Um . . . I don't think I should have anything to do with her. I think I should just write her off. That's . . . yep.

JD: That sounds smart.

DHN: It's going to be hard cause she's starting to get a little better. But, I don't know . . .

I can't do it. I've got to get the fuck away. (pause) And I like her mom, her mom's awesome, she's a really good Christian lady. And I'm going to, what was it, recovery meetings with her as well. It was a new thing I joined, and they do spinal alignment, and it's a life recovery groups. It's like a neighborhood, all the people just gather. It's like an AA meeting only not, it deals with mental disabilities, physical disabilities, as well as addiction.

JD: Cool

DHN: It's well founded and cool. And they actually - going to - trying to irradiate homelessness as well so I'm like, "Holy shit. Okay. I guess I belong here."

JD: Ya

DHN: So I've stayed with that.

JD: So we talked a little about how you struggled with drugs.

DHN: About what?

JD: When you started drugs.

DHN: Ya.

JD: Ya.

DHN: Oh awesome. Thank you. (plate drops in front of DHN). Oh boy am I getting fed good. Thank you lord. Hahahaha. Oh man, your mom and can cook awesome I tell ya. JD: I know man. I know. So, when did it get to be a really bad problem, the drugs? When did you realize that?

DHN: Well at first you use it as a - it's like a tool at first cause I was so insecure as a kid. I was actually terrified of women. I couldn't even talk to them till I started drinking at 12
. . . 13.

JD: Ya.

DHN: Liquid courage.

JD: Than you moved out at 15 so that helped a lot.

DHN: And then I . . . ya. And then I got to sleeping with them and I'm like, "Fuck ya this is great." Than I no longer had a fear of women. That's how that started. I'm not scared of them.

JD: Do you think you were scared of women cause of you ma?

DHN: . . . Pardon?

JD: Do you think you were -

DHN: No not anymore, but I used to be terrified of them.

JD: Do you think it was cause of your mom though?

DHN: Oh ya.

JD: Afraid they were going to try to stab you?

DHN: Ya, you never know. (pause) And the fear of being physically, not just physically, but emotionally abused and all that shit. Cause it wasn't just physical, it was emotional it was . . . the whole spectrum.

JD: Ya

DHN: If you heard the way we conversed back and forth it was disgusting. No son and fa- mother should speak to one another in that text. And ah . . . I still have that in me. If I'm hooked up with a girl and I care about her, and she inflicts pain on me, I can lash out like a rapier tongue. I can inflict pain on her just by talking to her. And it's kind of - it's a bad thing. A character defect I'm trying to work on. I have to take all this shit on and start counseling and everything else. But . . . fuck. It'll ruin my whole fucking life. Anyway -

JD: What?

DHN: It will ruin my whole life basically. That shit. But whatever, I'm still here. I'm still alive. I'm still ready to take out whoever comes my way. Hahahaha

JD: Ya man, and you're doing well.

DHN: I've got to try, instead of thinking of me, like I said, just focus on God. And I feel that if I focused on God and make it all about him, than everything will work.

JD: Not a bad plan.

DHN: It's the only way to go. I can't do it alone. So, I've got to give it to him. (lifting his arms) Here, it's all yours man.

JD: Ya.

DHN: Cause I'm at a pivotal point right now, I've just gotta - It could turn right bad, like right now, or it could be really good. It's one of those pivotal things in your life, and you have to go the right way or you're fucked. So that's what I'm trying to do.

JD: Like with the drugs?

DHN: Booze too I'm pretty bad. Well I drank a fucking 30 beers and a half of a 2/6 of gibsons in one night.

JD: Jesus

DHN: All in a span of 5 hours. I still walked and talked and made it to work the next day. Hahahaha. I don't know how I was still tanked in the morning. And all that drinking and shit is not cool. So, I'm shutting the shit show down.

JD: Why do you do it? DHN: Hmm?

JD: Why do you do it?

DHN: I don't know. Habit. JD: Just a habit?

DHN: Just a force of habit. It's just somewhere where I feel - it's weird, sometimes I'll be bored and I'll go get drunk. You know, I'll go to the bar. It's kind of cool, I'll go to the bar and I know which bar to go to and I got 2 or 3 girls hitting on me as soon as I
walk through the door and I'm like, "Hey (pats his chest) still got it." Hahahaha. Kind of cool.

JD: Do you think it's a -

DHN: It's socially acceptable you know. Whatever.

JD: And it's a lot of boredom right? Boredom's hard. Especially with the life that you led.

DHN: And loneliness too. Cause I don't really have a significant other in my life. This one here, whatever, she's a piece of ass. Period. A good one, but still not worth the headaches. Cause I kind of fell for her, and that's not good. And she fell for me but . . . whatever. She's too fucked up. So I got to get rid of her . . . or die.

JD: Or die. I'm sure you've seen a lot of that with drugs.

DHN: Oh ya I've seen a lot. My best friend died in my arms.

JD: Tell me about that.

DHN: We were friends from the age of ah . . . 14, so in like 1980. We became friends in 1980, and we stayed friends right through until it was about '96, and he died. I went to a party he was at and I went and got some heroin and I looked at him, he was drinking, so I go, "Okay". So I mix them up, we were banging it, so I turn around, and I did my half at that point and I go, "Okay, only do half of what is there. Wait ten minutes. And if you're not where you want to be do the other half. But if you do it all at once and it's too much you're dead." And he didn't listen. I went to take a piss, came back and his lips were blue and he was dead. And . . . fuck . . . it was bad. (pause) So that's shit. And I've had a lot of my friends - there was ten of us growing up, there are only two left, the rest of all died from ODs, stabbed, shot violently. It's all been violence or drugs for all of us because of the lifestyle we had. There is only me and one guy left alive, the rest are all dead.

JD: When did you get out? DHN: What do you mean?

JD: When did you decide to get out of the violence and the drugs?

DHN: Um . . . that happened in probably 2006 or '07, ya about 2007. Your mom and dad came, I was in jail, and they came to the jail. When they got in there it was different, it wasn't the normal thing, they were actually trying to converse instead of preach. And I kind of looked at your dad - I looked at your dad and was like, "Man, that guy looks pretty peaceful and content. I want what he's got." So the only way to get it is through God so I started pursuing God, and here's the result. I've got a good job, and I've got a bright future ahead if I aim the right way, like I said, and follow God I know that I'll have everything I need in life. Everything will be provided. That's all I got to do.

JD: Do you miss it? (life of crime)

DHN: Sometimes.

JD: Do you miss the rush?

DHN: Ya. Ya, sometimes, and the power, you know I had a lot of power at one time. I could make a phone call and have your house blown up. Someone would pull up and blow your house up or shoot you or whatever. Or I'd shoot ya, pull out a gun "fuck you" (impersonates gun) bump. Shit like that. I was carrying around mags, mac 10's, .9 mm's, .32 brownings semi-automatics, hand grenades, plastic explosives, rocket launchers. I could get anything I wanted. Get on the phone, "I need this" okay (impersonating a explosion) beeeeewwwww, Yeeha. Hahahaha. That's a rush. I felt like Al Capone or some shit. Then people feared me because of it. It wasn't really respect; it was just straight up fear because of the backup I had. I could make one call and they would vanish. Shit like that. Walking away from that was hard; I did it because I was public property. When you're involved with that kind of shit, organized crime, you become public property. You're under surveillance basically 24/7 by the cops. There's a squad - they had a 52 man squad on me for two years.

JD: Ya we talked about that.

DHN: And that sucks man. They know how many pieces of toilet paper you use to wipe your ass. It's no good. Hahahahaha. So I gave up that, but I still dabbled. I did this and that. Armed robberies and bla bla bla, but I just don't want to go there anymore. It's done.

JD: You want to be content?

DHN: Ya, I just want to be happy, content and that's it. I don't want the world I want what I need. Needs met, that's all I need. That's where I'm at.

JD: Do you think that's why it's hard to give up the drugs, cause you missing the rush?

DHN: Um . . . I don't know what it is with that. It's like I think about it and it disgusts me, and then another time I think about it and you know - when you're with a chick it's different to . . . it's fun. Hahahahaha. That's a rush. Ohhh baby. Hahahaha. Anyways, I've got to stop doing that. But ya it's - ya - I've got to cut it out. I know that. But ya - I think it's partly to do with the rush, the lifestyle, you know shit like that. But it's time to put that to bed and move on. Like I said I'm at a pivotal point now and I want to get involved in the same stuff your mom and dad do. I want to give back in there (pointing insinuating the prison), and try to help people in there so they see they don't have to be there. They can change. I did it. They can do it if I did it. If I can do it anybody can. So that's where I want to go with that, eventually.

JD: Eventually

DHN: Ya in my heart I'm ready, but I'm not ready yet. You know what I mean? I still have to take care of me a little bit more before I can actually commit to something like that. I've got to work on myself, and get all with recovery and like I said focus on God. I figure if I do that for a year, I'm not going to put a time frame on it, it could happen in a month where everything is all cool and I'm ready to roll. I don't know, depends on how fast he wants it to happen. That's not up to me, that's up to him. I put it in his ballpark so lets see what happens. It's his time not mine.

JD: Do you still see your folks?

DHN: I talk to them on the phone regularly. I visited them this summer. There were supposed to - they are supposed to come to (edited out) this summer. So I got to put in the futon so they can sleep in the house. I'll give them the bedroom. I got a new bed, king size I just picked up. I call it my playground cause it's so frickin' big. If you're with a chick and you roll them around, yeeha, you don't run out of space. Hahahahaha. It's fun. That's another thing I need to work on - I guess - I don't know. What the hell, I like sex, so what there is nothing wrong with that. It's all good.

JD: I'm just wondering about the relationship with your parents now considering what happening. Cause you went through a high level of cruelty.

DHN: Ya, I describe it to councilors and they told me it is nothing short of a horror story. I was also told it would take 20 years of counseling to get over it. And I don't believe that. I think if I can put it to God he can - it's almost gone, I've got a couple more things to deal with, but that part of it - I can feel the healing now cause I addressed another part of it. It just came up cause of this girl. She stirred shit up then boom. Shit flew out that I didn't know was there. I hit a guy in the head with a pair of channel locks and almost killed him, and shit like that. This was in a fit of rage and I was straight as a pin, I wasn't drinking or doing drugs. I black out when I get angry, so I need to address that cause that scares me. I'm going to end up dead or in jail. I don't want to go there so - I didn't know it was there until now. I thought I just got finished sorting that out. I had no clue it was there. I thought I dealt with this shit. It turns out I didn't deal with it so now I have to address it, and I am addressing it. I'm praying over it everyday. I can feel that change occurring inside. So I think it's being resolved, but he's doing it. That's kind of cool.

JD: That is very cool.

DHN: Fucking aye. You just got to have faith and then everything works.

JD: Is that what gives you joy?

DHN: Ya. Big time. Sometimes I get drunk off that.

JD: Really.

DHN: It's awesome man. I get this (mimes explosion) than I'll be driving down the street going, "holy shit" and I've got to pull over. I feel like I'm drunk but I'm not, it's just the Holy Spirit and that shit. Man, what a rush. That's better than any dope I've ever done. I'll tell you.

JD: Really.

DHN: So if I could have that constantly every day I'm cool with that. Just keep it coming. Hahahahaha.

JD: That's cool man.

DHN: I've gotten all of this for a reason. You know - I can actually feel people's feelings inside. You know, I can actually feel what they do. It's supposed to be some spiritual gift or something. I don't want to call it a gift or a curse, I don't know but anyway. Not everyone but I can pick up on some people. If I'm talking to them I can actually pick up what's in their heart and it's really - sometimes it's scary, sometimes it's not but . . . it's a gift. So I'm supposed to help people out I think cause that's part of it. I don't know.

JD: That's cool man.

DHN: Ya, so I want to do what he wants me to do. Instead of doing what I want to do cause if I do what I want to do I just end up in shit. So I'll do what he wants and I won't end up in shit anymore. I'll up a destitute with no food in the fridge and . . . fuck it. Whatever. Heart ache cause of stupid bitch. Actually, I don't feel any heart ache. I was kind of depressed till I got here and I'm okay now. I feel better.

Shaun was part of what is known as inclusive education, in which students with special educational needs are included in regular classrooms if at all feasible. The recent trend in Canada has been to practice inclusion to the greatest extent possible, and while education is a provincial jurisdiction, all the provinces have the same commitment to inclusive education (O'Donnell 130). The push for inclusive education began in the 1980s, and "in Canada, this push for reform was supported by the equality provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which came into force in 1985. Since then the push for...inclusion has become an on-going element of educational politics in Canada" (Porter).

However, inclusive education is a controversial issue: some people believe inclusion is the best approach to education, both for special needs students and for society as a whole, while others believe that all students are best served when special needs students have separate classrooms. Nevertheless, inclusion is more and more the way that education is being carried out in Canada, and anything that concerns elementary and secondary education concerns everyone in society, because "children are our future," as the late great Whitney Houston reminded us.

Types and Rate of Disabilities in Canada

In a recent North American study, schools reported that 10-12% of students have some kind of disability (Jordan). The Quebec Ministry of Education classifies special needs students in three categories: handicaps, social maladjustments and learning disabilities. (Shaun has social maladjustments but not handicaps or learning disabilities.) Listed below are the disabilities as classified by Statistics Canada, including the percentage of disabled students who have those particular conditions. (The percentages add up to more than 100% because some disabled students have more than one disability.)

65% learning disabilities such as attention problems, hyperactivity and dyslexia
32% psychological, emotional or behavioural conditions
30% developmental disorders such as autism or Down syndrome

There are also sight, hearing, speech, mobility and dexterity conditions, as well as chronic conditions such as asthma, severe allergies, heart condition, cancer, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, etc. If the chronic conditions do not cause activity limitations, they are not considered disabilities when planning services for disabled students (PALS).

Levels of Inclusion

The following list comprises the different levels of inclusion for students with special needs. Only the first two qualify as inclusive education:

1. Full inclusion with in-class support - The student is with the regular class all the time, and the in-class support is provided by the regular classroom teacher or teaching assistants, and sometimes by specially trained professionals.
2. Partial inclusion with pull-out programs - The student is usually with the regular class, but they are sometimes taken out of class and given special support, either individually or in small groups
3. Self-contained classrooms comprised of students who all have special needs
4. Special day schools where the entire school is comprised of students with special needs
5. Residential schools where the students' needs are severe enough to require round-the-clock support
6. Hospitals or home care

In the case of the latter two points, inclusive education is not feasible. The debate concerning inclusion pertains to the first four points: should students with special needs be included in regular classrooms or in separate classrooms or schools, and if they are included in regular classrooms, should they be included all the time or just part of the time? (If students are violent, they are not considered to be acceptable candidates for inclusive education) (O'Donnell 132).

Individualized Education Plans

In Canada, whether special needs students are included in regular classrooms or not, all of them are given an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) created uniquely for them. The IEP is determined at the beginning of each school year by a team consisting of the parents, the child's teachers, the school psychologist and a special education consultant. The IEP includes

- measurable goals for the year
- a specific plan for achieving those goals
- the support that the child is supposed to receive
- the degree (if any) of inclusion in the regular classroom

The IEP also states whether the curriculum will be modified for the student. If the student does the same work as the regular students but simply receives extra support in doing it, they will receive a regular high school diploma; if the work is modified, they will receive a different diploma (O'Donnell 132).

Inclusion in Quebec

Inclusive education is tied in with progressive education. Progressive education is used in Quebec's Education Reform, which was created in 1997 and implemented beginning in 2001. Progressive education is an approach to education which focuses on group work, problem solving, hands-on learning, critical thinking and development of social skills. Quebec's Reform did not directly address the issue of special needs students; therefore, in 1999 the Ministry of Education published a plan of action for special education, which focused on the inclusion of special needs students in regular classrooms. In a progressive and inclusive school environment, "everyone is exposed to a 'rich set of activities,' and each student does what he or she can do, or what he or she wishes to do and learns whatever comes from that experience" ("Inclusion").

At the elementary level in Quebec, inclusive education is implemented as much as it is deemed possible. At the secondary level, regular students and most special needs students are streamed into regular and advanced levels in the three core subjects, English, French and math. (For the non-core subjects, there is no streaming.) Shaun was able to go in advanced courses because his disability does not affect his cognitive functioning, and any issues related to social interactions were minor. However, most special needs students in inclusive environments go into the regular stream, because even if they have high cognitive functioning, if they have attention or behavioural problems, those will affect their learning and will already have affected their academic level by the time they get to high school.

At some schools there are one or more other alternatives for special needs students: at the school where I teach there are two special classes for students with behaviour and attention problems who are doing either regular or modified work, depending on the student; two classes of work-oriented students who are doing modified work and have supervised work placements outside the school; and two classes with students who have extensive intellectual challenges. All of these classes have a very small number of students in them.

Advantages of Inclusive Education

Proponents of inclusive education see many benefits to the practice. The first major argument in favour of it is that if special needs students are not included in regular classrooms, that "reduces the disabled students' social importance," because "society accords disabled people less human dignity when they are less visible in general education classrooms" ("Inclusion").

The second major argument in favour of inclusive education is that everyone benefits when special needs students are included in regular classrooms. The disabled students themselves benefit: for example, one study showed that students with intellectual challenges learn more in inclusive classrooms than in segregated classrooms or schools, and their social skills improve as well. Also, schools feel like welcoming places for all students. In addition, proponents of inclusion assert that regular students develop "a heightened sensitivity to the challenges that others face, increased empathy and compassion, and improved leadership skills ("Inclusion").

Disadvantages of Inclusive Education

Critics of inclusive education say that there is a downside to the practice, both for the special needs students and for regular students. Many educators, administrators and parents have reservations about it. Most of the concerns are not with inclusion in principle but in the way it is put into practice.

One issue is that many special needs students need individualized instruction, so often the regular teacher is teaching at the front of the class while the special needs educator is teaching special needs students at the back of the room, and that is not true inclusion, therefore the inclusion has not achieved its objective.

As well, some special needs students require highly controlled environments. Shaun was able to function acceptably in a regular classroom, but students who have attention problems or sensory processing disorders may find a regular classroom too chaotic to function sufficiently well, especially where progressive education methods are used. That can affect the students' academic progress and could also result in behaviour issues which could hinder the regular students as well ("Inclusion").

When implemented properly, inclusion should not cost less than when special needs students have their own classrooms, because the special education professionals are supposed to move into the regular classrooms along with the special needs students, and there are also supposed to be a sufficient number of attendants to assist them ("Inclusion"). However, the reality is that often that is not the case, and special needs students are frequently left in the regular class with no extra support. I have worked at several different schools, and they have all been seriously lacking special education professionals and attendants because there is simply no budget for it.

As a result, it is frequently left to the regular teacher to try to meet the needs of both the special needs students and the rest of the class. Unfortunately, when the teacher is spending time on the special needs students, that time is taken away from the class as a whole, which therefore hinders their learning, and if the teacher does not spend that time with the special needs students, those students will not be making the progress that they could be making and it could also lead to behaviour disruptions which have an impact on the entire class. (Even if an attendant or special education professional is in the classroom, there are still often behaviour issues, particularly since they usually have a number of students to take care of.) There is also a concern that teachers are not adequately trained how to deal with the problems that special needs students sometimes manifest, nor how to adapt their lessons to effectively integrate them. As well, the wide range of abilities in the class means that students on both ends of the scale are sometimes going to be left short: the higher ability students may not be challenged enough, and the work may be too difficult for special needs students ("Pros and Cons").

Advocates for inclusive education acknowledge those points but nevertheless maintain that "even if typical students are harmed academically by the full inclusion of certain special needs students,...[that] is always less important than the social harm caused by making people with disabilities less visible in society" ("Inclusion").

Some people, however, do not agree that special needs students should be exposed to regular students in this way, because not only do some of them fail to make the academic progress that they could be making, they can also be harmed socially and emotionally by the experience. Special needs students are sometimes embarrassed by their limitations and the adaptations that those limitations require. One student that I had would act out and make it seem as though he was just a troublemaker in order to hide the fact that he was behind academically because he had had cancer and did not want anyone to know about it (yet he was kept at grade level, ostensibly to protect his self-esteem). To compound the problem, I was not informed about it until a couple of months into the school year due to a communication error. (Everyone is stretched to the limit in the public school system.). As well, even if regular students are sensitized to special needs students, they could still be made fun of; therefore, some people believe that they should be protected from that in their own classrooms.

Conclusion

Society has come a long way since the days when special needs students were segregated in separate schools or simply fell through the cracks. Julie Hobbs of Education Canada draws a striking contrast between the former way of approaching special needs education and contemporary success stories of the beneficial effects of inclusion when it is done right.

The concerns that people have about inclusion are generally not philosophical but practical: many who are involved with special needs students feel that society is rushing too fast to follow the inclusion trend, because the long-term outcome of these kinds of educational decisions will not be seen clearly for many years.

As well, the decision to implement inclusive education may be based on presumed budgetary savings. "High rates of education are essential for countries to be able to achieve high levels of economic growth" ("Education"); however, when it comes to investing money in it, education is not usually society's primary concern.

In addition, many feel that not enough consideration is being given to whether inclusion is the best option for each individual student, and not enough effort is being made to ensure that adequate supports are in place to increase the chances of the success of the inclusion. When implemented prudently, inclusive education is probably a great idea for society - but the net should not be spread too wide, and it should be reinforced!

Photo credits: Flickr (students, fish net)

Bibliography

"Adapting Our Schools to the Needs of All Students, Policy on Special Education." Ministère de l'Éducation, 1999. Web.

"Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health, n.d. Web.

Branswell, Brenda. "Advocacy: 'School can be gruelling for someone like me' Teen Tells Peers." www.aspie-editorial.com. The Montreal Gazette 13 April 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

"Conditions for Greater Success." Éducation, Loisirs et Sports Québec.Web. 3 March 2012.

Hobbs, Julie. "Inclusive Education: Lessons from Quebec's English Sector." Education Canada 52.1. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Houston, Whitney (perf.). "The Greatest Love of All." Whitney Houston. Arista, 14 March 1986. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Inclusive Education Canada. Web. 15 Jan. 2012.

"Inclusion: The Pros and Cons." The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) 4.3. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Jordan, Anne. Introduction to Inclusive Education. Mississauga, ON: John Wiley & Sons Canada, 2007. Print.

O'Donnell, Angela M., et al. Educational Psychology: Reflection for Action, Canadian Edition. Mississauga, ON: John Wiley & Sons Canada, 2008. Print.

"Participation and Activity Levels Survey (PALS)." Statistics Canada: 3 Dec. 2007. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Porter, Gordon L. "Making Canadian Schools Inclusive: A Call to Action." Canadian Education Association: 48.2 (2008): 62-66. Web.

"Teen with Asperger's speaks about stigma, struggle." CTV Montreal: 24 April 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Wikipedia contributors. "Education." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Feb. 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2012.

Wikipedia contributors. "Inclusion (education)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

Wikipedia contributors. "Progressive education." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 Feb. 2012.

The reviews in this publication all take place on Monday, February 20th, 2011.
I spent the day From 9 a.m. to midnight, shopping and interviewing family or community run businesses on Sherbrooke Street Ouest in NDG.

The idea to review local businesses came from my City Councillor who, during an interview about saving the Empress Cultural Centre, mentioned that stimulating the local economy by revitalizing Sherbrooke from Decarie to Cavendish with community projects and small businesses would capture the attention of developers.

There are many vacant sites, and many small businesses calling it quits along this strip. High rents and lack of foot traffic are culprits. Huge chains like Bureau en Gross and Dollormania are also messing with our neighbourhood's Eco-system. Who buys a $15.00 porcelain vase at the corner flower shop when they can get one for 2 bucks at Dollarmania? It doesn't matter that it's toxic with lead and will crack or melt within a few months, and that these disposable product stores are strangling our oceans with plastic. It's just so cheap to buy more.

The endangered breed of family and community businesses should be preserved.
But no, I don't mean at any cost. Being a businessman myself, I bargain hunt and demand extra value for my coin. Getting shortchanged or taken for a ride by any size business is a damnable offense. My consumer mandate is simple: I want to spend as little money as possible for the best, most sustainable, equitable products or services, period.

Enough preamble. I have a lot of shopping to do today. Off to bring Rowan, my 2 year old son, to the NDG Daycare.

The NDG Daycare, 3471 Girouard just off Sherbrooke Street Ouest.

My wife and I love this place, and we adore the childcare workers. Our 2 year old son asks to be brought there in the morning, and he's never in much of a rush to leave the daycare when we pick him up.

The NDG Daycare isn't one of those academic institutions for toddlers that parents are convinced will transform their drooling infants into little geniuses. The highly-qualified staff of sweethearts does plenty of enriching indoor and outdoor activities, and takes great care to balance physical play with art, song, reading, and naps.

Their daily home cooked meals permeate the two-story house with such mouth-watering multi-cultural aromas that parents linger in the morning just to take a peek in the kitchen. You'll feel warm and welcome in the home-like atmosphere that fosters friendship, cooperation, and respect over rules and rigid curricula. Best of all, they have tremendous love for the kids, and it shows in everything they do.

With the baby safely tucked away, I head off to try a new breakfast spot.

Café * Bistro MATE LATTE
5837 Sherbrooke St. Ouest (Close to Melrose)

They've only been open for about 3 weeks, so it's a bit early to give a definitive review. There's no regular menu as of yet as the ladies in charge are still sussing out the hood's cravings. I'm served by Andrea Senchey, an easy on the eye veteran in the service industry who owns the café bistro with her charming mum Susana, and with Susana's husband. They're a bit hesitant to be filmed this early in the game, but allow me to take pictures of the bistro. You can see some of them here:

Andrea suggests a breakfast, but only after I order my obligatory double espresso long; I blacklist any place that gets it wrong. The coffee, though not as strong as I make at home (but to be fair, I'm a maniac), is a creamy and satisfying roast. Nice start served with a smile. Plus, she delivers my utensils and napkin in a beer mug. Cool.

The bistro is loosely divided into three sections. As soon as you walk in there's a bar along the window facing out onto Sherbrooke that seems perfect for a quick pastry/newspaper breakfast. A few tables face the open kitchen and glass showcase displaying freshly baked goods. You can watch the food being prepared from the dining area. The owners are friendly with the regular crowd, and pleasantly sassy too. While waiting for the food, my pen ran out of ink. I tell Andrea I have to leave but will be back in a minute. Even though we've never met before, without missing a beat, and with subtle irony she replies, "I can hardly wait." Man, who doesn't love that kind of sass with their eggs? It feels like I'm in a movie about the coolest neighbourhood ever.

The eggs themselves are perfect over-easies and not greasy at all, which I've never seen before. Two thick, lightly toasted buttered slabs of homemade whole-wheat bread beg to be tasted first, but I always start with potatoes. The potatoes here are cut wafer-thin with crispy edges, and again, little or no grease, and though unseasoned, are a welcome change from the usual heart-clogging homefries. Four golden brown strips of meaty bacon are smooth and firm instead of gritty or greasy (I always use my fingers to eat bacon). Another nice touch is the half-inch round of very fresh tomato sprinkled with ground bits of black peppercorn. Under that are two of the tiniest spinach leafs on record, and for the record, I think they're lonely; they should have some company on the plate. Even though this is one of the healthiest "traditional Canadian" breakfasts I've eaten, eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes still go better with a few more greens. And speaking of more green...

The only non-food related issue I have is that every ceiling-lamp is lit regardless of the ample daylight pouring in through massive windows. It may be an oversight, or maybe the owners believe it adds to the ambiance. But in reality, all it does is waste energy and send my Eco-brain into overdrive. Maybe they can try one morning without the lights to see if there are any negative reactions. I almost guarantee there won't be. And if there are, then just light them back up. No harm no foul.

I'm curious about the direction Mate Latte will take over the next few months. If the neighbourhood allows them time to find a rhythm, and to develop unique dishes rather than demanding standard fare, it should become a contender for my hard-earned breakfast dollars.

PAPETERIE HARVARD
5856 Sherbrooke Street Ouest

The personable Markaryan Brothers, Arsak and Sahan have run their family print-shop PAPETERIE HARVARD for the past 29 years. They live in NDG, walking distance from their workplace.

They offer very competitive prices, and are more hands-on than the larger print shops. I order 5 textured-carton, spiral-bound booklets with 30 pages each, and 3 of the best fine-gel pens (black, red, and green) on the market. I have the privilege of watching Arsak work on his Eco-friendly, hand-operated binding machine (my 2 year old son would be fascinated), and I only wait about 7 minutes for the entire process from beginning to end. The whole thing costs $27.16 - quite a deal over what I would have dished out since other places charge a $3 handling fee for every file they open! The Markaryan brothers only charge for the products they sell; their outstanding services are included. They remember your name, and never treat you like a wallet with legs.

Since the giant Bureau en Gross moved into the hood 5 years ago, PAPETERIE HARVARD has suffered a loss in business of about 20-30%. This might be due to the one-stop shop that massive chains provide. But most any copy service you need for your work and studies can be found at PAPETERIE HARVARD. So what if they don't carry the one (out of hundreds of types) of ink cartridge for my specific printer?

I just walk a few blocks to the neighbourhood printer supply store and visit Bassem....

MICRO-JET Technologies and Supplies
5484 Sherbrooke Street Ouest

Bassem Saman is usually behind the counter with helpful tips and suggestions about what paper is best to use for various professional or academic projects. He's always steered me in the right direction.

There aren't places less expensive that MICRO-JET. They keep great inventory of ink cartridges for every brand of printer. Much of their stock is re-manufactured and recycled, and work just as well as new ones. This means that MICRO-JET is both Eco-friendly, and 40-60% less expensive than other places, (whose name I won't mention again). Buy your photo paper and computer ink here to save money while saving the planet.

I start realizing that even though everything is close by, it might be a long day walking back and forth waiting for opportunities to interview the good business folk on Sherbrooke street. My OPUS card is out of tickets, and I don't relish the idea of standing around for buses all day, anyhow. Time to get myself a horse.

McWhinnie's Cycles
6010 Sherbrooke Street Ouest

The Mastantuono brothers from oldest to youngest are Nicola, who has worked at the bike store for over 52 years; Giuseppe, who has been doing repairs at the shop for the last 40 years, and Bruno, who has worked there for 30 years. That's collectively 132 years of experience selecting, fitting, repairing, and selling bicycles and accessories right here in NDG. Don't let their godawful website fool you - these guys have it together.

Last summer I bought a $750 Giant brand mountain bike with all the trimmings (mirror, super reflectors, rear splash-guard, and basket holder) from McWhinnie's. Two months later, damned horse thieves chopped through my lock with a grinder. That's 4 bikes gone in as many years, and with them, any idea of investing that much again while living in the city.

I go back to McWhinnie's today and ask Bruno to hook me up with something more affordable. The first bikes are around $300, but Bruno insists that I look at other, slightly more expensive ones. It irks me when salesmen get pushy so I stubbornly refuse to let go of a $300 Giant hybrid I am struggling to balance on. He points out some interesting features on the other bikes, but in my defiant state all I hear is a well-honed sales pitch.

"Well sir," says Bruno slightly rolling his eyes, "only you can decide..."

"Of course that's true since I'm the one paying..." I reply defensively.

Bruno makes a face that turns me into his customer for life. He looks at me as though I'm acting like a childish novice. Well, it turns out, that's exactly what I am.

Sometimes people want English lessons, but refuse to take suggestions. After 15 years in the field, it frustrates me, and I've only been teaching for half the time Bruno has been fitting people with bikes. His suggestions deserve more respect and attentions than I usually extend to salesman, because first and foremost, he and his brothers are bicycle experts, and they aren't shy to show it.

Bruno isn't being rude; he's being specialized. My refusal to budge doesn't bother the salesman in him as much as it bothers the expert; he knows I'm about to make the wrong decision. Rather than adopt that ridiculous "customer is always right" routine, Bruno exercises his 30 years of experience, and I'm glad he does.

The ride I almost bought was way too high, and had no front suspension. I would have regretted it after two or three days of riding. For $50.00 more, the $350.00 Miele Toscana he suggested fits me perfectly, and has front shocks and superior gear-shifting mechanisms. Bruno's no-nonsense attitude stopped me from making a 300$ mistake. You should remember that when bringing your bike to McWhinnie's Cycles this spring for a $45.00 all-points tune-up, or when buying new or used horses for yourself and your family.
Their bikes range from $300-$1200.

Now it's lunchtime!

Shäika Café
5526 Sherbrooke Street Ouest (corner of Old Orchard, right across the street from Empress Cultural Centre)

Shäika Café is a home away from home. It's a twenty second walk from my front door, and the faces of faithful regulars is a comforting sight. In the evenings there's usually free live music, or an open mic for local talent to (hat donations are welcome).

In fact, from morning to night, whether live musicians or choice recordings over the sound system, the music is always right on. The staff, mostly comprised of artists, students, and local residents, invariably selects amazing blends of music from almost every genre and era, but the volume is moderate, which allows students to study and patrons to chat.

For the first time, I don't order my favourite Tuna Wrap, or their liberally layered Bagel and Lox with cream cheese. Today I'm having their famous lunchtime special: Moroccan Stew with mountain of couscous.

This wide bowlful of zesty-scented stew arrives with an intimidating mound of golden couscous. At first you might think it's too much, but after a ten second stir you'll see the portion is perfect. Any less couscous would drown in the sauce; any more, and it wouldn't be stew. Proportional perfection...

The stew looks hearty and wholesomely balanced with succulent chick peas, and roughly hewn carrots whose middles give a tiny crunch. The tomato and herb based sauce seems slightly too sweet in the very first taste, but once the mild spice and fresh herbs kick in, your tongue sings to the full-bodied echo of tomato. Chewing offers new tastes and texture combinations with every nourishing bite.

Since this is a moderately priced lunch special, it isn't "fine-cuisine," but it's damn good eating that fills you without bloating. I'm not stuffed, but I am completely satisfied. The entire staff is seriously awesome so I always tip at least 20%. The Moroccan Stew and (double long, organic, fair-trade espresso) cost me approximately $15, gratuity included. Small price to pay for how energized I feel.

Where to next? Staring out the window reminds me that I didn't draw the curtains for my plants.
30 seconds later I'm home. My plants live on an old wooden bar in my living room.

Even though it's close to the front windows, they've started wilting. I bought a florescent Eco-bulb that mimics the spectrum of sunlight for the days where my plants need a boost, but I haven't found a nice enough lamp to use. I saw some a while back not far from here so I toss on my skin and head back to Sherbrooke.

Kavanagh Vintage and Décor
5922 Sherbrooke Ouest

The leather coat I've been wearing for the past 2 and a half years, aka my skin, is like my unofficial trademark. I wear it all year long, with or without some form of lining. It is distinctly reddish brown with a pointed 70's style upturned double-breasted lapel collar. We are easily spotted from great distances; if I had any natural predators I'd be an easy target. If I were a hunter, I'd never catch a damn thing, but I still wouldn't take it off. It is easily 30 years old, but it doesn't look a day over 2.

I've had it since moving back to NDG. I'll have it as long as my house stands because they used to manufacture things to last, and the guy who sold it to me knows that's true. His name is Kavanagh, owner of Kavanagh Vintage and Décor. His first name is Beau, and according to my wife, "he sure is."

He is deftly attired in what seems to be samples from his store. But Kavanagh Vintage and Décor isn't only about wildly attractive, durable leather coats and other vintage clothing, footwear, and stylish hats. Kavanagh is a treasure trove of antique lamps, furniture, mirrors, musical instruments, toys, artifacts, memorabilia, and art. You could spend a week in there and still be fascinated. If you got tired, you could sit on the unique chair woven entirely from vintage belts, or on one of the many sturdy, distinctive wooden trunks.

As one of Montreal's youngest local connoisseurs of all things vintage or antique, Beau Kavanagh hunts and researches much more than other local dealers, and he should know - he's met them all. He personally investigates every piece he buys so he can bring his patrons competitive prices without going out of business. Kavanagh opened its ornate black door 2½ years ago, and Beau intends to keep it open. He's seen many businesses go belly-up, and says pieces that used to go for thousands of dollars rarely fetch a fair price anymore. He needs to stay on top of the competition while staying in the race.

"We're inexpensive - not cheap!" he seems to make sure I write that part down, but he needn't; I'm aware.

I came in looking for an attractive lamp to nourish my plants with a special light. Most of the lamps here wouldn't hold the bulb properly, but there's an industrial type fixture hanging from a ceiling chain. It's simple and round and blue and metal and perfect for what I need. I like it, though probably wouldn't ever have noticed it in any other store. Amidst all the magic here, it catches my eye.

I don't know the cost of such things, so the $80 asking price comes as a bit of a surprise. I consider haggling, but then I consider even harder about the fact that he's about to retro-fit this equipment with a fifteen foot wire that needs to be purchased, manually threaded through many loops in a 3 or 4 foot chain, and safely connected to the very old socket fixture. Then I look around again and feel privileged to be visiting this historical exhibition, and wonder how I'd feel if it were lost to the community.

Since they don't accept cards of kind, I hand over 4 twenties and he says see you tomorrow.

It's hotter than usual outside so I decide to put my coat lining in my backpack. I notice that after all this time some thread has finally pulled loose where the sleeve meets the armpit. Luckily, I'm right beside the only tailor/dry-cleaner I'll ever need.

ROYAL NETTOYEUR ECOLOGIQUE
5866 Sherbrooke Ouest

The worst thing about teaching in large business offices is that I can't just throw my suits into the wash with my jeans and undies. Dry cleaning is very expensive and inconvenient, and uses substances like Tetrachloroethylene, a toxic contaminant that leeches into the soil, seeps into groundwater, and destroys whatever marine and plant life it contacts. It can also severely irritate your skin as badly as picking-up dry-cleaning irritates me. Dry-cleaning fluid depresses the central nervous system and increases the chance of developing Parkinson's disease by sixfold. If you don't care about any of that, it's also a Group 2A carcinogen, meaning it causes cancer in humans. If you don't use dry-cleaning, but know people who do, tell them that tetrachlor...oeth...y...lene...
Ah, just tell them that dry-cleaning fluid seeps into our water and food supply; whenever we eat or shower, our skin and organs get a little taste of the dry-cleaning process.

ROYAL NETTOYEUR ECOLOGIQUE uses cutting-edge water and steam tech that has little to no environmental impact. They don't just dry-clean, the also do repairs and alterations, and offer other services like natural preservation of keepsakes (wedding dresses, etc), and sterilization of sporting equipment.

Not only is ROYAL NETTOYEUR ECOLOGIQUE eco-friendly, they are also one of the most people-friendly businesses around. The first time I dropped off my suits, my son was ill so I couldn't pick them up. On his way home after work, Michael Kutchuk, the owner delivered them to my door himself. He knew I was in dire straits and took it upon himself to help me out. People should always remember things like that.

That doesn't mean he'll deliver your suits; I'm pretty charismatic after all. But by the way his customers talk, their pretty stuck on Michael Kutchuk.

When I hung my suits, my wife and I noted there was none of the usual fume-induced nausea, just a fresh scent and eagerness to look good. On three separate occasions I got compliments on my "new" suits from co-workers who had seen me in my old 6 year old Black and Browns like fifty times. Heh. You can't put a price on feeling like a million bucks...you know what I mean.

A decent new suit costs anywhere between $400-$1000. The cost to have ROYAL NETTOYEUR ECOLOGIQUE take one of your old suits and make it look, feel, and smell brand new is about 15 bananas. If you want the actual prices, you have to talk to Michael yourself. One thing I know for sure; since you won't be bringing any Tetrachloroethylene fumes into your home, the price won't be your health.

Another thing I know for certain is that I'm not the only coffee-maniac in NDG.

Café 92 (degrees)
6703 Sherbrooke Ouest

We N.D.G.ers can't seem to get enough of that rich brown stuff. It's not just addiction, either. There's a whole social element to getting a coffee, even if you're face down in your novel or laptop. We often crave company, even from a distance, and music and ambiance, and eye-candy. Shaika and Café 92 aren't close enough to be directly competing, though many of the regulars at one are seen just as regularly at the other. Both places offer elegant and comfortable surroundings, but their levels of coziness aren't comparable.

Last year, I popped into Café 92 on my way to the Loyola Campus,but I was late and there was a line-up so I left hungry, and still jonesing for a fix. I didn't know what I was missing.

My son recently started working there (no, not my 2 year old), so I had to try it out, especially once he explained how their regular coffees are made from espresso. This produces about twice the richness and flavour of a normal cup of filtered coffee, with considerably less caffeine. This is good for drinking cup after delicious cup without suffering the jitters.

So far at Café 92, I've had cookies and muffins and cake and enough coffee to..., never enough coffee. I haven't had a meal here yet, but their Omelet Sandwich is a smash with the regulars, and must be stellar: every time I walk through the door someone is ordering or gobbling one up. For $5.59, it looks like a lunch I'll be having soon.

Casually getting an egg sandwich or java at Café 92 is a bit out of the way for me on Old Orchard, but once my new horse from McWhinnie's is ready, I'll be riding back there on the regular. Especially if they decide to switch to organic coffee, fair-trade coffee, or both.

Something I'd like to see in the coffee and sandwich shops around here is fresh sprout bars.

Sprouts are one of nature's healthiest, least expensive, and tastiest whole foods. During my active spring and summer months, about half of my daily nutrition comes from grains, seeds, and beans sprouted at home in simple mason jars. It's cool to know that just one handful of my assorted sprouts contains twice the amount of completely bioavailable enzymes, protein, nutrients, vitamins, and fiber than any daily supplements, and literally costs pennies to produce. It is also tons of fun for kids to watch them transform. Best of all, If you buy the grains, seeds, and beans (Rowan and I call them 'dry-babies') from an organic provider, there is no negative environmental impact... well, other than the side-effect of your new regularity.

Coop La maison Verte
5785 Sherbrooke ouest

The only pain in the ass about sprouting is time wasted picking out pebbles or broken pieces of seed or other forms of debris that can cause your batch to rot if you're not hyper-vigilant about rinsing. Thankfully, I haven't had that problem since I started buying all my dry goods and Eco-friendly detergents at COOP La Maison Verte. Wow, does that ever sound like a commercial. No matter, it's completely true.

I used to waste 10-15 minutes scouring through batches of dry-babies to rid them of debris. Now I achieve the same result with a cursory glance. The sprouts produced from the COOP are also larger, crunchier, and sweeter than from any of the places I've tried in Montreal. They might be a few cents more expensive, but in this case, you really get what you pay for; spouting can be tricky, especially if the dry-babies haven't been grown, harvested, handled, and stored correctly. Any compromise in the process leads to inferior yields, and can even, though rarely, lead to food poisoning. Although cases of this are extremely uncommon, major food corporations pressure governments to warn the public against this very inexpensive powerhouse food that requires no packaging and costs pennies to feed entire families. Even though most of it is just so much hype, it is still important only to buy from impeccably trusted sources like COOP la Maison Verte where every step of the process in all of their food is guaranteed safe.

In my short interview with Jason Hughes, the coops development and administrative coordinator, I discover that I can place orders for almost any type of seedling to be ready come the planting season. This is great news since I'm a fanatic herb gardener, but suck at growing hearty seedlings. I mostly can't help but yank and gobble them up in their sprouted state - force of habit by now.

Rather than re-invent the wheel of what this brilliant community run organisation is all about, I urge you to visit their site: COOP LA MAISON VERTE

I didn't buy anything here today, but this is where I feed my literature and graphic novel addiction:

Encore Books
5670 Sherbrooke Street Ouest

This is my all-time favourite used book and music store. They sell everything from classical music and literature to the pulpiest fiction to VHS and DVDs to vintage PB mags to milk-crates full of old comic-books to educational fridge magnets...etc. I'll be doing a full review of them once school and work let up, in the spring. Watch this in the meantime:

My wife and I let Valentime's (I just call it that, ok?) slip by unnoticed this year. When she got home from work, exhausted as usual, she was relieved that my older son Cameron offered to babysit so that we could go out to dinner.

So, breakfast at Mate Latte; lunch at Shäika; coffee and desert at Café 92; but where for supper?

Being surrounded by so many great restaurants makes choosing difficult, especially when we have precious little time for just the two of us. I decide to follow the Markaryan brothers' advice from earlier this morning. They insisted I review STAR OF INDIA, which is a local burger shop. Just kidding. It's our cozy trove of Indian delicacy right next door to Papeterie Harvard between Regent and Clifton.

Star of India
5860 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

My wife spent a few months traveling through India, so she's no pushover when it comes to authenticity. I leave it to her to express how it holds up to the real thing, or in comparison to other Indian restos. Apparently, the facilities are way to spotless here to remind her of trekking through India.

Scrumptous scents of curried stews and spicy grilled vegetables seduce my appetite. The lighting is very subtle yet still accentuates the alluring hues of both the décor and the various platters. Before ordering, I speak with Kabir who, since 1999 has co-owned the Star of India with other family members from Bangladesh. He agrees to say a few things on camera.

We order our food and invite Kabir to speak with us while we wait. He's very responsive and sociable, and honest. He tells us that although their recipes are rooted in traditional Indian cuisine, they have evolved to meet Canadian palates. But if you want more traditional tastes and spice, don't be shy - all you have to do is ask.

My wife and I share every dish. First there is a small, free helping of poppadum, which is large crunchy chip made from chick pea & lentil flour, and cracked bits of cumin and black pepper. Beside it is a side of pickled carrots. I eat more than my fair share so I order a bigger basketful of pappadum from the menu ($3.50). Together they whet the senses to prepare for the soup.

The Mulligatawny soup ($3.95) is celestial - the lifeblood of Parvati herself. Cathy and I exchange guilty and unfaithful glances; if either of our mouths tasted like this soup, we would never stop kissing. The savory turmeric and potato base-notes grounded in subtle chicken and coconut broth are elevated by fresh ginger and cilantro, then dispersed over the tongue in traces of cardamom and chili infused ghee. A hint of apple and tamarind cool the heat before it takes over. This soup should come with instructions, because it's only by accident that I crunch on the razor-thin lemon slice floating at the top. This accentuates the flavours so well that we are about to order another bowl each, but we are interrupted by the main course.

The Tarka Dahl ($6.95) tastes like French Canadian pea soup from a cabanes à sucre, but twice as thick. I love pea soup, but it isn't what I feel to have at an Indian restaurant. It would have been tastier with a bit of spice or zest, but it tasted kind of flat on its own. In hindsight, there were things I could have done to make it better.

The same can be said for the Aloo Gobi ($6.75), which is a basic stewed and roasted potato and cauliflower dish that should be much more delectable than this.

So far, after the Mulligatawny, this meal is shaping down until I try the Butter Chicken ($11.95).

One lick of this unexpectedly orange sauce, and I'm back in Swarga Loka thanking Vishnu for the fact that even at its best, butter chicken isn't my wife's favourite dish. She spoons three small helping onto her plate before even tasting it, hands me the plate and says, "don't forget to save some for Cameron."

One mouthful and I'm cursing my own son's name; I want it all! This unique purée of butter, roasted fruits, nuts, vegetables, and spices turns me into Kala the Devourer. Each large cube of chicken I bite into has me stirring the orange sauce pretending not to count how many cubes are left before my joy ends. Cathy removes the dish from my reach and replaces it with the Panneer (7.95), a dish comprised of homemade cheese, and sautéed spinach.

It isn't the Buttered Chicken, but it is still delicious. The cheese curds are both chewy and slippery and form an interesting culinary texture with the spinach and chunks of what tastes like baked onion and strips of sun dried red pepper. The Panneer is the perfect topping for the sweet, fluffy Nan bread ($2.95) I love to tear up and dip into anything on the table.

Cathy glares at me like thinking I might dip my freshly torn Nan into the food of people sitting beside us. I am an enthusiastic eater. Cathy points to the little serving of Raita that neither of us has touched yet and stares me down until I try it. It's gone in twenty seconds.

Something I usually overlook is the rice. I eat so much at home that I just gobble it as unmindful as crunching crackers into soup. But the rice at Star of India shoots past simple worthy of mention into the realm of praise. Long grains with perfect consistency and very elusive nutty aroma coalesce with the lavish strips of saffron and thin carrot shavings. I never eat rice without sauce, but I ate ¾ of it straight from its pretty metal dish, while my embarrassed my wife refused to watch. A few people squinted when my fork made that nails on a chalkboard sound as I scraped my plate clean.

There are other, bigger Indian dining spots in NDG, but I wouldn't say they are better. If I were going out with a large group of 6-10 people, I might consider going somewhere else. But, for a more intimate experience like Mum and Dad's big night out, or even a couple's night out, then Star of India is the better choice.
I'll finish writing this story (the part that happens on Sherbrooke just before bedtime) tomorrow. I'm going to bed.