journal features

Toronto festival you say

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2003.07.06

Once back in the city, I returned the car and traipsed north along Yonge Street, watching the 'Toronto Festival' that was in progress. It was good; live musicians and other acts, mostly. Along the way, I spotted a kitchen store.

I've been shopping for cutlery, recently, because I've been eating with an ever-dwindling plastic cutlery for the last two years, and it's been driving me nuts. I found a set in the store that looked quite a bit like the set I had in Australia. My good friend Mr. Yoon told me that the Aussie ones were Korean style, so I suppose these are as well.

In related news, I was reading the other day in the Economist about the term 'metrosexual'. It's a marketing BS thing used to describe urban guys who wear 'body fragrances' (like that one with the ridiculous ads with the guy getting jumped in the elevator) and getting manicures. I wouldn't get a manicure (my fingers are covered in scars, there's no way they'll ever look better with a manicure), and perfumes generally annoy and irritate me. But I have to admit that I now own a set of cutlery and no stereo system....

rand()m quote

Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

—Hermann Goering