Por fin, it’s here — the web site for this year’s Festivalíssimo festival finally went live… The 11th version of this annual festival runs from March 1-15, and — if you’re in Montreal — is a fantastic place to see all kinds of Spanish-language films from around the world (and some Portuguese/Brazilian ones também).

Two weeks of fiestas, films (features, shorts, documentaries), art exhibitions and concerts, dance (salsa, tango, flamenco, …). And all the sopa de ajo and chocolate con churros you can eat… It’s not specifically focused on Spain (the long-winded name is Festival Culturel Ibéro-Latinoaméricain de Montréal), but there are several Spanish films on offer along with tons from Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Canada (yes!), and more places.

¡Sois todos bienvenidos!

I just found out I could contribute my opinions towards the next Federal budget (the Quebec budget just came out yesterday — too late for my feedback, but it does have some good things in it). At this government site, you can fill out a “pre-budget consultation” form indicating your interests and priorities for spending, tax breaks, etc. But only until February 28, so act now!

On the Spending priority, I made the following comment: “Increase aid for poor and developing nations. Specifically, 15% increase in foreign aid, moving towards a goal of 0.7% of GNI in aid by 2015.” Currently, our aid level is at 0.32% of GNI.

On the Personal tax priority, I said: “Increase Child Tax Benefit (to $5100) — help reduce child poverty in Canada.” Currently it will be $3240 in 2007, far short of what is needed by families below the poverty line.

I added, under Other priorities: “Drastic measures are needed on climate change. Increase fuel taxes to encourage reductions in car usage, and move towards more environmental cars (rebates on efficient vehicles, penalties on inefficient ones). Increased tax revenue must fund aggressive climate change initiatives and public transport.”

Feel free to copy my text, if you agree with it! And here is an essay by Gerry Barr, co-chair of Make Poverty History.

In other news, as of a few hours ago, we’re starting an election campaign in Quebec… Fun fun fun for the coming month (election March 26)!

Sorry, I don’t normally wax political on my blog, but I stumbled across this headline and photo on Health Minister Tony Clement’s website, and couldn’t help but chuckle and share it with my faithful co-chucklers…

Tony and Prime Minister Stephen Harper make Hepatitis C announcement

This is exactly the kind of thing Rick Mercer would make fun of — but it’s actually the Conservatives themselves who are (unintentionally, I assume) being funny.

Been awhile — have been busy entertaining, hosting, building snow forts, seeing disappointing mime shows (not surprised?), drinking too much…

It’s (incandescent) lights out for Australia…but will they introduce a robust plan to manage disposal of the fluorescent bulbs? Good on ya, mates! I hope the demand and competition will make prices go down, though, or else the poor may suffer…those bulbs can be pricey!

Apparently everyone wants to move to Spain. (Yes, even me.) This is not really news to anyone, is it? Also, (in Europe) Spanish citizens are the most optimistic about the future, French the most pessimistic. Such a wide gulf — yet only those hope-insulating Pyrénées sit between the two countries.

Heavy metal? EX-cel-lent! No…canned tuna is bad for you. I hate to admit it, but it seems my friends were right. Although they were a bit rude about it, refusing to “let me” put tuna into a delicious salad (would have been so much more delicious with mercuric tuna in it, guys!) I was making, in my house, for them. Of course, unless I’m mistaken, this newly-reported problem has nothing to do with canned tuna — fresh fish has the same problem, no? Let’s all calm down. Go on eating yer fish, folks, just don’t overdo it. And, by the way — the “good” canned tuna from Portugal that I buy, packed in olive oil, is pretty darn good…no matter what my fish-snob “friends” say. It’s the mercury that gives it that special something.

For those fans of “space opera” (e.g. Star Wars), this story will surely tickle your rockets. Just listen to this headline: Astronaut in NASA love triangle to face attempted murder charge.

I don’t know what’s the best part of the story: the jealous, murderous love of a married mother-of-three; the “more than working and less than romantic” relationship forged with another astronaut during intense spaceflight training; the frantic 1,400 km drive sans arrêt to confront her love-rival; the wig, the trench coat, the BB gun and pepper spray.

No, by far the best part is that she wore diapers as she drove — so she wouldn’t even have to stop for a pesky bathroom break! Story quote: “Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.” Well, Mrs. Nowak is now most definitely “down to earth”, in prison, awaiting attempted first-degree murder charges. The diaper-wearing detail is the kind of hilarious (I’m sorry) madness our greatest writers couldn’t make up. Except perhaps those scatological Family Guy dramaturges.

Thankfully the police caught Mrs. Nowak.
There would be, on this day, no whack.

Well, today it is cold in Montreal. How cold? Pigeon-killing cold. I’ll spare you the macabre photo here, but today near my house I discovered the solid mass of a pigeon that had, quite simply, frozen to death (I think it subsequently fell off a nearby building). I went out for a walk this morning (hardy fool that I am), and I can vouch that with the gusty wind blasting your face, the wind chill factor does indeed makes it feel colder than -35 degrees Celsius!

Meanwhile — you may recall a post awhile back referring to this: today Health Canada finally put out the new Canada Food Guide (site may be overwhelmed today by 32,820,453 excited Canadians ;-). They still have no high-tech online calculators (c’mon!), but for what it’s worth…there it is. Let the perusing commence!

A CBC article seems very excited about the fact that bok choy is now included, “in an effort to recognize the needs of the culturally diverse population.” Thankfully, pigeon still is not listed in the Food Guide’s meat section (though I know where to find a fresh one, if there is such a thing as “fresh” pigeon…ugh). We’re not quite that culturally diverse yet.

Spinach and other leafy greens are of course always highly recommended, but some consumers are still nervous after last fall’s Escherichia coli (Chéri, chéri, comment ça va?) spinach outbreak in the U.S.

Yes, I’m talking about the Great Train Robbery of Nanton, Alberta — which took place a bitter prairie winter day (February 5, 1907). It’s a great story I heard about today on the CBC Radio show Sounds Like Canada.

So, I ask you — how Canadian is this story? Poor, freezing, small-town folk and farmers patiently wait (and wait!) for their ordered load of much-needed coal. It is a terrible winter and they desperately need it for heating. The CPR Rail passes through town, and they watch trainload after trainload of coal pass on through (probably destined for those damn rich Big City Folk!). The poor folks — without road access due to a terrible winter storm — finally had enough and took the law into their hands. They robbed a train that came through town on Feb. 5, while the local RCMP constable stood by and did nothing (what could he do — throw the whole town into a freezing jail cell?). I don’t know, maybe he even helped them shovel coal?

The best part is not that they robbed a train… No, the funny thing is that they did it in a truly Canadian way. First they had a meeting to figure out who would get what. Then they carefully kept records (1,000 pounds of coal for townsfolk, 2,000 for farmers, etc.) and oversaw the distribution to make sure no one took more than their share. Then — this is the best part — they paid for the coal they had “stolen”.

You can read a bit more about it here, or in the Winter 1997 edition of the Alberta History Journal, if you happen to have that lying around…

What’s going on, Jardinero — two videos in two days? Well, this Swedish film gem (though “old”, from 2001) is really great, especially if you like rhythm, percussion, found objects… If you like Stomp or Mayumana or Blue Man Group, you’ll love this…without question!

(If you want higher quality, you can watch it at AtomFilms, but you have to watch a 30-second ad first.)