Shameless: For girls who get it

Image from Drawn: In the Studio with Jillian Tamaki

According to today's Globe and Mail, Skim, one of my favorite comics of the year is up for Governor Generals award. Exciting and wonderful as that is, there is a problem in that the books text-author Mariko Tamaki was nominated in the text category, but not the books other author and illustrator Jillian Tamaki. The independent comics community has rallied in support of the Tamakis, writing an open letter to the Governor General, which explains that text, image and authorship are not so easily separated in the world of comics, and asking for the inclusion of Jillian as illustrator on the Tamaki ticket. Names in support of the Tamaki's include Art Speigelman, Chris Ware, Lynda Barry, Julie Doucet, Michel Rabagliati and Adrian Tomine.

Of course the GG's office, not being very quick on it's feet has said it is too late in the process to change the nomination. So, I would humbly suggest that the Governor General's awards committee take the time to read and enjoy: Understanding Comics, a book that bills itself as a "comic book about comics". In it, author Scott McCloud lays out the framework and method that makes comics work as they do, and why comics are not the same as a book with illustrations.

From the National Center for lesbian Rights, Community Mourns The Loss of Beloved Civil Rights Leader Del Martin, 87.

Del Martin was instrumental in many civil rights struggles, from the founding of the first social group for lesbians "Daughters of Bilitis" in 1955 to her wedding two months ago to long-time partner Phyllis Lyon.

Photo Courtesy of the SFChronicle

What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it?

In Liz Miller’s video documentary “The Waterfront� residents of Highland Park, a struggling community on the shores of Lake Michigan are shown looking with distress at water bills in amounts between 3 and 9000 dollars.

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This being the last Wednesday before the iPhone’s (so insanely over-hyped) release in Canada I thought I’d cover the issues that surround the sleek little 3g hockey puck.

Okay now I have to go do a radio show about feminists and technology, who the fuck decided to become a pundit while she has a thesis to finish and some websites to design. Oh right me, I am a fyucking idjut.

Little What?

So this is a new charitable organization called Little Geeks: “Little Geeks is a philanthropic organization and registered Canadian charity that collects, refurbishes and re-distributes donated home computers to children in need.� How about that graphic design - like Toys R’Us on poppers. I feel like Joe Matt must have done the illustrations since no-one has eyeballs. Seriously though, “Little Geeks�? I can’t say I like it.

Though it may seem harsh to take shots at a good-hearted enterprise, I strongly believe that people from the corporate sector, (and take a look at the board of directors if you want to know who’s backing this project) need as much educating about social change as people who barter for used monitors need educating about interest rates and borrowing to save.

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