The screen mounted on the restaurant wall tells me that it’s another anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki. Fifty thousand dead, it says, many of those 50,000 were vaporized; and over the next few days another 50,000 died of radiation sickness. There are pictures of a commemoration service with very old Japanese people—bomb survivors we’re told—asking us not to forget.
Also at lunch, we are informed that Robert Pickton’s interrogation tapes have been released—11 hours worth. Some of the victim’s families are choosing to watch the tapes, with the hope, reads the closed-caption, of finding closure.
There are floods in Pakistan, the worst in recent history, we are told, caused by a jet stream sweeping down and around an amplified upper ridge; the same upper ridge that is causing a heat wave in Russia which has made it difficult to control large fires south of Moscow, where residents are breathing smoke polluted air that is six times above levels considered safe.
(Louis Farrakhan and John of Patmos warned us of this.)
In the mean time the Royal Bank of Canada is taking a moment to tell us what makes for a good life, and what is needed. I return to my vermicelli…
…but my gaze is caught by a picture of a resolute Mia Farrow. She is under oath at The Hague and she’s saying that (Supermodel) Naomi Campbell told her that Charles Taylor had given her a huge diamond. Charles Taylor, we are reminded, allegedly smuggled and sold “blood” diamonds to finance a war of terror in Sierra Leone—another 120,000 dead. He is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a different sort of trial, Ms. Campbell is being accused of flirting with Charles Taylor.
Eminem has put out a new video that has, we are told, set a new Youtube viewer record. It’s about domestic violence. In the video (short clip is inserted) are scenes of a couple fighting; punches are thrown, a fist goes through a wall, and everything escalates to where the woman, (Megan Fox) is set on fire—along with the house. There is a debate, we are given to understand, on whether or not this video, in it’s portrayal of an abusive relationship and domestic violence, is harmful or helpful. The producer, however, is quoted saying, "…it’s a video that had to be made."
I return to my green tea—with the hope that it is green on purpose.
