Don’t forget Tibet

According to the Mirror [Re: Front, “Six days, 40 years,” June 7], Israel’s occupation, since 1967, of the Golan Heights, the West Bank and Gaza (which Israel no longer occupies), is “the longest military occupation of modern times.”

I guess the Mirror hasn’t yet heard that China has occupied Tibet since 1951. You know China, that leftist utopia that massacred its own people in Tiananmen Square in 1989 because they wanted democracy.

And I guess that the Mirror hasn’t yet heard of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader who’s been travelling the world raising awareness of the Chinese military occupation of his country.

Or could it be that the Mirror just prints what local Palestinian activists say as “fact” without question or independent research?

>> Helen Shapiro

Pet cemeteries

[Re: “Family pet respects,” May 31] I loved reading the Chris Barry interview with Averil Robinson, who organizes pet cremations.

Although her cause is great, I think people ought to have the right to choose a green burial for their pets as an alternative to cremation. The cremation process, however efficient, requires power that will inevitably generate greenhouse gas emissions. Cremation is less environmentally friendly and more wasteful as a practice than a green burial.

A green burial usually involves using a coffin made from natural, biodegradable materials, such as willow or bamboo. A green burial ensures that the burial site remains as natural as possible in all respects. A pet, or any other living being that has lived and died, can be reunited with the soil and can be recycled into new life through a green burial. Constant microbial activity in the soil breaks most things down, and the nutrients in the corpse can be used to nourish new life in the form of trees, wildflowers and plants.

In some regions, more and more human beings are choosing green burials for themselves over cremation or traditional burials. It would be nice to see green burials promoted for pets in Quebec.

>> Manish Patwari

Picking on Rufus

[Re: “Escape from New York,” June 7] In all my years, I have yet to come across any criticism of Rufus Wainwright. I think everyone is scared to say it, especially here in Montreal, so I’ll say it: Rufus Wainwright is a bad singer. I know it’s cool and good association to give Rufus praise. It tells the world you have chutzpah, sophistication and discernment, but his singing is the giant hippopotamus sitting in the room that no one wants to address. American Idol hopefuls like William Hung are third generation Rufus Wainwright wannabes.

I don’t care if he lives in New York or Berlin. I don’t care that his mother is Kate McGarrigle. I don’t care that his Dad is Loudon Wainwright III. I don’t care that his sister is Martha Wainwright. His pedigree cards have been overplayed and his lineage has been a diversion from the truth for too long. Rufus is just a bad singer.

Why is this country bent on keeping it in the family? Rufus Wainwright sits right up there with other silver spoon kids benefiting from nepotism like Ben Mulroney, Jason Reitman and Tal Bachman. Makes one shudder when thinking of how Stephen Harper’s kids will turn out.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he’s a horrible singer, just a bad one. He can certainly place high in local shopping mall karaoke competitions and get the nod from Paula Abdul.

Rufus Wainwright is just a local hepcat, not a sacred cow.

>> Duane Yow

What about the chismis!?

[Re: Riff-Raff, “Heritage flakes,” May 31] It’s great to finally see a fellow Filipino-Canadian make it in the mass media in Canada.

About last week’s column on stereotypes: Don’t you think you’re giving a lot of guys out there (particularly white guys) a misleading impression that Filipino women make great wives? Yeah, they cook and clean and stuff, but WHAT ABOUT THE CHISMIS. It cannot be underestimated how harmful the chismis is. The reason the FILS is still a poor country is becuz of the chismis and the crab bucket. If chismis were an Olympic event Filipino women would take gold. Unfortunate as it is, you know it’s true. I’ve got a friend whose Filipino wife married him in order to stay in Canada.

Anyway, I know there are some nice Filipinas out there. My mom is a saint. If I were ever to marry an Asian, it would be a Filipina, because from my experience, and from what Asian and non-Asian guys have told me, other Asian women (especially Koreans and Chinese) are more shallow, judgemental, materialistic and DEVIOUS. So beware, they’re out there (theme from Jaws playing).

Besides, I usually go 4 brunettes now. They’ve got bigger boobs anyway.

>> Jimmy Fugazi