Billy, and the Letters "N", "F", and "W"
Happy Imbolc, everyone.
So Balzac Billy was the odd “groundhog” out this year, predicting a long winter whereas the others were predicting an early spring. With local conditions, you never know…
The weather certainly has been doing a rollercoaster in southern Alberta lately – long deep freeze to Chinook to short deep freeze to Chinook again. And I’m sure we haven’t seen the end of cold or snow yet; we still have a few months to go.
They moved Billy’s “burrow” across the highway from the Balzac Community Hall this year, perhaps partly to capitalize on the proximity of CrossIron Mills, or perhaps because the garden centre may be a bigger venue or have better access. Still, I worry the small-town atmosphere of Billy’s breakfast may be getting too commercialized. I’ll check in on it in a year or two, and report back.
January's news carried a wave of political correctness. First, the reported publication of an edition of Huckleberry Finn where the word "nigger" in relation to the character of Jim was repeatedly deleted, out of modern "sensibilities" and to make the book more accessible to young people. (Admittedly, I read watered-down children's versions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when I was a lad, unaware of the controversy.) Then the CRTC demanded that radio stations no longer play unedited versions of Dire Strait's "Money for Nothing" because of the use of the word "faggot", resulting in a backlash by a number of stations playing marathons of it.
As I've probably written before, behind this is the larger issue that only the minority that has been a target of a particular slur has the "politically correct" right to use the word, and only among themselves (but tell that to various rap and hip-hop artists). So broadcasters are fearfully using repeated references to "the 'N' word" and (to a lesser extent, since there already is another one) "the 'F' word". I was traumatized as a youth by repeatedly being called a "faggot" by young toughs, simply because I didn't live up to the masculine jock image, so I have no reservation about using it here.
Within Wicca, groups like Reclaiming and Laurie Cabot's "Witches' League for Public Awareness" years ago began the reclaiming of the word "witch" from the green-faced, warty image of the dark feminine. And still, I'm sure many of us have some version of Snow White's Witch Queen or the Wicked Witch of the West in our homes, enjoy Bizarro's witch parodies, or plan to see Wicked. One of my pet peeves, however, is the use of the word "witch" as a euphemism for "bitch" (a particular soap opera of my acquaintance comes to mind). It raises the interesting issue of whether we as witches should play the "political correctness" card and rally that only we as witches have the "right" to use the word. Yet in the name of free speech, I have to say no, because I reserve the right to say "nigger" and "faggot", in the proper context and not as slurs.
February's Birthdays: Ary W., Mandy C., Margarian, Lana W., Tavey B., Selena, Megan, Bryn, Morgan, Sandra, Judi, Rikki, and probably some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.
February Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: World Interfaith Harmony Week. Hug a Christian. Or a Muslim. Info: http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/
Feb. 2, 12:18 a.m.: New Moon. Luis (Rowan) lunar month begins. Sometimes called Fasting Moon.
Feb. 2, 7:00-9:00 a.m.: Free Groundhog Day Breakfast at Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre, Balzac. Balzac Billy prognosticates at 8:07 a.m. Info: http://www.balzacbilly.com/
Feb. 2, 7:00 p.m.: Crossroads Meetup at the Unicorn. Info: http://www.meetup.com/CALGARY-CROSSROADS/
Feb. 3: Chinese New Year (Rabbit). Gung Hay Fat Choy, and all that.
Feb. 5: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Feb. 18, 1:36 a.m.: Full (Snow) Moon.
Feb 19-21: COGCOA’s Winter Mysteries.
Feb. 21: Family Day
Blessings,
Hergest
So Balzac Billy was the odd “groundhog” out this year, predicting a long winter whereas the others were predicting an early spring. With local conditions, you never know…
The weather certainly has been doing a rollercoaster in southern Alberta lately – long deep freeze to Chinook to short deep freeze to Chinook again. And I’m sure we haven’t seen the end of cold or snow yet; we still have a few months to go.
They moved Billy’s “burrow” across the highway from the Balzac Community Hall this year, perhaps partly to capitalize on the proximity of CrossIron Mills, or perhaps because the garden centre may be a bigger venue or have better access. Still, I worry the small-town atmosphere of Billy’s breakfast may be getting too commercialized. I’ll check in on it in a year or two, and report back.
January's news carried a wave of political correctness. First, the reported publication of an edition of Huckleberry Finn where the word "nigger" in relation to the character of Jim was repeatedly deleted, out of modern "sensibilities" and to make the book more accessible to young people. (Admittedly, I read watered-down children's versions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when I was a lad, unaware of the controversy.) Then the CRTC demanded that radio stations no longer play unedited versions of Dire Strait's "Money for Nothing" because of the use of the word "faggot", resulting in a backlash by a number of stations playing marathons of it.
As I've probably written before, behind this is the larger issue that only the minority that has been a target of a particular slur has the "politically correct" right to use the word, and only among themselves (but tell that to various rap and hip-hop artists). So broadcasters are fearfully using repeated references to "the 'N' word" and (to a lesser extent, since there already is another one) "the 'F' word". I was traumatized as a youth by repeatedly being called a "faggot" by young toughs, simply because I didn't live up to the masculine jock image, so I have no reservation about using it here.
Within Wicca, groups like Reclaiming and Laurie Cabot's "Witches' League for Public Awareness" years ago began the reclaiming of the word "witch" from the green-faced, warty image of the dark feminine. And still, I'm sure many of us have some version of Snow White's Witch Queen or the Wicked Witch of the West in our homes, enjoy Bizarro's witch parodies, or plan to see Wicked. One of my pet peeves, however, is the use of the word "witch" as a euphemism for "bitch" (a particular soap opera of my acquaintance comes to mind). It raises the interesting issue of whether we as witches should play the "political correctness" card and rally that only we as witches have the "right" to use the word. Yet in the name of free speech, I have to say no, because I reserve the right to say "nigger" and "faggot", in the proper context and not as slurs.
February's Birthdays: Ary W., Mandy C., Margarian, Lana W., Tavey B., Selena, Megan, Bryn, Morgan, Sandra, Judi, Rikki, and probably some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.
February Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: World Interfaith Harmony Week. Hug a Christian. Or a Muslim. Info: http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/
Feb. 2, 12:18 a.m.: New Moon. Luis (Rowan) lunar month begins. Sometimes called Fasting Moon.
Feb. 2, 7:00-9:00 a.m.: Free Groundhog Day Breakfast at Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre, Balzac. Balzac Billy prognosticates at 8:07 a.m. Info: http://www.balzacbilly.com/
Feb. 2, 7:00 p.m.: Crossroads Meetup at the Unicorn. Info: http://www.meetup.com/CALGARY-CROSSROADS/
Feb. 3: Chinese New Year (Rabbit). Gung Hay Fat Choy, and all that.
Feb. 5: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Feb. 18, 1:36 a.m.: Full (Snow) Moon.
Feb 19-21: COGCOA’s Winter Mysteries.
Feb. 21: Family Day
Blessings,
Hergest
Labels: balzac billy, huckleberry finn, money for nothing, political correctness, witch
posted by Stephen Hergest at 1:14 pm
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