Recipe: Election Day Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

I never met a campaign or an election I didn't like (vote early, vote often)!  I've also got a penchant for theme dinners.  So, what to whip up for an Election Day Dinner when you are a proud Canadian?  I mean, we do have foods that speak to our national identity, but after a week of eating New Orleans-style the thought of indulging in Poutine or Tourtière or Nanaimo Bars makes me break out in a cold sweat.  I needed something lighter.  So tonight I'm test driving an Election Day Salad.

What you'll need:

Greens - I used about 140 grams of Baby Romaine.  Baby Spinach, Spring Mix or Arugula would work equally as well.

12 good sized Strawberries - sliced lengthwise.

Nuts - I used Pecans, but Walnuts or Almonds would work as well.  Chopped and toasted.

Cheese - I used OKA today to highlight the Canadian theme (also, I like the ORANGE BOX).  Asiago would be lovely (I may try that next time) when I'm feeling less...um...patriotic.

For the Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
pinch sea salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper

Directions:

It's a salad!  Toss everything together.  Whisk the Vinaigrette together.  Toss the salad with the Vinaigrette.

Done!

Verdict:

I could see serving this on Canada Day too!  Tonight, I'll be eating this from the edge of my seat while we watch the election results come in, along with some of that great French Onion Soup (Holla, Quebec!) and some crusty baguette.  I'm pretty stressed about this election.  Bread will be involved.

Happy Eating and Happy Voting, Everyone!

Election Day

Well, we're back from vacation! William and Kate are married, President Obama and Seth Meyers OWNED the Nerd Prom and what's that? Osama Bin Laden is dead?  Not much going on.  Not much at all.  If you're anything like me you're having a hard time processing that last one.  Surreal times we live in.

I just want to say one thing to my Canadian friends...do not forget...

Happy Missed Opportunity Day, Ontario!

Today is a holiday in Ontario and while I'm never one to turn my nose up at a holiday, especially in the dreary month of February, did the provincial government have to name it something as completely lame as Family Day?  Talk about phoning it in.  I imagine some of the other, non controversial choices they could have tossed around and wonder why they just didn't go with Kitten Day or Free Ice Cream Day instead. Family Day?  Really?  Could I feel more condescended to?  The thing that frustrates me the most is that this is such a missed opportunity.  We should be celebrating our history and educating our citizens by acknowledging one of the many people of importance to this province.

Why not recognize one of our early Huron settlers or Sir Isaac Brock who fought back invading Americans during the war or 1812?  What about Laura Secord?  We could celebrate Laura Secord day by taking an eighteen hour walk and then eating ice cream!

Why not have a day for World War I flying ace Billy Bishop or Roberta Lynn Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space - both Ontario natives?

After his distinguished service in World War II, Lincoln Alexander became the first black Member of Parliment and then the first black Lietenant Govenor of Canada.  I've had the honour and pleasure of spending some time with this great man, who despite our difference in "standing" in the world, took it upon himself to get to know me and treated me with nothing but respect and kindness.  He is a wonderful role model (a great lunch date!) and someone that deserves to be acknowledged on a formal level every chance we get.

With the exceptional Lincoln Alexander  (photo by Don Vickery)

Which leads me to this thought: if we're going to have a province-wide holiday in the month of February, shouldn't it reflect Black History Month?  And as much as I love Linc, why not go a little further back and shine a light on Ontario's role in the anti-slavery movement?  I'm sure there are countless individuals that we could recognize, but I'll just mention two of the most obvious choices.

The case for Josiah Henson Day isn't hard to make.

Josiah Henson 

Although not born in Ontario, but Maryland, Josiah Henson made a place for himself in our province.  He worked as a slave for forty-one years.  In 1830, he and his family escaped to Ontario via the Underground Railroad.  In 1841, he helped establish the Dawn Settlement which provided a refuge and a new beginning for former slaves.  Through his leadership the British American Institute, one of Canada's first industrial schools, was founded.  Josiah Henson's name became synonymous with the central character "Uncle Tom" in Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.  The novel sold 300,000 copies within the first year of its publication and helped raise awareness to the brutality of slavery.  Abraham Lincoln himself credited the book as being a catalyst of the Civil War.

You know what troubles me?  I learned about this, just this year, by reading about it online.  This was not something that was touched on, ever, during my years in Toronto's school system.  How is that even possible?  Give this man a day!

Rather have someone who was born in this province?  Elijah McCoy Day would honour a great black Canadian and champion technology, business and innovation.

Elijah McCoy

Born in Colchester, Ontario in either 1843 or 1844 (depending on your source) Elijah McCoy was the son of runaway slaves from Kentucky who had escaped via the Underground Railroad.  When he was 15 years old, his parents sent him to Scotland to pursue a Mechanical Engineering apprenticeship (the kind of training he could not obtain in North America at the time).  After his training, he returned to North America, this time across the border in Michigan where, despite his qualifications, he could only get work as a fire or oil man.  The oil man job led him to become interested in the problems of lubricating machinery that were in motion.  He perfected a method to steadily supply oil to machinery - thereby eliminating the process of shutting down machinery to lubricate them.  The expression "The Real McCoy" arose out of machine buyers insisting on accepting nothing less than the inventions of McCoy.  To this day, his name is associated with authenticity and quality.  In his lifetime McCoy was awarded 57 patents, including for his inventions the ironing board and the lawn sprinkler!  How cool is that?

This province has a rich, diverse history. We should be paying attention to pioneers like these all year long.  It's a real shame that we aren't at doing so on at least one Monday every February.

God is in the details.

If you've turned on a television, opened a newspaper or visited a website this week, you will have noticed that George W. Bush is promoting his memoirs.  Would he call them memoirs?  Doesn't that sound kind of French and elitist or just plain fancy pants?  It does.  That man should not have memoirs.  He should have...memneverhavebeenelectedinthefirstplace.

He's been telling a story that appears in the book to explain his firm Anti-Choice position.  I always thought it had to do with his straight up crazy religious affiliations (rapture, anyone?) or a blatant disrespect for women's rights.  Turns out his stance on this matter was coloured by a family tragedy.  When George W. was a teenager his mother Barbara suffered a miscarriage and he had to drive her to the hospital. As is often the case, she had to transport the miscarried fetus to the doctor to be pathologized.  He saw this fetus, which was being saved in a jar and quite understandably, it affected his feelings on the matter.  I can appreciate this.  I can. And I feel for his mother.  I don't understand how the media thinks it's acceptable to report on this anecdote from the book without pointing out the details.  God is, as I'm sure the Bushes would point out, in the details. There have been a number of headlines about Barbara Bush keeping a fetus in a jar.  Like she did it for fun.  Like it was a keepsake she kept on her bedside table.

The Bush family is nuts.

Nobody is that nuts.

That said, allow me to digress for a moment...

I've always thought that if I was ever in a punk band (or an improv troupe) I would name said band (or troupe) one of two things:

The Myoclonic Jerks

or

Illiterate Faggot 

(send your letters to Jerry Lewis, not me).

Suddenly a new contender has emerged.  Now, I'm not proud of this.  But I can't stop it from rattling around in my head.  Forgive me if I ever hand you a poorly designed, photocopied flyer for the first show featuring:

Barbara Bush's Fetus Jar

Who's nut's now?

Maybe this is an opportunity...

The internet does not need me to weigh in on this Shirley Sherrod mess. The right and wrong of this situation is so self evident there's nothing I can really add. Except to say this:

1) I do applaud Rachel Maddow and Anderson Cooper for their coverage of the situation, if you need to get up to speed find their coverage online and watch.

2) These Tea Party / Fox News nuts could not have picked a better target. This woman is fierce and she's not going away.

3) Watch the full video of the original speech here.

4) I hope that we can make this an opportunity instead of just a sad example of what is the most wrong with society today.

Also, I can't wait to hear what Michael Eric Dyson has to say about this. But then, I always want to hear what Michael Eric Dyson has to say.

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #8

The June issue of Leroy St. Germaine's hate rag landed on our porch this evening boasting only one new advertiser. Of the other advertisers remaining all but two have pulled their future ads. We're moving in the right direction! Great work everyone! If you haven't signed and circulated the petition yet, please, do your part!

The other great thing about this issue of Leroy St. Germaine's hate rag is the article on me, complete with photograph, two misspelled links to my blog and really pithy lies about how I "actively harassed small businesses that don't agree with my questionable beliefs" and how I "represent the most negative and destructive elements in our society". Also, there's some true stuff about how I'm an "ideological bully" (guilty!) and how I should "spend more time on the treadmill and a little less time on the computer" (maybe when I'm not 8 months pregnant, Leroy!). I find it funny that this man thinks that calling me fat (which I already did myself, right here, a year ago) will make me shut my big fat mouth about his hate speech. Mr. St. Germaine is going to need to do better than that.

I'll post a scanned copy of the article here on my blog at some point in the next few days. The same blog that makes me a "malignant narcissist", by the way! Of course, publishing a newspaper that rants against homosexuality, the same two politicians that wouldn't give you a permit for your universally disliked music festival and global warming ("science not") isn't self indulgent at all. I think the pot just called the kettle something offensive, don't you?

Update

There's lots that we need to catch up on, but for now I just wanted to give you a quick Stop Ward 31 News update. Things are moving along well. Most of the remaining advertisers that have yet to pull their ads are those with corporate leadership that have a lot of red tape to go through or local ownership that don't speak English. I'm not sure which of these two scenarios creates the greater communication problem. Rest assured we are still working hard to get the word out and hope that you will do the same.

More news next week on this front as well as some fun jazz and photography stuff and an update on Art Vandelay who is now into the 30th week of gestatin'. How did that happen?

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #7

More good news! We can add FOUR wonderful local establishments to the list of businesses to pull their future ads from Ward 31 News.

Fairney & Sons Contractors Ltd.
416-659-7003

Dr. Cirone, Chiropractor
Victoria Park Chiropractic Rehab Centre
3100 Danforth Avenue
416-691-8717

Tire Depot
3465 Danforth Avenue
416-699-5535

Agni Restaurant
2825 Danforth Avenue
416-699-1177

I have to give a special mention to Mr. Bill Fairney of Fairney & Sons Contractors Ltd. who has agreed to lend his voice to the cause and spread the word among other contracting businesses that they should not spend their advertising dollars at Ward 31 News. Mr. Fairney is a well respected member of his community and has been doing stellar contracting work under his own name since 1971. Needless to say, if you are in the market for a contractor, give him a call, he's one of the good guys!

I also wanted to share this McDonald's ad from France with you today. Makes you realize how behind the times we can be in North America, doesn't it?

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #6

More good news! All of your signatures on the Stop Ward 31 News petition are making a difference! Meet advertisers number seven and eight to pull their ads!

Centres for Early Learning
391 Dawes Road
416-755-8348

Aske Canada
2813 Danforth Avenue
416-694-3963

There are still THIRTEEN advertisers that we have yet to reach or persuade to get on board. The more of you who sign the petition and ask your friends and contacts to do the same, the closer we will get to our goal. Please hang in there and keep spreading the word!

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #5

You know what your house could use? Some beautiful stained glass. And I know where you can buy some OR even take classes to learn how to make it yourself! Stained glass, people!

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the SIXTH advertiser to pull their ad from the Ward 31 News.

Celestial Stained Glass
862 Kingston Road
416-691-1422

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #4

Let's all go for some ice cream!!!

Marble Slab Creamery has pulled their ad!

Marble Slab Creamery
2032 Queen Street East
416-691-7522

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #3

We now have another, VERY simple way for you to get involved. Sign this petition! Share the link with your contacts and help spread the word. This will take up next to none of your time and will make a very large impact on our efforts to put a stop to LeRoy St. Germaine's hate speech in Toronto. Please help!

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #2

Guess What? I just got my first nasty comment in response to my efforts to bring down LeRoy St. Germaine's hate speech rag Ward 31 News. I'm a TERRORIST! And I HATE children! Check it out:

Tracey, Calling a publication's advertisers because you don't like their opinions is a form of terrorism. Don't laugh. People have a right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You have clients also. Besides, they are a small business like yours'. I also believe that a person that had a 5-year cocaine addiction should not be allowed to adopt. I'm shocked that you apparently think Mr. Smitherman should be allowed to adopt. Children's rights come first, but that's just my opinion. Have fun and proper. Mark

Yeah. "Don't laugh". Thanks, "Mark"!

The best part about this? The absolute BEST part? It was a comment on a post I wrote about BETTY WHITE ON SNL! Hilarious!

Operation: Stop Ward 31 News UPDATE #1

In the less than a week since I wrote about LeRoy St. Germaine's community paper Ward 31 News and his use of hate speech, I've been very gratified to have had four of his advertisers pull their ads and cut ties with the paper. A number of people have gotten in touch to let me know that they too are troubled and offended by Ward 31 News and will be joining the boycott of the paper's advertisers. This is all good news, but there is a long road ahead if we want to put a stop to this.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has made a positive contribution thus far and to answer a few frequently asked questions.

I may not agree with him, but not liking gay adoption isn't "hate", is it?

In addition to condemning gay adoption (can you imagine if he said the same thing about a mixed race couple?) Smitherman is described in the editorial as being "infamous" for being our first openly gay city councillor.

"Infamous" is defined by Webster's as "having a reputation of the worst kind; disgraceful."

Under Canadian Law, hate speech is defined as any communication which disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race or sexual orientation.

I don't think it's a leap.

But I don't like Smitherman (or Davis, or Bussin, or insert-name-of-politician-here) why should I support them?

If you think this is about Smitherman (or anyone else that LeRoy St. Germaine sladers in his paper) personally, you are completely missing the point. As I stated in my original post, what worries me about this situation is not the politicians in question, but the kind of hate speech, that LeRoy St. Germaine so casually tossed around in the Smitherman editorial, being spread around my neighbourhood every month. I want to put a stop to it, and I want you to help.

Why do you hate small businesses?

I LOVE small businesses. I support them whenever possible. I have one of my own. This boycott is not designed to punish small businesses, but to help let them know that there are MUCH better places to spend their advertising dollars. In addition, I'm encouraging everyone involved in the boycott to support the businesses that pull their ads. With that in mind, a big round of applause for these trailblazers:

D&G Trophies
1517 O'Connor Drive
416-694-2698

The Feathers Pub
926 Kingston Road
416-694-0443

TNT Custom Contracting
647-686-1046

IGS Systems
1268 Danforth Avenue
416-461-6090

I'd like to read the full editorial? Is it online?

The Ward 31 News website has not been updated since March. At the end of this post is a scanned copy of the editorial in question, from the front page of the May 2010 edition. Click on the jpeg to make it legible.

What can I do to help?

Tell your friends. Spread the word via email, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, even if you (or your friends) don't live in the neighbourhood.

Write or call the advertisers to let them know you are joining the boycott. Money talks...and without the advertisers' dollars Ward 31 News will have to cease publication. Just a little action on your part can help make that happen!

Rag Trade

This morning, on our front porch, we found a copy the May 2010 edition of the Ward 31 News. At first glance this appeared to be another in the long line of harmless community newspapers that circulate around the city. Upon closer inspection I realized that "harmless" would be the last word I would use to describe this rag.

Right there, on the front page, in an editorial entitled "Vote NO to Smitherman" was this nice piece of hate speech:

"Furious" George (nicknamed for his aggressive and abrasive manner) and his hubby have been approved as adoptive parents by the Toronto Children's Aid Society.....not that there's anything right with that. Obviously, educated citizens do not approve.

The rest of the article, and in fact the entire paper, is riddled with inaccuracies, typos and difficult to read, often incoherent ranting. So, who is the brain trust behind this bastian of journalistic integrity? A quick google search of the Editor, one LeRoy St. Germaine revealed not a journalist, but a music festival producer with a troubled relationship with City Hall.


A disturbingly naïve profile of LeRoy St. Germaine on Walrus Magazine's blog, where they paint him as some sort of anti-establishment hero, reveals that he started the newspaper (and two others like it for different wards) to feed his personal vendettas against certain members of city council, most notably Sandra Bussin (Ward 32) and Janet Davis (Ward 31). The blogger at The Walrus asked him how he started up his newspapers:

I picked up the telephone and started pitching ads. You know what? I’ve watched this [Toronto councillor Sandra] Bussin for a few years now, okay? And her actions disgust me… I’m just a guy who’s not into unjust and unfair things. That’s all. I’ve been in the sales game all my life and selling ad space is nothing new to me. So what do I need to put out a newspaper? The ability to raise the money, which is to sell space. And the ability to write a little bit, which I have. I’ve seen too much of this Bussin, I’ve seen her crush the little people around here. I’ve seen the conspiracy of it all. I’ve seen the games they play, and I thought, ‘somebody’s got to get even with you’.

Now, I'm not worried about Bussin or Davis or Smitherman or any of the politicians that he attacks in his newpapers. Dealing with public dissent is part of being a public servant. They can take care of themselves. In fact, Bussin appears to be suing St. Germaine with a little help from Toronto's tax payers.

What worries me is the kind of hate speech, that he so casually tossed around in the Smitherman editorial, being spread around my neighbourhood every month. The only way St. Germaine can continue to print his rags is if he continues to raise advertising money from local businesses. As someone new to small business ownership, I understand all too well the desire to reach local consumers. It is my hope that the advertisers in St. Germaine's papers don't know about the kind of hate he espouses and that once it is pointed out to them they will realize that their advertising dollars are better spent elsewhere.

It took 4 redirections on the newspaper's helplessly out of date website to find a rate card for his advertising, but what I discovered is that companies like Marble Slab Creamery who have a colour ad on 1/3 of the front page of the May 2010 edition of Ward 31 News likely spent somewhere in the neighbourhood of $800.00 to be associated with St. Germaine's hateful ranting.

I should acknowledge that this is a personal, memoir style blog. I realize you're used to hearing me talk about my photography, pop culture and my pregnancy. I don't get political here too often and certainly not in a way that isn't more...abstract. The thing is, this is personal to me. This neighbourhood is where I've decided to put down roots. I've spent a great deal of money getting into the real estate market in Ward 31. This is where we are going to raise our family. And I'm not going to take this kind of hate speech landing on my front porch lying down.

I hope that, whether you are a resident of Ward 31 or not, you will join me in this attempt to shine a light on LeRoy St. Germaine's hate speech and show his advertisers that where they spend their advertising dollars matters. I have sent this blog post on to all the advertisers in this issue (listed below) and hope that they will respond in a positive manner. Until that time, I will be boycotting their establishments and services and hope that you will do the same.

Please feel free to link to this post, email your friends and contacts, call and email the advertisers and in fact, give LeRoy St. Germaine a call at 416-693-6325. No apathy...let's put a stop to this.

---

Fabutan
844 Danforth Avenue
416-423-7778

ANA Renovation Services
1543 Kingston Road
416-699-6549

Henley Health Group
Moravac Chiropody Professional Corp.
1089 Kingston Road
416-698-1844

Metric Renovations Ltd.
905-660-6164

Dog & Pet Service
"Call Marlene"
416-694-4059

QS Nails & Spa
1089 Kingston Road Unit 7B
416-694-8999

Right at Home Realty Inc.
Bruce Palait, Sales Representative
Direct Line: 416-200-7479

---

UPDATE

The following businesses have pulled their ads from Ward 31 News in response to the call for a boycott. I am very grateful to them for their swift, positive responses. May their positive actions not go unnoticed! Let's SUPPORT the businesses that are no longer advertising with Ward 31 News!

D&G Trophies
1517 O'Connor Drive
416-694-2698

The Feathers Pub
926 Kingston Road
416-694-0443

TNT Custom Contracting
647-686-1046

IGS Systems
1268 Danforth Avenue
416-461-6090

Marble Slab Creamery
2032 Queen Street East
416-691-7522

Celestial Stained Glass
862 Kingston Road
416-691-1422

Aske Canada
2813 Danforth Avenue
416-694-3963

Centres for Early Learning
391 Dawes Road
416-755-8348

Fairney & Sons Contractors Ltd.
416-659-7003

Dr. Cirone, Chiropractor
Victoria Park Chiropractic Rehab Centre
3100 Danforth Avenue
416-691-8717

Tire Depot
3465 Danforth Avenue
416-699-5535

Agni Restaurant
2825 Danforth Avenue
416-699-1177

Douchegate

If you watch the clip of this Joe Wilson character shouting at the President and can get past your own anger at his stupid, stupid stupidity you might just be entertained by watching Pelosi and Biden react. Poor Joe Biden. Joe Biden is sad for humanity. Or as he would put it "I am literally sad for humanity. Literally!" Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, looks like she could go kick some ignorant Republican ass. I love how pissed she looks. It's as if she's giving face to the emotions of level headed, sane, decent people everywhere.

My Beer with Bill

So I had a beer with The Secretary of State's husband on Saturday. It didn't amount to anything. He would have liked me better ten years ago.


In all seriousness though, it was a very cool experience and it only cost $5 to get a ticket. Thanks, Canadian National Exhibition! I'll post some shaky video later. Even from a distance, he's an interesting, magnetic guy and he had a lot of insightful things to say. But you already knew that!

Arguing with a Dining Room Table

I cannot take the time to articulate my thoughts about this town hall nonsense going on South of the border right now. Can't. Do. It. I will say this. I adore Barney Frank. Someone should write a musical about him.

On The Plus Side

Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice on Saturday. This was a victory for the Obama administration, for women and for Latinas. Obviously. What you may not realize, is that this was also a blow to your friendly neighbourhood fatists. What's that? you say. Sonia Sotomayor is not fat. But not only were people using her weight as a tool to ridicule her, they used it as reason for her not to be confirmed for the job. I kid you not. Law professor Paul Campos pointed this phenomenon out at The Daily Beast, while sane people everywhere shook their heads in disbelief. Campos writes:

Within hours after the news broke that Souter was resigning, concerns arose that Sotomayor might be too fat to replace him. A commentator on the site DemConWatch.com noted that of the three most-mentioned candidates "the oldest (federal judge Diane Wood) is the only one who looks healthy," while Kagan and Sotomayor "are quite overweight. That's a risk factor that they may not last too long on the court because of their health."

It's a wonder she can get around without the aid of a motorized scooter, am I right?

Is that a double chin I see?

She's smiling because she's thinking of tacos.

Let's break this down. Scalia and Thomas both have the body of a layabout bureaucrat, big man guts and all. I don't hear anyone having any concerns about their ability to serve. Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been fighting cancer, but that's not something that's going to be a problem, cause she's skinny and she was before she got sick. So, you know, who could have seen that coming? No matter how brilliant you are and no matter what you accomplish in life, your size will always be used to judge your competence. If you're a woman.

Now, you guys know me. Or at least you've seen my picture. I am a nicely rounded-out woman, and by societal standards I definitely need to lose weight. I'm fat. I power walk, do cardio on my exercise bike, practice yoga and eat lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains. Could I work out more? Of course. Last week I didn't work out once. And I felt bad about it. But the week before I got three cardio sessions in and this week I plan on doing the same as well as attending a yoga class. I'm happier when I work out despite the fact that the motivation to do so is not something that comes naturally to me. Do I have an unholy love for fried chicken? I admit it. I have had actual dreams, like while I'm asleep, of the Colonel. Is that stuff that I could stand to keep in check? Absolutely. But it's all about balance for me and year after year my doctor tells me that my cholesterol is fine, my blood pressure is low and I am quite healthy. My doctor proves to me, every year, that the BMI is BS. Hopefully with every year that passes I'll be exercising more and treating myself to a few less pieces of fried chicken...but never with the goal of losing weight, only with the goal of STAYING healthy.

Does my fat make you uncomfortable?

I'm swimming in it!

Unflattering picture of a fat woman cooking a turkey! I bet she's going to eat the whole thing herself!

You know what doesn't help? Accomplished women in the public eye like Oprah and Kirstie Alley constantly yo-yo dieting and apologizing for their weight. Oprah: you are the most powerful woman in media. You work hard, you do good things for people, not to mention you are in your 50's and have a thyroid issue. STOP saying how sorry you are that you went up a couple of dress sizes and start START saying that you are sorry for unleashing Dr. Phil on the world. Kirstie Alley: STOP trying to find a quick fix. Eat better, move more and if the weight comes off, it comes off. If it doesn't, start a plus size clothing line for the over 60% of women in your country that are plus sized like you. Most of all, just SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT.

Ladies, everywhere, I beg of you...STOP being ashamed and START focussing on what matters. Live your best life, damn it, and stop being a part of the problem.

One more thing. Do me a favour: don't tell me I can't be a Supreme Court Justice because I'm fat. Tell me I can't be a Supreme Court Justice because I never went to law school, or because I'm not fit to judge a dog show or because I'm Canadian! But leave my fat, spanx wearing ass out of it. The same ass, which by the way, you can kiss. Two times.

Perfection.