Welcome to Web 3.0 LETTER TO THE EDITOR As is so often the case, Joshua Errett has no idea what he's talking about. Apple's App Store isn't the anti-Internet: it's just another online store. It isn't elitist and it isn't policed, at least not in the totalitarian way Errett alludes to. All stores, whether online or bricks-and-mortar, decide what they will and will not sell, and can and do change their minds. Is that a problem?
Do I have a right to walk into a store and demand that they sell my product? Should I be able to install a Toyota part in my Honda?
It's clear that Errett hates Apple, like so many of the fanboys who litter tech blogs.
Brawl at Public Aid Office Turns Into Voguing Match COMMENTS The entire country has become one rolling liquid tribute to belligerence, vanity, and an absence of soul waiting to be captured and then gone viral.
It gives my heart the functional equivalent of brain freeze when I eat too much ice cream too quickly.
missdelite: "..has become?" We humans have been rubbernecking since the dawn of..er..necks.
I am not so much referring to "rubbernecking," MD. It is the desire to be the object of rubbernecking and then to have that spectacle put on the web for all to see as the apotheosis of modern-day accomplishment.
missdelite: Humans seeking attention isn't anything new. One could argue that most of the shit we do in our daily life is for the purpose of validation. Think of how much stuff wouldn't get done if no one noticed us doing it.
I'm with you that there are some things that shouldn't garner attention (like violence), but for me the voguing was a charming footnote to a depressingly lame incident and I'd rather watch it on a loop than C-SPAN, any day of the week.
Also this: How many of us are afforded a wide audience to our daily accomplishments, be they great or modest? Few of us will ever see our name in a headline, win medals or be the subject of tributes, so a medium like YouTube allows Joe/Jane Nobody a platform to shine for a minute or two. Of course, it also invites the darker side because that's what we're made up of as well and there's no use denying it. I don't gravitate to those sorts of vids, but I'd rather know these impulses exist than sweep it under the rug. We can talk about "the good ol' days" as much as we want, but FYI: Norman Rockwell's world never actually existed and was just a figment of previous generations' collective imagination.
Girl Talk: How Men Dominate Twitter COMMENT You're right, I went for snark and it came out condescending. And its probably vague because I've become used to compressing my thoughts into 140 character. But I digress.
My comment was just meant to say that your sentiment had been echoed when Twitter first started to gain traction, and that time has proven the skeptics wrong. Otherwise, why would there be 10,637,661,536+ Tweets in just three years? Why has Twitter overtaken blogging for providing real time information?
Twitter is a platform for communication that has more "real world" applications than could fit in a blog comment. But I can try: Finding jobs and boyfriends, keeping up to date with friends, finding out about breaking news, keeping tabs on organizations you're interested in, finding people with common interests, engaging public figures and journalists, controlling other electronics (there are a plethora of applications that allow you to control your computer from a distance with a tweet), communicating at/during/about events using hashtags and keywords....
The list goes on and on. It's a medium, not a product. It's a means for things to happen quickly on a unified, searchable platform.
And if you think that texting is the same as using a Twitter app, then I imagine you haven't used Tweetie 2 on the iPhone (or if you have, that you're extremely hard to impress.)
If anyone has any doubt about Twitter being the next powerhouse communication tool, consider this: Conan O'Brien posted a single, solitary tweet 5 hours ago and now he has 174,006 followers. Talk about an ego boost. How long, do you think, before he breaks a million? It's no secret we're all waiting for the next Conan project - be it on TV or the Internet - but in the meantime we've got his tweets to keep us going. I hope he keeps it up, cause you know he'll make even walking the dog sound funny. Yes, he's back! And I just want to say, Thank you, NBC, for firing Conan and saving comedy.
Ok, make that 180,567...
UPDATE 1 [02.25.10] Has my point about Twitter sunken in yet? No? Well then, look at it this way: If Conan had posted a message on his Facebook "wall", there's no fucking way it would've reached over a quarter of a million people in less than 24 hours. None. When it comes to outreach, Facebook's exclusivity bites it in the ass. It's great for organizing parties, but not for organizing events - especially major ones. Let's face it, on the Information Superhighway, Twitter's a bullet train to Facebook's rusty shopping cart with the squeaky wheel that's always veering left.
So, if Conan and his crew put out a casting call for their next project, which medium would get the word out faster and to more people? Facebook or Twitter? And if you - as a writer/comedian/agent - want to get the jumpstart over everyone else, then which medium are you going to monitor more closely? Facebook or Twitter? If you chose the former, then you just lost your place in line, and possibly your shot at the opportunity of a lifetime. These days, who can afford to wait?
Let's make that 340,394...
UPDATE 2 [02.26.10] Conan on Twitter: 377,647 followers and counting... (after 2 days and 2 tweets) Conan on Facebook: His largest fan group has 41,709 fans (search results)
From the numbers above, you can see that when it comes to crowdsourcing capabilities, Twitter blasts Facebook out of the water and into outer space. If Conan's smart (and we all know he is), he's working on a project right now with the intent of promoting it no later than the summer. By firing him, NBC gave him the best publicity money can't buy, and he'll want to capitalize on the momentum of public interest before it runs cold. After all, in the age of Twitter, popularity has a shelf life of days, if not hours. I'd say Conan's lucky the entertainment world - in particular comedy - is a stale environment right now. It takes Herculean efforts to launch something on TV and on the Internet there's what? Funny or Die videos? C'mon, he's in the perfect position to blow our minds, and if he's half the "genius" people say he is, he'll do just that (before fall 2010).
UPDATE 3 [03.02.10] Looks like Conan and his writers are getting ready to tickle our comedy tastebuds once again. From the comments: Are you really going to do a live show? When and where? Boston I hope!
UPDATE 4 [03.03.10] Conan's number of followers has surpassed the half million mark. He now has 503,497 followers after 7 days and 8 tweets. Jay Leno who?? __________________________________________________
Guy Laliberte has spent months planning an event some are dubbing 'Spacestock' - a concert on five continents, with the Cirque du Soleil founder acting as the master of ceremonies from the International Space Station.
The billionaire circus impresario hopes his grandiose event will focus the world's attention on an important cause: water conservation. [...]
The production costs for the multilingual show are estimated to be between $6 million and $10 million - which is on top of the US$35 million Laliberte paid to become Canada's first space tourist.
It will be seen on the Internet beginning at 8 p.m EDT through the website of Laliberte's One Drop Foundation at OneDrop.org. [...]
Bono, Shakira and Al Gore Team Up for Water Education Tonight (October 9), a multitude of celebrities will take part in a global event dubbed "Moving Stars and Earth for Water." Musicians, movie stars, politicians and environmentalists will unite for one common cause: Bringing the world more and better water. This diverse group includes Shakira, Salma Hayek, Bono, Joss Stone and former Vice President Al Gore. Perhaps the most riveting component of the show? On the same day we searched the moon for water, the event will be broadcast into outer space.
Why? Because the architect of the entire project is Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte, who has been on a personally-financed mission to the International Space Station since October 2. He describes the event as a "poetic social mission." Laliberte intends to use his time off Earth to find supplies of one of the world's most important resources. "My mission is dedicated to making a difference on this vital resource by using what I know best: artistry," Laliberte said. [...]
Guy Laliberté, OC, CQ (born September 2, 1959) is a French Canadian entrepreneur, currently the CEO of Cirque du Soleil. Starting out as an accordion player, stiltwalker and fire-eater; Laliberté created his circus which is a synthesis of all circus styles around the world. In 2006, the 95% share holder of the US$1.2 billion Cirque Du Soleil was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. [...]
Toronto’s a tweet capital and a start-up hot spot, but while the rest of the technoverse zooms ahead, our city’s in perpetual beta. Can our hardware handle an upgrade?
Standing at the podium at City Hall, Mayor David Miller whips out his BlackBerry, his fingers dance around the keypad, and he faces the crowd.
The most tech-positive politician in Toronto’s history, Miller is usually at ease talking to the normally adoring group gathered in front of him for last November’s Web 2.0 summit.
But this question vexes him: when will Toronto get its own Google Transit map?
After a quick smartphone consult, he’s got a reply.
Google Transit for the TTC, a Toronto version of the much-loved map that puts public transit routes, schedule and service info in an at-your-fingertips format, would be ready in the spring, he said to applause.
For transit enthusiasts and those just wanting to know the quickest route from Chinatown to the St. Lawrence Market, it was about time. The Google partnership is already in place in nearly every other Canadian city with public transportation, from Fredericton to Victoria and Vaughan, just north of Toronto.
Only now, almost a year later, there’s still no map, and it would take another map to retrace the failed promises, starting in 2006.
For its part, all the city would have to do is hand over TTC data to Google to produce the useful map – at no cost to taxpayers.
But when it comes to technological advancements like sharing data, Toronto is one tardy jurisdiction.
It’s in the world's top 10 in Twittering, in the top 20 in overall Internet use, and has loads of Web start-ups. Tons of small tech conferences like ChangeCamp are held here, with the online activists to go with them. Mozilla, maker of the popular browser Firefox, even has an office in Toronto.
But when it comes to ranking the most cutting-edge cities in the world, T.O. is a pretender – from the failure of city-wide wireless to the absence of big-name Web firms and the lack of work-friendly Internet cafés.
Most importantly, while cities like Vancouver, Washington, DC, and Pittsburgh (of all places) zoom onward to the future, Toronto’s moves toward more participatory city government, using democratizing open-source technology, are snail-like.
Is it time for an upgrade?
***
To get a sense of how other jurisdictions manage to incorporate online activism, consider what happened with Vancouver’s garbage pickup earlier this summer.
Public policy expert and Internet activist David Eaves mused on his blog that trash service in his city was convoluted, involving zones and changing schedules. He wrote that email reminders or a map of pickup schedules would vastly improve matters.
For that to happen, he said, the city would have to make available all the data – the digital information around its garbage service – to the community of Web developers. Vancouver had recently passed an openness initiative, so the trash schedules were handed right over.
Two young Web developers made the program Eaves described, calling it VanTrash, and gave it to the city.
Another participatory breakthrough is Pittsburgh’s iBurgh, a mobile application that lets residents instantly upload photos of potholes, unremoved snow and other problems to the city from their iPhone, minus the bureaucratic run-around of trying to phone some office. (This app was also donated free of charge.)
In the digital age, “openness” has a new definition. It not only means making information available, but also doing so in a technically accessible format – that is, opening the source data. Toronto makes lots of information available on its websites, but not in a usable format to build online services. The TTC data requested by Google is a prime example.
Web developers, essentially working for free in exchange for exposure, could build Internet-based solutions to civic problems with that data. Imagine the outcome: interactive maps of restaurants charged with sanitary violations, historic neighbourhood walks, searchable databases of swimming pool hours, Facebook widgets of city festivals.... The possibilities are endless.
Free data also makes social activism that much easier; think of having all committee or council minutes or city staff documents relating to a hazardous condo project, for example, arriving in your email in an easy-to-digest format. Stopping unwanted developments could be a matter of touching an iPhone screen.
By these standards, Toronto is closed.
But according to David Wallace, T.O.’s chief information officer and leader of the Toronto.ca redesign, the process of freeing up data has begun, and local developers will be invited into the fold.
“Toronto has a very good software development community, larger and more in-depth than any other city in Canada,” says Wallace. “That means we have a large advantage, as we get our data out there, to get very advanced products developed.”
Thus far, Wallace says, there has been some reluctance to “just throw stuff out there” for fear that no one will do anything with it. He complains that when developers were asked what data would be useful to free up, there wasn’t much of a response, much like when the city appealed to the public for input into its site redesign and got a paltry 90 replies. (Go to toronto.ca/comment to add to that number.)
Regardless, Wallace says the city will put some of its data on a labs page in the fall, where developers can submit different programs.
Good news. The downside, though, is that Toronto will pick and choose which data it releases. He mentions one idea that’s unfortunately dated: an events calendar that citizens and organizations can upload, something like the one that appeared on blogs like Torontoist and BlogTO in 2006.
Compared to the complexity of material in the city’s domain, the TTC’s mandate is straightforward: release its routes, schedule and service data so developers can make online and mobile transit tools.
Last year, a developer in his early 20s, Brian Gilham, created TTC Updates, a service to deliver updates about delayed trains, detoured streetcars and any other TTC disruptions. Riders could get reports delivered to their cellphones via Twitter.
On the site, a disclaimer reads: “TTCupdates is not affiliated with the TTC. I mean, well, please don’t sue me.” Gilham is referring to the TTC’s nasty reputation for suing those who use its name, logo or subway map to create transit guides, mashup maps or other tributes.
“It used to be a lot tougher for developers, but things are slowly improving,” says Gilham.
The TTC has never integrated Gilham’s service, which he provided free of charge.
As for the Google Transit map, the arrival time is apparently approaching. TTC chair Adam Giambrone says the data the search engine company would need to build the map – routes, times, schedules in technically accessible form – simply did not exist and therefore couldn’t be shared. Putting data in a shareable format and displaying it cost $2 million.
But there’s more. Giambrone says he’s reluctant to partner with a third-party company. This is, after all, publicly financed information – Toronto can’t just go making deals with multinational corporations. What if Google were to change its mind and charge for the map?
Giambrone bristles at the suggestion that the TTC isn’t open. “The TTC Website may not be as sexy as other sites, but it scores high in accessibility.”
Like the team rebuilding the Toronto city site, he agrees with open-sourcing solutions. He promises the TTC will release the data to everyone, including Google, in the fall.
“By January 2010, Toronto will have the most wired transit system in the world,” he says. Expect “a pretty impressive suite of applications” that will make an outing on the TTC easier to plan, like an SMS message service that will alert riders when to expect the next two vehicles at any given stop.
Also coming is an interactive trip planner, evidence of which can be seen on the TTC home page. It has read “Future home of the trip planner” for months.
This translates into a years-long delay for the handy Google Transit map, already in use in more than 400 cities. But it’s also an indication of Toronto’s unpreparedness. Sharing data was the future when cities like Washington did it in 2005. Now it’s the norm.
Also worrisome is the fact that key corporations are missing in action. In the last year, Google moved to town, but its location at Yonge and Dundas is, alas, strictly a sales office. Any creative or development work takes place elsewhere, like Waterloo.
Apple opted to take its offices outside Toronto as well. Not far outside, but it is Markham.
This scattered approach is the anti-Silicon Valley, according to Richard Florida, creativity guru and director of the Martin Prosperity Institute.
“Northern California, specifically the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, has benefited from clustering. Technology talent in those areas have the opportunity to share information and communicate face to face,” he says.
“This, in turn, is causing human capital and highly sought-after talent to concentrate in select communities, causing the clustering effect.”
Does the presence of companies like Google attract Internet types?
“Toronto isn’t as well known as a technology hub,” says Mark Surman, exec director of the Mozilla Foundation, a Web firm dedicated to open sourcing. “We don’t have a strong identity, but community and industry and movement are all here.”
Surman says that’s the reason Mozilla, which hails from Mountain View, the same California town Google calls home, runs a 15-person space over a Beer Store south of Bloor on Spadina. (It should be noted that ValleyWag, a popular Silicon Valley blog, rated it as one of the worst tech offices in the world.)
He says that convincing governments, business and the public that Toronto is a hub of innovation is the main hurdle. For example, do Web users know that the bulk of the work on the globally popular Firefox browser happens in Toronto? Surman thinks not.
But he disagrees large companies will serve any purpose. “People look for Google or recognizable companies. Those are not the story of the Web. The Web is a small patchwork of people. They tend to be independent developers,” he says. “That’s fabric of the industry in Toronto, and the fabric of the Web itself.”
He points to the dozens of small, informal conferences held all over Toronto, often called camps, as in TransitCamp for transit innovation, and ChangeCamp for social change technology. These are tech events where ideas are tossed around and keynote speakers interact with audiences. They’re more like storytelling sessions than lectures, like where the mayor promised Google Transit.
In both public and private space, the Internet is about the individual. Behemoth organizations are always outsmarted by a chorus of independent creative minds. But what happens when ideas have nowhere to go?
That’s Toronto at present. There’s no local outlet for innovators – at City Hall or at big Internet companies. There’s not even a popular local technology blog.
What’s needed is support, recognition and places to direct our online efforts. Once those are in place, just uncork the talent.
COMMENTS [NowToronto.com] Nice analysis. The most troubling is Wallace's reluctance to "just throw stuff out there for fear that no one will do anything with it." I certainly hope this quote was taken out of context. The whole concept behind open data is that you *don't* know what people are going to do with it. The city already knows what developers want - they demanded it in an extensive session at ChangeCamp last year. We crafted a list of at least 50 different types of data that would enable us to build cool stuff for the city.
Toronto - we're ready to start building this stuff for you. Now it's your turn. Open up.
If you look at the history of tech innovation over the last thirty years, a couple of things stand out. One is having a university that encourages innovation and that has a strong tech background. Stanford was the incubator for HP, Apple, Google. Also you need a good VC market. You need to have money to get the start ups going.
You may knock Pittsburgh but CMU is one of the top engineering schools in the nation and it has developed a good reputation in encouraging technological innovation.
Mozilla was originally developed at the U of I but Andreesen took it out west in part due to lack of VC money.
So does U of T have anything that can match that? Does it encourage its engineering department to be innovative and develop new products? Does it try to partner with the business community to develop new products?
You have RIM up there which is one of the most successful tech companies out there right now.
Is it involved or encouraged to partner with other startups or the university?
Chicago is a case in point we have some very good universities but none of them have done a good job of spurring innovation or partnering with the business community. The result is that Chicago is more of a user of other peoples products than a developer.
Are TransitCamp and MyTTC so under the radar that they don't even warrant a mention here? Surely if you're discussing ChangeCamp there was an effort to reach out to the organizers to ask if any transit related Camps had happened. In any case, http://myttc.ca was a product of the first TransitCamp and is under ongoing development, including discussions and efforts with the TTC to gather the best data available. In other words, there's no need to wait on Google but if David Miller isn't aware of MyTTC, it's time to send a Tweet and get him behind it.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR I am a small business owner in the Toronto Business Development Centre's self-employment training program. I've developed a platform for streaming video and Internet radio to smartphones and mobile devices.
Your article "Stuck in Version 1.0" hit me hard because of my experiences in Toronto. WTF is going on?
We are stuck in Version 1.0 for two main reasons: 1) advertising agencies have a stranglehold on media; 2) Toronto is about making money and stamping out the little guy.
It's become next to impossible to carve out an existence as a small digital media company. Getting through the front doors of Toronto companies is next to impossible.
Thank you for your amazing article and insightful analysis. I feel less alone and more sure of why Toronto is a place where I cannot continue to work. --Kevin Grant _______________________________________________
There's a world of ideas to steal from cutting-edge digital capitals
Portland Home to the first-ever interactive transit map, Portland leads in developer-made transit applications. The firm TriMet even assisted Google in preparing data for maps. Creative apps tell you when the next vehicle arrives, find the nearest stop to your location and alert you when you’re nearing your destination.
San Francisco What about copying the Bay Area’s most cherished invention, the Internet café? Sitting down to a high-speed connection on a brand new iMac with a chipotle fish taco in your hand is one of life’s great pleasures. Anyone looking to copy one of SF’s better Interweb spots should research Quetzal, Golden Gate Perk or Chat Café.
Austin As well as hosting SXSWi, North America’s definitive Web conference, Austin has a reputation as a smart place to launch a tech start-up. That’s because the city’s attracted successful tech venture capitalist firms like YCombinator and TechStars, but also because the city itself acts like a VC: Austin’s Capital Factory initiative funds five new tech start-ups a year.
...They give their time and energy to help you with nothing expected in return.
Washington, DC A historic DC walking tour on your iPhone. A Facebook widget that checks where city money is spent. These are the types of Internet applications submitted to Apps for Democracy, a program under DC mayor Adrian Fenty inviting local developers to identify city problems and solve them online. The project yielded 47 apps in 30 days – a $2,300,000 value.
"Park it DC" actually makes parking in DC a lot easier: if you put in an address you can see whether or not cars have been stolen in that area...
Vancouver Vancouver is leading the way in Canada in the open government movement. A motion passed at City Hall in May for open data, open standards and open source means programs that map out all public washrooms in an area and email alerts for water quality on city beaches are in the works.
Munich The capital of Bavaria is also a capital of open-source. In 2006, the city switched all of its 15,000 computers from proprietary Microsoft Windows to the open Linux system. A bold move, considering that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a desperation visit to Munich to convince the city not to leave his company.
Bangalore A cluster of software, electronics and Web companies make this India’s version of Silicon Valley, though it’s not a valley at all, but a plateau. Three micro-neighbourhoods dedicated to tech work and the presence of multinationals like AOL and Qwest attract talent from all over the country.
Singapore Apart from the heavily armed guards randomly demanding to see passports, Singapore’s Changi Airport is an easy place to work online. Internet kiosks are plentiful, with a fair five-minute usage limit. Or for those carrying laptops or netbooks, there’s free wireless. The airport’s site also has a an interactive map of the place to help you avoid last-second scurrying for a flight.
Seoul WiBro sounds like a nickname for the beer-drinking, backwards-hat-wearing neighbour but is actually proof that our telecoms aren’t competing. WiBro, wireless broadband, is Seoul’s new high-speed wireless-everywhere coverage. It’d be like sitting on the 511 Bathurst dialing up Gmail and downloading The Hangover at the same time.
Tokyo Any place that sells smartphones in vending machines deserves mention in a high-tech list, even if not many other ideas can be stolen (well, besides scramble crosswalks) from a crazy-busy city like this one. Tokyo also rivals London for top wages paid to developers and high-end Internet ITers, though that’s a bit of a red herring considering the cost of living.
Hong Kong Cyberport is a city-made, brick-and-mortar space dedicated to IT and Web innovation. It’s as exciting to visit as it sounds. The world’s first Internet ’hood boasts local start-ups and houses a tech-savvy five-star hotel and close to 3,000 permanent residents in a futuristic city. Should T.O. create a designated online neighbourhood? (HK is also a great place for electronics, both buying and developing.) ______________________________________________
RELATED The 10 Most Connected Cities in the World 1. Seoul, South Korea Boasting a metropolitan area population of more than 22 million people, Seoul is the second most populated metro area in the world and second to none in terms of modern technology. Seoul is home to some of the biggest telecommunications and technology companies in the world, including SK Telecom, KT Corporation, Samsung and LG. If you're looking for the latest and greatest cell phone or miniature wifi gadget, Seoul should be your first stop.
When it comes to broadband penetration, South Korea is the world leader with an 83 percent penetration rate. This is in part due to the full blown broadband revolution that has been taking place in Seoul for the past 8 years.
Seoul is full of Internet cafés, wireless hotspots and gaming areas (called "pc baangs") making it the ideal city to use the Internet on the go. In most areas, a pc baang can be found on every corner. How's that for service?
Koreans have a fascination with PC gaming unlike any other country in the world. In South Korea, there are multiple television channels dedicated solely to broadcasting the day's video game events. Talented video game players are treated like celebrities similar to famous basketball players in the United States. At the center of all of the gaming is Seoul, which has played an important part in expanding Internet usage throughout all of South Korea.
Internet access in Seoul is extremely cheap, averaging around $20 per month for a 10Mpbs connection -- that's more than 4 times as fast and half the price of the average broadband connection in the United States. Some areas of Seoul boast commercial Internet speeds of more than 100Mbps for merely $30 per month. With speeds that fast it would only take you 5 minutes to download a two-hour high definition movie.
Seoul's current expansion plans include a $439 million project to add wireless Internet access to the subway trains. "The plan would be to create a wifi network, and then charge roughly $20 per month for access."
With such a huge broadband presence and a dedication to offering cheap, fast Internet solutions, Seoul is the definition of wired.
What is a 3G Network? Japan and South Korea were the first countries to successfully launch this (3G) network. The Japanese company FOMA launched in May 2001 and South Korea's SK Telecom launched in January 2002. British Telecom in the United Kingdom and Monet Mobile Networks in the United States followed suit. By 2007, most countries had implemented the technology. ______________________________________________
Are you sure you want to deactivate your account? Your friends will no longer be able to contact you. Above is a screengrab from when I deactivated my second account with Facebook. It reminds me, metaphorically speaking, of a sad puppy dog face mournfully pleading Please don't go. Notice the names of my contacts followed by the "will miss you" part? Cheap trick and more than a little hilarious in a pathetic sort of way. I think my "friends" will do just fine without me, thank you very much. It's not like I had time to build any sort of rapport with them. Besides, I'm not that hard to find. Hidden in plain view actually.
My first account, which I'd nurtured for 3 weeks, was disabled without notice or warning. I lost all of my contacts - 104 names to be precise - without any means of retrieving them. Singers, actors, models, business people....all gone. I wanted to bring people over to my site, Miss Delite, and I was achieving that until Facebook pulled the plug.
Upset as I was at how quickly and easily my efforts were flushed down the crapper, I put up another account and started again - until yesterday - I had a moment of clarity. I thought to myself You know what? This is too much work for too little reward. What if Facebook disables my account again? What then???
So I cancelled it.
Seriously though, Facebook and I made strange bedfellows. The entire set up - while efficient and extensive - is extremely straitlaced. Even the hookers are wholesome. If I want to hang out with the Ozzie and Harriet crowd, I'll... well, I'll shoot myself because clearly that's not something I'd ever want to do. I'm not a child and I've no desire to be one or be treated like one.
It's not like I posted anything offensive on my profile. Mostly it had pics of models and music videos. There were a couple of nudes, and I vaguely recalled a No nudity clause, but I thought it was okay to post them only after I'd seen much worse on other profiles, as in pierced genitalia and shaved ass holes. My nudes were tasteful. Art gallery quality rather than pornographic in nature.
But that's Facebook for you: Disneyland for adults. Let's all pretend we're 4-year-olds and that sex doesn't really exist, shall we?
Nauseating.
After all of that, I got an email today from "Fred" in response to my query as to what prompted their decision to piss on my parade. I'm surprised he even bothered; customer service agents are notoriously elusive. Of course, in a capacity typical of robotic officials, the It's-our-way-or-the-highway tone of his email rubbed me the wrong way. He also alluded to some bogus claims without bothering to back them up or solicit my side of the story. It's all very vague and obtuse. Naturally, I had to respond.
Forthwith, our exchange:
Hi facebook, If I posted material that was offensive to anyone, I would have happily removed it. I was building interest in my site, http://www.missdelite.com/. By disabling my account without warning caused me to lose all of my contacts. This hardly seems fair. I kindly ask that you reconsider your decision. Thanks for your consideration, Tia
Hi Tia, After reviewing your situation, we have determined that you violated our Terms of Use. Please note that nudity and other sexually explicit content is not allowed on the site. Additionally, we do not allow users to send messages that are sexually suggestive, or that other users may find harassing in nature. We will not be able to reactivate your account for any reason. This decision is final. Thanks for your understanding, Fred User Operations Facebook
Fred, No, I don't understand.
As to the nudity, yes I posted 2 pictures with nudity, which I thought were ok because I saw much worse on other profiles. Pierced genitalia and shaved ass holes come to mind. If you're truly serious about cracking down on lewd images, you will investigate what the BDSM and fetish communities are posting on their profiles.
Besides, why couldn't someone have informed me of the "offense" and requested I remove the pictures? I would have done so without question or arguement. Is it not your standard procedure to at least give a warning?
As for sexually suggestive messages, I have no idea what you're referring to. The only thing I can think of is that sometimes I would write "hi cutie" in my request form. Did someone complain about that? How ridiculous.
And as for charges of harassment, this goes beyond reasoning. I harassed no one. If someone refused a friendship request, I left it at that and did not pursue it. I exchanged friendly messages and postings with a few people but nothing contentious or upsetting. If someone has accused me of harassing them then they are lying.
My theory is that you probably got a complaint about my profile after I'd removed several names and changed it to private, but since you're not open to discussing the matter with me, I can only surmise this.
As for me, I walk away from my Facebook experience extremely disappointed and more than a little ticked off. I think your team handled my case poorly and I will not be coming back.
One ex-Facebook fan (and I'm sure there are many), Tia
What can I say? Facebook is a valuable resource and just because I was the victim of overzealous censors, it doesn't mean I have to give up the opportunity to connect with interesting people, right?
Right.
Besides, where else am I going to "become a fan" of Original Taint?
Well, they're not on Facebook (too explicit I guess) but they're the whole reason I came back!
(Now that I hear their shit though, umm...they're different.)
Toronto's Best Dressed: Deena Pantalone This week's pick donned the perfect party frock, which nails all the right balances: classic, but not boring; bright, but not blinding; youthful, but definitely not for the teenybopper set. We spoke to the diva behind the dress, Toronto developer Deena Pantalone, who explained her approach to recessionary fashion that, incidentally, doesn't involve skimping on shoes.
WHO DESIGNED YOUR DRESS? Well, me, sort of. It's a really old vintage dress I've had lying around the house for years. My cousin is a stylist in New York, so she helped me decide how to alter it, and then I just took it into one of those tiny mom-and-pop seamstress shops on Queen West.
Ana says: Speaking of wearing the same dress. I have this dress. The exact same dress, down to the colour and every last detail of stitching. Its neon red and amazing. Although it looks vintage, its not. FYI hunny, ‘you’ didn't design this dress, at all. They didn't make neon red cocktail dresses in the 50’s. The “tiny mom-and-pop seamstress [shop] on Queen West”, is in fact a fabulous dress boutique called Champagne and Cupcakes. I think credit should be given where credit is due. Great dress though.
Caroline says: Deena, I am EXTREMELY disappointed that you are claiming that you, “sort of” designed the dress and had it “altered at a seamstress shop on Queen.” WOW! I’m not sure what you are trying to prove, but you did not “sort of” design the dress. I, PERSONALLY designed AND made that dress. All I must say is WOWEE…talk about trying to steal credit. You should be ashamed of yourself. And FYI, Champagne & Cupcakes is NOT a “seamstress shop”, as I am NOT a seamstress. I am a designer. Champagne & Cupcakes is a local dress boutique which sells dresses designed and made by myself. All I have to say is WOW, the nerve of some people. Ana, thank you so much for making the correction! I really appreciate people who understand how to properly credit someone’s work and have an appreciation for it. Thanks again! oh…and Deena, I’m not sure how this dress was “lying around your house for years” if it was only created this season. Wow.
Maria says: I HAVE THIS DRESS TOO - but in an electric purple!!! From the amazing designer, Caroline Lim - Champagne & Cupcakes, on West Queen West! BUSTED!!
kathy says: note to the editor of this section: given the obvious appropriation of the dress design, i think a formal correction is in order. after all, we all know that copyright in the fashion industry is a hot issue right now.
Richard says: Produce the receipt Cupcakes, finish her off. Bet there isn’t even a cousin in New York.
Annie says: I cannot believe Deena’s audacity. What a complete and blatant lie! I work as a fashion stylist and often pull from Champagne and Cupcakes for shoots and magazine editorials. I know 200% that this dress is an original Champagne and Cupcakes design as I would get to preview some of Caroline’s new designs before it’s sold in the store, and this was one of them! She had even consulted me on some of the fabric color choices she was thinking of offering in her new collection. She has options in yellow, green and red in that dress, and it’s one of her best selling designs! Does she seriously think she can fool the fashionistas in Toronto?! I completely agree with Kathy’s comment above on copyright. Please, have some class and own up to your pathetic fabrication.
Viv says: Champagne and Cupcakes is a wonderful store with a very hardworking and talented owner and designer! She is not only an amazing talent but a great person! Love you Caroline!
Caroline says: I really appreciate all the positive feedback! Wow. I’m gonna give credit to where it’s due, so Deena, thanks to you, all the loyal Champagne and Cupcakes customers are getting a treat. I’ll be having a ‘Miss Discredit Discount Sale’. As a thank you for leaving a comment, Champagne and Cupcakes will offer you a discount at the store! Just print out your comment from the blog and we’ll take $5 off each regular priced in store dresses or 10% off accessories on your next purchase from May 27-June3, 2009. Thanks for the support! XOXO!
Jessica says: Not that another comment truly needs to be made, HOWEVER, as an employee at Champagne and Cupcakes I can say that this beautiful frock is a genuine Ms.Lim design - I have sold and seen Caroline sell more than just a few of this brand-new and fabulous dress in the store. And to put Deena straight - Caroline’s boutique is not one bit “Mom and Pop”, and she is a DESIGNER not a seamstress. Shame on you Deena. If you were even a tiny bit of a designer, you would never claim someone’s elese work to be your own.
ruby says: this article only caught my eye because i too own this dress! was shocked when i began reading…LIAR!!! Deena Pantalone: shame on you!
Lorna says: Deena’s a typical evil developer— finding something cool and then trying to pass it off as their own. Deena,perhaps you’re one of the best liars but definitely not the best dressed.
Tiana says: Not even a very good liar to start with… Caroline, I am so sorry this happened to you. YOUR designs are beautiful and no one should ever try to pass them off as their own..ew tacky.
Kaleigh says: kind of makes you wonder what else she may be lying about as well…….
Casie Stewart says: SHAME on you. Now the whole interweb knows. Boo hoo.
Tiffany says: hahaha i know this girl… Deena you really need to relax with claiming a design is yours when it cleary is not. Like what your so spoiled that you’re afraid to let people know that your not wearing Gucci or Prada? way to use the “it’s vintage card” ps the new york cousin is real, but she is hardly a stylist hahaha She’s just as much of a poser as her cousin. Caroline, love your designs girl… my girlfriend wore that exact dress for her birthday and was definitely the best dressed birthday girl i have ever seen. I need to come in to check out your collection.
Lilly says: For the record, the style of this dress is a classic. As if it is an original of Champagne and Cupcakes, if anyone should get the design credit it’s Oscar de la Renta and the store did nothing but knock it off.
Cam says: Audrey Hepburn had style & grace. You may have style with this gorgeous dress but honey…you definitely DO NOT have grace! shame on you.
Steph says: She stole credit for a dress and why is she called a recessionista if she’s dropping mega bucks on shoes and high end jewelery??? Considering everyone and their dog knows this dress is from C&C - kind of questions the person who is heading up this section in Style, don’t it? Recessionistas buy accessories where they are cheap. Their shoes are the same. And the dress? Well I think Deena’s been embarrassed enough. Plus very unflattering on her. Looked better on me!
Shannon says: Now this is funny. Oh, the facepalms.
Fashion says: Girlfriend lied her butt off and got caught, thinking no one would catch her. She is getting stones thrown at her in every direction and no one should try to fight it, because she deserves it. There is no credible defense. The only face saving thing to do is to apologize to Caroline. In person. But failing that, no one should try to defend her. This too shall pass (although it’s going to last awhile), so the next best thing is for her to keep quiet. And not to put a caste system on things, but being a designer does require much more skill than being a seamstress, but Miss Thing is probably too pampered to realize that no one in the service sector is her servant. Everybody that “serves” her is probably a “squire” in her mind - sort of like Don Quixote.
Jean says: @ Lilly: It’s ridiculous. Given, that designs are all some sort of knockoff or ‘inspired’ by another design, but to actually wear the item of a designer and claim credit as your own is just wrong.
Valentina says: And with apparent ease, Deena managed to cram her Louboutin-clad foot in her gaping maw…
Jin says: This is 2009, and we are living in the world of SOCIAL MEDIA- dont’ even think about lying like ms. Deena here, and get away with it!! I have never seen so many comments on any TL blog posting.
Champagne & Cupcakes says: Everyone, thank you so very much for your support. It is very nice to hear your positive feedback. Eventhough your support is very appreciated, please do not post anymore negative comments for Ms. Patalone. Although, I was upset at first, I now feel like Champagne & Cupcakes has received the proper credit for the dress. I would appreciate if this issue was laid to rest. Honestly, there are no hard feelings. Thanks again.
Amoryn Engel (National Post writer) says: This is very evidently a witch hunt that has been staged by the owner of Champagne and Cupcakes. Any dummy could figure out that these posts have been submitted by friends of the shop’s owner Caroline. I find this truly appaling. Shame on you Caroline for encouraging this disgusting display. I will certainly never bring you my business — whatever happened to discretion? How unprofessional.
kathy says: sorry, amoryn, you seem to be missing the point here. a witchhunt implies an innocent accused - not the case here. ms. deena brought this on herself with her ridiculous story, and lack of smarts (did she really not know that toronto life has comments section on its website, and that there is such a thing as an internet?). and what exactly should the maker of the dress that was claimed to be made by another person be discreet about? if somebody ripped off your work, and claimed it as theirs, you would be ‘discrete’ about it? are you insane? i don’t know the owner of the store, not that you’d believe me. but even if most of the posters are her friends, so what? does that make the facts of the case different? no.
Glam says: Discretion flies out the window when the way one puts bread on the table is undermined by someone who claims in print that they made the ugly dress instead of the rightful person who made said ugly dress.
The Truth says: To Amoryn Engel - it’s far more shameful that you are obviously a friend of Ms. Pantalone and accusing a hard working owner of a business of going on a “witch hunt” against your friend. You are no doubt a great and loyal friend, but a lousy judge of character and propriety. There is no defense for what Pantalone did. None. Zippo. If you are a true friend, let her wear a sack cloth instead of C&C for awhile, and then she’ll get over it and get back to being a socialite with no regard for all the little people.
Edwin says: Dear Amoryn Engel I have no words for you. You truly have no knowledge of what are rights, and what are lies…
The Truth says: If anyone does a google search, you can find some pretty revealing things. Ms. Pantalone is no doubt a very powerful lady in the “right” circles, as are her defenders, some of who may have even posted on the comments section...Those that are advantaged, that find themselves in a position to run charity balls need to realize that the world does not revolve around them, and they cannot manipulate and lie just because they are rich and/or beautiful. The truth matters, and if you are the stewards and leaders of your organizations, what do your little white lies, and your bald-faced defenses say about you? If your heart is pure with charity, then you should know this already.
Valentina says: Amoryn Engel, this story has made the rounds on Twitter amongst other websites and blogs. How embarrasssing. Personally, I hadn’t heard of either designer or Queen of the Gaffe (Pantalone) prior to today. Although I must say it is very noble of you to pander to your society pal with your comments attacking the designer. With any luck, this display will earn you an extra double air kiss from her at the next event you attend together!
Wonder Woman says: Wow!!! Wow!! Okay-here is the deal. I know Deena. She is a friend of the family. Lets be clear and fair in our remarks. What she did…in claiming that she designed the dress, is WRONG. OKAY??? YES!! WRONG!! But what is with ALL you people freaking out??? I haven’t spoken to her about this-I caught wind on Twitter. I really feel that many of you have lost your sense of proportionality. You are using crazy and hurtful language to attack someone, because she did something that 95% of us do…which is to bend the truth about fashion?? Where are your heads? DO ANY OF US WEAR MAKEUP? DO ANY OF US PAINT OUR NAILS???? IS THAT NOT ALSO A LIE…?? IS THAT NOT ALSO PART OF THE NEVER ENDING FASHION MYTH?? I mean, its only fashion. Caroline has every right to be upset. But Deena is an amazing young woman, who is very family oriented, extremely hard working and donates massive amounts of her personal time to charity. And she screwed up. But please…back off with this venom. Its simply too much. There are some real issues in the world for us to be paying attention to…and some of them are the recipients of the amazing charitable work done by pillars in our society, like Deena. The anonymity of a blog, isn’t really a blank cheque, for you to lose your entire equilibrium. Its only fashion.
I guess I am Super Man says: Re: Wonder Woman I love how you think that because she is involved in charitable work, we should somehow find it within ourselves to exonerate her of what is clearly a fabrication. If it is “just fashion,” then how come Deena couldn’t just say she purchased it at Champagne and Cupcakes? This is just another case of trying to ‘up’ credibility outside of your professional domain and not having the style gene to pull it off. Deena is obviously not worthy of being named Best Dressed, not only because she is quite clearly taking credit for a several-decade-old silhouette, but also because the design isn’t that remarkable in the first place.
Annie says: @ Wonder Woman: Why is this blog getting so much attention?! People are passionate about expressing their outrage because this transcends into more than ‘ONLY FASHION’. Yes, this is a fashion post and the whole subject IS based/started on a fashion topic, re. ‘best dressed’, but what people can relate to is that she obviously lied and took credit for something she didn’t do. Whether you like the dress or not, who cares?! You can take the dress out of the equation because this goes beyond fashion, it can happen in any field of work, creative wise or business wise. Deena could’ve simply said ‘It was specially designed for me’, but instead she took the liberty to create an elaborate lie to make herself look better. And if Deena really IS a ‘pillar in the community’ as you claim, then she REALLY should have been smarter before she opened her mouth. Because this is no longer an issue of ONLY FASHION. Now I would question her morals and integrity when it comes to professional and business dealings. How can I be sure when working with her or for her that she will not just lie to benefit herself?! We’ve all been taught the moral of the story from a young age, from ‘The boy who cried wolf’ to dear old former president Mr. Bill Clinton. WHEN YOU LIE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES! It’s not only fashion, it’s reality.
Joe d says: Reading todays Toronto Star Living section page L5 and there is a picture of Ms Pantalone with her Mom in the infamous ‘dress’ from the Butterfly ball. FYI its credited, according to the paper as being a DIOR...Ms Pantalone has unwittingly become digital highway roadkill- Fashion carnage at its frothy finest.
emma says: I personally would have really respected Deena if she’d used the opportunity to help promote a home grown Canadian small business-part of the very backbone of our country’s economy. As a business person (or someone who works for her dad at any rate) you’d think Deena would understand how valuable this publicity could be to a small business. But instead, she used the opportunity to self-promote in a dishonest way. It makes us wonder what else is fake about her...I have to say that, on a personal note, reading this story brought me right back to my years at Branksome Hall-a private girl’s school that both Deena and I attended (though I’m much younger than she is). This whole silly escapade felt just so authentically Branksome.
Paula says: Deena is pathetic! Hahaha… with all her friends commenting here, she has no doubt heard that she has very PUBLICLY been found out! She is clearly to embarassed to defend herself, because she knows she lied. I don’t know this person or that person on here, but I do own that EXACT dress from Champagne and Cupcakes… whether or not she says its Dior or vintage - there is a very specific way you can tell it is neither…: see the lining at the shoulder peaking out slightly? I remember thinking that was a great touch to my dress - all three of the colourways had these very distinct linings in a slightly off-tone of the dress! Deena just thinks she’s too special to actually own something affordable by the rest of the general public. Prententious much? I dare Deena to apologize in face to the designer she ripped off - or to actually come forward to defend her ridiculous actions.
Joe d says: the star has replaced it online but trust me when i say the hardcopy newspaper lying on my floor has a pic of her with her and Mom and it definitely says its a Dior. Interesting the Star online just changed the image and didn’t bother to mention a correction or any of the fashion tsunami that is whirling around. A little disingenuous I think on their end.
Janice says: OMG I just heard the divine Shaun Proulx comment on his afternoon drive on this topic. BEST COMMENTARY SO FAR (he’s also the hottie behind the HIMBO! blog post above) on this disaster. LOL. Deena u suck. OOPS - I mean his afternoon drive show on 103.9 PROUD FM … the above made no sense otherwise I realized! J. (Deena u still suck.)
Jeremy says: I do not think that someone should take credit for someone else’s work, but at the same time the way that this was handled was not classy at all. The designer should have called the customer (who had to this point frequented her shop and spent enough money to deserve some respect) and expressed her displeasure. She should then have asked the customer to contact this magazine and provide a clarification/correction (and possibly an endorsement). Only then, if no response or explanation was forthcoming, would it have been appropriate to take the complaint public, and even then, it should never have become a smear campaign. There is a right way and a wrong way to handle things, and this was not handled well. I would never buy a dress from someone (I don’t buy dresses so lets say suit) who was so quick to attack their customers and to encourage others to do so. The designer’s subsequent comments seem to suggest that she realized this.
RBeezy says: Jeremy, Deena called Caroline a seamstress. That’s an insult. I’m a graphic designer and if someone referred to me as a typesetter or production artist they’d get it with both barrels. Props to Caroline for standing up for her artistry.
lia says: jeremy you’re delusional. this is what twitter and social media are based on: immediacy of information. what are you a mennonite?
The Truth says: I’m a mennonite seamstress recessionista in laboutin heels A dynamite seamless procession of venom at the booty deal Handed to champagne and cupcakes from some bland b-cup fake While a bad babysitter hits twitter with bitter words that will get her Equally hated by friends of the offender, who somehow find a way to defend her Should have given the poor store the fairest mention, Instead of coming off like the poor man’s Paris Hilton Next time you find yourself at charity balls, remember C&C, and hope Clarity Calls
Blink says: Word on the street is that Deena herself went over to C&C yesterday to apologize (sort of) to Caroline. Case closed.
Jean says: Re: Jeremy That’s absurd. You seriously think each and every store you buy something from will take down your number so they can call you, just in case?! And so what if Deena spend money at C&C? So you think spending lots of money means she can do as she pleases?! She paid to buy the dress, not the right to boasts it as her own creation. And I do not see it as a smear campaign as the owner of the store merely stated a fact that it’s her own design. Deena lied, and she got caught.
Joe d says: Front page of the paper people. Toronto Star. Here is your link.
Eddie says: Sweet justice! And remember Deena, your deceit will be forever archived in digital repository called the world wide web. The internet—-the great equalizer. By the way, nice earings. Where did you get them? :->
Eddie says: One more q: (not meant in a sarcastic way whatsoever) Caroline says she’s not a “seamstress” but a designer that designs and makes dresses. Does the difference lie in that a seamstress makes clothes based on other people’s designs and a designer designs AND makes the outfit?
sew happy says: re eddie: Well in the fashion industry we call a sewer the person who sews the clothes and puts the garment together, usually in large quantities. A seamstress is a person a consumer would normally bring their already bought and finished clothing for alterations, such as fixing a hem or letting out a seam. A designer is the creator of the garment, from design and concept. Caroline is known in the industry for doing it all herself. From fabric choices, to design, pattern drafting and sewing.
Gianni Versace says: wow, what a LOSER…at least the media storm is causing a lot of attention for the designer and she will probably have the busiest month ever in June. Deena….what a catch…hope you can find a SUCKER that will put up with your HIGH-MAINTENANCE, gold-digging, lies…did I mention LOSER..
Seraph says: There is something else going on here besides taking credit for someone else’s work. The underlying point here is that Ms. Pantalone obviously felt the store and the price tag on the dress beneath what was expected of her. To lie about a dress bought and altered from Walmart would be excusable by everyone on this blog. I think what’s really irked people is that she’s elevated herself to a whole other level of snobbery. I’m not quite sure why she felt that claiming to refurbishing a vintage dress would somehow be more socially acceptable than admitting to buying from an inexpensive local designer. This is what confuses me most.
Mike says: Seraph, not admitting the dress is inexpensive to avoid embrassment and taking credit for someone’s work is two different things. I could imagine for Caroline that designing clothes represents her career, years of hard work & acquired knowledge, and definitely a big part of her her, if not, pretty much her life.. Stealing credit away from Caroline is like taking away a big part of who she is. Deena, is a very privileged girl, and is like I said before, having so much yet taking away what little others have. Really resonates with the rich robbing the poor!
Anna says: The girl looks fat in the dress. Just my opinion.
Ruth says: Not that anyone cares, but Salman Rushdie made a comment about rich girls who consider “Couturiers” not as artists but simply personal seamstresses in his book Fury. It’s not a compliment, obviously. Shame on you.
Rochelle says: It’s pretty pathetic that these Suburban Socialites feel the need (financially?) to shop at these so-called “mom and pop shops”, but feel the need to lie about it. Ms. Pantalone, you were being singled out for being the best dressed, did you not realize that by being honest, you would’ve gotten more style points for shopping locally? “Cousin in New York?” The fact that you would go so far to insult a talented designer is disheartening. The fact that by insinuating that this city doesn’t have the talent to dress you is just stupid. Leave the fabulous boutiques on Queen such as Champagne & Cupcakes to those who appreciate it. And the next time you have an event, I suggest you try shopping here: Vaughan Mills.
Cleo Weston Rogers says: Amoryn Engel’s just peed-off because of all the BACK TRACKING she has to do for her upcoming column where she was going to lavish praise on Deena. Amoryn of the National Post and Ciara of Hello! Canada make Toronto look like such a small town as they consistently feature the same people in their columns, week after tired week. I hope Toronto Life will step up and feature the NEXT best thing. Amoryn and Deena - go drink yourselves silly at The Spoke Club. The hipsters can be found at…well, we wouldn’t tell you - if you were hip, you would know.
Tara says: Since she lied about the dress I bet you her Louboutins are fake too. What a loser.
Gbert says: Apparently this fiasco has generated so much press that the designer’s website has crashed …
Janice says: With this debacle, Deena comes across as an Airhead and a Mean Girl. At least she is apologizing to Champagne & Cupcakes albeit with a truckload of justifications. Would be better if she just said, “I’m sorry, I F$%ked up.”
KC says: Yet another example of how money can’t buy class. Lying,looking down on a “mom&pop” shop and yapping about how much you’ve spent on your shoes-how vulgar!
Mel says: Ms. Lim - you, I assume you have never told a lie or two before, and thus I congratulate you on that superhuman feat. You are shameful, unleashing your vicious, backstabbing, lying, sycophantic b*tches on that poor girl. And yes, I said “lying”. You, who move in a cutthroat world, how dare you judge others? Yes, Deena did wrong, but what you did was much worse. You must feel quite the winner - standing triumphant over the ashes of Deena’s reputation, as curious shoppers flock to your store and website. What success story you are and a role model to others! Disgraceful!!
NG says: This is basically a public lynching. Yes, she lied. Yes, she did not give credit where it is due. And yes, she got busted. She has apologized. She has admitted she was wrong. I cheated on my homework in highschool. Does that make me an awful person. I have met Deena before. I don’t know her well - and do not claim to be friends - so don’t freak out and say that this is just another example of the ‘rich defending the rich’ (I by no means am rich). She is a pleasant person, who works hard, is charitable, and as a footnote - quite stylish - who has gotten caught in a scandal that has escalated to ridiculous proportions. Yes she is privileged, yes she has very expensive shoes. That does not make her evil. You should not assume she is looking down on designers (who according to all this chatter are looking down on mom & pop shops). I think this whole thing is an example of how everyone likes to find flaws in someone who has more than they do. We are all flawed folks - and I would be willing to bet that Deena wouldn’t waste her time calling you all liars and losers on the internet should the occasion arise.
The Truth says: I think the Toronto Star article should be the closure here. Deena did the right thing in the end and she does deserve respect for that. Also, Caroline did try to stop the nastiness level pretty early on (Day One to be exact), so to anyone trying to cast aspersions at her for encouraging any of this is just being delusional. The irony is that Deena has far more class than the people defending her.
Bunner says: It is a good thing that Ms. Lim is not designing for the Ottawa fashion crowd…that inhabit parliament hill, the Senate etc. . Firstly, they would never buy something that she had produced in several colors. Secondly, she has a big mouth, and she could have used this publicity positively…She will be selling many of this design for a few weeks yet, to all the Josephine Lunchbuckets of t.O. but the fashion mavens of Toronto wom’t touch her with a ten foot pole. All the movers and shakers in Ottawa that govern what we all say and do, would forget her name and address…Who wants to appear at a government function wearing a dress that has been reproduced in several colors. God forbid that Maureen Harper and the G.G. (Governor General) would order one of Lim’s style and then find out that half of the wives and M.P.’s are wearing the same outfit….Deena bought and paid for that dress,,,that makes her the owner…she can say Mickey Mouse made it if she wants…that does not make her a liar. Would everyone have been happy if she had appeared in sack cloth? Ms. Lim, enjoy your few minutes of fame, but, you blew it by acting like injured dignity….in this case, silence would have been golden….
GB says: Really Bunner? That’s just what I’d expect to hear from the product of such a morally bankrupt town. Emphasis on ‘town’. The relative merits of the dress in question aside, I find it galling what passes for proper social graces and truthfulness in your world. BTW…I picture the oh-so-worldly Maureen Harper in a nice prairie frock, and the GG in fur, natch.
Cleo Weston Rogers says: Again….what a small town Toronto is. The Prime Minister’s wife is not Maureen Harper…..but LAUREEN Harper. Of course Deena has apologized - she HAD to once she was ousted publicly as a liar. It was the very least she could do.
Trish says: I agree. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or should I say Lim’s shop… She has far too many supporters who just happen to have landed on this page… Is there a reason why this feature is still on the Toronto Life site if the information contained therein has been proven incorrect? And how did it happen that Lim’s dress was featured in the first place? Because those of us who work at magazines know that all that stuff is staged and incestuous. Deena was not likely the best dressed. Friends of the editor, friend of a friend, etc. Deena has said her piece but as far as I’m concerned it’s Lim who owes an explanation.
Branksome Girl says: Oh Deena! This douchebaggery is actually NOT the world’s biggest shock, especially to the people who actually know you and your “stories”. LOL, crying you a river sister…not.
Stewart says: Deena’s living a silver-spooned dreamworld life, where honesty and integrity are just words and not personality traits.
Comment section closed. Total #: 278 ________________________________________
The Lady Eve (1941) w / Barbara Stanwyck & Henry Fonda
A female card shark targets a millionaire aboard ship.
Check out these two scenes (the best ones) in The Lady Eve. Barbara Stanwyck's in fine form as she delivers her lines with lightning efficiency. In fact, I challenge any starlet today to do what she does in the dining room scene and still manage to call herself an actress.
QUOTES Let us be crooked but never common.
Every Jane in the room is giving him the thermometer and he feels they're just a waste of time.
Welcome to Web 3.0
