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So, the City of Waterloo plans to erect a monument in Heritage Park to honour the honour of being named the Most Intelligent Com- munity for 2007 by an American organization. I wonder whose names might be engraved on it (perhaps the leaders of Waterloo's self-ordained “Intelli- gent Community" who happen to be the mayor of Waterloo, who voted for it, and maybe the council- lor of that particular ward, who also voted for it). Since this "honour" is annually bestowed to anyone who wins that title, isn't this "self-te h0nouring“somewhat tacky. ego- centric and conceited? In my childhood years I walked past that little park everyday and enjoyed the scenery, as I often do now. Today, almost 50 years later, I would like to continue to enjoy my stroll without being cast in the shadows of a monument to vanity. New statue a monument to vanity Maybe that's not fair, but that's the way things work. " Generally, I don't play at that level. My perks usually involve hee things: items such as travel mugs and water bot- tles. I might have the world's largest col- lection of those things. I also remember fondly the behu- If you haven't heard, Kitchener city councillors were each given one free ticket to the upcoming concert, and the opportunity to buy others for fami- ly and friends. 7 They didn't have to stand in line or wait on the phone or try to buy a ticket over a computer. Ifl'e, the entire Elton John ticket controversy in Kitchener exceedingly amusing and frustrating at the same time. I don't Have a problem with perks. Lots of people get them. I've been known to get a few myself. _ And golf shirts. I gel lots of golf shirts. Double extra large, for the most part, because people who haven't met me think I'm 6 foot 4 and 300 pounds. Usu- ally they tell me I "sound a lot bigger on the hit. " Those shirts usually go off to my father-in-law, who gets to pretend he plays golf. This makes him happy So I guess he gets the occasional perk as well. The fact that Kitchener councillors get ttee tick- ets to some events doesn't bother me at all. But there are a couple of things that do. Being able to buy tickets for family and friends, that's an issue. They should be allowed to buy no more than anyone else. For this particular show that limit was six tickets per individual. One councillor bought 19 tickets for family and friends. I can understand him doing it. There were no rules against it. But it's not right. The justifications some of the council members come up with for the tickets is, "We need to keep an eye on the operations of the Auditorium." Councillors deserve some perks, but should stand in line for more Bullpuckéy. l repIy. More than anything else, I think people want liful, quaint, stone fountain that graced the same intersection, The Intelligent Waterloo spokesman said the commemora- tion will be a "work of art." Yeah, right! Just remember the big intes- tine on Frederick Street, and the pile of scrap metal by Laurel Creek. He also described the park as currently being "run-down." If so. how did this come about? One of the loudest voices in favour of the monument just happens to be the director for park services. In this very important capacity why would he let a pretty little park in our beautiful city ofWaterloo become "run-down?" Furthermore, it should be noted that Mayor Halloran and Waterloo CAO Simon Farbrother racked up taxpayers' dollars for world travel in pursuit of this honour. _ Why not rebuild that classy his- toric fountain of yesteryear there. This is not the place to pay homage to the "tech-sector" or self-serving politicians COMMENT fairness from their elected officials. Ok to the occa- sional perk, but let's not go over the edge: V The display by some councillors over the Elton John tickets is one of the better examples in the last few years of people slapping away at the public trough. Strangely, there was no similar hubbub over any Disney on Ice production. Shock- Ill-Ill ing, isn't it? l'm not sure all of them maintain that sense of dedication and community mindednese over the spaceorseveralyearsbuttheyallstartfromthe same place. - . RKE It is not a well-paying job. And it's a . thankless job. Most people who run for city councils do so with the very best of intentions. They want to help, they want to give back to their community. Usually, they only hear hom constituents when they're unhappy. 4 I'm okay with one hee ticket, with the option to purchase one another. That's mostly because it would be pretty sad to see all these councillors attending events without a date. Any more than that, they can stand In line with the rest of us. It‘ll be good for them to hang around with we common folk for a while. MidmelBignel] Brian Bourke, a memberofthc 195.3 KOQL FM morningcmu. can be risachaitremaitat trbourFooWumn, Watérloo It seems some councillors lost all control when a chance came to get tickets to, arguably, the biggest concert to hit town in many years. Again, understandable. but what message . does that send to taxpayers? Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr says once everything settles down they will have a look at the free-ticket policy. He says to do that right now would risk a knee-jerk reaction. I think he's right, in some ways There will be people who demand councillors get nothing. Ever. And I'm not sure that's right. have heard attempts to minimize 1th; importance of dental tlyorosis on the bitsis that some people want to call it "merely" cosmetic or of "questionable" health concgmf Those who must deal with the social embarrassment of these fluo, ride-damaged teeth and those who must pay the costs to repair this damage may not agree. Who should pay cost pf f1yoride exposure? Since fluoridated water and food and beverages made with fluoridat- ed water represent the single largest source of fluoride exposure, who should be held accountable for this damage done to our teeth? Shéuld the parent pay because they allowed their child to drink oodles and oodles of water like they Or should those who promote or support the addition of hydroflutr rosilicic acid, arsenic and lead in our drinking water accept any responsibility for the costs of dental fluorosis? Carole Clinch Waterloo n the life drawing classes I teach, students often ask me if 1,'ifi',i, be drawing a male or female model. And usually. it's an easy question to answer -- with the exception of one model, Douglas Morton, who is transgender. Interested in learning about transiender issues, I spent some time speaking with Morton after our, life drawing session this past week at the waterlo?ormnrmity Arts Centrex -_- 'mansgender is an umbrella term for anyone who identifies or presents in a way that crosses the gender line." said Morton. "iPeople in the transgender community) are way too different from each other to be understood as being one identity. I iden- tify as a woman who is male. I dress in ways that feel right, which is generally in women's clothes, and I ask to be referred to as 'she' and 'her' and generally to be treated as a female." Morton explained shi, doesn't have any plans to change anything about herself with regards to her body, her perspec- tive or her name. "(Douglas) is the name I was given by my parents, and it has significance for me," said Morton. "lt means 'dark water,' which is very feminine symbolism and it is also quite fitting - I tend tO be deep. My last name means 'living on or near a marsh,' so my name literally means 'dark water near l [l amarsh'-- howcouldlchangethat?l ‘ 'lillli1 ilk, l‘ have also discovered that (Douglas) MI l I was a girl's name until the 17th centu- r _ CN , ,l “The only reason I can think of for changing my name to a feminine name is to fit into culture. And really, with the way I identify, I'm never going to fit in anyway." "A year before. I had suffered severe I depression to the point of being suici- Mtltilte dal and requiring hospitalization before I did anything drastic," said Morton. "I took that as a sign that I should figure out what was wrong, and so I did some soul searching, and looked into gen- der and other areas that seemed to be the source of the dis- comfort." - Manon said it was in October 2006, at the age of 31, when she figured out she was a msgengier yr0r1'an: "iivim my kids use feminine pronouns, and have started calling me Mummie D. I have a six-year-old girl and a four- year-old boy, and they have quusggd queweil." _ - And once she came to the realization she could be a woman. while remaining biologically male, she began telling people. "It was the most terrifying experience in my We," said Morton. "But every time I told someone, I felt immense relief and joy." But despite the support of family and friends, Morton said being stared at is always a painful experience. "I have mascu- line traits that I don't try to hide," said Morton, who lives in Waterloo. "(In public), I have been all dressed up in a skirt, feeling pretty. and been called 'sir' - that is like a punch in the groin." Morton added that people often assume that being trans- gender is a choice. 'Tet me tell you, no one would choose this," said Morton. me only have the choice to accept what we are, or live in misery hiding ourselves" "ft is important to recognize if someone informsyou they are transgender, they are taking a significant risk, and showing a great amount of trust in you," said Morton. "Also realize they are the same person, and simply expressing a new part of themselves. I believe we all need to support each other in expressing our true serves." . " am always gratified when I see the drawings look like a woman," said Morton. "I tend to feel most comfortable being naked, partly because I have little control over what my body looks like, and because Idont have to worry about how I'm presenting "It's just me." . More infbrmation on transgender issues can be found at www.pBagcanadtLca, When modelling niide for my life drawing class, Morton said she likes to see how the students see her, and whether she looks likes a man or a woman or something in between in their Marshallmntisa visuatartistandimupendentfummaker. Email is "ekxmteatmarshtatLunmNrhoemaiLtxrrm Man, I feel like a woman WA'I'kRu X y CHRONICUS . Wednesday. February 27, 2008 . I