The question of virtual identities is one that is topical in the domain of contemporary culture, where the ways in which we identify ourselves are constantly changing and dependent on a variety of contexts. According to Susanna Paasonen (2002), “identity traditionally refers to the specificity of a person, of her/his personality and even inner substance” (32). In a world where we are spending more and more time in contact with machines which then enable us to reach other people through them, our definition of our own specificity now takes on a language of the virtual world. In light of this, it is not unfair to claim that our personal and collective identities are being shaped through our interaction with new technologies.

The first element of this construction of identity through technology is the development of a sense of belonging, whether it is through a direct connection to the technologies or through a group of similar consumers of these technologies. In his look at cellular phone technology in the Philippines, Vicente Rafael (2003) demonstrates how “the cell phone gives its owner a sense of being someone” (405) despite their socio-economic circumstances. This connectivity allows the individual to create a sense of identity that is outside the traditional categories such as class, and connects them to a larger picture: “while telecommunication allows one to escape the crowd, it also opens up the possibility of finding oneself moving in concert with it” (Rafael 2003: 403). Because of cellular technology, an individual can break free of an antiquated vision of one identity and subsequent place in society and develop a new collective identity based on a “we” community. “The ‘we’ is established through an identification with technological novelty and the status of the Philippines as the ‘text messaging’ capital of the world” (Rafael 2003: 411).

The previous quote from Rafael’s analysis of cellular telephones in the Philippines also touches on an issue upon which Benedict Anderson has written significantly: that of the evolving national identity. Just as text messaging is helping form a collective Pilipino identity, according to Anderson, technologies that are enabling us to connect across boundaries and geographical areas are contributing to a more intense yet fluid version of national identity (Anderson 1998: 67). Print capitalism, in the early years, allowed for information to be shared and knowledge to be disseminated across large areas, connecting people from various regions and laying the seed for a national identity (Anderson 1998: 62). Similarly, “radio brought illiterate populations within the purview of the mass media” (Anderson 1998: 66) and recent technologies have only accelerated and intensified these connections (Anderson 1998: 67). The most significant result of this, however, has been in the shift in identification at a trans-national level: ethnic groups who have migrated or live outside their national boundaries can remain connected to their national roots through new technologies (Anderson 1998: 68), thus creating a hybrid, trans-national identity that is becoming more and more prevalent.

This concept is no more evident than in the recent riots in New South Wales, Australia, where rioters organized themselves through SMS messaging in order to strike out against ethnic minorities that didn’t fit into their sense of the “real Australia.” Similar to the overthrow of Marcos in the Philippines (Rafael 2003: 399), the usage of mobile technology in Australia was essential in not only organizing the riots, but in also creating sense of belonging between those who were “in the loop” and a sense of alienation for the outsiders who were eventually victimized.

The construction of identity through technology is also no longer a personal endeavor; in fact, the strengthening of one’s identity now comes through the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and practices across boundaries that are easily crossed in a world of networked communications. McLagan (1996) discusses this through her analysis of TibetNet, an online venture that computer consultants from across the world instrumental in providing “Tibetans the technological ability to disseminate the Tibetan story worldwide” (McLagan 1996: 159). A cultural identity was no longer something that was asserted within one’s small local network, but instead could be “deployed” using “new strategies that are reflective of changing contemporary realities” including “computer-mediated technologies” (McLagan 1996: 163).

This infusion of the local identity on a global network has allowed “marginalized groups like the Tibetans to inject alternative viewpoints into the public arena” (McLagan 1996: 164), which in turn allows perceptions of cultural and social groups to be debated, mediated, and disseminated. As identity is a constantly changing and transforming concept, using technology to refine the identity of a group such as the Tibetans has allowed them to see how they, as an entity, are perceived from those outside their immediate network, and thus allows for the constructive discussion over perception and reality: important when considering the fact that identity is constantly in flux (Erikson 1968: 184).

This leads us to an important consideration: the assertion of one’s identity is only necessary when defining oneself against others. Paasonen claims that “the self is produced in interaction with others, marked by other’s actions and reactions” and likens the act of definition to a performance for an audience (Paasonen 2002: 25-26). On a collective scale, it is then clear that the necessity for a clear sense of identity was necessary for Tibetans in order to become distinct in an increasingly connected world. Technology, therefore, has been instrumental in the creation of such identification, as it has allowed everyday Tibetans to “shift positions from being consumers of information to being producers of information” (McLagan 1996: 184). Though the computer and computer-mediated technologies “will not solve the problem of spreading information” (McLagan 1996: 183), they have clearly allowed for a less-obstructed passage for information to be conveyed, and subsequently allow new voices and new identities to enter the public sphere.

With the explosion of the World Wide Web, identity has taken on a new form of expression, in an arena where “the taking up of different identities, and the exploration of the limits of ‘the self’” (Paasonen 2002: 21) are not only commonplace but in fact necessary. One of the most significant developments on the internet that has allowed for this play on the perception of the self has been the spread of blogging as a widespread online phenomenon. Like the homepages of yesteryear, blogs have recently been “studied as sites for identity construction and self-invention” and have underlined the “unruly multiplicity” of the social identity online (Paasonen 2002: 22). Paasonen argues that identity is a performance, an assertion of self through repetition of action (2002: 25), and therefore the blog presents a unique opportunity for a person to not only reinvent themselves, but also create a new version of their self through the words that they publish on the web.

One of the most striking examples of this is in the story of Kaycee Nicole. An attractive teenager supposedly dying from leukemia in the late 1990’s, Kaycee posted about her medical condition and her everyday life in Oklahoma city on her weblog, which quickly drew supporters from not only around the internet community, but celebrities and major news outlets alike. After a few years, Kaycee’s mother, Debbie Swenson, reported on her own blog that Kaycee had succumbed to an aneurysm and had passed away, soliciting an outpouring of grief from people that had been following Kaycee’s story. However, the real quandary of this story is the fact that Kaycee Nicole never did exist. Originally created by Debbie Swenson’s daughter Kelli, Kaycee was a fictional character that Debbie fostered, using photos from a real-life teenager who was not involved in the hoax, and interspersing real life family stories into Kaycee’s blog. Debbie had transformed her identity of a normal mother of two girls to one of a woman struggling to raise a daughter that was slowly dying. Other similar hoaxes have littered the internet since that time, including the famous Plain Layne character created by Odin Soli and the still ambiguous character of Amanda Doerty, otherwise known as Hot Abercrombie Chick.

“As text and visual self-presentations, home pages produce narratives of an individual’s past and present, as well as a sense of identity, and they involve characters constructed roughly according to the same principles as those in literary or cinematic fictions” (Paasonen 2002: 33). What is clearly evident that whether it be creating a completely fictional character as in the case of Kaycee Nicole, promoting a side of your identity in a shroud of anonymity as in the case of Washingtonienne, or simply creating an identity that surrounds one facet of the multiplicity of the personal experience as I have done in my blog Wholesome Goodness, the negotiation of one’s own self through the internet has allowed every individual to define themselves outside their traditional categories (Paasonen 2002: 34); instead, each one of us can create, change, and challenge new categories through the power of the virtual identity.

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Prime Minister Paul Martin’s plan to ban handguns to combat the rise in violent crime in urban areas of Canada is not only ineffective, but outright ridiculous. (Not that Stephen Harper’s plan to increase policing and institute harsher penalties is any better.) What many politicians are still failing to realize is that controlling access — either through tougher border control or a selective ban — is not going to stem the tide of violent crime; people who want to get a hold of a weapon will still be able to do so easily.

I decided to do a small and informal study: I decided to see just how easy it would be for someone like me to get their hands on a firearm. After a series of phone calls and a few conversations, I discovered that for about $100, I could get a handgun in about two hours after my point of first contact. Had there been a band on handguns, my estimated cost would have gone up by about $50.

Price may be a deterrent in this case, but my above example only shows how control of access will not be a real hindrance, but instead just an easily-surmountable obstacle to obtaining weapons. Add that to the fact that only 16% of gun-related homicides in Canada are committed with registered firearms, and it is clear that the solution to this problem is not in access control, but in working with affected communities in eliminating the perceived need for violence in dispute resolution.

Earlier this autumn I wrote about a utopian society where violent crimes would be eradicated due to their inefficiency in creating fear. Though I have not given up on such a vision (and in fact, I applaud groups like B.L.I.N.G. for furthering a similar message on a more realistic level) I will acknowledge that concrete measures must be taken in order to prevent Toronto’s (and other Canadian cities’) slow slip into chaos. The most feasible and potentially most powerful measure that can be instituted quickly is the increase in community recreation programs.

I wrote earlier this summer that increasing recreation funding was a simple but important step in solving Toronto’s gun crisis. Involvement in the arts may give youth an opportunity for creative expression, and participation in sports may give youth an opportunity for the positive release of physical aggression, but the true power of recreation extends much further than the obvious tangible benefits. Recreation allows youth to make connections with other like-minded peers, and also provides positive role models for young people who may be lacking the opportunity to access inspiration from successful and socially-conscious individuals from their own community. In addition, neighborhood recreation centres provide focal points for social support and education for all members of the community, young or old, creating cohesion and a sense of belonging.

With all these blatantly-obvious benefits of recreation programs, perhaps Prime Minister Martin would be better advised to spend the money needed to enforce his proposed gun ban on community services instead. Sounds like common sense to me.

I just picked up this week’s Eye Weekly and came across a brilliant editorial where the Eye editors outline who should be taking up the two empty spots on the Toronto Transit Commission, and by the time I got to the third paragraph of the editorial, the first thought that passed through my mind was: what about James Bow?

Luckily, Eye covered my suggestion four paragraphs later, where they said that “if [Steve] Munro knows more about the TTC than anyone else, [James] Bow probably loves it as much, and knows a great deal, too.” As I’m sure you’re all aware, Bow is the editor and founder of Transit Toronto (and as I’m checking right now, it seems as though he had a post about this same issue five days ago) and an all-around nice guy. I’m glad he’s getting this kind of recognition, and it does make sense that if the TTC decided to offer up the empty seats to citizens — which is the best thing to do in order to ensure that the city keeps a wider vision on transit than it does right now — people who know the TTC like James Bow are probably the best kind of citizens you can get to speak for the general public.

Eye also mentioned transit-enthusiast Steve Munro, Spacing Magazine’s Matt Blackett, and cartographer Andrew Alfred-Duggan as seat-worthy citizen candidates, but by the end of the editorial, something was still nagging me: what about Sean Lerner? Sure, he may not be a transit guru, but his TTC Subway Rider Efficiency Guide gathered a lot of media attention, and he is an easily-approachable and transit-knowledgeable individual, and would make a wonderful voice for Toronto citizens. Plus, he helped shave some valuable minutes off my commute to school every day, so he’s a hero to me.

I’ve noticed a lot of traffic to my site comes from people searching Russell Peters on Google, especially since I previously hosted a torrent of a Russell Peters video and then had a follow-up post on his new website. In fact, I can pretty much track Russell Peters’ popularity at any given moment by the activity I get on my blog, it’s quite amusing.

I must admit that Russell is one funny man, and that his newfound popularity is quite well-deserved. He is probably the best-known Canadian stand-up comic right now — my friends down in the States keep ranting and raving about him now, over 5 years after I first saw him live at Yuk Yuk’s — and he has done well to represent the country’s comedy scene. However, I do want to highlight a few other bright and promising comedians from our fair country that I have been able to catch recently.

Fraser Young
Fraser is my favorite Canadian stand-up comic: he’s smart, funny, and he looks like someone I know, I’m just not sure who that is. That sense of familiarity may be the secret to his charm, he’s just so very likable.

Cedric Newman
Cedric is not only funny, but he’s a really nice guy. I had the chance to hang out with him recently, and he’s just as hilarious in person as he is on stage. Possibly the most promising up-and-coming comic in the country. (Now Cedric, if you need someone to make you a website, give me a call!)

Gerry Dee
For anyone that still remembers high school, Gerry Dee will be hilarious. Before venturing into comedy, Gerry was a high school phys-ed teacher, and he uses those experiences extensively in his stand-up.

Glenn Ottaway
A legend in the Canadian comedy circuit, Glenn not only can dazzle you with his magic tricks, but he’s very much at ease interacting with the audience. Guaranteed laughs, even on his off days.

Jeremy Hotz
Jeremy reminds me a lot of me: broke, single, and socially awkward. Luckily, he’s a lot better looking and a whole lot funnier than I am. If anyone knows how to make you laugh about your own personal social situation, it’s him.

Nikki Payne
Going to a show featuring Nikki Payne is bound to be unforgettable. She’ll push your boundaries, and she pushes her own continually, which is not only hilarious, but surprisingly enlightening.

Kate Davis
I might not be a mother, but I can definitely sympathize with Kate when she tells you stories about life as a mother of three. That is, when I’m not laughing at the horrors of motherhood, or at least the way Kate tells it.

Brent Butt
You all know him from the hit CTV show Corner Gas, but trust me, Brent is just as funny live as he is on the screen.

It has now been five years since the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was adopted by UN member states. Since then, some important developments have been made in the field of the control of the virus, but to many, there still isn’t enough being done — too many broken promises.

According to the AIDS Epidemic Update released this month by the United Nations and the World Health Organization, there are over 40 million people worldwide living with HIV, with over 3 million people dying of AIDS this year alone. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was ?rst recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history, and in Canada, the number of reported new annual HIV infections has risen by 20% in the past five years.

The lack of media coverage in Canada about the HIV/AIDS crisis has made many feel that the problem has subsided; in fact, instances of HIV are still highly underreported to health officials, and it is estimated that 33% of the carriers of HIV in the country are unaware that they are infected with the virus. In May 2004, several government health organizations came together and created a Federal Initiative To Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. In addition to doubling federal funding for the control of the virus by 2008, the initiative works to prevent the transmission of new infections, slow the progression of the disease and increase quality of life for those infected, and reduce the social and economic impact of HIV and AIDS.

Canada has also contributed significantly on a global level to the fight against AIDS, particularly in the domains of vaccines and medical research. Last week the Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, announced that CIDA will invest $60 million over the next six years in order to “step up the fight against this terrible disease.”

Stephanie Nixon, Canada Coordinator for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and University of Toronto professor, acknowledges Canada’s response to the global crisis, but cites the need for “an overarching vision about Canada’s role” in dealing with the worldwide epidemic. Such a vision would not only help guide CIDA and directly-related organizations, but also “all of the many others that have mandates relevant to HIV because of their links to the broader determinants of health, including international economic policy.”

Today, on World AIDS Day, we have a distinct and important opportunity to push the federal government to follow through on the pledges they have made and truly be “a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS” as Minister Carroll has claimed we are. The mandate is simple, and as Canadians we are in a unique position to support it: Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.