Tag Archives: Politics

The Danger in Alek Minassian’s Autism Defence For Flare

Mass murderer Alek Minassian is currently on trial in Toronto for a van attack he conducted in 2018 that killed 10 people and injured 16. He’s facing 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.

Meanwhile, his defense is arguing he should not be found not criminally responsible owing to the fact he’s autistic. It’s a defense that’s dangerous, short-sighted and could have tremendous negative impacts on the autistic community. Sarah wrote about the reasons why in a piece for Flare.

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Filed under Culture, Health, Politics

Diarrhea, Mechanical Horses, Ghost Taco Bells And More: 10 Sarah Hit Stories

Sarah in Portmeirion, where The Prisoner was filmed.

Sarah in Portmeirion, where The Prisoner was filmed.

Sarah’s first book I Overcame My Autism And All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder: A Memoir is being released April 18, 2020.

Below is a small list of other notable pieces she has contributed to various publications around the world:

Dysfunction, Drama, and Diarrhea: The Making of ‘The Magnificent Seven’
Diarrhea comes up in the Risky Fuel household quite often. The throughlines for this being a) Sarah’s Robert Vaughn fandom, b) Vaughn and the rest of the cast having diarrhea on the set of The Magnificent Seven, and c) Sarah finding this really funny.

Requiem for a Small-Town Taco Bell: Welland, Ontario
A Taco Bell in a small town. This impossibly bright beacon would shine forever. But nothing lasts forever.

Depression-Busting Exercise Tips For People Too Depressed To Exercise
Sometimes just doing anything is what counts. This piece was incredibly popular and incredibly valuable when Sarah wrote it a few years ago. It’s probably more valuable right now.

Time Is Running Out for a Beloved Mechanical Horse-Race Game in Vegas
In which Sarah and a billionaire casino owner consider their shared love for a mechanical horse racing game, the last of its kind.

Fire Walked with Me: Living a Real-Life Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks eerily paralleled the crimes of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka in the Niagara region. The impact these crimes had on a 10-year-old girl from the area linger still.

In Memoriam: That Time Daisuke Sasaki Had A Sword
Japanese professional wrestler and troubled dirtbag Daisuke Sasaki won a ceremonial sword in a match. And then a short time later he lost it. It was a journey.

Delta Let Someone Steal My Luggage And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt
What happened when Sarah’s luggage got stolen at McCarran International Airport.

When the Way You Love Things Is “Too Much”; or: Why I Went to Portmeirion
Reflections on a journey to Portmeirion in North Wales to pay homage in the location where idiosyncratic spy show The Prisoner was filmed.

Nothing Has Prepared Me For The Reality of Womanhood Better Than “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”
Sarah was told that films like this exploited young women, but for her it didn’t feel degrading — it felt familiar.

Real Autism
This is the piece that kick-started I Overcame My Autism And All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder into existence.

 

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Filed under Art, Books, Comedy, Culture, Health, Jock Stuff, Music, Politics, Recollections, Television

Critics of Hannah Gadsby Don’t Understand Autism

When comedian writer Hannah Gadsby debuted her new work Douglas it was meant to provide a lens into her world of high-functioning autism.

Predictably, some critics didn’t get it.

Sarah explained how these critics missed the point in a piece on Medium.

Read it by clicking here.

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Filed under Comedy, Politics, Shameless Promotion

Samaritan News 19 Pack: Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Ellen, More

David Gilmour, ex-Pink Floyd

Here are 19 pieces I contributed to the charitably-minded entertainment site Samaritanmag:

Lana Del Rey Releases New Anti-Gun Song, Proceeds Will Support Three Mass Shooter Victim Funds

Sonic Unyon, Jillard Guitars Creating 25 Custom Guitars To Support An Instrument For Every Child Charity

WATCH: Roger Hodgson and Young Musicians on Autism Spectrum Perform Give A Little Bit

Gilroy Garlic Festival Has Donated Millions of Dollars Over 40 Years

Tenille Townes’ New Single Supports Homeless Girl Scouts

The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Report Reveals Organization Has Supported Reconciliation Efforts In 561 Schools

Grammy Museum Gives $200,000 To Music Science, Archive Projects

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour Sells 120 Guitars, Raises $21.5 Million To Fight Climate Crisis

Eagles Rising Billboard Campaign About Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women

Taylor Swift Releases Video For Pro-LGBTQ Song “You Need To Calm Down”

Radiohead Use Ransom Threat To Support Climate Crisis Group Extinction Rebellion

Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” Reimagined For 25th Anniversary To Help Find Missing Children

Ellen DeGeneres Backs Virtual Reality Game Used To Protect Gorillas In Rwanda

National Music Centre Unveils Indigenous Music Week Programming and Permanent Exhibit on Musician Activists

Sufjan Stevens Releases Two Songs For Pride Month

Apple Expands Number Of Locations To Recycle Old Devices

Prince Harry and Meghan Do Instagram Purge Then Support 16 Mental Health Causes

Royal Conservatory’s Signature Fundraiser To Honour Rock Legends Lighthouse

Hardcore Punk Vets D.O.A. Declare Time To Fight Back With New Video

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Filed under Culture, Environment, Health, Music, Politics, Shameless Promotion

TIFF 2019: The Laundromat Means Well, But Doesn’t Advance The Class War

The Laundromat

Meant to be some sort of parable about the Panama Papers and the financial industry and the machinations of the greedy, what The Laundromat boasts in good intentions it misses in actual execution.

Put it this way: it’s not going to be the movie that motivates the masses in the forthcoming class war. At least that’s how Sarah feels.

She reviewed the film at the Toronto International Film Festival for Consequence of Sound.

To read her review go here.

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Filed under Films, Politics, Shameless Promotion