Known “murder music” artist dropped from concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 7, 2009

Toronto: In response to repeated calls from Egale Canada, Elephant Man has been pulled from the concert line-up this weekend at Downsview Park.

Elephant Man has released many “murder music” songs over his career, talking about executing, beating, and setting on fire and otherwise assaulting gays. Other lyrics have suggested raping lesbians. He continues to profit from the sale of these lyrics and has refused to denounce advocating and glorifying the violence and murder of gays and lesbians in his music.

Egale Canada welcomes the decision.

Egale Canada is Canada’s LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.

CN Tower still world's tallest: Guinness

Toronto's CN Tower will retain its place in the Guinness Book of World Records — but not as the world's tallest free-standing structure.

The 553-metre structure will now be known as the world's tallest tower, said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records.

The tower lost the title of the world's tallest free-standing structure in 2007 when the Burj Dubai — a hotel, residential and commercial building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, still under construction — surpassed the Toronto structure in height. When it is completed the Burj is expected to be over 818 metres high.

But classification rules, as defined by an organization deemed the authority on such matters, suggest the CN Tower should be categorized as a communications tower, said Glenday.

"I can confirm that the Toronto icon will retain its record, as a tower is defined by Guinness World Records and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat as a building in which less than 50 per cent of the construction is usable floor space," he said in a Friday statement.

The Burj, by this definition, is not a tower.

Don Cherry to judge on Battle of the Blades

Don Cherry, the irascible star of Coach's Corner on Hockey Night In Canada, will join co-hosts Ron MacLean and Kurt Browning on the hit skating show Battle of the Blades on Sunday and Monday (CBC, 8 p.m. ET).

Seven pairs of former NHL players and figure skating legends remain in the seven-week competition, with $100,000 awarded to the winner's charity of choice.

[ I watched the first episode and LOVED IT! Figure skating is HARD, Hockey players can be SEXY, Acceptance of our differences is FUN! ]