Crammertics 101

Perfect mashup

2011-11-05T10:42:00.001-04:00

Too funny. Lt-Gov makes controversial (and other less controversial) jokes that are really good. And this journalist nails the response quite appropriately.

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/full-comment/blog.html?b=fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/11/03/john-crosbies-suicide-bomber-joke-funny

posted from Bloggeroid

Scott Stinson, National Post
Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011

John Crosbie, the lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, told an edgy joke at a ceremony last week. The joke: “This fellow said, ‘I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, social security, retirement funds, etc., I called a suicide hotline and got a call centre in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.’ ”
Hand wringing has ensued. The Post’s Scott Stinson plays the role of the humour police:
1. Is it funny?
Politicians are rarely as funny as they believe themselves to be but you have to admit that, in a vacuum, this is a solid joke. There’s the topically relevant part about jobs being outsourced to the Third World, and the trouble that arises when cultures clash. The reference to suicide bombers is edgy enough to achieve what one U.K. study on humour last year called the “benign violation of the way the world ought to be.” (Though one suspects Mr. Crosbie just thought it was good for a chuckle.) The joke has been criticized as “shocking,” but that’s the idea.

“Sorry, please repeat that joke.” AFP/Getty Images

2. OK, but is it inappropriate?
Given that Mr. Crosbie is 80 years old, it would be easy to assume that inappropriateness would stem from some kind of racial issue, like when Grandma lets slip at the dinner table that her purse is missing and she’s pretty sure that the cleaning lady took it because, you know. But this joke is actually not a comment on the Pakistani people, and instead takes a shot at the number of suicide bombings that take place in that country. Many, of course, are committed by foreigners. And you couldn’t make the same joke about Afghanistan or Iraq, because though they are riven by terrorism, neither is a hotbed of call centres.
3. So, that’s it? All’s well with the joke?
Not totally. If there’s a point to be made about inappropriateness, it’s that suicide is not the best of subjects for a joke. Mr. Crosbie, in his jag on the world economy, also cracked that the things were so bad that “Exxon Mobil laid off 25 congressmen.” Bam! There’s a joke that makes fun of the safest target for politicians: politicians.
4. What about the setting?
I’ll admit to being surprised that the swearing-in ceremony for the provincial cabinet is apparently a place for the lieutenant-governor to deliver a stand-up comedy routine. (In addition to explaining the humour of his joke, Mr. Crosbie told a local paper about the Exxon joke and the one he used about how the economy was so bad “a truckload of Americans were caught sneaking into Mexico.” He’ll be here all week, folks. Try the seal.
5. Is Mr. Crosbie backing down?
Kind of. He told the hometown Telegram that he meant no offence to Pakistanis, and went on to outline just who, exactly, the joke was about. ““It’s not that they’re associated with terrorists, the joke is that we’re using people like this to phone all over North America, Europe, etc., because it’s cheaper for the (companies) who use them to do that,” he said. “It’s got nothing to do with that they’re sympathetic with terrorists, but we know, of course, that in Pakistan there are a large number of terrorists, so that’s the joke.” That’s all true, but anytime you have been reduced to spelling out the humour in a joke, you have sadly killed it dead. Mr. Crosbie seems aware of this fact. He told the Globe and Mail that he would be “more circumspect and boring” in the future. Boo to that.

“Hee hee hee.” AFP/Getty Images

6. Why do you have your hand raised?
I just want to point out that a report on this Thursday from the wire service Agence France-Presse described Mr. Crosbie as “the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in the eastern province.” I think this marks the first time anyone ever told a suicide-bombing joke on her behalf.
7. What’s the final verdict of the humour police?
It’s understandable that the Premier’s office would issue a statement calling the joke “clearly inappropriate,” if only because she doesn’t want Mr. Crosbie to turn every official event into a Night at the Improv. But if you are going to get your knickers in a knot, to use a term of Mr. Crosbie’s vintage, every time someone utters a joke of this nature, then the only alternative is to have politicians tell the soporific kind. “The President says NASA has found intelligent life on Mars! [pause] Now he wants them to find it in Congress.” And we don’t want that. Do we?

Birth order?

2011-11-03T08:50:00.001-04:00

Had a thought provoking discussion with my mom last night. Apparently first born is supposed to be the hero, successful and achievement-oriented, second the rebel challenging authority and the way things are, third invisible quietly getting things done without undue drams or attention, fourth the clown. Apparently typical, but by no means a rule.
Being the older of two kids, those roles were not so clearly distributed. I have some of the characteristics of the hero and the rebel, seeing the potential for improvement everywhere and striving to implement it, while letting somebody else be the hero.
Armed with that awareness (and of related factors I won't publish), I can turn some of that energy inward and be even more effective (and I dare say maybe even more pleasant to some). But before wearing it outdoors, I have to decide how well this shoe fits.

posted from Bloggeroid

Time is relative

2011-10-27T04:20:00.000-04:00

In admiration (and some jealousy) of long-term state planning:
"In 500 years you will see [that] history is on our side."
– December 10, 2010
– Tan Changliu (Chinese communist official)

Generation Squeeze

2011-10-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

yup, sometimes I too feel stuck between the boomers who wouldn't give us their jobs and don't want to look after our kids. Rebound effect still rippling from the WWII I suppose.

From The Globe and Mail: After the boomers, it's Generation Squeeze - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/after-the-boomers-its-generation-squeeze/article2205685/?utm_source=Shared+Article+Sent+to+User&utm_medium=E-mail:+Newsletters+/+E-Blasts+/+etc.&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

State of IT

2011-10-18T10:24:00.002-04:00

Overheard in the office (presumably looking at a cellphone):

"That's soooo cool! I wish we could get apps on a computer."

posted from Bloggeroid

Climate change could cost Canada billions: report

2011-09-29T08:44:00.000-04:00

The report was produced by a panel appointed by the Harper government; interesting to see what the reaction will be...

Climate change could cost Canada billions: report

the chattering mind

2011-08-21T05:53:00.000-04:00

Woke up at 3am obsessing over a work issue.
Started writing it down, and had to compose it as an email to myself at work.
I hope that will put my mind at ease and I can go back to sleep. Then again, part of me feels like its time to go for a run (its 540am and the birds are starting to chirp). I'm going to overrule that impulse.
Now I'm getting hungry.

sigh.
The day ahead is not promising to be a good one.

Cuts to Environment Canada are a blow to science

2011-08-13T19:30:00.000-04:00

Cuts to Environment Canada are a blow to science

I hope this is not a trend

2011-08-05T10:59:00.001-04:00

I'm noticing in a draft bill proposing changes to legislation that instances of "the minister is satisfied that [X]" are slowly being replaced with "that, in the minister's opinion, is [X]" .
While the former creates an expectation that the minister has reviewed evidence impartially prepared by the department (which one can assume is largely science-based), the latter does not. So I wonder, what exactly will form the basis of the minister's "opinion" : Personal interests? Religious beliefs? Party lines? And how will the Opposition hold them to account? Where did this change come from: drafting team's own initiative, or party influence? And most importantly, how can any of this be the public interest?

posted from Bloggeroid

Change - or not (yet)

2011-08-02T22:49:00.000-04:00

When I left the office, the earliest batches of project phase 1 were starting to be finalized, the final batches of phase 1 of the project were being launched, and phase 2 of the project was being planned.

When I left the office, our program funding was in its sunset year and a proposal had been submitted for another few years.

When I left the office, our enabling authority (the legislation that allows/mandates us to do what we do) was several years past its "mandatory" review date (rumour had it that the minority government at the time feared the legislative review process would become a can of worms).

When I left the office, we had a minority Conservative government.

...

Here I am now, nine months later, about to go back to work.

I'm not sure how reassuring it is, if at all, to have learned last week (at lunch with some of my office mates) that nothing, not a single thing, has changed. Except that we have a majority Conservative government and somehow we still had an operating budget.

Not sure though how long that funding (or our legislated requirement to do our work) will last, if this is any indication of the secretive governing mindset here...

Reframing

2011-07-30T23:46:00.001-04:00

I generally concentrate on doing things "right", which I've come to realize isn't easy to sell when people are more typically looking for (and consequently businesses needing to do) things that are first, faster, cheaper, and/or just a little bit better, than the competition.

I.e., too easily distracted by the potential to do what is actually needed.

Afterthought: in an effort to be honest and respectful of others, I'm also often overly self-critical. This is not particularly helpful or even appropriate in a milieu that expects/ assumes you are always trying to sell yourself. it usually passes as unnecessary self-pity, false modesty, or veiled criticism when really, all I am wanting to do its improve myself. recognizing that it is socially counterproductive, I'm going to be mindful of this going forward (except maybe on this blog of course).

posted from Bloggeroid

Money and power

2011-07-29T22:12:00.003-04:00

I've always known that money is power. What I've only just realized (in discussions with my parents) is that money only gives you power to the extent that you can choose who it its worth spending on. If you don't spend it, you don't have power.

posted from Bloggeroid

Addendum: This gives the "debt ceiling impasse" in the USA an interesting angle.

Random thoughts

2011-07-28T22:51:00.000-04:00

I've been having a lot of interesting (to me) realizations this week. I think it's coming together under the pressure of looking after the (mostly) well behaved kids while trying to get pet projects completed before going back to work next week, while under the effects of sleep deprivation brought on by night terrors, a brief hospital stay, and family members succumbing to little viruses all at the same time.
Of course, now that I have time to write about them, I can't remember any of them.

posted from Bloggeroid

things better left unsaid

2011-07-10T21:25:00.000-04:00

Wonder if G+ allows you to "hide" specific posts from a specific person without them knowing...

trapped by our possessions

2011-06-19T11:46:00.000-04:00

Owning a house is kinda like owning a pet, housebreaking (ironically) and all:
There's always a chance of an "accident" requiring immediate attention, and you need to make arrangements for it when on vacation.

And the bigger it is, the more room for stuff and features; all the more trapped you are because something inevitably will break/not work as it is supposed to.

Which makes me think that to actually enjoy a fancy house, you need a custodian/gardener/housekeeper/maintenance guy 24/7.

outdoor faucet - great but busted < 1year

2011-06-19T11:14:00.003-04:00

My review and experience with
MOEN SINGLE-HANDLE HOT/COLD SILL FAUCET
MODEL HC4005 series

I'm posting this here because I can't find any record of this type of failure or repair on Moen, Google or YouTube.

THE GOOD. It delivers hot, cold in a single-handle tap that Moen is so well known for. Fantastic for washing hands, filling kiddie pools and other water toys, etc.

THE BAD. Easy to waste warm/hot water on irrigation system if you aren't paying attention (or little ones have fun with the knob after the fact).

THE UGLY. In less than 10 months (3 months usage if you exclude winter), the anti-siphon (backflow preventer?) valve busted, and it sprays wildly all around the valve when the water is on, soaking the ground right at the foundation. Not good.

Repair?
Unfortunately, no DIY repair videos on youtube yet.
Moen website shows a vacuum breaker kit (Moen PN 140900) on the exploded parts diagram, but does not have any instructions.
The innards of the installed vacuum breaker don't quite look like the one on the diagram (design change/improvement?)...
I tried setting the o-ring down a few times to no avail.
It does have a lifetime warranty.

Summer is just starting and we have a pool party/BBQ next weekend...
Here's hoping (a) my contractor will have his plumber repair this right quick and/or (b) Moen will send a repair kit ASAFP.

UPDATE: The o-ring popped completely out, so I gave it a test try for the heck of it, and it worked more or less fine. I reset the o-ring firmly with a tiny rod, and so far so good.

communication tools vs communication skills

2011-06-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

The two young contrators painting my house are outside on their lunch break, casually minding the texting/surfing on their respective cell phones.

Makes me think that, with all the communication tools that technology has given us, we may be losing the ability to actually communicate.

Aside: And here I am, blogging about it rather than getting out there and getting to know them/anyone.

Or, communication tools have allowed us the luxury(?) of being able to be more specific about who and what we want to talk with and about (and listen to). If that's so, are we any further ahead?

Faux news shotgun style

2011-03-18T16:22:00.000-04:00

"Canada's" Action Plan

2011-02-27T22:59:00.000-05:00

nice that the Cons are promoting the benefits of "their" economic action plan with a feel-good campaign, and not taking all the credit for it directly (especially how prone they seem to be to go on the offensive, literally). Not that they could take credit for it though, really, cuz I suspect the opposition would (quite legitimately I am sure) claim it would have been nothing were it not for them holding the balance of power.

double standard

2011-02-27T22:43:00.002-05:00

I understand women often say that size doesn't matter, but nine months later...

realization

2011-02-17T22:54:00.000-05:00

Probably deafeningly evident to those who know me, but I just moved a Johari muntin over a bit to my advantage tonight.
I am a (slightly obsessive) tweaker. I am driven to know how things work, be it in politics, regulation-making, sewing machines, computers, lighting levels in a room, musical instruments, circulatory system in the eye, etc., just to the point I can do it "right", understand or use it well enough to teach someone else, and/or fix it, to make it that much easier for everyone/me to use and logical for everyone else to figure out.
Which is probably why I get too involved in some things. By "too involved" I really mean to the annoyance of those who've made a career out of it for asking too many questions (even more when their explanations smell like BS - no offense, Dr. R); to the jealous displeasure of those who've made it their life's mission to understand/do something I pick up even better in just a few hours/weeks (sorry Bree); and to the expense of those who have to redo stuff until it meets what I believe is (should be) the appropriate standard of workmanship (reno contractors, you know who you are).
But when the conquest is over, I tend to seek out other problems to fix/things that need tweaking.
So, how can I best turn this drive for learning and improving into a career: Detective? Teacher? Researcher? Troubleshooter? Judge? Supreme benevolent dictator?

public policy making approaches and desirability

2011-02-15T22:16:00.000-05:00

realized I was judging unfairly a local politician who is acting very reclusively, shutting out community associations from discussions that affect their residents, and is already acting as if campaigning for next election (which are "only" about 3.8 years away), and felt rather disgusted with this behaviour. Then I thought of another local politician who has exactly similar style, yet I admire this person for their determination and ability to make (and push) "right" decisions. Why the difference I wondered.
I then considered the opposing approaches to making public policy, quite obvious when observing federal politics.
1. decentralized power: consult extensively and enact according to the whim of the people, engaging the public but at the risk of inconsistencies in the mishmash of policies of various eras;
2. centralized power: enact strategically and coherently across all areas, which can be quicker and cheaper and potentially more effective in the long run, but at the risk of polarizing along ideological lines and public discourse and thereby eroding democratic ability.

Which approach is generally more desirable? Desirability could depend on "success". Success depends on traction, which depends on how aggressively the party with approach #2 promotes its position (yes, =propaganda) and attempts to destroy the credibility of legitimate opponents; approach #1 depends on how relevant the measure really is over time, which in turn depends on how educated those involved in the consultations were.
But to me, it's really a question of principle and whether I feel my needs have been met and ideas respected. Which is why I still do not trust the local politician whose behaviour prompted me to have this reflection.

Survival vs Continuity - in the name of the greater good?

2011-02-08T13:49:00.000-05:00

National post, February 7 2011, p.20:

"In office, [Harper] has never let a minister rise high enough to form an independent power base. The Harper operation is built for survival, armored against threat from the inside and out, designed to protect the one component its leader believes is indispensable: himself."

a) how is that democratic?
b) best way to destroy a country is to castrate its ability to generate new political leadership. In fact, its a best practice for despots.

c) even North Korea has a succession plan.

Which leaves me wondering, if he is building something so complex and dependent on him personally, with a centralization of power never seen before in Canadian politics, how long can he sustain it without sacrificing his health or resorting to physical oppression of the people? And who will be left to clean up the mess after he leaves?

posted from Bloggeroid

loud commercials = PITA

2011-02-04T22:40:00.003-05:00

CRTC hears complaints about loud TV ads
see http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=135403 (full text of CNews article copied below).

What could possibly be the rationale behind this? It can't be the advertisers, who surely don't want their viewers turning off the sound or fast-forwarding through commercials and associating such offense with their products. The networks maybe? or the stations themselves? Probably not, since they make a living delivering hopefully attentive viewers to their advertisers. It can only be the cable companies, who no doubt make a fair share of profit from PVR rentals.

Consequently, and since that is the currently prescribed practice by the CRTC, I just called Rogers Cable at 1-888-764-3771 to register a complaint about the offensively louder volume of commercial breaks during a specific show. At first the agent was all sugar and spice, polite and all. When I started talking about USA considering legislation and the CRTC conducting hearings about this PITA practice, and I asked if I should continue calling everytime I noticed it, the veneer came off and she said "no, that's ok, I am forwarding this right away to the escalation department and you will get a call back when resolved, within 24-48 hours." Evidently I'm not the first educated caller she's dealt with. Meanwhile, I'm putting their number on my speed dial. >:)

I'm also looking forward to how the CRTC hearings are going to play out with industry and then with the government. I get the impression that the commission is slowly imploding, and I got to admit I kinda enjoy watching history being made.

TV regulator hears complaints about loud ads
By ALTHIA RAJ, Parliamentary Bureau
OTTAWA — The federal television regulator is looking at ways it can stop Canadians from going deaf by listening to loud ads during their favourite TV programs.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has received hundreds of complaints from the public who are outraged they need to reach for the remote control each time television advertisements appear in order to reduce their seemingly louder volume.

“It is an issue that we are cognizant of and not indifferent to,” a CRTC official told QMI Agency.

An announcement isn’t ready yet but “stay tuned,” the official added.

The Consumers’ Association of Canada’s Bruce Cran called it a “chronic complaint” his group receives.

“The usual thing we get is that (the TV ad) is a lot louder than the show. Whether that’s true or not, the perception certainly is that it is louder,” he said. “It is something that obviously bothers a lot of people.”

U.S President Barack Obama recently signed into law the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (CALM) which instructs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the CRTC’s American counterpart, to ensure commercials are only as loud as the program during which they air.

The CRTC currently recommends Canadians tell their TV service provider when they notice louder television ads by noting the date, time, channel and program or commercial they are watching.

why so tough on crime?

2010-12-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

after many years of positive reinforcement, it could be that Canadians need (the government) to flex some negative reinforcement muscles.

but I can't help but wonder, since "it takes one to know one", what does that say about parties with a heavy law and order agenda?

democracy and transparency

2010-12-02T10:03:00.000-05:00

are these issues really important to Canadians?

recent byelections saw a candidate elected by a narrow margin, despite missing out on several opportunities for interviews or debates.

Interesting excerpts from post-election interview at http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/11/30/qa-julian-fantino/

I will respect whatever duties and responsibilities the Prime Minister assigns to me. That’s more important than any wishful thinking at this point in time.

I’m going to leave it to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister knows who I am. He knows about my long and distinguished public service. He knows what my strengths and weaknesses might be and he knows where I can best be utilized to provide support as a team player in the Harper government.

I’m just so glad and honoured to be a member of a Harper government.

What's so interesting about this is that while the political right often criticizes the "nanny" state concept where everyone is decently looked after so they can pursue their aspirations, it seems to be very keen on restoring a "daddy" state - one where father knows best, I know cuz he told me so, and you better watch out cuz we got a law and order agenda.

And they still won the seat.

2010-11-16T10:50:00.000-05:00

metronews.ca Tuesday august 3, 2010 p.9

Use any chargers for cellphones in Europe

Interchangeable
The uniform charger means new phones will no longer comes with chargers, and there will be less electronic waste.

The European Union will soon bid a fond farewell to a hassle that spares few cellphone users: a dead battery and no suitable power charger.
Starting next year, cellphones in Europe will have a one-size-fits-all charger.
It will also let owners easily borrow someone else's charger when the juice is gone.
"How cool is that?" asked EU spokesman Dennis Abbon on Friday.
The Associated Press

EU: 1, David Suzuki foundation: 0
(I contacted them a few years ago about the senseless waste of resources this is and the entirely avoidable amount of waste this generates and they told me to go fly a kite. Glad to see someone else persevered and made this happen!)
Consumers and environment: win-win

commodity oddity

2010-08-24T00:59:00.000-04:00

The planet is not able to sustain human life everywhere. Some areas have lots of oil, some lots of water, some lots of gold, some lots of people, some lots of big empty spaces. Commoditization (as much as it rubs me the wrong way) is a way of facilitating the exchange between trading partners who have too much of one thing and not enough of the other, and both (should) come out ahead. If you can't live locally off the land and you can't generate enough of what other people want to trade for what you need, perhaps you simply shouldn't be living there. Unfortunately, that philosophy isn't compatible with the UN philosophies of human rights and anti-poverty campaigns that required when you enforce borders and citizenship. Without commoditization and trade, there is an imbalance, and the resulting feeling of resentment creates political and thus economic stability and we're all worse off. In the end, that means that for the developed world to maintain its lifestyle, it is in our best interest to provide basic needs like water where it is needed, as a form of protection money for us to keep living the way we do. Question is, though, how sustainable can that be?

having their cake - and eating it too

2010-08-24T00:22:00.001-04:00

I half-listened to a segment on the news tonight, something about health care, aging population, and fewer working Canadians to support them.

Aren't they (demographically speaking) the generation of DINKs and Freedom55ers that was too busy enjoying life to put up with the inconvenience of raising families, and now have the gall to complain there aren't enough kids to pay for their care?
Gee, whodathunk that leisure wasn't a sustainable social model?

On the other hand, we have to give them credit for all the opportunities they've created for upcoming generations, what with all the foreign-owned shops looking for sales associates at minimum wage to sell wares made by countries where there still exists a strong work ethic (admittedly, out of necessity).

professional vs social recognition: and/or?

2010-07-08T23:53:00.004-04:00

I'm acting two levels above my substantive position these days.
Uncomfortably busy, in that I am not "in control" of my workload - I'm constantly being chased after for approving this and that and responding to management requests, all of which is pretty much brand new to me, and I suspect I've left a few of the more quiet (and hopefully but probably not less important) files behind. Combined with lack of sleep and preoccupation with renovations that are going as should be expected, I've caught myself avoiding social situations and public image-making opportunities, probably out of concern of making a stuttering fool of myself. So today I forced myself to walk around more and take ownership of my current responsibilities in a hopefully not too transparent or suspiciously desperate attempt at claiming the requisite status.
But (throwing grammatical caution to the wind), that led to the most bothersome part of my day: trying to thank one of my colleagues during her farewell luncheon, and not being able to get a word in edgewise above the general din of miscellaneous conversations of the people I am supposedly leading. Another painful reminder that pursuing rank is counterproductive to social relationships/status. The words "It's lonely at the top" have never rung more true :(

Regardless, tomorrow's a new day and a quieter one at that. I'll have more time to talk to people, get things done, and continue building relationships one step at a time.

hedonic adaptation

2010-07-08T23:47:00.002-04:00

This makes a lot of sense:

The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation,
is the tendency of a person to remain at a relatively stable level of
happiness despite changes in fortune or the achievement of major goals.
As a person makes more money, expectations and desires rise in tandem,
which results in no permanent gain in happiness.

-Chris Hall's status on facebook earlier today

This also explains the usual tendency for scope creep in projects.
(Chris is a high school friend of mine and currently teaches languages at a Montreal CEGEP when he's not busy observing the world)

between a rock and a hard place

2010-07-08T20:09:00.005-04:00

I posit that Science (as a movement and eventual public policy) was borne (in part) of the inability of religious orders and their unsubstantiated posturing to satisfy the natural curiosity and insatiable thirst for knowledge of the people.

However, I sense "the people" are starting to feel the same skepticism and frustration as our ancestors once did, only toward "science" - after so many abusive ad campaigns such as those stating that "4 out of 5 doctors smoke camels", that "BPA is harmless", that pharmaceutical X is good, global warming, etc., who can really blame them (us) for not being satisfied with the answers we're being given.

This is making it increasingly hard for government scientists to convey the importance of certain problems and the benefits of the recommended measures (yes, measures, not "solutions").

Recent press releases from US EPA contain statements like "final" assessments, "science has proven" etc - are a (desperate) attempt to reassure the public - but any such reassurance will be short-lived and they'll be worse off the next time a paper is published that indicates something slightly different, which is what research is supposed to do. The core principle of science is that it does not 'prove" anything - it merely reports on what we can observe and measure now with tools and test methods currently available. Any attempts to convince the public that the science is clear/final/conclusive/etc will inevitably backfire.

Sure makes my job interesting - and I don't even work in communications. Meanwhile, the anti-global warming groups and anti-pharmaceutical groups are having a field day, dancing circles around frustrated well-meaning scientists whose rep has been, I fear, irreparably damaged.

The scientific era is coming to a close, after causing much excitement and advancing our quality of life to the point I can sit very comfortably in my air conditioned two-story house in front of a PC, leisurely typing this away on the internet for nobody in particular to read. Meanwhile, while power generating stations blithely devour fossil fuels that were safely tucked beneath the earth's surface for millions of years, and I know nothing more about my neighbors whose help I may need in the event of an inevitable catastrophe or societal collapse. Religious orders of old are probably shaking their heads, having tried to warn us against eating the forbidden fruit. (sigh) Oh well. I wonder who's winning at Farmville tonight.

keeping your cool

2010-06-28T17:14:00.002-04:00

funny email from government colleague who survived the great quake of oh-10
(names removed to protect the identity of the self-incriminating author)

Subject: FW: GOC Notification NT086-10 5.7 Magnitude Earthquake, Buckingham, QC

FYI.

This scared the crap out of me. When it hit, I was doing a presentation in a conference room in the basement of my office tower, discussing R&D testing that involved blowing up highway tanks...eerily enough. The first thing that crossed my mind was that something in the building had exploded...

Lessons learned from this - I don't respond well to these "emergency type" situations. I interrupted my presentation by yelling "OMG! What the hell is that?!" and proceeded to run out of the conference room, leaving everyone behind. I REALLY need to work on my emergency reaction skills...

Hope everyone is safe and sound. And I hope my bunnies aren't freaking out at home right now (or peeing all over their cage...poor things).

B

p.s. Everyone told me they will remember my presentation, but for the wrong reasons...

(dis)believer

2010-06-16T12:34:00.000-04:00

bumper sticker: "Please, God, protect me from your believers."

western ideological sustainability

2010-06-13T11:03:00.009-04:00

difficulties in Afghanistan etc where we (the western world) are trying to implement "democracy" is exposing some of its dirty secrets... Given:

1. Came across an article that concluded that the human brain was not wired for reading. The brain is naturally wired for moving, speaking, relating, and strategizing, but we have to re-wire our brains to communicate through writing.

2. Structured civilization (high degree of civility) is, Darwinianally speaking, the pinnacle of evolution that depends on education and hard work (and resources to exploit).

3. Higher education is to society what fertilizer is to grass: to keep it strong, you have to keep investing in it to prevent the weeds from sprawling.

4. American (and likely Canadian too) politics are won largely by convincing the biggest number of rich people that you can win over the biggest number of "ordinary" people. (interpretation of political fundraising and advertising campaigns)

1+2+3+4 = Human beings are social animals. Democracy is not our natural state, and requires great investment to maintain it. As the western world starts running out of environmental resources and poor (but still naive) people to exploit, where will investments to sustain our way of living come from? More importantly, will we have the resources (and knowledge) to protect against the weeds growing from within?

dimensional units

2010-05-31T22:55:00.004-04:00

so I was thinking on the bus home today that there are units for each of the regular 4 dimensions (depth, width, height, time), mass (not the sunday type) and charge, plus the compound units (functions of the aforementioned 6 like speed, force, power, field, etc. But what about something unmeasureable, like intentionality?
I propose that intentionality be recognized as another basic unit, which can form the basis for other compound units:
intentionality x desire = will
intentionality x enthusiasm = motivation
intentionality x strategy = plan
intentionality x (plan + resources) = mission
etc
I came to realize today (save your slow learner jokes) that knowing/understanding your intentions is essential to feeling like you're doing the right thing, and finding a compatible job makes it easier to harness your true intentions and the integrity and conviction will speak for themselves, making it easier for you to be successful in your own work.
at least that's what I presume most self-help books talk about.
this can be identified (even programmed) through meditation/prayer/astral-planing, and seems to work. what struck me though today was that such meditation somehow influences the intentions, moods and/or dispositions of others towards your intentions and can positively affect your ability to pursue your intentions, making intentionality another basic unit of measurement, albeit intangible.

ok, rambling wasn't my intention... it seemed clearer at the time, really.

gun control

2010-04-20T20:31:00.003-04:00

I don't often care to wade into the active political movements, but the proposed changes to the gun control policy make damn good sense to me.
Keeping the tool available to enforcement and facilitating compliance is a win-win for the law-abiding citizen.
Maybe one day there'll be an app for that too.

The best anti-graffiti initiative of all time

2010-04-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

The best anti-graffiti initiative of all time

Ottawa in Wonderland

2010-04-05T22:53:00.001-04:00

"It's curious and curiouser,"
Colin Robertson, a former senior diplomat at Canada's embassy in Washington, now a senior fellow with the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute, commenting on recent issues between ottawa and washington:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/clintons-tough-diplomacy-stings-ottawa/article1517805/

Sounds like it might be something out of Alice in Wonderland. Then again, Ottawa's been compared to far worse.

swimming against the current

2010-02-02T22:46:00.005-05:00

Had an epiphany/d-uh moment over the weekend after accumulation of numerous rejected improvement recommendations at work:
Arguments are won with the heart, not facts.

I've always regarded the pursuit of knowledge, information, truth, and consideration of the bigger picture as fundamental, and assumed most people would share that interest in continuous self-/improvement.

Unfortunately, (most of) the rest of the world doesn't seem to work like that. Usually, the rest of the world (at least part of my work environment) seems to value collaboration and conventionalism in general. Relevance of any supporting facts presented is generally not (well?) understood, and many openly revel in being able to point out your errors and discredit you. It can become a competition of show-uppance. It's also very difficult for someone to accuse you of not being kind and considerate, regardless how mistaken their direction.

Looking past the probable negative outcomes of people's intentions and effectively reguiding their efforts is an ability I clearly have yet to learn to fake, never mind develop.

career coaching

2010-02-02T22:26:00.004-05:00

I recently won a free career coaching session. Not sure what that entails, nor am I sure whether I'll be able to ~~avoid digressing into philosophical over-analysis~~ use it optimally.

Kinda reminds me of the stupid "Choices" program our guidance counselor offered in high school. It suggested completly random jobs like architect, politician, teacher, garbageman, hotel concierge, helicopter pilot and heavy-equipment operator. When I asked the guidance counselor for actual "guidance" (silly me), she merely reflected: Well, tell me what you want to do and we can do the test again with that in mind. Though subconsciously sensible, it's hardly a logical response and certainly did not impress my concretish way of looking at things (which inevitably led me down an engineering path). Thing is, dealing with imperfections, inconsistencies, public ignorance/apathy and other such irritants on a daily basis is a never-ending battle. On that, can anyone tell me how that finger-in-the-failing-dyke fable ends?

disposable gadgets

2010-02-02T22:20:00.002-05:00

Apparently you can't change the batteries on iphones, ipods, and probably other such devices (at least not cost-effectively), pretty much forcing consumers to buy new and toss the old.
That obviously generates a lot of unnecessary waste. I wonder, is there an app for that?

In case of nuclear attack

2010-01-13T21:45:00.002-05:00

Funny, when I was visiting the Diefenbunker they said they were instructed to eliminate the dying to extend available resources. I wonder if that was part of the official "government continuity plan?"

social graces

2010-01-13T21:25:00.002-05:00

I believe shaking hands is an important formality to get right (i.e., firm, not limp dead fish, nor osteoporous-bone-crushingly strong either) when I meet someone, especially in a professional context. Once past the initial formality with colleagues I usually find it awkward though, sometimes even suspicious they're still trying to size me up or win me over like a politician.
is it just me?

mosaic effect

2010-01-07T13:19:00.003-05:00

interesting exercise to describe oneself anonymously (user profile on wikipedia), and then to decide whether to cross-reference yourself in your blog, considering that accelerates the aggregation of information that will eventually reveal your "secret" identity.

what kind of disclaimer is this?

2010-01-06T20:58:00.002-05:00

Seen briefly at the bottom of a TV ad:
"monetary exchange is required for the use of this product"

I wouldn't mind living in a place where that kind of disclaimer is necessary. At least, it would satisfy my curiosity.

on vacation

2009-12-28T19:51:00.003-05:00

This is the first time we both take off completely between xmas and new year. Kinda nice to be able to drive around at the speed limit, and watch everybody else whoosh past me for a change, thinking somewhat gleefully they must be awfully busier than me. Is this what retirement feels like?

green bins

2009-12-28T19:45:00.004-05:00

I like our city's new green bin program.
Now, the only things that we throw out in the regular trash seem to be plastic overwrap, bits tubs and bags that can't be recycled, diapers, broken dishes, and the orgy of one-time-use christmas wrap and associated paraphenalia. Pity more people aren't (re)using gift bags.

Could this be your rebox Christmas?

2009-12-16T23:12:00.000-05:00

http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/content/column/design/could_this_be_your_rebox_christmas

...the creativity and variety of these Afrigadgets truly inspired me. I also realized that North Americans really weren't giving their 'reduce reuse recycle' brains much exercise.

Hmm. If necessity is the mother of invention, what does abundance breed?

supervisor vs mentor

2009-10-29T17:21:00.003-04:00

called a meeting with my supervisor today. she clarified a few things (things I didn't but should know) and I explained a few things to her about her "management" style. She didn't see how respecting each others' jurisdictions and responsibilities might be necessary or even conducive to good working relations, but she could take into consideration.
why am i (the underling) coaching/mentoring a supervisor in management approaches... it's a question of survival, I guess, to make my day to day work (for her) less painful, but it's not giving me any sense of fulfillment.

the cultural divide

2009-10-29T17:18:00.002-04:00

Was just downstairs in the caf. The lunchlady asked if I wanted onions in my salad to which I replied no thanks (I don't particularly like onions). A rather large man of questionable hygiene behind me said "non, ca fait siffler" (course not, it makes you whistle) and chuckled. It must have been obvious that I didn't understand at first, so both he and the lunchlady repeated it until I figured out that "siffler" might be a euphemism for fart. I really didn't care to eat my lunch at all after that. Even half an hour later I was still unable to shake that vision as I leaned over my takeout container. I wonder that was part of an experiment to test a new commercial diet plan?

grr

2009-10-22T21:43:00.003-04:00

conflicting management styles/expectations suck.
professional self-restraint against blogging what's pissing me off sucks even more.
my only outlet/digestive aid is to email myself I guess.

another day...

2009-10-06T19:10:00.004-04:00

I'm still reeling from a discussion I had at work today. I blogged (but haven't published) the anonymous details of the disturbingly ignorant response I was given to why we shouldn't be implementing a collaborative workspace to capture, standardize and improve upon our team's role in a complex government decision-making process. I won't be publishing the details here (or anywhere), but I am finding the inane stupidity and desperate shortsightedness of the control-freakish response profoundly disturbing, and I am not sure I'm going to continue enjoying working under that.

Coincidentally, yesterday's Dilbert:

clarification

2009-10-02T21:01:00.003-04:00

the other day i commented that i was more intelligent than most.
i forgot to specify "in some areas only" cuz in others, I'm as helpless as birdshit on a windshield. so i guess it all averages out. except it doesn't make me any happier. oh well.

From boreal forest to, well... see for yourself

2009-10-02T20:29:00.002-04:00

overperfection

2009-09-13T21:12:00.003-04:00

Not me: "On things like these, I get a little too perfectionist."

Me (sympathetic as usual): "Does it bother you when you realize you're being overly perfectionist, I mean, the fact that you're not just "optimally" perfectionist?" (speaking from experience...)

great day of small frustrations

2009-08-01T22:01:00.002-04:00

we biked to a splashpad this morning, only to find it hasn't been built yet (we kept going and had a great afternoon at a friends house instead).
we rushed halfway across the city to a particular store, only to find it had closed early on account of the long weekend (we spent the next hour or so watching ducks, canada geese and ringed gulls (aka sh*thawks) fight for breadcrumbs in a river in a nice park).
we packed the camera and pulled it out on the riverbank, only to find I forgot to put the memory card back in.
we drove to Dow's Lake to have supper and watch the mini flotilla of illuminated RC boats, only to wait another 1.5hrs to find out it was going to be another hour before they started (we returned home instead).
we then got everything ready (and little one to bed early) to drive to my office to watch the fireworks, only to find out they had started half an hour earlier (thankfully I thought of confirming the time before leaving the house).

on the bright side, summer is finally here! amazing how a little blue sky can go a long way at helping you get over such (admittedly minor) disappointments. :)

clarification

2009-07-05T22:28:00.002-04:00

Clarification on my earlier statement that I was "more intelligent than most" - or something to that effect.
What I really meant was "I can figure things out way better than most". I did not mean to appear as though I might be actually believe I was any good at understanding people at all, at least (a) not in any way that matters any, and/or (b) not when it might be important.
(sigh) That's one of the things I'm learning as a parent (and I suspect, nay - hope, that there'll be many more such lessons).

(still) life imitating art

2009-06-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

We all know what cherry-flavoured cough syrup tastes like. But eating cherries that taste like cough-syrup is a bizarre experience.

professional introspection & resistance to change

2009-06-02T22:01:00.005-04:00

I'm beginning to realize that I am slightly more competitive, ambitious, enthusiastic, conscientious and intelligent than most in the workplace. which also makes me more resented than most by some in the workplace. (it's only taken me, oh, 30-odd years to figure this out, which i suppose also makes me more naive than most.) not realizing my "superiority" in that regard has made me expect others be just as capable as me; naturally, those expectations don't do anything to alleviate the aforementioned resentment.
Now, if only i could figure a way to get the senior members of the section (same age, but who've been there for 8-10 years compared to my 7 months) to recognize that some of the things they have been doing "forever" desperately need to be modernized...

almost making the world a better place

2009-06-02T21:56:00.002-04:00

Can you imagine how much better the world would be if only engineers knew how to talk so people understand?

who watches the watchmen?

2009-06-01T13:12:00.002-04:00

the answering machine at the bank just warned me that my call would be recorded for quality purposes - twice in a row - which leads me to wonder, who assures quality assurance?

knights who say NI

2009-04-20T23:04:00.001-04:00

http://xkcd.com/16/

beautiful

2009-04-18T23:39:00.005-04:00

Ok, I recon this makes quite a few youtube videos I've been posting lately.
But if you haven't heard Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent yet, sit down, turn your speakers up and truly enjoy this diamond in the rough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

I dream the dream indeed! Inspiring. We should all be as lucky as her to find our inner diamond, and have our biggest critics raise their eyebrows in astonishment as the infamous Simon Cowell.

Kudos to the producers, editors, camera and sound crews too, who did a great job reinforcing the emotional effect.
------------
UPDATE: apparently I wasn`t the only one inspired by this. Check out: http://mashable.com/2009/04/18/susan-boyle-video-jimmy-fallon/

problematic plastic and inspir-action

2009-04-15T22:21:00.002-04:00

Excellent documentary I watched on plastic last Monday night:
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/passionateeyemonday/2009/addictedtoplastic/
If you get a chance, watch it, it's really good!

Here's an informative review:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/footprint/story.html?id=901421

"[…] I knew it would resonate with people because plastic is something we touch every day without even thinking about it." Indeed, from alarm clocks and toothbrushes to shampoo bottles and razors, most of the developed world relies on this material just to get out of bed and showered in the morning. The problem, explains Connacher, is that nobody stops to wonder where all this plastic came from and what happens when we throw it out.

Green to the grave

2009-04-02T22:19:00.006-04:00

I am shocked. From the Ottawa Citizen, 1 April 2009 page B5:

In U.S. cemeteries alone, some 90,000 tons of steel, copper and brass, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, and 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid like buried in caskets, vaults and corpses. That's not to mention the energy consumed in cremating a body at temperatures of more than 900C or the dioxins [and heavy metals] spewed into the atmosphere in the process.

This article got me thinking. When the time comes, I want people to know I want a green burial. Particularly:
-It would be nice to be exposed, but embalming fluid has to be non-toxic and organic. If formaldehyde is the only option, just close the lid.
-dispose of my dental filling(s) (and any other toxic accumulator) as hazardous waste.
-biodegradable coffin (soft, locally sourced, fast growing wood; without metal hardware).
-lot: no heavy machinery (soil compaction) and no pesticides! let those bugs do their job so my body can support the local eco-system. Toss in a few red wrigglers and coffee grinds to get the process started.
-service: should focus on my physical reunion with mother earth and spiritual reunion with the universe.
-music: favourite pieces are Toccata & Fugue in D Minor (J.S. Bach) and Mozart's Requiem.
-no concrete liners or vaults.
-no headstone; an indigenous rock as a grave marker would be nice. if the plot allows, plant a dogwood shrub (I like the smell). Ideally, I'd like a silver maple.
-organic local flowers, if any. ideally hardy maintenance-free perennials that could be planted at home or at my plot. Absolutely no carnations (my wife doesn't like them).
-donations? ideally, to a land conservation organization - save the forests, creeks and bees; they are the silent guardians of our race who will look after our progeny a whole lot better than any profit-minded association.

"best be mindful, we are but guests in mother nature's house"

I haven't seen their sites yet, but here are potential sources for more information (listed in the Citizen article):
naturalburialassoc.ca
naturalburial.coop
greenburialcouncil.org
naturaldeath.org.uk

Life's for Sharing

2009-04-02T21:15:00.002-04:00

Watch this first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM

Then watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFNM8f9WnI

there is something prehistorically attractive about so many people doing the same thing at the same time - so many bodies orchestrated and synchronized - almost like precision drill, but so much easier for ordinary people to relate to and enjoy!

Colbert may finally get his way

2009-04-02T17:24:00.000-04:00

Unbelievable - I hope this is an April Fools.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE52T5TN20090330

I can imagine a lot of folks at NASA would privately agree with this choice, though it would signal the end of the somewhat haughty pride and dignity in space program (disconnected from public's imagination long ago). Gene Roddenberry must be turning in his grave - the future USS Enterprise, Reliant, Defender etc will likely be named USS Double-Double, Colbert and Rockstar.

I can also imagine there are many people regretting the choice to open the name to a vote - the scene from the upcoming "Parks & Recreation" program on NBC (where a bureaucrat groans "oh I hate the public") comes to mind.

http://www.nbc.com/Primetime/parks-and-recreation/

New World Order

2009-04-02T17:19:00.000-04:00

or, another step closer to Orwell's 1984.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKL295567120090402

Denial / self-acknowledgment

2009-04-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

"I'm only a near-perfectionist."

Is orthodoxy carbon-neutral?

2009-03-31T21:40:00.002-04:00

Officially, according to guardian.co.uk's terms of use, I can't reproduce the article here (even for non-commercial ops). Oh hell, here it is anyway, you never know how long it'll be available for at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/feb/25/religion-christianity, and rationalization of religious customs (like burning vs stoning people and sacred cows) always makes for great discussion:

It is good to know that two bishops are undertaking a "Carbon fast" which will require them to turn off their computers every night, rather than leaving them on standby.
Unfortunately, I am not very good at piety and it made me wonder, in a rather irreverent way, about the the environmental consequences of burning heretics. Is orthodoxy carbon-neutral? It turns out to be quite difficult to calculate this. Cremation is less green than burying people, but this is partly a result of the attempts that crematoria now make to avoid pollution, which requires burning the bodies at very high temperatures.
But an auto-da-fe does not need to be nearly as hot as a modern crematorium. The purpose of the fire is not to reduce the heretic to ashes, but to impress the onlookers with the horror of the crime. But even at these lower temperatures it seems at least as environmentally sinful as a barbecue and we know we are meant to be giving those up, too.
Perhaps the greenest religion ever developed was that of the Aztecs, who kiled their victims with stone knives. In fact their entire way of life has been analysed from an ecological point of view by the late anthropologist Marvin Harris, who concluded that human sacrifice was an ecological necessity for an urban civilisation in central Mexico. So far as I know, they did not sacrifice heretics, only enemy prisoners, but you can see how heresy was discouraged by the practice all the same.
It is a commonplace of anti-Aztec propaganda that the hearts of the sacrificial victims were offered to the gods, after being cut, still beating, from their bodies. This was a waste, and would of course have required fuel for the sacrificial pyres. But Harris was the first man to ask what happened to the rest of the prisoners; and he concluded that their bodies were also cooked, and then eaten. Central America had very few native domesticable sources of animal protein – only birds and dogs, in fact. So the meat from these vast temple sacrifices would have made a noticeable difference to the soldiers lucky enough to be fed. By the same token it would have increased their zeal in battle very considerably. To be taken prisoner really was a fate worse than most other deaths. You can see how the system could become self-perpetuating.
Harris is rather out of fashion now: he analysed all sorts of religious taboos as disguised ecological rules: the sacredness of cow, he thought, was an expression of the fact that the farmer who eats his bullock in a famine year might as well be dead, since when the rains come he will be unable to plough.
Similarly, the taboo on pork in Judaism and Islam makes sense in the Middle East, where the pig is a bad ecological bargain.
Obviously, if you are a true believer, this kind of explanation will be unsatisfactory. It's also unsatisfactory if you are the kind of rationalist who wants all religions and all superstitions to be equally ridiculous and unscientific. And it offends, finally, people like me who dislike the idea that religious practice can be explained away or reduced to anything else.
None the less, the link between religion and ecology is worth thinking about. One of the things that all religions have are prohibitions which have to be obeyed "just because". Heresy is shunned not because it is rationally wrong, but because it is heretical. But these attitudes aren't confined to religion. Nor could they be, because they are indispensable for any large scale social organisation. If everyone stops to question everything, nothing gets done. What religions do, to some extent, is to internalise social disciplines so that they come to seem morally binding and quite impossible to analyse coldly. We're going to need that kind of social discipline to cope with the shrinking resources of the world.
Actually fiddling around to discover the precise carbon footprint of everything we do is absurdly time consuming and in any case unlikely to come up with the right answer. In this sense, environmentalism is indeed a religion, though one without any defined supernaturalist dogmas. Trust in authority, whether Pope Benedict or George Monbiot, is the only way we can hope to link the greater rationality of wanting to preserve humanity with the rationality of the small scale decisions we make all the time about how to live. Of course it is absurd. But so are all the alternatives; and they are worse.

from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2009/feb/25/religion-christianity

at least they are committing environmentally sound murder

2009-03-29T20:44:00.002-04:00

Should hunters switch to 'green' bullets?
Story Highlights
Green bullets are those that don't contain lead, a toxic metal
Last year, California banned lead bullets in the area where an endangered bird lives
Copper bullets are the main alternative to lead
Hunting and gun groups oppose bans on lead bullets, saying they pose no risks
By John D. Sutter
CNN
(CNN) -- Three years ago, Phillip Loughlin made a choice he knew would brand him as an outsider with many of his fellow hunters:
He decided to shoot "green" bullets.
"It made sense," Loughlin said of his switch to more environmentally friendly ammo, which doesn't contain lead. "I believe that we need to do a little bit to take care of the rest of the habitat and the environment -- not just what we want to shoot out of it."
Lead, a toxic metal that can lower the IQs of children, is the essential element in most ammunition on the market today.
But greener alternatives are gaining visibility -- and stirring controversy -- as some hunters, scientists, environmentalists and public health officials worry about lead ammunition's threat to the environment and public health.
Hunting groups oppose limits on lead ammunition, saying there's no risk and alternatives are too expensive.
The scope of the trend is difficult to measure. Americans spent an estimated $1.08 billion on ammunition in fiscal year 2008, according to tax reports from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. But the bureau does not track ammunition sales by type.
Industry groups are tight-lipped about their sales figures. Manufacturers contacted by CNN declined to release specific numbers.
Barnes Bullets, which manufactures copper bullets because, the company says, they perform better than lead, is seeing increased interest in its non-lead products, said Jessica Brooks, the Utah company's spokeswoman.
Loughlin, of Union City, California, has noticed new manufacturers jumping into the green bullet game.
"They're definitely coming out. Winchester and Remington, all the big-name ammo makers are loading green ammunition now," he said.
Some firing ranges are banning lead for safety reasons. Lead bullets contaminate military training grounds across the country and are the subjects of many environmental cleanups.
California and other state governments have taken up lead bullets as a matter of policy. They worry that lead from the bullets contaminates ecosystems and could affect people.
Last year, California banned lead bullets in the chunk of the state that makes up the endangered California condor's habitat. The large birds are known to feed on scraps of meat left behind by hunters. Those scraps sometimes contain pieces of lead bullets, and lead poisoning is thought to be a contributor to condor deaths.
Arizona, another condor state, gives out coupons so hunters can buy green ammunition. Utah may soon follow suit.
In North Dakota, a hunter has raised concerns about lead's potential impact on humans.
Dr. William Cornatzer, a dermatologist and falconer, saw a presentation about the potential dangers of lead at a board meeting of the Peregrine Fund, a group devoted to conserving birds of prey. He decided to collect and test venison samples that were going to be donated to a local program for the hungry. About half of the 100 samples -- all shot by hunters -- tested positive for lead, he said. Food banks and shelters pulled the meat from their shelves after the report.
"When we did this, I about fell out of my shoes," he said. "The scary thing is these fragments are almost like dust in the meat. They're not like metal fragments you would feel when you bite down."
States in the area started investigating the issue after Cornatzer's findings.
Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North Dakota Department of Health ran a test to find out the health effects of lead-shot game. The agency compared blood-lead levels of people who regularly eat meat shot with lead bullets with the levels of those who don't eat much wild game.
The results were inconclusive. Those who ate the lead-shot meat had slightly higher blood-lead levels than those who didn't, but none of the 738 people in the study had levels above the government's threshold for danger.
Still, the health department recommended that children younger than 6 and pregnant women stop eating venison shot with lead bullets because those groups are at particular risk for lead poisoning, even at low levels.
The department also recommended lead-free bullets as the simplest solution to possible contamination.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources followed with its own study, which found that when lead bullets explode inside an animal, imperceptible particles of the metal can infect meat up to a foot and a half away from the bullet wound -- farther than previously thought.
More research is needed to tell for sure if lead-shot meat poses a risk to people, said Dr. Steve Pickard, an epidemiologist at the North Dakota Department of Health. But until that research is done, people should take sensible precautions, he said.
"There is no cause for alarm, but it is another source of lead in the environment," he said of lead ammunition.
Hunting groups say lead bullets pose no risk to people or the environment.
Available studies -- particularly the one from North Dakota -- prove that point, said Ted Novin, spokesman for National Shooting Sports Foundation.
"The CDC study confirmed what hunters have known for centuries: Consuming game hunted with traditional [lead] ammunition has never been shown to pose a health risk to anyone," he said.
Pickard said Novin's group is misrepresenting science.
The NSSF and the National Rifle Association say efforts to ban lead ammunition are veiled attempts to take guns away from hunters. They also point to the fact that lead's main alternative, copper, is more expensive and isn't available in all calibers.
Novin said the added expense will drive many people away from a sport that is part of American heritage.
"Many hunters believe lead is the best metal to be used for hunting," he said. "Add into that that it [lead] is very affordable and it is very available. We think this absolutely should be left up to hunters."
Dr. Joseph Graziano, interim department chair of environmental health sciences at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, said the public should switch away from lead bullets -- even if the research is still developing.
"It's hard to imagine that you could make a bullet out of something more toxic than lead," he said.
Loughlin, who switched to green ammo and blogs on the issue, said that lead shouldn't be banned from hunting but that hunters and the public should be more aware of lead's potential to cause harm.
"Lead will get into you, and we need to be working towards getting it out of the system," he said. "I think it's something we could do away with over time."

------------------------------------
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/03/04/green.bullets/index.html

Messed up dream

2009-03-26T21:04:00.004-04:00

Dreamed a few nights ago that I was in a sky-diving (or similar sport) program with a military-like academy. The program required certain inoculations. We were en route in a shuttle bus and got caught in a Republican pro-vaccination rally (a point not immediately important) on the way to the training facility where I was to receive the 2nd dose of the vaccine before starting the training regime. The nurse did an independent blood check and did not find any of the antibodies that I was expected to have with the supposed vaccine, and informed me of a possible conspiracy where the pharmaceutical companies were pushing this substance that would detect changes in brain chemistry when you think seriously (and passing it off as a vaccine). That substance would then trigger a signal that could be detected remotely electronically. I had a few newspaper articles and other quasi-evidence stashed in my room on campus that supported that story and that I felt compelled to leak to some organization (one of the few still independent and professional media?), so a few trusted friends and I started bundling, protecting and disguising them as a package that wouldn't rouse suspicions by "authorities" whose integrity (dedication to free will and independent thought) may or may not be compromised Meanwhile, legislation looking into this matter was being proposed in an Asian government body (china?) with a complex procedural voting process. When the lawmakers were asked to vote on the bill, machine guns popped out of walls and ceilings and started shooting all them. Though fatally wounded (limbs shot off etc), they still managed to summon enough composure and last breaths to hobble through the complex voting process and the legislation passed despite the bloody chaos. Still, it was too late, mind control had already been achieved and bloodily demonstrated for anybody else in the world to dare do anything about it.

Victims of their own virtues

2009-03-26T20:53:00.003-04:00

Science proves climate change threat
By David Suzuki - Victoria News

Published: March 05, 2009 4:00 PM
Updated: March 05, 2009 4:18 PM

Why does the public often pay more attention to climate change deniers than climate scientists? Why do denial arguments that have been thoroughly debunked still show up regularly in the media?

Some researchers from New York's Fordham University may have found some answers. Prof. David Budescu and his colleagues asked 223 volunteers to read sentences from reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The responses revealed some fundamental misunderstandings about how science works.

Science is a process. Scientists gather and compare evidence, then construct hypotheses that "make sense" of the data and suggest further tests of the hypothesis. Other scientists try to find flaws in the hypothesis with their own data or experiments. Eventually, a body of knowledge builds, and scientists become more and more certain of their theories. But there's always a chance that a theory will be challenged. And so scientists speak about degrees of certainty. This has led to some confusion among the public about the scientific consensus on climate change.

What Prof. Budescu and his colleagues found was that subjects interpreted statements such as "It is very likely that hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent" to mean that scientists were far from certain. In fact, the term very likely means more than 90 per cent certain, but almost half the subjects thought it meant less than 66 per cent certain, and three quarters thought it meant less than 90 per cent.

According to an article in New Scientist, the researchers concluded that scientists should use both words and numbers to express certainty. For example, the IPCC considers "virtually certain" to mean more than 99 per cent likely; "very likely" to mean more than 90 per cent certain; "likely" to be more than 66 per cent; "more likely than not" more than 50 per cent; and so on.

It's important to understand the distinctions. People who recognize the urgency of the situation are more likely to get behind solutions. And businesses and governments are more likely to work toward solutions when the public demands that they do.

And how urgent is the situation? The IPCC has concluded it is "very likely" that human emissions of greenhouse gases rather than natural variations are warming the planet's surface. Remember, that means they are more than 90 per cent certain. That's about as close to unequivocal as science gets. The IPCC has also concluded that the consequences could be catastrophic.

This is science that has been rigorously peer-reviewed and that has been agreed upon by the vast majority of the world's climate scientists, as well as more than 50 scientific academies and societies, including those of all G8 nations. There has been no peer-reviewed scientific study that has called into question the conclusions of the IPCC, which represents the consensus of the international scientific community.

So why does the debate still continue? Why are we fiddling while Rome burns? Well, as Prof. Budescu's research shows, some people don't really understand how science works. And people with vested interests, many of whom work with the oil and coal industries, are all too willing to exploit that lack of understanding by sowing confusion.

It's also true that many people fear change. We've seen examples of economic prosperity and job creation brought about by investments in green energy in places such as Germany and Sweden. And leading economists, including former World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern, have warned that not doing anything to confront climate change will cost us far more in the long run than acting now. But many people still fear that any profound change will upset the economy or diminish their quality of life.

We may never reach 100 per cent certainty on climate change and its causes – that's not what science is about – but one thing is certain: if we don't get together to work on solutions now we'll have a much tougher time dealing with the consequences later.

Take David Suzuki's Nature Challenge at www.davidsuzuki.org.

Find this article at:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/opinion/40810628.html

boring, but solid

2009-02-11T23:14:00.001-05:00

Canada is now "remarkably responsible" - but don't tell them yanks or our last month's trade deficit will have been more than a blip...
http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2009/2/9/4086913.html

dirty oil, "made in canada"

2009-02-10T23:10:00.002-05:00

Amazing how western politicians mesmerized us with the notion that we were an energy superpower, while so much damage was being caused...
I'm glad somebody's trying to get the message out there that this may not be the ideal solution to our energy "woes."
http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/pressroom/viewnews.php?id=533

Now stop worrying and enjoy your life

2009-02-08T22:22:00.002-05:00

Given that religion gives rise to all sorts of intellectual, uhm, "self-satisfaction" at the best of times, such as whether Christians got the day of rest wrong, and provides motivation for wars in the worst of cases, the atheist bus campaign is really refreshing.

Economic "growth" is no way to rate the health of a city

2009-02-04T22:50:00.001-05:00

just sent this to the local paper and ward councilor in response to this article http://www.yourkanata.com/StittsvilleNews/article/10022

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 22:46
Subject: Economic "growth" is no way to rate the health of a city

Re: What cost development? Feb 4 2008

I believe that pushing the urban boundary for new developments is extremely shortsighted, and plain wrong on all other levels.
We have lived in a time when growth was considered good - as long as there were more people coming, more consumers in the market, more agricultural land to deplete, more forests to clear-cut, more oil to burn, more credit to stretch - things were supposed to be good. However, "measuring economic growth – as the current crisis proves – is no way to rate the health of the planet" (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/02/climatechange-economicgrowth for details).

What exactly does building more homes achieve? Canadians have already outpaced our American neighbors in terms of spending on credit (a very bad habit of overconfidence fueled by recent political statements like "ours is the most robust banking system in the world" and "we are sheltered from this storm"). Is this really the time to encourage people to buy new homes and stretch their mortgages even more? Is it really beneficial for the city to increase the new areas it has to service while the infrastructure in older neighborhoods is on the verge of collapse? From what I've heard the construction trades in Ottawa were already over-stretched, with houses taking 16 months to build rather than the normal 9. It sure is fun and exciting for people to obsess over new homes, but what does that do for us in the long term? For example, what are we going to do in fifteen years, when the existing neighborhoods currently bedlocked by the babyboomer bulge are finally available, but all the new families have moved ever further out?

I profoundly disagree with the comment that "growth" - at least in the sense of construction - is "good" for us, even if it generates "profit" for the lucky few, who then spend much of it offshore for electronic gadgets that our own labour force is too expensive to manufacture here, because too many people are tied to construction... Just moving money around simply does not create wealth. You can't export homes. You can't really export residential construction expertise to other parts of the world. All you can do is increase demand for natural resources best left untapped and artificially boost wage expectations due to false labour shortages (because people are working on the wrong things). How is that supposed to be good for us in the long run?

Let's focus on ruban renewal instead - better services, better quality of life. The charm of old cities like Montreal and Boston arose directly from the intensities of their populations. Rather than obsessing over manicuring their 5,000 square feet of grass and driveway with pesticides and oil products, and filling their homes with ephemeral gadgets, residents should be able to gather in cafes, markets, theaters, pubs and parks, and focus on the finer qualities of life.

It's easy, and politically convenient to focus attention on shiny new things, especially when the old things aren't turning out as well as we had hoped. It's simple and simple sells. But praising expansion is also cheap politics, and poor public policy.

Never taken such a public stance before; we'll see where this goes. I wonder if it'll even be published. At least my local councilor is already a strong proponent for intensification.

short-term politics fail to address underlying issues

2009-01-29T20:57:00.002-05:00

'Western' democracies usually allow a few years of actual governance between pre-election orgies. That kind of directional stability is usually pretty good provided it doesn't drift too far off-ideological center. However, when it comes to generational trends, 4-year terms doesn't even come close to even giving them the time to grapple, let alone understand or even communicate, the magnitude and complexity of the problem.

But here's a key primer from http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1176152765213
:

PLAINLY, A key to reducing violence is to reduce birthrates. According to Heinsohn, this could be achieved through widespread knowledge of birth control measures and the will to use them. Such an option, however, is unlikely because of religious opposition among traditional Muslims.

Since they can't tackle religion, they can, and do (especially in the current budget) focus on jobs. Giving people opportunities to work forces them to think (hopefully at least a little) more carefully about their own future. A little employment uncertainty (take too much time off and you might be fired) probably "helps" in that regard.

But this is still terribly short-sighted. Jobs in the service industry (Home Depot, Tim Hortons etc) may keep people busy, but they aren't as rewarding as, say, having a loving family. And the construction industry is only going to last as long as the city centres and old suburbs are bedlocked with aging baby-boomers who don't want to turn their 4-bedroom homes over to new families.

Expect the perfect storm in 10 years or so: the boomers will be buried, after straining our healthcare system to the breaking point, there will be a ton of real-estate available (housing market collapse), service industry will follow (no boomers sipping coffee all day every day at Tims anymore), and the public service will be left with a massive gap of experience, and industry as a whole will be staffed with people who were raised in perpetual economic growth and will resent no longer having what they've come to believe as entitlements rather than a reward for a strong work ethic. Economy as a whole will implode, people will stay at home with nothing to do but have kids, and you're set for another generation of extreme violence.

This is why I think the current budget, or even 4-yr politicking, doesn't even come close to trying to balance the underlying pressures that contribute to social stability or collapse. It's purely reactionary and terribly short-sighted.

I'm still hoping for a politician with a vision for the future, that can carve a proper role in the world to give Canadians from shore to shore to shore a sense of pride, common long-term purpose, and opportunity to share peace and prosperity. Perhaps that should be added to the Constitution, so the Senate can fulfill that as part of their mandate to defend, protect and promote it.

I can't believe their childishness

2009-01-23T21:38:00.004-05:00

I don't know how many rants I've emailed myself with the intention to post, but I just came across this and can't get over it:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/politicalbytes/2009/01/stalled_investigation.html

this is the type of protective action I would find amusing in a 5 or 6 year old who knows he's doing something wrong; from a party charged with leading the country, that's a whole other story.

and do they expect to lead a minority government "in good faith" ??

and the budget's gonna be a good one, "trust us" ???

it's almost as principally offensive as their communications campaign aimed squarely at the gut.

this nails it right on the head

2009-01-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

I've felt something has been profoundly wrong with the Conservative Party's communications strategy for a few years. Now I know exactly what it is. Read the 2nd review (the one by Stephen Haines):

http://www.amazon.ca/product-reviews/0771032994/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&2115RM6D8KAPZVI6GHelpfulReviews1.s=SUCCESS&2115RM6D8KAPZVI6GHelpfulReviews1.v=1&voteError=0

in those words, what makes me react so is that the communications campaign is so deliberately aimed at "the gut" to silence "the head," that we (the public) become very susceptible to being manipulated and gladly give them "absolute power" / corruption a la evil Empire. Not that I expect them to be that way, but I can't help but wonder why they choose a strategy that sets that up so beautifully?

righteousness vs self-righteousness

2009-01-13T17:05:00.003-05:00

context: ottawa bus drivers are on strike (this is now week 6), severely inconveniencing ottawa residents. negotiations broke off several times; the city refused to comply with a mediator, the union refused to put the city's final offer to its members, etc. meanwhile, both sides held wildly different public relations programs: the mayor has been on the news daily nd city council is taking full page ads in the local papers, while the union is refusing to speak to media outlets that don't paint them in a neutral (if not positive) manner (side note: that ugly tactic worked with the Harper Conservatives, but the union doesn't quite have the same clout). anyway, the results of a public opinion poll were released last week, indicating something like 90% of residents agree with the city's approach to stand firm and not give in to the scheduling demands of the union. the city (especially right-wing nutsoid radio stations) now claim that gives them a clear mandate to maintain its position.

point: Besides the fact that both sides aren't negotiating in good faith and are holding the residents hostage in this debacle, it really bothers me that they are using public opinion as a weapon, and claiming "the right thing to do" on public opinion after a deliberate media campaign.

I'd like to remind them that an effective communications strategy does NOT in itself give them the moral high ground!

from hell to television

2009-01-13T17:03:00.001-05:00

according to some ideologies, transgressors of social/moral customs (usually called "sinners") go to a place called "hell" though sometimes only after spending some time in a decision-making process ("purgatory") until a time when history (or some conventionally-accepted authority) has decided they are "good" or "bad" (called "judment day").

IMO, hell is therefore only a dark place in people`s minds where they associate memories of dead people with negative emotions (jealousy, anger, hate, contempt, resentment, etc). sometimes people dwell or even thrive on those negative emotions, and anybody who merely harbour them passively are vulnerable to being hijacked by others (kinda like a computer infected with a virus predisposing it to hacker control). if you forgive them, you let go of those negative emotions, you can focus on things that are more likely to contribute to your good health, and you ensure you cannot be taken advantage of through your emotions.

easier said than done, I know.
deep stuff; I should be charging for this. or at least write a book or run my own cable tv channel.

demographics - not fully digested yet

2009-01-10T23:42:00.005-05:00

I haven't figured out what makes people want to have kids/not have kids. Might not make sense. Likely oversimplified. Probably not politically acceptable. Certainly not complete.

I think it has something to do with a combination oflifestyle:
--For you "haves" who have none or few kids: is it because it is inconvenient when both work and you want to give each other (and your one/few kid(s) if you have any) the best because that's what you've had/known and you want them to be able to experience it too one day?
--For you "have nots" (who seem to have more kids than the "haves" think they can afford to care for but you seem to manage anyway): Is it because hardship is all you've ever known and you see nothing wrong with raising your kids that way too?

and Social pressure and optimism/faith:
--I suspect majority of peoplesocial groups with no or few kids are ok with that because it makes it easier to control the variables in their favor of their legacy/lineage; they have bought into the "establishment"; they are (over)confident everything is fine and don't see any cause for it to change now (or ever);
--I suspect majority of peoplesocial groups with many kids are doing so partly in the hope of future generations outnumbering and taking down the dwindling but ever-ascending "elites".

Either way, I suspect our "western" ways are leading us to reproductive insufficiency. Comment/email me if you have any thoughts to share.

peeve

2009-01-10T22:01:00.005-05:00

I'm really getting annoyed at shows and journalists that interview people on the street or callers and report what they say on some event as the "news." I want the details of the controversial event itself, with commentary from reasonably credible and informed "experts" providing pertinent context and justification.

580 CFRA ("the heartbeat of the city") (puke) is a local radio station that makes me ill. At least I'm not alone in thinking that's where the crazies gaggle. And don't anybody get me started on that idiot "News, Understood" slogan/attitude from Global.

This whole right-wing anti-elitism trend (the FOX network, Harper's Conservatives, the Sara Palin phenomenon, et al.) is making me lose respect for many segments of society that I previously considered equal, which annoys me because it effectively labels me as "elite" - I'm certainly not going to choose sides with self-appointed "real" people who want to hear the same bigoted spitup again and again and can't see that they've fallen for propaganda from power-hungry ideologists who can only truly attain absolute power if people feel good being stupid.

thoughts for 2009

2008-12-23T21:57:00.002-05:00

Whereas:
-Support for socialism died (in most parts of the world) due to corruption and ineffectiveness, leading to non-responsive to the needs of the people; and

-Nationalism is going the same way, mired in stakeholder consultation/communication planning loops and poisoned with petty partisanship; and

-Capitalism is imploding because of the rotten core and the absence of regulatory assurance; and

-Consumerism, the punch-drunk high of unbridled environmental exploitation and nouveau-riche giddiness, is environmentally unsustainable and economically doomed;

I ask you,
What -ism do you think will drive the next generation??
(this is a serious question - the first to answer "geo pr-ism" wins a kick in the ass)

I wish you a balanced 2009.
Happy Festivus!

what's the frequency kenneth?

2008-12-23T14:56:00.000-05:00

my mental song dial is stuck between stations right now; i can tell there are a couple of songs competing in the background noise but its too vague and broken to be discernable. kinda neat.

petition

2008-12-03T23:53:00.000-05:00

http://causes.ca/signatures/petition?cause_id=2

letter to GG

2008-12-03T23:46:00.000-05:00

Excellency,
I have been shocked again and again at the belligerence, divisiveness, and contempt for Canadians that Mr. Harper has shown, all the while marketing himself as an "ordinary" Canadian and "protector" of democracy. I hoped the recent election would bring about a more humble, cooperative nature, and initially that is what he portrayed. Unfortunately, that was probably only a ploy to buy time and public opinion while preparing a budget update that clearly goes against core values of this country: respect, fairness, equal opportunity for personal growth, and entraide. His party's actions time and again indicate to me that they wish to diminish all Canadians to "ordinary" status, such that they can be easily manipulated (need to look no further than the conflicting attacks in English and French) and poorly paid, with limited ability to defend let alone promote themselves (example: the contempt for galas). I do not believe that the Conservative Party of Canada is taking this country down a good path.

Given the Parliament we have elected, I believe the Liberal-NDP Coalition is the most effective means of achieving a government that is fair and representative of the values Canada enjoys at home and has promoted abroad. I cannot say whether proroguing the current session will be beneficial or not (likely best merely to cool tempers and let coole heads prevail), but I do humbly request that you grant the Liberal-NDP Coalition the opportunity to form a government, with all the authority of your position and a reassuring speech that we must remember what we stand for together, not only with our traditions, but with our vision.

Sincerely,

sigh

2008-12-03T21:57:00.007-05:00

after writing and erasing three rambling rants on the proposed coalition, how harper's reacting to it, and how disappointed I am that so many Canadians seem to be lapping up the obviously manipulative lies without questioning harper's raw contempt for quebec, i've decided i have too many thoughts to write interesting words.
i'm going to bed.

who's being undemocratic?

2008-12-03T16:47:00.000-05:00

Nelson Wiseman, political science professor at the University of Toronto, […] dismissed Harper's attacks on the coalition, who reportedly called it an "undemocratic seizure of power."

"The Conservatives are arguing it's undemocratic, but actually elections don't elect governments," said Wiseman. "They elect Parliaments. Parliaments make a government. Parliaments can break a government."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/02/gg-return.html

deconstructing Conservative party lies

2008-12-03T16:41:00.003-05:00

Broadbent (past leader of NDP) speaks out:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/03/coalition-broadbent.html

And former GG speaks up:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2008/12/03/parl-schreyer.html

This type of scenario (arguing over who/what we vote for/give a mandate to (i.e., party or MP)) will never be put to rest until we elect a President (or GG), independently of parliamentarians we send to the Commons. This is the real democratic reform this country needs (Senate reform is purely a red herring that simultaneously provides a convenient excuse to abolish it in the quest for absolute rule).

this is NOT a "coup d'état"

2008-12-02T23:29:00.003-05:00

from Google:

(Fr. "strike at the state") the sudden overthrow of a government by a small group.
www.nmhschool.org/tthornton/tignorterms.php

A sudden, decisive exercise of power whereby the existing government is subverted without the consent of the people, in a more or less violent fashion.
arabbox.free.fr/islamaphonia1/Muziq.htm
"without the consent of the people" - that must be why Conservatives are desperately trying to rally Canadians...

a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
nothing illegal or forceful about this

A coup d’état (also coup) is the sudden, illegal overthrowing of a government by a part of the state establishment — usually the military — to replace the branch of the stricken government, either with another civil government or with a military government.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup d'état
nothing illegal about this

The sudden overthrow of a government, differing from a revolution by being carried out by a small group of people who replace only the leading figures
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coup d'état
for the record, wiktionary's big sister wikipedia defines it a lot better:
A coup d’état, often simply called a coup, is the sudden unconstitutional overthrow of a government by a part — usually small — of the state establishment — usually the military — to replace the branch of the stricken government, either with another civil government or with a military government.
there is nothing unconstitutional about this proposal, unless they go so far as to disregard an unfavorable decision by the Governor General...

So please, if you're ignorant, please feel free to continue calling this a coup d'etat.

Information - bad for public opinion!

2008-12-02T22:37:00.006-05:00

...You'd think that's the marketing mantra for the conservatives these days.

They've created a website, rally 4 canada (i'm not going to honour them with a link or even correct spelling), with a lot of misinformation. allow me to deconstruct some of their lies:

Layton negotiating with Duceppe "for quite some time to form a plan to seize power" - that's what opposition parties do during a minority government. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Conservatives were doing the same when Martin was PM...

"and to overthrow the government" - that's part of how the first past the post system is supposed to work.

"overturn the results of the last election" - overturn the results, you mean introduce non-elected members to parliament? clearly Harper is trying to implant the (FALSE) notion that Canada elected Him personally. (that's NOT how our system works, folks!)

"without seeking consent from we the Canadian voters" - the electorate does NOT choose who the government will be - they, we merely choose who we send from our riding to REPRESENT us. Forming the government is the responsibility of the party representing the most ridings, and consent is only required from the Governor General (symbolic, I know).

"from we the Canadian voters" - WE ??? disappointingly reminiscent of the divisive neo-conservative (somebody will surely correct me) friend or foe strategy.

"the Bloc Quebecois is dictating the terms of the next government" - meanwhile, in French, they mock the Bloc for "selling out to a federalist party."

"this unelected government" - again, their members were elected exactly the same way the cons. were; besides, in a minority government, MORE people voted AGAINST the party in power than in favor...

"the government of Canada would be at the mercy of the people committed to destroying our confederation." - how is that different from before? The Bloc has (when convenient to Quebec) supported the previous cons. minority government on surely several occasions. Doesn't that also put Harper's government at the mercy of the same good people?

"people committed to destroying our confederation" - there's an interesting hint of Trudeau in that! fact of the matter is, separatists just don't believe that the current direction Canada is heading in corresponds to the promises made during Confederation; they are bitter over the ol' "bait and switch" that was pulled on them time and again, and they are simply there to ensure an eventual transition is orderly and respectful when (if) ever they choose to go their own way. That's a little different from say, Iran committed to destroying Israel, for example, wouldn't you agree? Additionally, they have a better chance of creating a ideologically compatible federal atmosphere with Dion and Layton than under Harper.

"democracy-loving Canadians... gather to support democracy" - uhm, didn't we do that at the polls six weeks ago? what's undemocratic about parties coming together to represent a majority of ridings trying to form a government? didn't the old PC and Reform parties do exactly that a few years ago?

"support democracy, not political games" - ha, that's funny coming from them.

"in this time of crisis" - what crisis? I thought our "fundamentals were strong," this was only a "technical recession," and "a good time to invest" ?

Funny too, how I can't find the rally 4 canada website in French... might actually allow people to compare their claims! No wonder they are against "expensive" bilingualism - it just makes it harder for them to divide and conquer.

the senate

2008-11-25T21:09:00.000-05:00

"By virtue of our appointment, we are able to focus on long-range issues that may not receive the same attention by politicians running for re-election. In this way, we provide a balance to Parliament that ensures that legislation and important concerns facing Canadians get the attention they deserve."
http://www.liberalsenateforum.ca/In-The-Senate/Our-Role

cattle as recyclers

2008-11-20T13:18:00.003-05:00

Printed on a trading card from The Ontario Cattlemen's Association:

Cattle are recyclers. As plants grow, they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. When cattle eat the grass, they burn the gasses back into the air. Some of this gas is carbon dioxide that is then recycled by the plants.

Uhm, wtf?
Mr. OED, please invent something that allows us to distinction between recycling that is good for the planet, from that which is bad for the planet. Because clearly, this company is greenwashing on semantics.

Throne Speech: Environment Critique

2008-11-20T07:46:00.005-05:00

The following excerpt from the Speech from the Throne, 19 November 2008 sounds really good; it is uplifting and, I am surprised to say, almost inspirational. Here it is, with my observations:

Our Government understands that Canada’s economic prosperity cannot be sustained without a healthy environment, just as environmental progress cannot be achieved without a healthy economy. Our Government will continue its realistic, responsible approach to addressing the challenge of climate change.
responsible and realistic? the alliteration makes it sound nice, and it is surely meant to be reassuring, but it's also a cheap partisan shot.
Our Government has committed to reducing Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020.
I'm glad to see he's using all GHGs, not just carbon, but what year is he using as a baseline?
We will meet this goal while also ensuring that Canada’s actions going forward remain comparable to what our partners in the United States, Europe and other industrialized countries undertake.
While this may be good for the (currently deeply flawed) economy, it is not good enough to protect unique Canadian environmental needs.
We will work with the provincial governments and our partners to develop and implement a North America-wide cap and trade system for greenhouse gases and an effective international protocol for the post-2012 period.
Another partisan shot (implying other approaches would be ineffective), and buys him lots of time - a clear warning too that any delays will be the fault of the partners' and/or provinces. Does that qualify as bullying?
To meet the challenge posed by climate change, we will also need to make greater use of technologies that do not emit greenhouse gases.
No shit, sherlock, but what about the continued rape of the tarsands?
Our Government will set an objective that 90 percent of Canada’s electricity needs be provided by non-emitting sources such as hydro, nuclear, clean coal or wind power by 2020. In support of this ambitious national goal, our Government will continue to provide support for biofuels, wind and other energy alternatives.
"continue?" how about increasing them?
To ensure protection of our vital resources, our Government will bring in legislation to ban all bulk water transfers or exports from Canadian freshwater basins.
Outstanding! But what is "bulk water" - does bottling count? And for the Great Lakes, on which our southern neighbors have a legitimate 50% claim, what action will he take to prevent them from piping that water down to Arizona?
Our Government will work with all parties in Parliament to introduce sensible policies that can help consumers and improve our environmental well-being, such as increasing incentives for energy-saving home retrofits.
Glad to see he's reaffirmed the stupidity of scrapping the previous gov'ts program.

Bottom line: are these words meant merely to impress?

fast food - tasty, but...

2008-11-17T23:19:00.001-05:00

some things you`d rather not know, but you're glad you do.

Another illustration of science (chemistry and research) raising
concerns of the 'fast food' industry i.e. tracing the source of this
industry's food supply and what is really in your combo/trio selections
from McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King ...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081114/forbes_fast
_food_081115/20081115/

one, for the money; two, for the show

2008-10-30T13:15:00.002-04:00

From http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=dcdefae2-c7aa-4655-abbf-61446f34c608:

Jim Flaherty, as expected, keeps the key portfolio of finance. Senior government officials say it is vital to show some stability in that role during the current economic crisis.

Silly me, I would have thought competence would have been the first consideration.

2008-10-29T17:49:00.002-04:00

Pollster Frank Luntz, a regular guest on the Fox News, joked that MSNBC is "the only network with more letters in its name than viewers."

On a more serious note, Luntz said it's a problem that the electorate chooses to watch news programs not for information but to confirm already-held beliefs, and that applies to viewers of CNN and Fox News as well.

Note that this isn't meant to discourage anybody who reads this...

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE49R0GK20081028