Disparate Liberal Debutante

I like blogging

2006-10-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

But I don't do it here anymore! I do it here! It's prettier and better. Here is the most recent post:

In 1992 countries met at the Earth Summit to crack a strategy for dealing with the environment. There was one issue that was the ‘key’ issue which was not on the agenda at all… population growth. It was left off because the Vatican and various Muslim countries didn’t want it on the agenda.

There is controversy to what extent growing population is the cause of environmental degradation. Economic growth is arguably more of a threat than population growth in itself.

Nevertheless it is true that population growth has boomed. 2000 years ago, 200 million people lived here. 200 years ago, it was at 1 billion. By 1950 it was at 2.5 billion. By 1990 it doubled. 1990’s another 1 billion net increased occurred. It’s predicted that by 2020 there will be about 8.5 billion, by 2050 there will be about 10 billion people on the planet and should level off between 11 and 14 billion around 2100.

Why will it level off? Part of the reasons is that there are limited resources which could bring about a crash or something like that, but the rate of replacement will decrease by this time. As people become more educated and as there are more social services, and with women’s rights and birth control increase there will be dramatic decreases of the birth rate.

Even in developing countries the birth rate is already decreasing, but even so there are still billions of people that are under reproduction age, and they won’t start reproducing for a few years, so even with the decrease of the population birth rate, there will still be a shoot up before the number levels off.

The controversy is progressively becoming less controversial as we can see that carbon levels have dramatically increased as the population dramatically increases. Also, logic says the more people there are – the more resources we’re going to use.

What are our obligations to the environment then? Animals share certain characteristics with human beings in particular they are conscious. They have desires and such therefore we ought to apply some level of moral standards that we apply to humans. But what then of all those elements that are not sentient? The rational dividing line was always the ability to suffer. If you can’t suffer then you have no interests to take into account. But there have been various environmental ethicise that say we need to expand our obligation to the non-sentient world.

Rachel Carson opened us up to the scientific side with Silent Spring, where Aldo Leopold looked at the philosophical side. His book Sand County Almanac came out in 1949, around the time he died and in it Leopold argues that we have to expand the circle of moral considered to the biosphere or ‘the land’ as he refers to it. An ethic ecologically is an ethic as it pertains to consciously putting limits on our behaviour. We ought not to kill each other; we limit that behaviour within ourselves. He suggests that we need to extend these ethics to include the ecosystems as these also struggle for life. This extension of ethics is an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.

It is also something that advances our own possibilities of survival. Leopold sees the extension of moral obligations to the ecosystems is in line with our moral obligation to evolution. It is also an ecological necessity because of the impact we’re having on the natural environment. The land ethic enlarges our community to include soils, waters, plant, animals and particularly communities of creatures. He says that the land ethic requires a psychological shift from the idea that we are conquerors of the land to the fact that we are just citizens of the biotic community. We are parts of the evolutionary ecosystems, therefore just as the way to treat other human beings to respect them, we must respect other aspects of the natural world. The economic system, as presented by Max Baxter, is invested in self interest and is thus lopsided, it tends to ignore and thus eliminate anything that lacks commercial value. It assumes falsely that economic parts will function the same as the non-economic parts, it is all necessary for the functioning of a whole.

It is not good enough to leave this up to governments, Leopold argues. It is something that we all have to take on as a personal responsibility. We have to internalize this ethic, and understand the capacities of ecosystems. Therefore his key line is “a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise”.

Now, this in a moment’s reflection will show that this is a holistic environmental ethics. It is not focused on the intrinsic values of individuals, it is not a Kantian ethic in that sense, and it focuses on the health of eco-systems. It is in some sense, akin to utilitarianism, as it promotes the health of the whole; however that health has nothing to do with experiencing happiness. Basically Leopold asks us to simply stop thinking of the environment in purely economic terms. This anthropocentric approach, however, is more realistic because this is how people think.

So is the land ethic realistic? Or hopelessly idealistic?

Ones own self interest is to have clean water, not to have clean water for the bees and the pine trees. People will rarely do the right thing, unless they see a direct benefit in it for themselves. In some sense there no real big difference between Baxter and Leopold. The basic line comes down to conservation for the benefits. If you use Baxter’s argument, you’ll be more likely to fulfill Leopold’s bottom line.

Leopold’s bottom line does raise some challenging and perplexing questions…

Doesn’t nature evolve with constant change? Why is it good to preserve stability? And what is beauty? Is a desert as beautiful as a horse? In regards to animals such as the Pere David deer, do we have an obligation to reintroduce these species back into the environment? What if humans hunted zebra for their pretty stripes, would it then be wrong if we can genetically engineer them to have no stripes to stop the hunting? We’re not preserving the beauty, but we’re still preserving the animal.

J. Baird Callicott of the University of North Texas takes on the task of defending the land ethic. What’s surprising is that UNT is a hotbed for environmental philosophy. The journal of environmental ethics is published here and has attracted many environmental philosophers, to

Collicott has written extensively on environmental ethics, particularly defending the land ethic. He points to the fact that generally speaking the study of morality has been seen as uniquely human. It has set us apart from the rest of nature. What gives us the capacity to be moral creatures is reason. This is like Kant; who, as we know, argued that our ability to be moral rational agents set us apart from the rest of animals. The general idea is that humans are moral beings and this gives us a special worth in the world. And our language is also something that sets us apart; we can hold one another accountable and live by moral principles. (Sorry, I have to say it… Raptors had the ability to reason and communicate and were probably smarter than humans…)

Collicott later pulls on Darwin. One idea of morality is that it came from god; god gave us the difference between right and wrong. However supernatural explanations are literally nothing, the purple unicorn in the corner can’t vouch for your theory. Collicott makes the point that reason seems to depend on language, and that language would not have developed apart from humans living in society. So if reason can not evolve without linguistics and linguistics could not have happened without being social beings, in order to be these social beings we must have had limitations on our actions, before being these rational moral agents. Being social beings, we already have ethical limitations on our behaviour. If reason depends on being social and being social depends on having limitations it can’t be the case that reason gave rise to morality. Hence we must have become ethical before we became rational.

This is where Darwin comes in. Darwin, like Hume and Smith (*shudders* I detest Adam Smith, I have read waaaay too much of his stuff), argue that ethics rest on feelings or sentiments. The basis of our systems and notions of reality is sentiment, it is built within us. We have a natural disposition to apply the golden rule and empathize with others in their suffering and their well being. This sentiment with other people is the basis of morality. This is then informed by reason. Darwin takes this and argues that morality is to be found in many animals that are social by nature. Whether they be crows or lions, animals that live together in families or groups develop a sense of well being for others – it is naturally selected for.

We all sort of know Darwin’s basic idea of evolution but, I’ll just do a quick reminder – any species, different individuals have different characteristics, he noted that in any population there is an excess of those born or produced than what survive. The question is then, which are likely to survive? The ones that have a characteristic that gives them an advantage in their particular environment. The individuals which are better adapted are more likely to pass on those characteristics to the offspring which will ultimate produce a ‘better fit’ population in the future.

For animals that live in groups, coming to one anothers aid gives the individuals a better chance for survival, so that mutual aid and sentimental attachment to one another is selected for by nature. The origins of ethics is not with human reason, it starts before humans become humans. It can be found today in crows or bunnies.

Darwin’s account begins with the affections between parent and children common to perhaps all mammals. Darwin does not say that hyenas have the same level of morality of humans, but the difference between humans and non-humans is in a degree.

Collicott takes all this and says that Leopold’s land ethic’s basis is a Copernican cosmology, in other words, we are not at the centre at the universe. He tries to argue that the land ethic of Leopold is in line with evolution, particularly in line with the evolution of morality. We are one species on the earth, which is one planet, which is in one solar system, which is in one universe…of many universes. The extension beyond human concern is rooted in the natural history of ethics. The logic of the land ethic is that natural selection has equipped us with an effective moral response to identity. The land is a community, so a land ethic is not only possible, but is also necessary because we have developed the ability to destroy the integrity of it.

This then indicates that Singer and Reagan’s previous arguments toward animal rights are inadequate. The boundaries of the moral communities in cahoots with sentience do not take into account the interaction with the non-sentient world. Ethics like those of Singer or Reagan are based on extending the egotistical concern for ones self. The contemporary animal liberation rights and ethics of the kind in Singer and Reagan extend the classical paradigm of Kant and Bentham and extend it to non-human beings.

But this standard is too traditional, and bases too much consideration on modern capacities. This provides no moral consideration for holes, and ecosystems. Species do have interests as species. Endangered species, the biosphere of its totality, ecosystems and holes having no psychological experience, it doesn’t suffer or reason so it has no mental capacity thus we can’t deal with our obligations to the natural environment based on these ethics. Nature is not amoral, intelligent moral behaviour is natural.

We are not rational beings in spite of, but in accordance with nature.

So is the land ethic deontological? Or credential? It is both, self consistently both. It applies to someone who has absorbed the ethical view of nature and will internalize this attitude. The land ethic is a set of principles to follow because it is moral. From the objective and analytic point of view, there is no other way for land to survive with man acting irresponsibly, and no way for man to survive without the land. It is a categorical imperative. It is a moral principle to be obeyed, and it is in our best self interest to obey it.

2006-08-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

New and more interesting posts found here!!

So...I did it.

2006-07-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

I got a new blog...I'm totally sick of blogger. Honestly. Driving me INSANE! (and not even in the membrane so it wasn't the good insane. Oye!x3) So the new url is http://liberal-debutante.typepad.com yes, thats right, i upgraded to typepad bitches. and you'll notice the singular 'debutante'...Metroid is no longer with me. I dont know if she plans on keeping up her blog or not... but...she might. So i know a few people have me linked in their blog rolls, you might wanna change that. :D lol... anyway, see ya over there.

I'm a myspace whore...

2006-07-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it straight up, I use MySpace... all the time. I add people that I recognize, but know they won't know me, and I add people who I just think sound cool. I peruse groups looking for places to just put my opinion in randomly and as harshly as possible. I like leaving comments on my friends pages, especially ones that are basically incoherent. I read something rather... halarious today. Walmart's rip off of MySpace, The Hub. (The Hub is actually the name of a forum I used to play on all the time...but now...don't so much.) Not only do I already hate walmart, I think this is a pathetic attempt at reaching the youth culture. (Which! Is on a horrible decline I decided today - but I might post on that later...I also...might not. We'll see.) I think it's halarious that they're also attempting to include everyone by making the "AV CLUB" look cool. (I love the av club...I think it's uber cool. But, others my disagree.)

Just as a heads up...

2006-07-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

After a long fight with the punk over how stupid I think it is to pay for a blog/website... I think I'm going to do it. I'm pretty much sick of the unreliability of blogger, and the problems I keep running into. I'm not really sure if I'm just going to do something like typepad or if I'll go crazy and buy a domain...anyway, I'll keep you all updated and post the new URL if I ever actually get around to doing this.

Ah...this is what I like...

2006-07-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

When bloggers that I sort of like, guest-blog on a blog I'm starting to like. THEN I have two reasons to keep going. Lindsay, aka Majikthise, is guest blogging at Feministing. Now, the whole reason I originally was reading Feministing was because of The Punk and how he would blabber on about it from time to time. Then I read it a bit more, and stumbled onto the girls myspace pages... only to realize they're not only fantastic writers, but they're pretty hype people who listen to some stellar music. Therefore, I will add Feministing to my blog roll and keep reading. Anyway, Linday's first post was on a mother who had her children taken away from her, and now... wants them back. My thoughts on this are pretty simple. You have a baby, you're now have an immediate obligation to be a responsible adult. If you're not... the kid needs to get taken from you. Depending on what you did to make you deemed 'unfit' should determine the lengeth to which you need to abide by to appeal the decision. For example, if you're a drug addict... sober up for a year. If you beat the kid... you never get to appeal. If you were poor and not providing basic necessities for the kid... get a stable job for 6 months. Annnd so on. So why am I a jerk and say this lady should never have her kids back? I doubt most of you will read the 10 page article (except for the punk...because...he does stuff like that.) but she had an abusive husband whom she didn't keep away from the children, she repeatedly abused drugs even after treatment, she lied to the children's aid people... and etc. So there's a relatively long list deeming her to be an unfit parent. I judge people, thats what I do best. And I am judging her, perhaps unfairly, but I don't think so, as someone who should never have her children back. Visiting rights and all that snazz, sure, why not? But she barly even comes off as being able to take care of herself, let alone...5 or 6 kids. Its sad, but children are too fragile and important to gamble with.

All better!

2006-07-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Webs for pointing me to a website that could confirm some of my issues. Now I have a template with no errors in it, and should work out better for me, and therefore not make it a chore to post things anymore (hence the recent lack...). Anyway, I have nothing to post about today. haha...yeah. Im packing to move. And by packing I mean throwing out basically everything I own ...minus books, clothes, mascara and a few cds. Everything else is getting recycled and/or trashed. Its actually a really nice feeling to just throw everything out. Kind of like im just erasing everything thats happened in the recent past...because none of it was particularly spectacular. My new life out west will be complete when I get a puppy (a jack russell terrier to be exact) and find a boy that doesn't...think of me and my feelings as a joke. LIke the past 3 boys in my life. (Its times like this when I really regret breaking up with the really really good boyfriends of the past... of which, theres about one, and he's got a new girlfriend. grr...OKAY enough of the personal life rambling...) Ill be back up and running tomorrow.

Biodiversity...eh?

2006-07-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

So I’m not going to make that colossal and ever so enlightening biodiversity post that I promised would be made for you fine readers. I admittedly started doing it, and then decided that I really didn't feel like going and looking for sources and being all responsible for everything I spewed out… So, as an alternative I will do a shorter post on the existing state of biodiversity, using easy to locate sources that can speak for me. The big news behind biodiversity today is the current call for the establishing of an Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity (IPB). There has been an undeniable trend recently calling for people to take serious deliberation to the fact that we are losing biodiversity faster than ever before. The two mega faunas that were most recently added to the biodiversity list are the polar bear and the hippo.

[link]“The planet is losing species faster than at any time since 65 million years ago, when the earth was hit by an enormous asteroid that wiped out thousands of animals and plants, including the dinosaurs. Scientists estimate that the current rate at which species are becoming extinct is between 100 and 1,000 times greater than the normal "background" extinction rate - and say this is all due to human activity.”

The big thing there is that it is due to human activity. There is a responsibility here for us to take action… and fortunately some people have recognized that.

[link]“"The international community is failing on its biodiversity targets," said Alfred Oteng-Yeboah from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ghanaian government's science advisory body.”

What are the international community’s obligations? Well, in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit the Conservation of Biological Diversity plan was born stating that all countries must try to have *some* sort of decline in species and ecosystems loss by 2010.

[link]“The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a vast four-year international research programme which began to report its findings last year, found that two-thirds of "ecosystem services" - the benefits which humans derive from the natural world - are being eroded.”

It’s been recognized and efforts have been put forth, but obviously not enough. And of course, as with most things in the environment, everything is interconnected.

[link]“Nearly one-quarter of the world's mammals, one-third of amphibians and more than one-tenth of bird species are threatened with extinction. Climate change alone is expected to force a further 15%- 37% of species to the brink of extinction within the next 50 years.”

So as we continue to take over the earth, drive our SUVs, destroy habitats for our homes, we continue to heat the world, take away the homes of species and wipe out nature that has so diligently and patiently housed and cared for us for thousands of years 13 scientists did a report in nature suggesting some serious change. These scientists included some of the most distinguished scientists who I can only dream of being taught by. (Half because they’re not professors and half because I don’t really take science classes…)

[link]“The scientists believe that a body similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could help governments to tackle the continuing loss of species. "Biodiversity is much more than counting species. It's crucial to the functioning of the planet and the loss of species is extremely serious," Dr Larigauderie said. "Everywhere we look, we are losing the fabric of life. It's a major crisis."”

That is an extremely bold statement, and it’s being made by a creditable person, but really, who listens to creditable people these days? As if the climate crisis wasn’t enough for the people of this fine world to comprehend we’re tacking onto that a biodiversity crisis. If they’re not attended to, what happens? Not that I like playing the doom and gloom role, but there really isn’t much hope for a future if it’s not taken seriously. A lot of people will say “We fixed the O Zone problem…” but in comparison, the O Zone is peanuts. Fixing the O Zone took a lot less than fixing these other two issues. The O Zone was being destroyed by chlorofluorocarbons and all those other tasty things that come shooting out the ends of our hair spray. We ban those and its all good. We can live our lives just as before while saving the O Zone. Reversing climate change, and attending to the loss of biodiversity involves *life style* changes. Who is prepared to make those changes? Celebrities in their Escalades? How about people in the sweltering heat with their ACs? Universities and their ludicrous policies of leaving hall lights on 24/7 in residences? People who refuse to support local farmers and continue to buy transported foods because they look better? *coughgmoscough* Everyone says they’re concerned, but they hold that “not in my back yard” approach. We’re all okay with helping attending to climate change – but as long as that doesn’t mean sticking up an ugly windmill anywhere near our houses, or solar panel fields. We’re okay with helping animals, as long as it doesn’t interfere with all of our expanding cities, like Mississauga. Mississauga is my pet peeve city. It has expanded in the past 5 years so far north that it takes an hour to get from one end to the other by bus. But the population? It hasn’t really been inclusive to the geographical expansion, its unnecessary expansion is only inclusive to the idea that they want to have a pretty city. (That isn’t even pretty; go to Oakville, its pretty.) We’re looking at lowering out energy consumptions and telling a consumerist nation, to stop consuming. I’ve become embarrassingly partial to watching Sex in the City, and it does the opposite to me that it does to most other avid watchers. The girls in Sex in the City are horribly consumerist. Sarah Jessica Parker buys new shoes for new dates, and just shops to drown her sorrows. But it’s not just Sarah, tons of girls do it. Like the girl I work with that I mentioned before… She told me that when she goes to the bar, she *has* to go buy a new outfit first so she isn’t seen in pictures or two different nights wearing the same things. *Hangs head in pity…* I however strive to be nothing like Sarah Jessica Parker and even bolted it out of Bentley’s today as I picked up a purse and thought “hmm, a new purse would be nice..”. Climate change and the biodiversity crisis aren’t as easy as banning harmful chemicals. We need to get our countries to commit to changing their life style, we’re looking for a complete paradigm shift before it’s too late – and I’m really not so optimistic on it happening in time. And I feel like I should point out - Biodiversity loss is not reversable. It requires...immediate response.

And my 200th post will be about....

2006-07-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

The bible!! Well, not really the bible, but this site. Ha ha, how cute. I searched the word "homosexuality" and "sex" and got zero responses for that. Not suprising I got lots of returns for "jesus" ...(I can't imagine why...) 1 pages of resaults for "laws" and so on. Its an interesting resource page that I plan on using for my next essay I have to write in my religion class all about The Bible.

Well, that was tragic...

2006-07-19T00:49:00.000-07:00

There seemed to be a couple days in there when I wasn't able to post. Strange. And I appear to be having some layout/template problems. ...I feel like ditching this whole 'blogging' thing all togther... or at least until someone else offers to do all the dirt work... like hosting, and dealing with people I piss off, and when the template goes screwy... any takers??? Anyway, I didn't really have a *ton* to post. ...I was going to do a thing on the hockey situation, how edmonton has NO ONE left, and how the leafs still SUCK, and the avs have really only been left with Sakic, but everything is okay because Forsberg is at least still in the NHL...but, now I'm not going to. ...I posted a thing on UTI... did I actually just link to myself? Weirdo. Um, the guy in the west that killed 11 girls a few years ago was denied parole, PHEWPH, that would have been bad, i do think. And there is a new thing on think geek, and its a knife set, and the knives sit in a figure of a human, its halarious and I want it. So sadistic. LOVE IT. Bush swore and everyone cares. Annnd other stuff. Go read google news, it is the bearer of all that is worthy. ...There are news articles for all of these stories, but I'm not going to look for them again. Im pissed off at blogs today.

Pirates are cool right now...

2006-07-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

...but these pirates make me want to cry. (Via Pharyngula)

More...war...

2006-07-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

Im not going to flat out say "I do/don't support Hezbollah"... I will say that the targeting of civilians *BY EVERYONE!* is fucking ludicrous and sickening. I've been told that I just don't understand. I don't have people being kidnapped, my family isn't being killed and I don't have aggression being forced in my country - no, I don't... but it effects the world, that's a lame argument. 7 Canadians were killed, I know that's very small in comparison to the numbers that have died over there, but its still a number. And I see the effects, on CBC news a mother waits for word from her 12 year old son who went to Lebanon 2 weeks ahead of them on their bi-annual vacation. Here's a news clip...that I got angry and teary while watching, but that's just me, I get a little bit too personal with things. What should the US do? Stay the fuck out, imo, unless its for humanitarian aid. I think the whole "you bomb me so I should be able to bomb you" is getting old and wearing thin... And there is this: fuck you who says civilians are being protected and that Israel isn't firing where they shouldn't be. I know its a biased video, and that there are tons of ones for the other side too..I'm not ignorant to that, but come on people - no one is in the right here. Neither side is doing anything worthy of praise, or worthy of taking a side. And last one: What really troubles me about this one is the title "This week in war"...WTF?! That's not right on so many levels. Anyway the whole reason Im making this post is that over on UTI Alon posted something that drew a lot of CRAZY people into the comments. HA HA Crazies. Read the comments... I'll post here what I wanted to say since I didn't have the guts to do it there (YES im a coward, eat me.) STOP NUMBERING SHIT AND BEING IDIOTS!!! theyre using arguements that like grade 8 kids use. "That's just your opinion" (Alon called that one out before I could. Damn.)Yeah, my opinion backed up by facts that you apparently just don't want to recognize or accept. Whhhaatever. People are nuts. This whole war thing is breaking me down (as if there isn't enough in a teenage girls life to fiddle with and cry over...) I can only imagine if I were there first hand :(. <3 I always wish I could do something, and feel so helpless that I know really can't.

Pfft, get real and get bent

2006-07-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Today at work I was wearing a shirt that says "This is what a feminist looks like". I usually wear an apron around the place as not to be covered in crap by the end of my shift. However, tonight I was supervising so I was running around, signing papers, calling people and dealing with angry customers (who really don't understand the words "No, we don't have any, but we will by Tuesday." "what do you mean you dont have any!?! I've been coming in all week! When will you have some? how can you not have any???" "Sorry, we don't have any, but we will by Tuesday.." annnnnd so on.) So a guy comes in, and reads my shirt and kind of laughs... when I ask him what's so funny, I immediately regret it... as he starts telling me that "youth these days don't understand the importance of keeping life how it should be and that these new rock and roll values and isms will ruin the world"...uh huh. ...'k. When I got home I was ticked and started reading antifeminsts pages and such...and came across an article full of complete hogwash. (Hogwash?...heh...the old man rubbed off on me?) What a stupid *stupid* thing to believe that the work force and money come before friends, family and love. If I end up marrying a man who can't handle the fact that I may make more money than him then I don't want to be with him anyway.

STATISTICS bear this out: the number of women entering the workplace has increased by a third since 1975, and in 2005 one third of all managers in business were women.
At the same time, 40 per cent of all marriages end in divorce. Clearly, it's difficult to deny the two sets of figures are in some way connected.

Oh no! Women are starting to think and not just marry and have children and remain in unhappy abusive relationships! Whatever are we supposed to do??? Honestly, my boyfriend is a total lame ass... sure he works and such, but if we were to get married (AH! no.) and have children (AH! no.) then he wouldn't mind staying home with them if I wanted to work. Why? Because relationships are about completeing the other person. He would be filling in the areas that I wouldn't be able to do... What I don't understand about this article, is that for some reason we're supposed to just accept that its more of a problem for men to want to stay at home, but women should what, just be used to it? Uh, huh. It just makes me bitter that its some sort of a problem to be a career driven and dominant female, but thats how men have been for years and the ladies have always put up with it. Along these same lines just a small story - my aunt today found out that she is getting paid $4000 less than the 2 other males in her same position... *sigh* (This combined with period cramps make me want to hit every male I see.)

I was beat to it

2006-07-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

This weeks random monday morning music was going to be about sufjan stevens, but while perusing the blogs this evening I saw that Lindsay aka Majikthise actually just posted a post about him. Although I would have posted more of his stuff, since Chicago and John Wayne Gacy are, imo, better songs...but oh well. Casmir was the very first song by him that I heard, and thats how I fell in love with him. My friend Allen sent me the song, and then my ex-roomie the Lenster lent me a couple of his CDs, which I also fell in love with and was very reluctant to give back to her. I was actually pretty shocked to see the post. Not a lot of people listen to him, or to the music I listen to...however, its turning out that Lindsay and I have very similar musical tastes... Anyway, check that out, Sufjan Stevens has a voice to end all voices, and his songs are original and beautiful... Also, you should check out a biography on him. He's got a really interesting story to tell.

Im a sick puppy

2006-07-14T00:31:00.000-07:00

(For anyone who doesn't know, "I'm a sick puppy" doesn't mean I'm gross, it means I'm sick, with the flu. When my brother Andy was about 5, he asked mom if he could watch a movie, and when she said no, he said very sad and seriously "why? am I a bad puppy?" ...so ever since watching that home video, i refer to myself as a _____ puppy because its so cute.) Yes, I'm sick. Hence the lack of updates. At first i thought I had food poisoning from my friend Christian's meatloaf that he made as a hangover cure (what?!) but I'm still sick and it's like all over my body. So I'm guessing its the flu, I can't really keep a whole lot down, and I can't stay awake for very long. Mix that in with having to write an essay for religion that a) my mom wouldn't write because she was packing b) the boyfriend couldnt write because he didnt know the topic (its on Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and he pronounded Qur'an as 'kay-ron' and said that jews and christians use the same book...so i didnt let him write the essay) and c) the punk refused to write because he hates me.... Sooo I had to write it myself. It only took about an hour and a half, but it turned out pretty shitty. So I sent it to the punk to fix...he said he'd do that for me at least while i lay in bed and die because i can't move. yay for laptops. i wrote my essay lying down with my eyes closed for most of it...lol. Yeah. Siiick puuuppy. So you didnt get the biodiversity post i promised, and im working all weekend, so maybe next week if i get my act together. we'll see. I'm toying with the idea of calling into work Saturday and telling them I ...broke my leg or something (something more believe able, and fakeable the next time i go in, perhaps?) but we'll see how that plays out.

Is this the norm now?

2006-07-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

A friend says to me tonight "I'm 20, and I lived in a fucked up world" after telling me about the Mumbai Bombing. over 400 wounded, that is...a phenomenally high number. Im really curious to see how much press this gets and if its made a big deal... because, well...more than 400 so far have been found wounded!! This can't be normal. This can't be the world that we live in. It's sad, and it's heartbreaking. What I really hate, is that I wasn't shocked. I felt like it had happened last week and that someone was just telling me again. ...And I hate that. So much. *tear* update: after a quick google search this morning (8:22 am, no...I never really sleep...) the headlines mostly deal with the effects the bombings are having on stocks....:|

Shall we assimilate then?

2006-07-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last month Toronto was under the threat of 17 domestic terrorists who were going to blow up parts of Southwestern Ontario with explosive poop. While sitting in my friends living room talking with a group of guys 20 - 26 in age about the event, the general conclusion was that terrorism is basically to be blamed on multicultural societies, and the freedom that immigrants have in our countries. They continued by saying that the terrorists hate our democratic and diverse culture and want nothing but the opposite. They want everyone to be part of *their* way of life, just like everyone wants. As when the Europeans came they wanted to assimilate the Natives, so everyone else wants the power that the 'white people' got. Yes, I'm aware I was hanging out with apparent idiots. The sad part of this is 1/2 of them were graduate students, and 1/2 of them are in political science. (I promise, when I'm doing my graduate studies in poli sci or geo, I'll think about what Im saying...) They were, floored when I, the 2nd year technically undeclared student (i just need to do the paper work...), spoke up in dissagreement. And then, even more shocked when I suggested it was religion, not mulitcultural societies. The following was why I don't usually speak up in a room full of people...first they all went horribly quiet, listening and taking in what I had to say, and after ripped me apart for not knowing what I was talking about. The example I used later on when Jordan and another one of them asked me to elaborate, because they were curious, was when I was in highschool. I went to a very multicultural highschool since it was in the GTA. Us white kids were the minority, where as East Indian were by far the majority. I was friends with people from all groups, in grades 9, 10 and 11 our race never came up. But in grade 12 all of my friends seem to become... patriotic and more importanty religious. (Before I get into this, I want to point out that the groups Im talking about...were the more or less 'cool' kids of the school. These are the hallway kids that never socialized, or the pot heads that never knew what was going on.) The Europeans started wearing shirts boasting their country, the African American kids started playing up the 'thug' roll (even our friend Andree who we always called 'the whitest black kid ever' started dressing like a rapper). The European kids became very catholic, and the black kids became really spiritual like...My middle eastern friends started saying strange things about my being white...but they never called me and my white friends "white" or "crackers" or whatever, they always called us "the christian kids". It was similar with my white friends, they started referring to anyone of middle eastern decent as muslims... Now you may say "Your generalizing is just as bad as anything..." but the real sad part about this is, I can't recall more than...20 or so people in my grade that didn't start adhearing to what I've discribed. The exception was the white kids who just got stupider and started trying to be all OC. Obviously the smaller issue here is that all the white kids weren't christians and all the mid eastern kids weren't muslim. But the bigger is that it started to become a mini war. A guy who had been my friend through most of highschool, suddenly turned on me because I didn't share his beliefs. Pre-religious enthusiasm I faught less with people in classes, and the segregation of our grade was way less. What I've just described is on a very small scale... But it can be applied to all aspects surrounding terrorism and crazy fanatics standing up for their reilgious beliefs and killing themselves for god's will, or whatever. I feel like I must refer, yet again, to the video The Root Of All Evil, as I think it touches on every point that is relevant in this. It is religion that continuously reminds us to hate, and to make sure those that we hate, know why we hate them. So to those boys in the living room - I say ...think about what you're saying. You get put into a room with 10 different people. They are all of different colors, and all of different religions, and chances are the one thing that they would all be willing to kill for thats 'in' that room with them, is their god and their religion, or their own survival... Oh my, speaking of killing for Survival, I think this is a perfect time to tell you, Battle Royale is my favorite movie in the entire world (Merci Helene.)

Corn, not so awesome.

2006-07-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

I got excited a while ago when I heard about corn being a possible new fuel that would be stellar for the environment. But a new study shows that it really won't be that great.

When all these costs are factored in, corn-based ethanol does indeed reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but only by about 12% compared to gasoline, they found.

In contrast, biodiesel reduces emissions by 41% over diesel fuel, largely because it does not need distillation to be processed into fuel. Also, far fewer fertilisers and pesticides are used in growing soybeans, giving biodiesel a further edge in reducing environmental impact.

So, soybeans instead of corn? ...I won't get too excited. Im starting to see the stupidness that the alternative fuel industry is turning into.

Even if the US devoted all its corn to ethanol and all its soybeans to biodiesel production – which would cause widespread food shortages – the resulting biofuels would cover less than 5% of US gasoline and diesel fuel needs, they calculate.

Ah, right...not getting excited as not to be let down. Then there is the problem that corn and soy beans are some of the biggest crops used in the world to feed people. world wide.

"Those two sources are always going to be minor supplies of those fuels," says Tilman. "Turning what is already a globally limited quantity of food into energy is not a very good option in the long term."

The world doesn't make sense to me. We live in a developed world, where we think of food as so little as to burn it to drive our stupid cars around. I really need to be made Queen of the World so I can start making big cars, and unneeded cars illegal. And so I can destroy consumerism. All in favor? Bwa ha. Just wait. It'll happen.

I wish I was hardcore

2006-07-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

This is brilliant and so much more hardcore than I'll ever be! Her little brown dress project has just ended and now she is starting a project where for a year she will only wear things that she has made. The little brown dress project simply was to wear the same...little brown dress... for 365 days. When she launched it, this was her statement

I am making one small, personal attempt to confront consumerism by refusing to change my dress for 365 days.

In this performance, I intend to reject our sweat-shop-supporting economy of over-consumption, and the bill of goods that has been sold, especially to women, about what makes a person good, attractive and interesting. Clothes are certainly part of this image, and the expectation is immense. The economic resources required to regularly purchase newly-manufactured clothing in retail stores are staggering – a hundred dollars for one new shirt?

As a brand new working mom with a new family budget, these economies are coming sharply into focus for me. Even my beloved second-hand shopping requires time, effort, and energy that saps my attention from the more vital parts of my life – being with my family, making artwork, tending the garden, growing my community, keeping a watchful eye on the government, reading new books, learning new skills, singing new songs . . . I intend to make good use of my energy saved!

Influences - The project is influenced in part by the art/anti-fashion movement “Grey Sweatsuit Revolution”, in which participants attend a social event or public gathering wearing un-flattering sweatsuits as a statement against fashion trends and dictums. It is also inspired by my view of our brothers and sisters who are citizens of the third-world, many of whom literally do not have a change of clothes. Historically, I am bolstered and supported by the generations of human beings living in every part of the world before the industrial revolution, who wore day after day, year after year, only what they or their family members could weave, sew, or knit by hand.

Just the other day I was complaining that Fashion posts were taking over things like I like, blogs, magazines...etc. (I was a bit shocked when on the latest issue of Wired there was a subtitle that said "Dos and Don'ts of Geek Fashion"...geek what now?) But what an awesome way to step out of the fashion industry that is so often layed on so very thick. I'm not a horribly fashionable person - but I will say I am somewhat of a consumer whore. I shop more than I need to, and I have enough clothes for at least 3 other people...and I only wear 1/8 of it regularly. (Yes, therefore I should get rid of the other 7/8...I'm aware, and I will... when I move across the country I'll be packing rather light.)

Abortions saved my life...

2006-07-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm pro-abortions. I think every woman should be able to decide what to do with her own body and that includes whether or not she wants to carry around a baby for 9 months then give it away, or dedicate her entire life to raising. Its a huge commitment, its a huge deal, and women need the right to choose if they're up for it, or not. But, that's what what this post from Jessica's feministing is about. Should it be illegal for a pregnant woman to smoke and drink? I was walking downtown yesterday and walked past a pregnant women who was indeed smoking. So being as curious and stupid as I am, I stopped and said to her "Why are you smoking with that baby so far along the way?" and she said "I just never could stop..." I made one of those half-smiles of discontent and continued on my way. So should it be illegal...well, no. (Should smoking in general be illegal? I think so...but whatever.) There is a fine line between protecting human rights, and stepping on them. There is the option of offering support groups and help to women who are pregnant and find themselves with an addiction. However, that being said, even when things like that are available, the right people don't always have access to them. ...Imagine you're on the street and you're smoking...and you're not pregnant. Imagine how halariously embarassing it would be for someone to come up and tell you what you were doing was illegal. Ha ha. Lastly I want to address one thing that she says:

Yeah, that’s likely. And now with this pre-pregnant nonsense, how long will it be until women who aren’t pregnant are charged with not taking care of themselves?

When I read the pre-preggo deal back in May, I was floored. All I am is an incubator? A baby maker? I don't even plan on actually birthing a child... does that make me nothing?!? It's ridiculous the extent some people will go to, to make sure women are still held back, and that there is still a black cloud looming. For people who tell me to shut up about feminism, that it's dead because there is already equality...I say fuck you. Take a look at employment number, sexual assaults, how some men talk to/treat women, stupid religions that people still actually live by... saying that women are nothing. In the movie my brother linked to a while back in a religion post I made Dawkins goes to speak to a muslim man who talks about the west "letting your women dress like whores"... I agree, most of the girls I see strutting around do look rather whore-ish, but the men of this country are not 'letting' us. We have the right to dress how we want... and it is a common right among all the people, not just our men 'letting us' dress like this. We need to lead a naked march through a muslim country, all us women.

I wanna drive it...

2006-07-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

I love Eco Geek...my two favorite things SLAMMED together like the mighty force of gravity slams hamster cages to the ground (yes, I'm still stuck on that, and a bit upset). Anyway, the Pivo looks fucking stellar, no?

The advantage of this is that the, yeah, cockpit can swivel, eliminating the need for the driver to ever actually turn the car around. No more 3 point turns and, yes, you could conceivably spin the cockpit 180 degrees while travelling at the Pivo's maximum speed of 60 mph. As a zero-emission concept car for city driving, the Pivo is very weird but pretty cool.

60 Mph, thats just deadly... cause some real danger wtih that sort of speed. Its too bad that hybrid cars and such can't stop focusing on the stupid design and start pumping out useful and affordable, instead of futuristic, expensive and ...basically pointless... cars. but it is really cool. Click the link and watch the google video on it. Its interesting.

Shit, some things are just so cute...

2006-07-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

The Panda Tai Shan turned 1! :) I actually remember when he was born...and those aren't usually things I remember, but I totally watched the birth at my grandma's house last summer. Happy Birthday Tai Shan! You're so cute!! (Pandas look fake.) (Picture from BBC News)

Kian is a boys name?

2006-07-11T00:08:00.000-07:00

When I came up with the name Kian, I had a crush on a boy named "Ean" ...so it was going to be Kean...(just taking his name and throughing the first letter of my own real name to make it more me) but that looked like it should be said "keen" like commander keen, which is super cool, but I didn't like it for moi. So I changed the 'e' to an 'i' and got Kian. ...I pronounce it kee-ann, although I think most pronounce it k-eye-ann...but whatever. Turns out Kian is actually a boys name... and here I was thinking I had made it up and that I was all clever and original. Thats what I get for taking a boys name to make a screen name. Well, I'll take a more or less fake position on this. For those of you who have noticed that a) i have a male screen name and b) i am a girl ...SHUT UP. Who says I can't have a boys name??? Don't push me or I'll be changing my legal name to Billy! or Chad! Im breaking a gender role that has been forced on me! So suck it. ...Convincing?... or can you just tell I had no idea...:S hehe

Well then, I'm an asshole...

2006-07-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

This evening was like any other evening. ...I was at home and got bored so decided to go outside and wander over to the boyfriends house to say hi and see what was up. I don't ring the doorbell anymore and just walk on in... today I swing the door open hitting a table that had never been behind the door before. I look behind the door only to realize I have also knocked a cage to the floor, and lots of shavings...my boyfriend has never had a pet before. "Uh...Jord??" I yell... and he comes running down teh stairs to see what all the noise is about. I was then informed that he had bought a hamster, and put it there so that he would remember to show me. Instead, I knocked the cage to the floor and now poor Kingsley is running around the house somewhere.... His house is pretty clean and also quite small. Going off the assumed fact that Kingsley doesn't have the ability to climb stairs, we kept our search to the lower floor. After starting from one room and working our way through ever single room and every single square inch of the stupid floor, there was no sight of Kingsley. So, I may have lost and/or killed my boyfriends brand new hamster that he was so excited to show me. But honestly... its part his fault to for leaving the stupid thing behind the freaking door.

Wow

2006-07-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Now only is Blake Mycoskie one of the most adorable people I've ever seen in my entire life, his drivers ed course seems like one that *I* would for sure take, if a) I lived within a region that offered it and b) ...I know how to drive now. *AND* he skateboards to work because he donated his hybrid car to the company!!! *sigh* He's like wearing a sign that says "I'm fucking perfect". He touches on an issue that I've always complained about, but no one ever listens to me when I start going on about it.

It makes me very angry to hear that all of the cruise liners are able to dump their waste in international waters.

True - to - dat - gnomie.

just for now...

2006-07-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

spawned by a comment at UTI about extinction, I'm planning a relatively large post about extinction and biodiversity. But I'm not doing it today or tomorrow because I have a religion essay to write. (If someone else wants to write it for me - please, just e-mail me.) Anyway, read this as a teaser. They are such gorgeous little things, aren't they? I say so.

Italy Wins

2006-07-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

As if my street isn't already horribly busy...(I live right downtown...) today it was impossible to get anywhere by taking the main roads. It was, however, entertaining as they had about 6 trumpets.

SunFest

2006-07-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Originally uploaded by KianK.

Down at the park this weekend, one of the biggest festivals in Ontario is happening, London's Sunfest. I didn't go down for very long this weekend, but I went long enough to see a couple really interesting bands, buy a ring and get some Ukranian food. It was really interesting, but too bad it all closes down at 11, or we would have hung out there all night. Even the beer tent closed down, so we had to go seek out bars. (The rest of the night...need never be spoken about again...)

Aww

2006-07-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Darksyde at Kos did an interview with Brent from UTI, who I already loved reading, but his interview pretty much had me gasping, well at least one part of it:

[Link]Much later I realized that being an atheist is the best way to approach this life. It's like un-wrapping the cotton swaddling from your skull and seeing the bright, beautiful world as it truly is. Our planet, each other, our lives, our universe, they are all so incredibly and wonderfully exciting - all on their own! Why gild the lilly, you know? Isn't it enough to see the mind-blowingly beautiful fog of stars on a clear night - and knowing that our tiny little envelope of air and dirt is embedded in this small part of one of the spiral arms of our galaxy - without attributing it to Jojo The Great God Of The Congo's B.O. or something? I mean, why diminish it like that? I'd rather understand it the way it really is - and not the way that I wish for it to be.

Its one of those things I wish I could remember word for word just for the next time I start thinking "Why?" and all those stupid things that sometimes reenter my head because of my upbringing. Not to mention it's a damn good response to people who say that the world is so beautiful that there must have been something *more* beautiful that created it...

Pop culture is not funny...

2006-07-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

Holy shit.

Nubian is encouraging people to contact Sony to complain about the ads. Here's the contact information that she supplies:

SONY CORPORATE OFFICES: Sony Computer Entertainment America PO Box 5888 San Mateo, CA 94402-0888 800-345-7669 (800-345-SONY) M-SAT 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. PST Sunday 7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m

Do it up. I made the unhappy 'O' face when I saw the ad.

Uploaded and saved from Nubian

Pop culture is funny...

2006-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

As if Pimp Juice the song by Nelly wasn't bad enough, now there is PimpJuice...the juice. Don't forget to pick up your "I am a Pimp" t-shirt.

Keep your hate to yourself, please.

2006-07-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

I would just like to concentrate on a comment that was made in “In a world where it’s okay to hate a complete stranger”…comment thread.

I don’t hate a lot of things. I disagree with a lot of values, and I disagree with a lot of beliefs of various people. Most people who know me, know I disagree with the way organized religion is practiced and pushed onto others, and that I strongly oppose a lot of governments around the world – not just America. I don’t believe in a god, I don’t think our education systems are suitable for today’s young adults, I think prostitution should be legal, along with all types of sexual activity between consulting adults. I trust science and logic, and rely on my intelligence and ambition to get me a head in life. That’s me. These things I do have no negative impact on other people. The one thing I do that impacts others is advocate strongly for the environment and insist on life style changes world wide. But I don’t hate those that believe in god, and I don’t hate people who disagree with my lifestyle. I don’t hate people who find it necessary drive SUVs, I just feel like they need to be educated.

I think hate is a horrible thing to have imbedded into a person and into a mind. Hate is a strong emotion, and holds a lot of power. Having said all of this, I hope you’ll all fully understand the sincerity of what I’m about to say. I hate people’s hate. I hate bigots, elitists and people who need to discriminate against others as to feel better about themselves.

“You’re just mad because you’re a dyke and want out acceptance so badly.”

(I think that’s supposed to say ‘our’…)

First of all…I’m not a dyke. I’m not saying that defensively, I’m saying it as a statement of fact. Next, the last thing I want for myself is the acceptance of someone who thinks they are superior to me based on who they’re attracted to in their private life.

“You hate that you can't fit in with the majority of the Americans. So you're jealous that you can't find a way to be normal and love God.”

A group I am not overtly concerned with being accepted in, is a group that promotes hate, war, environmental destruction and all those less than lovely things. If normal means being a hypocritical extremist bent on controlling the lives of others, and destroying those who don’t adhere to their standards – then I want nothing more than to be abnormal.

I welcome comments of disagreement to my posts, I welcome comments of agreement or just an opinionon whatever. What I don't welcome is disgusting displays of intolerance to people and abohrrence to those that one may disagree with.

I've always been a fan of code pink...

2006-07-05T01:08:00.000-07:00

but this...is rediculous. This is probably the worst way I've ever seen to protest. I think its said best by Orac.

A "rolling fast"? What the hell is that? So each star will fast--be still my beating heart--ONE WHOLE DAY? Geez, Lindsay Lohan probably goes longer without food than that when getting ready for a role. Heck, I've gone longer than 24 hours without food on several occasions during my residency. (OK, it wasn't willingly or planned, but it certainly didn't do me much harm.) And who wants to bet that a few stars who could use to miss a meal or two won't be participating?

Its just so funny, because its just so true. Stupid, stupid people, this isn't going to do dick all. Get your heads out of your asses. ...Now, don't getme wrong. I think CodePink is phenomenal and I sport my "Free Diane Wilson" t-shirt with pride. But... this protest is stupid. 'Nuff said.

I love housewives! I love tarot cards!

2006-07-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just found one of the strangest sites, called Housewives Tarot. Two of my least favorite things in the world, to be completely honest. But, I did it anyway. Here were my resaults: past - Long have you faced an overwhelming challenge. present - A time of travel will allow for personal growth. future - So do not let a great loss spoil your outlook. Of course my overwhelming challenge card was a dipiction of toothbrushes scrubbing a toilet. *That* is one hell of a challenge and probably the hardest one I'll face in my entire life. In the present Im apparently going to fly to BC on a broom stick. Yes, the lovely housewife was riding a broom stick, with both legs on one side...of course. And finally, the great loss that I'll be having in the future was a picture of spoiled mayo and moldy cheese. ...Well shit. I just won't buy any mayo or cheese for the rest of my life. Problem solved.

Maybe I should just accept it...

2006-07-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

The first bit of this story is going to sound a bit strange... but it's explainable. My boyfriend set me up on a date. One of his friends was going to a wedding and needed a date, or wanted a date... I don't really know which, to go with him. So Jord volunteered me, after asking my permission... So I decide I should get to know this guy a little bit since he is Jord's best friend and such. So we were in the reception talking about things, and he started asking me questions. It was at this moment in time that I realized...I'm not cool, and I might just be a nerd. He asked me "So what about dating?" and I quickly responded without thinking ..."Like carbon dating?" ...oops. He later was explaining to me about a girl he has met on many occasions, and how their lives keep running into each other. And I said "Oh! Kind of like a braided stream!" ...he apparently doesn't know about water geomorphology... Later on he asks if he can go through my purse - because apparently you can tell a lot about a person by going through their purse. (He made it very clear that I could say no, or take things out of the purse first...but I have nothing to hide.) He got to my wallet, and pulled out my EB Games membership card... "EB Games?" ...a little embarassed I try to think of an excuse that wouldn't make me sound like a huge nerd... "Uh yeah, I only got it because when I bought starcraft I got $2 off..." As you can see, I failed on trying to skip over nerdsville. And finally, he asked me a question that I heard as "So do you go to lan parties?" and I thought he was making a joke about all the geeky things that had happened that night, and I gave hima really dirty look and said "no, I don't lan..." ...and he looked at me very confused. "I asked if you go to Ceeps parties..." (Ceeps being the unviersity bar here.) *sigh* At the end of the night, he said "listen, I'm going to call you. I could really use some help with my comptuer." ...D'oh.

The long ignored monday morning music.

2006-07-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

although, im still not going to do a decent post...I thought I should post something for MMM, since I was so consistent wtih it for like a month... then just stopped because I have like spurts of lazy. So tonight, ...all I'm going to say is that I've finally filled my IPod with music. Granted, it's only a Nano, but it took me a very long time to decide which songs were totally worthy of getting added. Added to the play list tonight was controller.controller, sufjan steves, pretty girls make graves, le tigre, death from above and the weakerthans. So...we'll see next time I'm out and about if my play list finally works for me. So I think I'll do my top 10 IPod songs...the songs I listen to, without a doubt, the most on my IPod while I'm walking around or riding the bus or whatever.

K'Naan - If Rap Gets Jealous ...(Like 4 times a day this one plays.)
Mobile - Out of My Head (So many times I've said "I wish their voices weren't in it...")
Le Tigre - Bang Bang
Panic! At the Disco - But it's Better if You Do
Michael Jackson - Thriller... (But I try to look/walk tough to even it out.)
MIA - Galang
Death from Above - Blood On Our Hands
Of Montreal - Disconnect the Dots
Rage Against the Machine - Killing In The Name Of
Everlong - Foo Fighters

On my IPod, Le Tigre, Panic! At the Disco and K'Naan are the artists with the most songs... (Queen is 4th... and I actually should have put Fat Bottom Girls somewhere on that top 10...but, oh well, honorable mention I guess.) Anyway, that is all for tonight. Im a sleepy puppy.

"In a world where it's okay to hate a complete stranger"

2006-07-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

I had to work tonight until 10 pm. Tonight there was also a religion lecture/rally/gathering at a theatre at 7 pm. I was a little bummed that I was going to miss it because I wanted to go... just to see what was happening and what was going to be said. I was thrilled when I was told that I got to depart early because it started to storm out and well... you don't require 4 people scooping ice cream during a thunderstorm. I ran to the bus stop, and got to the theatre within 10 minutes of the event starting. I walked in hearing the words "and here we are, in a world where it's okay to hate a complete stranger! Where is all the love?" ...I thought that was alright, and that I might end up not hating the entire thing after all. The preacher then started to talk about living in god’s world, and living in a warm community. Then back onto living in a not so tolerant world - we were told that the 'impurities' of the world need to be eradicated in order to fully love and understand everyone. ...This incorporated trying to help those that were gay, and attempting to show everyone on earth who the one true god is, and stopping abortions. ...hypocritesaywhat? This was followed by some statistics; all were American, but whatever... Canada is America Jr. There were stats on abortions, drug use, homosexuals, STDs, drop outs, atheists and so on... We were then given instructions on how to 'change' these people, and how to spread the word of god. Before the whole thing ended, he told us to go home and be alone with god. Saying that we all need to learn how to convert our loneliness into solitude with god. Once we realize (he didn't pronounce the 'a' in realize, btw) that god is with us forever we'll all be better off. "All you girls out there, stop looking for a man! You have *the* man for eternity!" ...Yeah, but will *the* man be willing to learn how to give 5 orgasms in a row? I think not. Instead of going to the bar for a "fake happy hour" that night, we were told to go have a "never ending hour" with "our Lord and Saviour, the father of all things, the good in everything and the one who will save us all. And it's not hard. All he wants from you, is yourself." ... That made me feel a bit insignificant…

I went to speak with the preacher afterwards, but before he would speak to me and answer my question he asked me “may we say a prayer together first?” and I said “no…” and he said “Well I’m sorry, we need to pray before we talk my child.” …”I’m not your child, and I’m not really down with praying.”…”I hope you have a good night young Miss.” …It was a swell way of filtering out the questions he didn’t want to hear before even hearing them.

So it didn’t go so well, and it was very typical, and I guess it’s what I expected. I actually thought there would be more singing, but there were only 3 songs. They were horrible. But, only 3. Speaking of horrible – check this out. Not only is it a horrible waste of time and money and resources, I can only imagine what that paint and such is doing to the soils. I know there is nothing around to really poison or anything – but still… I’m an environmentalist, and I hate seeing a mountain freaking painted.

I just copy everyone else...or just PZ

2006-07-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

So, PZ found his slogan, so I had to find mine.

If You've Got Kian, Flaunt It.

I think that's pretty fucking awesome! Flaunt me!!! Because I look like Reese Witherspoon. HA HA i wish i was even an ounce of that pretty.

More climate change things...

2006-07-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

This week's science friday by the awesome DarkSyde is about the slipping ice...that I mention a few days ago in a pervious climate change post. His science fridays are *always* worth reading. I read them at either Daily Kos, or UTI. Reeead them!

Hurray for being gay!

2006-07-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this days ago, but...I've been lazy! Soon I will do a real post, about something good! but ...for now, being gay doesn't make you retarted anymore! Ha ha ha, what a freakin' joke that was.

OoOoO I'm predy.

2006-07-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

So, PZ posted this, to find out who you look like as a celebrity. So, I just had to know who I would get. So I uploaded this picture of me: Granted, its not the best picture, but... it fits the criteria needed to find the matches. And I was very happy with who i got! minus Ashley Olsen, because i HATE the olsen twins. the bloodly bitches stole my birthday. Pretty hype eh? I must mention - Reese is my favorite actor in the ENTIRE world. ...I love her more than I love dinosaurs and that is saying A LOT.

Rejuvenile

2006-06-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Colbert had Christopher Noxon on his show, the author of Rejuvenile. I basic idea is that ...we don't grow up anymore. Even adults aren't really grown up, they're rejuveniled, they skateboard, play lazer tag, drink with their kids...etc. I guess this relates to the post I made about the adults smoking pot with their kids in the basement - they just won't grow up and out of that. It sounds like a fluffy theory that Noxon has going on, and I won't read the book - but if I did I'm sure that I would find a few things to disagree with, and too many generalizations for my likings. But...I won't read the book, so I'll never know. However, the blog is kind of interesting, and gives me the impression that he wrote the book as an excuse for himself.

Most dissapointing moment of my life...

2006-06-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

I turn on the TV, and watch the Colbert Report...that wasn't the bad part, after it finishes, I decide that I want to watch a bit more tv. So I'm surfin' the stations, and i get to Much Music...and OMG! I nearly cry/die/faint/scream, for Britney Spears has a new video out, I was so excited!...Then I realised it was Ashlee Simpson, not Britney. *sigh*

Environmental Preformance Index...

2006-06-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Click here to read all about it. The EPI is basically a way to find relationships between countries' economies and their environments. Top-ranked countries means that they are the most productive and competitive in the world, while maintaining superb environmental standards. The top ranked enviro countries are New Zealand, Sweden, Filand, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. The 5 lowest are underdeveloped countries - Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger. Canada is at number 8 and the United States is at number 28. China sits at 94... The scores are based on health, biodiversity, energy, water, air and natural resources. Health is based on child mortality, indoor air pollution, drinking water, adequate sanitation and ubran particles. Air quality is also based on urban particulates and regional Ozone. Water is based on nitrogen loading and water consumption. Water consumption is also a factor in biodviersty, along with wilderness protection and ecoregion protection. Natural resources she thefactor of timer harvest with biodiversity, but is also calculated by agricultural subsidies and over fishing. Finally, sustainable energy is based on energy efficiency, renewable energy and COs per GDP. Why do we even need to have the EPI? It spots environmental problems - everywhere. It also helps determine where environmental policies are good enough, or insufficient. Its keeping check on governments and their environments. Not suprisingly there is a direct correlation between GDP per capita and where the country lands on the EPI and an even later correlation between their Human development index numbers, and their EPI. Anywho, i read the full report, and then looked at the summary one - its just as good, actually. But the full report has a lot of cool graphs and maps to look at.

A fantastic ad

2006-06-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

Click here. The Independant Weekly is awesome.

Futures are confusing.

2006-06-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

If you were to ask me what I want to be when I 'grow up' my answer would be 'a grad student'. I'd love to just...do research my entire life... so I could be a prof at a university. I like to learn things - and in that setting it would be continuous learning. However, this post made me remember why I've always wanted to be a highschool teacher. When people ask me about university, and who my favorite prof was, I always think about it really hard and end up saying "actually, my high school teacher Mr. Smith was the one that helped me with university the most." ...And that's not a word of a lie. I had him the first time in grade 11 for ancient civilizations, grade 12 economics and again in grade 12 for philosophy. Actually the only reason I took economics was because he was teaching the course. (This also happened to be the class I met Bilal in...curse that bloody class, curse it all to hell.) Im pretty bad with economics, but he made it work for me. I ended up doing the huge essay of the semester on the lock out that was going on in the NHL and zero sum. I got a really decent mark on the essay actually, which suprised the hell out of me. (The really funny thing was, at the beginning of the semester Cory and Bilal made a bet for who would get the highest mark...I told them that I would...and they laughed at me knowing my economic abilities, and that I hadn't taked grade 11 economics. Cory and Bilal ended up getting 70's where as I got a 92. Suckas.) Anyway, Mr. Smith preped us all for university. His research method that I hated so much then is the only way I do research now for essays. He always told us not to be afraid to use "I" in an essay...all through highschool we were told this was horrible form and that if we ever did it, we would automatically lose 10%. Mr. Smith encouraged it. He often used the socratic method of teaching which was really effective in making us listening. ...He told us all these things about university that we didn't know, like that the profs only thought of us as numbers, and that where he'll give us unlimited help with essays, a prof will probably just point you in the direction of the library. (Mr. Smith, btw, was a prof at McMaster University in Hamilton before becoming a highschool - almost not getting the job for being over qualified. He has a PhD in ancient civilizations and speaks like a zillion different languages.) My point is...Mr. Smith developed a relationship with us. He wasn't the only teacher I did that with, Mr. Fernback, Mr. Wolfraim and Mr. Armstrong as well. All four teachers were phenomenal. (Fernie was my geography teacher, Wolfy was media studies and Armstrong was Drama and staff supervisor of the sears drama festival plays.) These are the teachers that will always stick out to me. I had Fernback in grade 9, 11 and 12, same with Armstrong. So they saw me go through all my weird stages of teenage-hood, and knew me really well by the end of highschool. It was really sad to leave highschool, just because I knew I'd never get relationships with my teachers like that again. But I would love to be a highschool teacher, andbe a hardass like Mr. Smith that the kids hate at the time, but then appreciate so much afterwards and feel like they really deserve the marks they get because they earned them. As great as university teaching would be, with all the research and huge classes - highschool just seems more personal, and almost like more fun. Anyway, there is no point to this post. Sorry if you actually got to this point of it :D

Merci Andy...

2006-06-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

I read GrrlScientist's blog once in a while, but sometimes get bored by it. BUT of obviously the one week I don't read it she posts this halarious video and many other interesting things. I love Will. So thank you, to my brother in the last comment thread for directing me to it. (L).She also posted this geography challenge, that I think is really cool and totally rocked the casbah on.

Hey, at least we're getting the bugs...

2006-06-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Turns out that being exposed to pesticides may increase a person's chances of getting Parkinson's disease by up to 70%, even if it's a low concentration of it. The study was done with more than 140 000 people. There is still confusion in that everyone that developes some sort of genetic mutation from the pesticides don't always get the disease and vice versa.

Ascherio and colleagues found that those who reported exposure to pesticides had a 70% greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than those who said they had no such exposure.

Right now in the popultion 2% of eople are at rist of developing the disease, but adding pesticides into the mix ups those chances to 3%. That wasn't the real big shock, the big deal was that even people working in an environment that had low transmissions of the toxin had equal chances of getting the disease as a farmer who is exposed to them almost all day, everyday. This suggests that perhaps farm chemicals aren't the worst, and its what we spray on our lawns and gardens that could be doing more damage to our bodies, and to the environment that they're in. (The source a New Scientist breaking news article) **Also on a totally unrelated note, if anyone can find me the lyrics for Melissa Etheridge's "I Need to Wake Up" I'll probably love you forever.**

This seems like a no brainer...

2006-06-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

but, a lot of things seem like a no brainer then the US just turns around and shocks us all. Should the EPA regulate carbon emissions? ...Someone explain to me... why the *Environmental Protection* Agency shouldn't regulate harmful greenhouse gases. But, really I think the funniest part of the entire article is this:

Rainstorms throughout the Washington area forced the Justice Department and the E.P.A. to remain closed today.

...They close because of...rainstorms? They can't get wet? They don't have umbrellas? I have nothing else to say on this issue except that Im very confused and frazzled.

But what shall we do??

2006-06-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Greenland's Ice sheet is slipping away into the waters, reports the LA times and MSNBC. Bascially, the name "Greenland" may actually start to be properly portrayed, as a 2 mile think ice sheet melts twice as fast as it was melting five years ago. Which also means that it has surpassed all climate models predicitions on the melting rates. The meltwater isn't only adding to the level of the ocean, but is lubricating the bedrock that is underneath. Which ultimatly resualts in the land glaciers falling into the water ever more quickly. How quickly is it melting? In 2005 the numbers indicated that Greenland was losing 52 cubic miles of ice every year.

"[The glaciers] are like the buttresses of the high cathedral. If you remove the buttress, the cathedral will collapse," - geophysicist Jose Rial.

Denmark will be monitoring the island. ...My mother suggested that I get a pen pal in greenland that lives on an ice sheet. That way when she stops sending me letters I'll know its time to leave Victoria and head for the mountains. :P

One good thing about global warming...

2006-06-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

after all the humans are dead there will be more space for all the robots. Oh and apparently Al Gore drives a hybrid pimp mobile!

I found it!

2006-06-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

HA! It was on my old Live Journal thing - yes the place that originally lost me my spot at camp. Oh well! This blog is generally not very personal, but this is! So here goes... 10 Random things about me you may not know: 1. I have a boyfriend, I've only actually *told* 3 people about this, I've mentioned it, but like, my friends and family dont know. 2. I'm not actually that smart. I fake being smart really well. I make up the answers to a lot of questions, and just get defensive when I know I don't know the answer and that the other person is smarter than I am. 3. I lie a lot. Not like, once every couple days, but like 9 times a day. Well, maybe not that much. I've actually started writing stories as to get all the lies out of me so they don't come pouring out in person. But I lie to people at work a lot...mostly because I know they'll mean nothing to me in a couple months. But I've learned not to lie to those who matter... aka My mom and best friends. 4. I don't do drugs. I've done drugs. But I don't do them anymore. For some reason a lot of people think that I am always high on something, but really, I'm not. 5. Jurassic is my all time favorite movie in the entire world, and I'm not even joking. And I watch America/Canada's Next Top Model, and enjoy it. 6. I really didn't care who won the stanley cup this year. ...1/2 way through the game I started to care, only because everyone else around me seemed to care, and I was sort of drunk. But I really didn't care and I don't really care who wins it next year. Although, I would still like to see Colorado play and meet Peter Forsberg and kiss him. 7. I eat an abnormal amount of pickles. 8. I'm turning out to be exactly like my mom...only...shorter. 9. I still talk to 'psycho steve' daily. if you know who he is, then you know that this is a very very very stupid thing. I also know that it is a very very very stupid thing. But...whatever. 10. If I was never to have sex again, I wouldn’t care. That was on my last one, and it still holds true, I don't think people fully believe me when I say that. I think its pretty over-rated and that a lot of people my age just do it because its supposed to be fun. "pfft she's never had real good sex than!!" ...spare me. 9 Places I've visited: 1. ...This is going to be really lame. Newfoundland. 2. Winnipeg ages ago to meet Paul's family...and there was this weird guy Drew who was like 5 years older than me that kept tickleing me. 3. Quebec City…for like a day, and I had to order in French, but my mom said not to because they should be bilingual, and I called her a jerk. 4. Ummm, Michigan. Metroid and I had to floor it to like 150 to keep up with my sister. 5. Ottawa just once, I believe... mom and I took pictures with women voting or something like that. 6. On Google Earth, I’ve been pretty much everywhere, does that count? 7. I visit Jurassic Park at least 3 times a week. 8. I was like, so close to going to Singapore, but didnt get the passport. (d'oh! i still need to do that.) 9. One time I had a dream that I visited this really cool planet called Wagnar, and it had a lot of purple things on it. 8 Ways to win my heart: 1. Intelligence to the point of awkwardness. 2. Be funny, and not stupid funny like Adam Sandler, funny funny like Rick Mercer. 3. Understand nerdy things, such as the importance of 42 and know what kind of River you wouldn't want to cross. 4. Have read Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy - and fully agree when adams points out that humans say things too often that are already implied. 5. Don't agree wtih what I say, especially if you don't agree with it... aka have some balls and put up a freaking fight. 6. One word: wrestling. 7. Be cool...like, able to function in a social setting without having me smack my face in embarassment for you. 8. Like good music. This is key. Right now I am listening to prefuse 73, if you don't know who they are, ... you don't win. 7 Things I must do before I die: (*most of these I've left the same as from my LJ) 1. Ride a goddamn elephant! 2. Visit every continent with the exception of Antarctica…And steer clear of Panama, something about that tiny slit of land just seems very shifty… 3. Get a PhD yet continuing doing research for the rest of my life or teach at a highschool like Mr. Smith. 4. Meet David Suzuki, again, and instead of crying actually talk to him. 5. Do something really fucking cool and drastic for the environment that will make people go “wow, that was awesome” 6. Be on some sort of TLC show, preferably Trading Spaces. (I miss Paige!) 7. Adopt a child and mold them into being me only hella smart so that they’ll do something wicked and end up in some sort of history/science book. Something tells me my gummy bear time machine, and sex driven anti gravity machine won’t win me a Nobel Prize or get me into any books, except maybe psychology ones, in chapter 6: Insanity. 6 Things I'm afraid of: 1. Heights; falling would suck, imagine – watermelon + CN tower…ack. No good. 2. The dark; you never know what is in front of you or what you can run into… 3. The future; see explanation for the dark. 4. Little bugs crawling into little holes on the body...or ...bigger holes, just holes. Ew. 5. Ending up in either of these two situations: 1. working a full time job that is something like a janitor or a secretary and being bossed around by pompous assholes that think they are smarter than me. 2. Having children and being a stay at home mom that cooks and cleans all day and stresses out because soccer and ballet are on at the same time this summer. 6. Getting to Victoria and hating it. 5 Things I don't like: 1. Chewing Noises. GAAH Someone in the movie today was chewing gum, I nearly turned around and slapped his dirrty face. 2. Not understanding things. Thats something I'm really not used to and it drives me nuts. 3. People who think I'm stupid, or talk to me like I'm stupid. Especially when I'm way smarter than them...example: Everyone I work with. 4. raw meat. gross. 5. astrology...stupid stuff. 4 Ways to turn me off: 1. Start talking about how god will keep us together and we can live our lives together through the values of Jesus christ our lord and saviour. 2. be all needy and stuff...and like really touchy. 3. say stupid things like "who is douglas adams"or "intelligent design roxors" or "disco is a really great musical genre" 4. smell bad. 3 things I do every day: 1. Go online and read the news, blogs, check my e-mail about 30 times, etc. 2. drink a glass of milk and eat at least 1 pickle. i love pickles. 3. sing really loud usually in the shower. 2 things that make me happy: 1. riding the bus with my ipod playing really really good music and watching people do their thing. I could do that all day. 2. get a mark higher than 95% on something. 1 Thing that is on my mind right now: Abraham and the Patriarchs living in the Mesopotamian city of Ur... I'm doing eastern religion readings...shut up.

So its been a while...

2006-06-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

Since I've done a music post. ...Perhaps I'll do a massive one later on when...I'm not as lazy as I am right this very moment in time. Instead, I will entertain ya'll with a general top 10 list...In 3 seconds I will decide if its my top 10 right now, or top 10 of all time. ... ... ... I have decided on all time, and I've also decided that they are not in any particual order, because really, I just can't decide which order the top 10 all time favorite songs would go in...

Fat Bottom Girls - Queen
Fast Car - India Ari
New Slang - The Shins
Your Ex-Lover is Dead - Stars
Intergallactic - Beastie Boys
Shampoo Suicide - Broken Social Scene
Banditos - The Refreshments
One - Jarvis Church ft. K'Naan
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
We Will Become Silhouettes - The Postal Service

And now, because it is only 2 am, and I'm relatively bored/not tired, I'll do my top 10 as of today...Please note, this top 10 changes...pretty much daily.

Galang - MIA
Deceptacon - Le Tigre
One Great City - The Weakerthans
Telescope Eyes - Eisley
Crazy - Gnarles Barkley
Disconnect the Dots - Of Montreal
Build God Then We'll Talk - Panic! At the Disco
Kashmir - Led Zepplin
Both Hands - Ani Difranco
Psycho Killer - The Talking Heads

I did a neat survey thing a while back, that had top 10 somethings, then top 9 somethings, and kept declining. I'm going to go find that and post it because I'm SUPER bored. And that's what I do. I post things when I'm bored.

Who do I love???

2006-06-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

Rachel Maddow!! You all know that by now! So I heard about this girls speech, and thought "wtf...all she probably did was like thank God, and they cut her off?" not quite, apparently. This link explains the story a bit and on the left hand side has a couple videos about it. ...I'd cut off her speech just because her voice is so annoying. I think that separation of church and state is more important than the freedom of speech issue. Had the attendence not been manditory and sponsored by the school the situation may be a bit different, but... really, she was warned it would happen. Lil' brit plays up the freedom of speech thing, but really...SHE WAS LIKE PREACHING! If I got up there and started going off about how Satan had helped me through school, and helped me find myself...and etc... they'd cut me off. Fox takes her side, suprised?? noooo not at all, but that's besides the point. it sounds like her speech was almost as bad as a ron luce youth rally. I cant seem to find any full length videos of her speech, but the link I provided shows the important parts of it. That interview wtih Fox News makes me want to punch a lot of people. BUT here we go, the love of my life talking about it with the man who needs to be skined alive! (Just kidding, im starting to like tucker, not his opinion, or personality, or clothing...just..him.)

Just in case...

2006-06-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read my last post and were like..."who the fuck is Captain Planet???" well first of all, shame on you. Second of all...watch these (one episode split into three movies because youtube is weird like that sometimes): I love captain planet.

The goose that laid the golden egg...

2006-06-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

my brother just sent this video to me... we used to watch it all the time. ...aww. memories. he got it from this site. holy jamoly there are lots of cool shows listed on there! very cool! especially if you like cartoons like I do! Andy and I also used to watch Dextors Labratory and run around screaming "my hair is on fire" (or that could have just been me and he called me an idiot...one of the two) and we would watch Captain planet and fight over the powers that they let out of their rings while saying "the power is yours!" and then we'd be all like "i got it! i got it!" "no! i got that one!"...and so on.

An Inconvenient Truth: Review

2006-06-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

So I finally saw it. Metroid and I were in a store standing in line to buy something and we heard on the radio playing over out heads “An Inconvenient Truth, playing at Rainbow theatres”. Well, how handy is that? I live a 10 minute walk from a Rainbow theatre, so tonight I took 2 hours out of my life to go and see it.

Strangely enough, the first thought that came to my mind was “Man, I should have brought my laptop to take notes”, instead of the pad of paper and pen I had brought along to swiftly jot things down. Unfortunately, I can’t read the notes I took, the theatre was too dark, and my writing is too chaotic.

The message that the movie sends is that we have a moral necessity* to make change, but instead we’re all sitting in perpetual darkness, so Al Gore is our guiding light. *Note that he focuses on climate change being a ‘moral’ issue rather than a political one.

However, Gore put somewhat of a depressing light over being an environmentalist stating that “Victories that aren’t victories. Defeats that aren’t defeats”. Sure, that’s how it is most of the time…but I was still a little unnerved by that.

That was my only beef with the movie. That Gore really pushed the moral side of it all, and made it seem impossible to defeat climate change. It wasn’t a movie for the already environmentalist, as you’d have to be a pretty uneducated environmentalist to go into and learn a lot of things. I found that most of what he said I already knew, so instead of being in shock, like I suspect other people in the audience were, I was making sure his science and his numbers were correct.

One thing I think I should address is that a while back when I posted that this movie was coming out, the punk got all up in my face about the ice melting and that raising the sea levels. …It is thoroughly explained in the movie, that rather than the ice caps melting and raising the sea levels it is the land ice that is melting. So that the Antarctic icebergs melt, that affects the land ice that was once being held in place by the other ice that falls into the water, which would make the sea level rise.

In addition to that the water that is melting on top percolates to the where the land ice and land meet the lower bedrock and create lubrication sliding huge pieces out of place and opening up craters in the middle of continents which consequently leave room for even more surface water and ice to fall into the sea or make their way to the sea.

The big picture of all that is that if ½ of Greenland were to melt into the sea and ½ of Antarctica then the sea levels would rise 20 feet. Now, a lot of people say “no fucking way” to that, and act as if it’s just a big scam to get people to listen. But, there were also warnings about Katrina, and that the weather would be getting more severe, etc. I wholeheartedly believe the fact that sea levels will rise to the point that they will be displacing hundreds of millions of people.

The Larsen Ice Shelf is what Gore used as more or less a proof of this. There were little ‘melting puddles’ along the shelf, and then within 32 days, the entire shelf was gone. There are similar puddles forming in Greenland already.

So that was one area that I learned more, I already knew that the ice melting would raise sea levels, but now I can explain it in a more detailed, and convincing way. I went with someone who knew little about the environment and climate change (well, knew some, but not all the numbers and science and such) and that person got a lot out of it, and was really shocked by some of the details. Where as I, nodded my head yes agreeing, as if he was simply confirming all that I have learned previously, and tried to educate others about before.

All in all, I loved the movie. I cried my eyes out.

Even though none of it was news to me, sitting there and seeing the earth, and seeing the pollution and just retelling yourself how fucked up the world is, hurts on so many different levels. People say that I’m going overboard when I say humans are ‘raping the earth’. But I believe that statement, and I feel as though everyone else knows it too – but they just don’t care, which can be a really heartbreaking thing to deal with.

And caring just carries such a heavy load. I spoke to my friends all through high school and my first year at university about the environment. About the importance of conservation, recycling, walking and all of those things… but so often got told to be quiet. And so often they were like “oh yeah yeah yeah, you’re right.” And then would leave a room with all the lights on, air condition on, TV on, computer on…it takes 30 seconds to turn these off as to add life to the entire earth.

It’s a movie that I really think has the power to cut through a lot of denial that’s been spouted from the mouths of people all over the world. He really does create a well balanced slide show of science and moral dilemmas to make people seriously consider what he is saying, and not to mention…it’s kind of scary the things that he shows.

The evidence is presented so compellingly and really people who criticize it for not being aesthetically pleasing or that it was simply a scream for attention are extremely off base. It should, however, have great impacts on who the hell should be president of the United States of America. It was a great movie, I urge everyone to see it… especially if you don’t want to see it.

Hi Mom!

2006-06-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

My mom just pestered me for the link to my blog so that she can read it. So Hi Mother!! I told you you'd read things about me that you *never* wanted to know! I warned you! You are officially *NOT ALLOWED* to get me in trouble for anything you read about me or the immediate family! Bwa ha. Love you! <3

Thinking outside the box...

2006-06-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

I love George from The Hour, a lot. You all know that. But you may not know I love Rick Mercer almost as much. The video I'll post opens in WMP automatically, or at least it should. It is HALARIOUS. *click here* to watch it. The Mercer Report is by far 500xs funnier than The Hour, but I still like watching The Hour more - probably because it's just packed with so much information where as the Mercer Report is just halarious. I highly recommend going to the website and watching some of the videos. As I have a personal dislike to blackberries - the blackberry commercial is halarious. (I have no realy reason for hating blackberries, but I thin its stupid how attached people are to them. and I hate when people like ram into you because they're staring at the fucking things....and soooo on.) Rick also does a really really great show called "Talking To Americans" where he goes and asks Americans things such as "Should Canada switch to a 24 hour clock?" and he gets real answers...it's just so funny. The following few YouTube videos are peices of the show. My favorite is the first video posted. Americans agree to bomb saskatchewan, and Mercer goes to Columbia University and gets a bunch of people to sign a petition (including a prof) saying that canada shouldn't just leave their old people of ice bergs. And actually, in teh 2nd video, when Rick goes to Harvard and talks about the seal hunt in Alberta...that's pretty funny too. Oh - And getting a congradulations for canada opening its first university. Video three starts with 2.5 minutes at the beginning that are the same as the end of video 2. However, after that Rick goes to Princeton and B. Uni in California. Which is VERY funny... (For those of you who don't watch cbc, when rick talks about the "Peter Man's Bridge" its funny because, Peter Mansbridge is a CBC host for the Popular show called The National.

Myyyy love life.

2006-06-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

I was a promisquous girl in highschool. My friends like to tease me that I’ve slept with, made out with, or fooled around with pretty much everyone we know. And I’ve been in love 2 or 3 times. Now, I’m fairly convinced that I’ll never fall in love again, and if I do I won’t be totally happy with it. That’s a relatively bold statement to make, but I can tell you why I’ve said it. I mostly hold the media at fault. I watch a lot of movies, and a little less tv, but I still see my fair share. I also listen to a ton of music. Before getting my new laptop I had a music collection to end all music collections. It was fantastic. (Now I’m running off just over 600 songs and getting bored quickly…) But watching these movies and shows and listening to that music has created this intense idea in my mind about love.

People on movies fall in love, and it always ends beautifully for them. Sort of like when the raports didn’t eat Dr. Grant in Jurassic park when he was standing there holding their eggs. Uh, hello, they’re fucking dinosaurs! They totally would have eaten him. Anyway, people always end up so happy at the end of movies – just as I’m sure Dr. Grant was happy he was not eaten. And during the movie, their love is so cute. Infact it’s so cute that I walk away thinking “oh man, I wish *I* could have a boyfriend like Owen Wilson.” It’s the same situation with tv shows. People break up, then get back together, then break up again, then get back together again. Then, when they do *actually* break up (to boost the ratings…lol) they always find a partener that is 800xs better, and they stay best friends with the one they broke up with before. Why can’t all my ex-boyfriends be like Ross from friends? He’s so funny! And cute! And was never like…overly mean to Rachel even when they weren’t dating…or married.

Music is a bit different in that it puts a new spin on love and makes it seem really fun and careless. Why the hell have none of my relationships been careless then?? Like, I want to make banana pancakes with Jack Johnson! Why can’t I?! For that matter, it would be so cute to have a boyfriend who just talked as magically as Jack Johnson does all the time.

Now, one other thing that is deteriorating my likelihood of being in love again, is the fact that the boys I like are now becoming the new ‘jock’ or ‘rich’ guy. I love geeks. And now every other girl on the planet loves geeks too. So now all the geeky guys are getting girls that before were waaaay out of their league. And here I am, no comparison to those girls having to sit and watch all the geeky boys being taken by the beautiful things and overlooking me. Now some will say “but geeky guys like smart girls” however when you look at me, you don’t see a smart girl. You see a self absorbed ditz that shops too much, and wears too much makeup.

These new realizations are finally making a lot of my past (and current) relationships make sense. The best relationship I ever had…was with the punk. Not because he’s … you know, an overly great boyfriend (sorry doll…) but because we faught, ALL the time. We faught about politics, about love, about school, about looks….EVERYTHING. We faught. And it was just *so* real. Nothing we said to each other was a huge fabrication (well, after…a talk about how much I lie about everything…heh.) And now that we’ve broken up, really nothing has changed. We fight, a little bit less…but we still have an extremely ‘real’ relationship with each other that isn’t affected by the mass media and all that bs. And really, he was the only guy that could ever keep up with me…(intellectually and emotionally…) I know there were a lot of tough times in that realationship, but really I’m not sorry for any of it, because we know each other so fucking well because of all the stupid ordeals we went through. (And, I think a relationship is no good when it exists with simply 4 hours online everyday for 8 months with the exception for about 5 days in a Canadian hotel at peak winter time.)

Another guy that I was with was AMAZING. We had so much fucking fun because we were both so goofy. But he was very much stuck in the frame of mind that he had to be totally happy all the time and that there could never be an ounce of boredom, quietness, or disagreement. So there was never any hope for us, because …well we’re not a tv show, our love wasn’t perfect. (But he was deadly gorgeous.)

My current boyfriend and I are facing somewhat of a new problem, the ‘harry-met-sally’ complex. That me and my male best friend (the punk) have to have some sort of secret undying love for each other that is just going to explode one day. …It took me quite some time to convince the boyfriend differently. Apparently there is no such thing as a strictly platonic relationship between opposite sex friends anymore, there always has to be sexual tension…I don’t understand. But, even Will and Grace had sex, and Will is gay! And Jack and Karen always talk about bumping their naughties, and Jack is gay too. (Now, granted, the new bf had some validity in his concern.) Another hard part for the current boyfriend is that he can try to dig deep into my mind, but its getting progressively harder for guys to get in. But on the other hand, we talked about all the media constructed love bs, and he agrees with me.

Love these days is fake, and I can’t be in fake love. So I just won’t fall in love again. And if I do, I’ll be in love, but I won’t be totally happy with it, because if it’s real, like mine and The Punks, then I’ll want it to be more perfect, but if its perfect I’ll know its fake….see the problem? I don’t understand this need for things to be perfect, or for love to be flawless. …The flaws give it character. Plus, I think there is a limit to the amount of times a girl can fall in love then get trampled on. *hrmm*

Update: So my boyfriend reads this and is all like. "alon was your best relationship" then does this sad/really cute face... So i must say...the current bf and the punk are too different to compare at all. The new bf is was less uptight and way less smart. And the punk was way less halarious and was way more mature. ...Its a very different relationship. Like, the punk and I took forever to get a song...because I guess we never really thought about it, but then one day, one just popped up. The new boyfriend, however, stated that David Bowie's Lets Dance, is our song...2 days before the relationship had even started. The punk and me had a song that ...you know, meant something. But Lets Dance??? WTF??... They're both weird boys, just weird in different ways.

One of those "hmm" cases...

2006-06-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

The punk posted this. I have an up and down about this topic. Fist of all, death row? That's too much. I wouldn't go that far...especially since it was a case of possible self defense. However, scotch free? No. Take the guns out of the house, put him into counseling (not just because he shot a guy, but because he SHOT A GUY!!! Who wouldn't need to talk to someone after that???) and maybe some sort of probation. Sure, it wasn't 'his fault' like, he did kill someone who was just as 'innocent' as he was.

One more for today...

2006-06-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

This is more or less a mini rant rather than a real post. I'm spending the majority of this weekend helping out my brother. He is moving into a house with the wifey and three kids. So today I babysat for most of the day while they loaded teh trucks and moved all their shit. So after the long day of moving and blah blah blah we went back to my brother's for bbq and such. ...Now, I know that my bro smokes the dope. That's not news at all to me. What IS news to me is that his gf does. ...And for some reason that really bothers me. Her daughter came outside to chill with us (she is 5...) but her mom sent her in because she wanted to smoke some dope. ...So I went in with the daughter and played downstairs with her. I haven't figured out why this bothers me. I guess in this case I'm connecting pot with being irresponsible. Here you have a little girl that wants some attention, but you blow her off to smoke pot with your boyfriend and his 2 buddies? Something just seems wrong. when you make the decision to have a baby you're making the decision to give up a lot of your life. You're making the decision to focus as much attention, love and care that is needed to nurture that childs life... not so you can tell them to go away when you want to get stonned. I might be over reacting. I don't know. But it just seemed wrong to me. And when I have a kid (err, adopt one) I probably won't smoke pot again. And IF I do, it will be when they have long fallen asleep or if they're away on vacation. Not when they are down in teh basement.

Finally...

2006-06-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Many...many years ago, I watched titanic for the first time. And I saw this member of the crew: At that moment I was in love. ...But he didn't have a name in the movie, and had a very minor role. Then today I start babysitting my brother's three kids, and we watch Fantastic Four. And there he is! Turns out his name is Ioan Gruffudd. And he is gorgeous. That is all. I know you feel 100xs more enlightened about life now that you've read that. But fuck you. It was really exciting for me to finally find him. I am tired and need to continue writing an eastern religions essay.

I dont even like Pink...

2006-06-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

but this is its own type of beautiful.

Dear Mr. President Dear Mr. President Come take a walk with me Let's pretend we're just two people and You're not better than me I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep What do you feel when you look in the mirror Are you proud How do you sleep while the rest of us cry How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye How do you walk with your head held high Can you even look me in the eye And tell me why Dear Mr. President Were you a lonely boy Are you a lonely boy Are you a lonely boy How can you say No child is left behind We're not dumb and we're not blind They're all sitting in your cells While you pave the road to hell What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay I can only imagine what the first lady has to say You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine How do you sleep while the rest of us cry How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye How do you walk with your head held high Can you even look me in the eye Let me tell you bout hard work Minimum wage with a baby on the way Let me tell you bout hard work Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away Let me tell you bout hard work Building a bed out of a cardboard box Let me tell you bout hard work Hard work Hard work You don't know nothing bout hard work Hard work Hard work Oh How do you sleep at night How do you walk with your head held high Dear Mr. President You'd never take a walk with me Would you

Maybe I just cry easily. I was also directed to this site, which is another youtube video with a song by a different artist. The song isn't as good, but...whatever, same sort of message.

omfg

2006-06-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

This shit can't be serious, gay, a mental disorder? It really shocks me how narrow minded some people can be... Like...if you're different or against my religious beliefs *something* must be fucked up in your head. *pfft* These are one of those things I'll never be able to understand. It's like racism, why do things that affect no one else's life have to be a public issue like this? It's silly. How about instead, our energy gets focused on *real* issues, like this. This that are actually ruining lives with now real cause.

Stuff swap

2006-06-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

At the University our house, the Eco House, would hold an event called 'Stuff Swaps'. We would set up about 6 tables in the student centre in a square shape against a wall, and would lay out some items on the table. These items could be clothing, dishes, books, cds, whatevers that we didnt want anymore, we did this at the beginning of the year, right after winter holiday and right before the end of the year. People from all over campus would come and dump all of their stuff too, and take whatever they wanted. K-Rule got some pretty kick ass pants from it one time with stars on the bum. Anyway, it was a really cool event, and it was HUGE. We would get so much stuff, and so many people. Whatever we had left at the end of the 1 or 2 weeks we would bring down to the local shelter that did a sort of Salvation Army thing, only not run by the church, but totally secular based. Far superior than just throwing things out or collecting junk. (In our dorm rooms...you couldn't collect junk...there was just no room.) Well, via Treehugger, I found The Freecycle Network, which appears to be basically the same thing, only on a much larger scale. It's really cool, cooler than doing my religion readings and essay!

I don't usually bitch about boys

2006-06-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

I don’t believe I’ve ever bitched about my current co-workers on here with the exception of my theocratic supervisor (who is *pushing* it lately, btw.) I work with this guy who we’ll refer to as Dave. Dave is a chauvinistic pig who exercises what I’ve recognized to be disgusting male privileges, colossal admiration towards the patriarchy and is so trapped within gender roles that it makes me crave throwing up all over him. Now, it wouldn’t be very nice if I just threw those accusations out there without some evidence. So, for this particular person I will briefly outline some cases in which one and/or all of these alleged characteristics were portrayed.

Case one: It is my first shift working with Dave. He seems to be pretty cool, he’s got some piercing and tattoos and looks as though he thoroughly enjoys a good punk show or two. This gives us an immediate topic to discuss: music. We talk about this for a while, and then out of no where he says “Hey, you’re a girl.” I wasn’t exactly sure what to say, but for some reason ended up saying “Looks can be deceiving” in a relatively serious tone, and then walked away. He follows and says to me “The only reason you got the job is because you’re a girl. Guys applied too, and just because you’re a girl you got it instead.” I decided not to dignify that with a response, but heard him say to another guy that we’ll call Travis, “I bet she puts out.” This resulted in me, literally throwing a full scoop of ice cream directly at him, hitting him in the side of the head and me being put in the back doing production work for the rest of the day. Maybe that wasn’t the classiest way to deal with the situation, but I felt it was the best way.

Case two: Dave and I are working our third shift together and we’re closing the store together. Closing the store involves doing a check list of closing duties, mostly containing cleaning the store, and handling the money. I had done these closing duties many times, and had been the supervisor for one of the closing nights before, so knowing I was completely able to do the money, I go to the till to get all the cash out to do the deposits and float count. However, Dave comes up and says “You’d better let me handle that…” while he took the money out of my hand. “Why? Because I’ve worked here for less time?” “No, because you’re a, well, you know…so you’ll do the cleaning better.”

Case three: I will do this one more script like. D: Are you a lesbian? K: Uh, why does that matter at all? D: Well, you just seem really bitchy is all. K: So lesbians are bitchy? D: Oh yeah, for sure. K: So all bitchy women are lesbians? D: Well, no, but you’re all gung-ho on women’s rights and shit too. K: So all bitchy feminists are lesbians? D: yeah, I’d say so. K: Well then you’re an even worse breed of idiot then I previously pinned you for. D: But you are a lesbian right? K: Yes, Dave, I’m a lesbian. (*I’m not really…well…that’s a long story…but I’m not at the point where I’d call myself a lesbian.*) D: I knew it. Never have kids. K: Excuse me? D: Kids need a dad, a dad to be in charge and lay down the rules and punishment. You and your wife will never raise good kids. K: …I hate you on so many different levels. D: Why? Because I get to be a bitch and it’s okay? Isn’t that awesome? K: …Never have children, okay? D: Huh? K: I’d hate for them to grow up thinking acting like you is acceptable.

Case four: It is our 6^th shift together, and Dave walks in looking rather happy. I don’t care why, so I don’t ask. But, he feels the need to tell me anyway. “Guess what Kian?” …”*sigh* What Dave?” He gets a little more excited. “Do you know the Sarah girl that works here?” Of course I know this Sarah girl, I liked her for the first little while, then found out she’s a total psycho case, one of those rich snobby girls that go to western to fuck the brains out of anyone that will get her a head in life. “Yeah, I know” I say. Well, turns out she is working with us that day. I roll my eyes, knowing where this conversation is going. “I hear she’s a lesbian. You gonna rag on her for that like you did me?” “Fuck no! Will you guys PLEASE dyke it out for me.” …Ew. I walk away, while hearing Dave say “You’re just jealous because you can’t have me.” Ew.

My point is this guy is completely repulsive and an arrogant and ignorant asshole. He is an asshole and tests my patients more and more with every shift I have with him. This is exactly why I don’t make an effort to talk to people at work, as soon as someone starts to annoy you simply by being them; it turns into a HUGE mess and makes work even more miserable.

He still looks like a monkey.

2006-06-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the hobgloblin (who, I will point out doesn't actually have any super powers in any of the spiderman comics) of the environment, aka George Bush did something way out of character.

President Bush will create the world's largest protected marine area today, designating as a national monument a 1,200-mile-long chain of small Hawaiian islands and surrounding waters and reefs that are home to a spectacular array of sea life, senior administration officials said last night.

Now, that's pretty sweet, but of course there is some naughty underneath the nice, because Spiderman *never* actually wins, but has to keep fighting. The original area was going to be 140, 000 square miles, but Hobgobl...err Bush decided that would be a no go, and said this on the issue:

"Look, I've got this authority, I'm going to use it,"

Of course you are sweetums, when don't you abuse your presidental powers to benefit yourself only and make your, neocons and theocons lives easier? In this case, you'll be making it much easier for the republican leader of Hawaii to get reelected. And its not like this area of water is going to be horribly hard for you to stay out of, but hey! maybe now we'll all be more willing to let you come on up to ANWR and start poking your shafts into the oil. Fucker. Anyway, I'm not being totally fair getting all defensive, although I don't believe his intentions were in the right place, and that it was probably just to get the environmentalists off his back for a while, it really is great that it will be somewhat of a pristine environment, having no more human distruptions.

Ee-gawd brain

2006-06-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ann coulter makes me want to barf all over myself. WHY does she have posters?!?! WHY!?! Want to know why I hate her? Besides the fact that she's a pompous, bitch who can't tell right from wrong....go here. This has become one of my all time favorite blogs to read.

wtf?

2006-06-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

is that a baby? errr is that...a doll? eerr, man, weeeeird asian kids show.

Cursed to try and be happy...

2006-06-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Us monkies worry about everything, especially what other monkies think...living in monkey hives seperated by lines in the dirt while raping the earth...in the universe that was created entirely for us.

Go Brazil! Or England! Or Korea!...

2006-06-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

Confused? Never followed soccer before, but you know how much fun it is to cheer for a team?? Go here, and it'll help you make this huge life altering decision. But even more importantly is that the World Cup planers are all eco and shtuff! How awesome?! I'll tell you, on the awesome scale from 1 - 100 its just not applicable because its SO HIGH. (really all the eco-info is on the 2nd page.)

She was INSANE in the membrane

2006-06-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'm of course speaking of my totally nutty Australia friend, her name is Ems. She makes Kanye look like an amature to being awesome. But this has nothing to do with her, except that she brings some validity to the statement that Australians are freakin' whacked up in the best way possible. I met her father too - he also adds validity, as does this girl Elessa from my old highschool, who colored her hair so much that it actually turned grey and started falling out...so we're 3 for 3 on the crazy Australians. Now, Australians are eating plastic! The post makes an extremely good unstated point - Vegemite takes like horrible plastic. Well, that might be too fair, vegemite tastes like eating your own puke that has sat out from the night before after a loooong evening with the tequila body shots. But how amazing would that plastic be? We all know that plastic bags cost nothing to produce. If you don't get them for free at the grocery store, they're only $0.05. (I can tell you why Food Basics/No Frills charge, when I was doing my training I got like a 1/2 hour speech about it.)... This bloke Vincent Cobb runs a website called Reusable Bags he did a few calculations extrapolated from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2001 and found that somewhere betwee 500 billion to a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide anually, and 1 - 3% of those end up in a landfill each year. That might seem like a really tiny precentage but thats one million bags, and then factor in all those little candy wrappers, and packaging from everyones new MP3 player, or whatever it is the kids are buying these days...and that's a lot of plastic. So what? Well, it can take hundreds of years for these plastics to decompose. And when they do decompose they release toxins into the soils that surround them, and our water sources. However, you wont see a switch to paper bags, as they cost $0.03 more than plastic bags, they are less reliable and actually take more energy to make. Still I say - do as the Irish and put a tax on the bags! (I'm aware that link is old. but...whateves) After a 15% tax increase on plastic bags, the consumption of them decreased by over 90%! How great is that? At school we used reusable bags, and not just for shopping, the student counsel was handing them out during orientation week, so you couldn't walk into a first or second year class room without seeing a reusable cloth bag being used to carry books, or food and drink, laptops, playing cards, books etc. to make it through those deadly 3 hour classes. Also, if plastic being a not so awesome product is sort of new news to you, I recommend reading Cobb's bit on the "Real Cost of Free". I will say, granted, it is midly biased and wont give you the pluses of plastic bags, but really...these things that are listed in the link far out do the goods. And if he convinces you, the reuseable bags he's selling really aren't that expensive. I'd buy some if I didnt already have about 5 from O Week. So this new plastic looks pretty neat, and I hope it gets developed sooner rather than later, and I hope everyone reuses their plastic bags, or buys reusable ones. *props* to ya if you do.

'organic' the new 'lowest prices ever!'

2006-06-12T23:24:00.000-07:00

I hate WalMart. They're really one of those 'where do I even start' issues. The truth about Walmart is their workers receive unfair wages...the average Walmart worked in 2001 earned $13,861, where as the poverty level was at $14,630. From StatsCan, in 1999 it cost $23,705 to support a family with one parent and one child comfortably in Canada. And it's not like Walmart can't afford a raise, their prices are low enough, and so many people shop there that increasing the price of say...a pack of paper from the $0.99 to $1, anually that would add up to $1,800 for each employee (Walmart-Annual Report 2005). There there are those other validated stories that workers are sometimes forced to work off the clock, short changing Mexicans, Texans and Chicago...nians?...Walmart also only covers 48% of their employees with health care plans which are horribly restictive anyway. There are like a zillion things with walmart and healthcare....go here to read about it. Also, the tax dollars of people end up paying for Walmart's greed, here is a PDF fact sheet on that...

Your tax dollars pay for Wal-Mart's greed
The estimated total amount of federal assistance for which Wal-Mart employees were eligible in 2004 was $2.5 billion. [“Harper’s Index,” Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 310, No. 1858, 3/2005]
One 200-employee Wal-Mart store may cost federal taxpayers $420,750 per year. This cost comes from the following, on average:
$36,000 a year for free and reduced lunches for just 50 qualifying Wal-Mart families.
$42,000 a year for low-income housing assistance.
$125,000 a year for federal tax credits and deductions for low-income families.
$100,000 a year for the additional expenses for programs for students.
$108,000 a year for the additional federal health care costs of moving into state children's health insurance programs (S-CHIP)
$9,750 a year for the additional costs for low income energy assistance.

Yes yes, lots of bad things. It also pulls almost a monopolistic characterisitcs...with the size of its presence, and stupidly low prices. And of course, it wouldn't be a rant by me if I didn't mention its effects on the environment. The company has violated the Clean Water Act in 9 different states. In Massachusetts, New Mexico, Okalahoma and Texas it released dischage into waters, which can lead to build ups, and ecological disruption. In Pennsylvania Walmart was fined for polluting water, and in Florida for having unregistered fuel tanks that would overflow, and were not up to date. And finally in Georgia Walmart was fined for water contamination. As you can see just from that, there are a lot of ...not so awesome things with Walmart, you can read a more complete list here. That site doesn't go into urban sprawl, which happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves, and is often associated with big box companies building just on the outskirts of cities allowing for suburban houses to be built, unnecessarily expanding the cities. Anyway this post isn't about all those reasons that Walmart sucks, its about the fact that Walmart is going to be introducing lines of organic products. I love organic produts, I love going to organic markets and looking at all the neat new things they have, and really feeling good after purchasing an entire grocery list of organic, fair trade products. But here is my beef. First of all, I think it's hypocritical of Walmart to start selling organic/fair trade, I think it would be awesome if more people bought that way, but...just something seems out of place with Walmart doing it. Second of all, Walmart doesn't like competition, and its a rich enough company, that those fair trade/organic markets that I go to, are tiny ants in a giants race for stores, Walmart could easily decrease their prices on organics to out do those independent markets virtually putting them out of business. That really, really irritates me.

The dynamic is tense, and extremely interesting. Here’s the money quote from the Wal-Mart side: “At Wal-Mart, executives say a rebirth is occurring inside their no-frills headquarters. "Sustainability" and "trend-right" have entered the corporate lexicon alongside "everyday low prices."”

It would be cool if the entire world was hit by a 'trend' of organic shopping, but...it can't jsut be a trend, and Walmart would be selling them for all the wrong reasons. It just really pisses me off I guess to see huge corporate capitalist pigs chaseing after organics and fair trade like its a huge prize to be won. I don't want it just to be a trend, I don't want people to be buying organics because it seems like the high class, trendy thing to do. I want people to *realize* there is a reason that people buy organic, and an even bigger reason as to why things are labelled as fair trade. People shopping at Walmart buying the organic trend won't look into these things....it'll be like buying a tickle me elmo...no one knows why they were awesome, but everyone had to have one.

OoOoOo Conferences

2006-06-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Right now the Take Back America conference is on... and it actually looks far more interesting than Yearly Kos, but this also isn't its first year going, and isn't just organized by some bloggers. There are a lot of talks that I would want to go see. Like, An Economy the Works, Taking Back the Media, Quality Education for All and Mother Manifesto. Looks gooda. On that link there are postings of some of the speeches that were today. I'm assuming as time goes on, more speeches will be added.

Sentience is annoying...

2006-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge animal rights person, or freak out over animal testing. But, I do think testing on animals for some products like makeup, shampoo, razors...etc. My friends and I led a protest against Gilette a while back, I even have a couple pictures of it. Anyway, Jen at Ideal bite wrote a pretty funny article with her opinion on animal testing...

You know, I am (almost) fine with testing possible cures for cancer and AIDS on chimpanzees, but testing cosmetics on bunnies? Seems unnecessarily cruel. Sure maybe if we squeezed that whole can of mouse in our eyes we would suffer temporary blindness or if we guzzled the whole bottle of shampoo we would poop bubbles and have some other more serious health ramifications, but I say, "so be it if you are that dumb."

Ha ha...it's true though, I understand that accidents happen, but...I think we know enough about regular shampoos that we don't need to be buring the eyes of animals and ect. But instead 100 - 200 million animals worldwide are used and subsequently killed anually, inside universities, animals farms etc. This wikipedia article goes into detail about different species and such. It's pretty interesting.

Treehugger News!

2006-06-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

This episode deals with something I alwasy find really interesting. ...The top 100 best and worst eco companies. In the treehugger article about this episode of treehugger news, there is a link that is *well worth* reading about Poo Powered Prisons!

So easily crushed!

2006-06-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

I really like smart cars. I think they are totally adorable, and that the idea behind them is just great. I love environmetally friendly things! :) But my concern with the smart car was driving on the highway with them, and getting them up to highspeeds and being around big trucks. Imagine what a HUGE ass truck would do to a teeny tiny smart car out on the highway....... Today after work, I got to talk to a guy who was driving one, and he even let me drive it around the block!! Talk about trust! Oye! He said that he has taken it on the highway a few times, and that he can get it up to regular car speeds, but just stays in the right hand lane the entire time. The only problem he had was when it was really windy, I guess the car got a bit harder to control at that time, but nothing that he couldn't handle, just it needed some more attention oh his part. He said it's worth the money you save, and the peice of mind you have because you're not in a hummer or an suv or something of that nature. I will be getting one, or a hybrid, when it comes around to me having to have a car, but however... I don't see myself needing a car at all within the next ...30 years of my life. ...Or ever. *thinks* This is assuming I'll be in the city, as planned. Anywho, cute car! Very fun to drive! I like them.

Still deciding...

2006-06-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

So, I supposedly quit smoking, since I wrote that post I've had at least an entire pack of smokes. And since I'm turning 19 on Tuesday I can only imagine that it is going to get worse...anyway... At Ideal Bite they're promoting organic smokes. ...Now, this is what I'm still deciding on, it has always bugged me that ciggs pollute the air and such. That was alwasy basically my main beef. But that doesn't excuse the fact that also detest how addictive they are. (Btw, I recently heard that Tim Horton's coffee has nicotine in it, it's totally a myth.) I also despise what they do to the inside of bodies, and their advertising. I hate how youth can get a hold of them so easily!! That's just not good! I hate how smoking has become 'the cool thing to do' with a lot of kids because it makes them look 'tough'. But, I'd rather smoke organic cigarettes...I think. The Angry Fat Man posts some good points on this as well. I guess if people *had* to smoke, I'd rather everyone smoked organic, however, in an ideal world no one would smoke...but I'm being a hypocrite with that...but I'm getting better!!!! ...And will keep trying. *makes mental note*

Windy area? Need electricity?

2006-06-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

Then build your own wind turbine! Although the steps are not all finished, and really, you'd need a lot of time and a lot of materials...and it looks like a bit of skill to do it, it's worth looking at! And really, something I'd do if I had the time and materials. It'll generate 1000 watts, I don't really know how much that is, but it says on the EcoGeek blog that it would power a laptop and a microwave at the same time. ...So that's not too bad. Just, I think making it would...be frustrating, at least for someone like me who ...doesn't build things except for 3D Puzzles

Wow...

2006-06-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

Really sad stuff over at Daily Kos, Jeremy's house was rammed with a Ford Truck...lost him a lot of stuff apparently. :( I'm donating, if you have an extra $5 or something to spare, I urge you to do so. (I know a lot of my friends are credit card less...I'd be willing to let you use my number....but ONLY for this thing. I'll freaking kill you if you use it for anything else. I mean it!) Also, if you have *another* $5 to spare, and you support Daily Kos and what they stand for and what not, I urge you to donate to Gina. Of course if you don't even know what Yearly Kos is...then uh, never mind this bit! hehe

Real church signs...

2006-06-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

So we've all seen the church sign generator, and I'm sure you've made few of your own, if not...go forth and do this bidding my children. While reading Rachel Maddow's blog I stumbled onto real church signs. They are pretty funny, a couple of my favorites are God the carpenter and the lovely message from god. Oh, and of course, us free thinkers are *actually* slaves for satan. Hi-lar-ee-ous

Chatting with a minister

2006-06-10T23:32:00.000-07:00

Living with my step dad, who is a minister, I meet a lot of religious people. I meet ministers, choir members, board of directors for churches etc. Well most recently I met a United Church minister that just got back from a sabbatical in Isreal. I'm just remembering this now, because early this morning Palestine fired 10 rockets at Isreal. Luckily, only one woman was injured, and no other casualities were reported. When I met the afore mentioned minister, one of the major questions my step-dad and I had was "weren't you scared? or unsafe?", because you hear things like these 10 rockets being fired, it's just so hard to imagine being in the middle of that. However, he said that he felt very safe, with the exception of one time. He was walking through a back street sort of setting, and men were staring at him while holding huge guns, I guess I'd feel a bit strange too. The minister also mentioned that at night he could hear the bombs dropping, and the gun fire but that it was so contained that he was completely safe, while 10 km over it was a war zone. It's such a weird idea to me, and something I can't get my head around, the idea of living in a war zone. Something I wish no one had to experience, but I selfishly happy that I'm not living in it.

Not a great theme to stick with...

2006-06-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

but to continue Met's posts on cancer, via Bitch, I found someone who's not so lucky to have something to cure it or prevent it. Bitch says it best...

Really. You can stop giving fabulous people fucking cancer now. Find something else to do. Surely there's some planet out there, somewhere, that you need to create life on or something like that, instead.

Fucking sucks.

No link found between childhood cancer & income

2006-06-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Whenever I read something like this, I smile. I hate to read stories about how lower income individuals are more likely to be sick, to wait longer for health care, to die faster and so on. So it is kind of neat to find out that children living in the poorest neighbourhoods aren't more likely to have cancer than those in the richer neighbourhoods.

.....In summary, although selective under- or overreporting of certain types of childhood tumors by socioeconomic status or a potential causal relation between some aspects of socioeconomic status and childhood cancers cannot be excluded, the overall pattern that we observed seems highly compatible with random variability....

Wooo Whoo for random variability! -metroid

Bye Bye Cervical Cancer

2006-06-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

There was a vaccine passed by the Food and Drug Association on Thursday that will give females aged 9-26 protection against cervical cancer!!! Apparently, if administered before one starts having sex - we all know the more sexual partners one has, the greater the chance of contracting cervial cancer is- this new vaccine, Gardasil, prevents infection from the two strains of HPV that is responsible for almost 70% of all cervical cancers. While the side and long-term effects have not yet been discovered, this is still a big step towards something that has not yet been offered in the area of preventative cancer options. This also strikes home for me, for cervical cancer runs in my family, and I've been told there is a high chance of me developing it at some point in my life. While this vaccine may not be helpful for me - as it is not yet available in Canada, and I have already been sexually active- it offers hope for people like my sister, and future generations. And how knows, if this kind of vaccine has been proven successful, what is next in the path to prevent cancer? Very cool. -metroid

Markos Moulitsas Zuniga's evening reception speech at Yearly Kos

2006-06-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Who knows her name???

2006-06-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

While watching the Net Neutrality panel, I really think its time to repost that link to Save The Internet... Sign the petition, contact people...spread the news. The last thing we need is a central controler to the real news that we can get our hands out. The panel is doing a fine job of getting the information out efficently and effectively ... giving good examples of what is going to happen - like "major companies will get to choose what you see" that's scary. Like, big brother scary. However the only downside to all of this... is that the panel is preaching to a room full of other preists. Everyone in the room has signed the petition, and knows all about the coalition. The girl who talked about how neutrality fits into the larger picture, and how it will break the internet into small parts instead of having the huge network that we have...etc...was a great speaker, and had that little 'r' emphasis that I love when she spoke. (This is the name I want to know!!! *looks at the punk* you know, dont you.) (oh! on theForeign Policy panel there was a women who i *think* was Arianna Huffington. I didn't hear her name...but I'm almost positive that's who it was, and she was phenomenal...also, I think my wrist is about to break in half...) Here is PZ's YKos talk, its really great and well worth the time it takes to read it, The Punk keeps doing lots of Ykos updates that are actually pretty amusing despite my set opinion that he has a horribly low sense of humor :), Lindsay's got pictures of some of the highlight speakers and the area, Chris does a bit of an update as well...Almost every democratic blog that you go to right now, has a post updating the YKos events... Some people/places aren't doing updates, but being jerks.

"jesus was flying"

2006-06-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Prior to Howard Dean's speech, 'George Bush' did a speech, and it was ...halarious. Saying we're at war with "iraq - iran and everything in between". During this Q&A section he was asked, why he hated black people, to take of his jacket so we could see his line feed and why we're not getting the terrorists that are in the southern states. His responses were that he doesn't hate black people..he likes some of them, that no one but Jesus was feeding him lines, and that he knows those terrorists - the little brown gay things. That was pretty darned funny...Howard Dean's speech, however, made me want to stick rusty forks into my eyes and then dump rubbing alcohol all over them while having to listen to Ann Coulter tell me how liberalism is a religion. ...He said a few things where I was like ..."oh snap bitches!" but the majority of it...I was just like..."Shut up." I went to the bank 1/2 way through his speech, (I have no idea where there is an RBC in London...someone should help me on that situation.... I found a BMO, but now I can't just all the money I deposited for a week...my birthday is on Tuesday...how do I buy copious amounts of booze with my money being all held up in the bank??) What I got back for was 1/2 the panel on building progressive infrastructure. I don't know who I was watching, but I really really liked him. I'm 98% sure it was David Sirota. I don't remember everything he said, because I got caught up in his speech as opposed to taking notes or whatever it is I do to make specific mental notes...but he made great points about creating our own media, and about all the BS that is spewed from the right with things like "cars are actually good for our air" apparently said somewhere at the TownHall. (I looked, and did not find, however, if I come across it, I will update.) Markos spoke later on...and he was fab like every other time I've seen him speak. (My stream was about 2 seconds off with the words vs. picture, but...oh well, if you stare at his eyes, you dont see his mouth.) He made a point that I for some reason never thought of, that if Kerry would have won, there wouldn't be such a huge deal right now going on about how a democratic government is *needed* its like that whole...absence makes the heart grow fonder. So now, democrates don't have to create huge logos, and huge 'mechineries' because people will almost be begging to have a democratic government. (Markos is adorable, btw, like...he's so modest, but knows he shouldn't be or something, i love it.) Anywhoop, im watching some blogosphere experts next, and then War , Foreign Policy & Activism (...i don't know who the panelists for that are yet...) theeeen a thing on net neutrality (which will probably be the only one I post about...if even that. ) and finally, there is a thing later on about using film to sway shit...but I don't think Im going to watch that one. I have a lot of homework I have yet to get around to.

Welp here goes!

2006-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

So, I got my shift changed at work from today at 12 - 4, to tomorrow 4-9... Merci Pierre!So I can atch all the Yearly Kos stuff today! Except that the stupid stream keeps buffering, and that's horribly annoying. I am however being entertained my a pretty horrible version of Come on Eileen. Today Im looking forward to a speech by Howard Dean, and a panel with Markos on it, and a panel on net neutrality...which I suspect will be really interesting, or at least I hope so! I was dissapointed with the environmental panel yesterday, it was a snorefest and all I kept thinkig was "i've heard all this before..." Us environmentalists really need to ...get more exciting. Anyway, Im assuming I'll update on some yearly kos stuff later on. peeeace. *edit - unless i fall asleep...which right now, looks like a possibility....:S

"See, we're not losing biodiversity"

2006-06-10T07:49:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent me this link and the comment "see, there is no biodiversity problem at all we're actually finding NEW species". I couldn't help buy el-oh-el at him, and then try to explain to him that one shark species doesn't make up for the thousands of other speices that are lost, and the megafaunas, and the bacteria in the Brazilian rainforest that we're cutting all to hell. But, he maintained his stance that as long as we're finding new species, there is no biodiversity crisis what so ever. :( I instructed him to go here and read all the articles...he is still working on that little instruction. But he has sent me one message after about 20 minutes of silence of "oh..." hehe OoOoO, just as an addition to that, look at this zebra thing that is actually related to the giraffe! It has the cutest little feet ever.

Good plans...

2006-06-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

...but will India actually follow through? There is no date or anything set around when the bamboo/rice fuel plant would start or finish which makes me skeptical of if this being an anywhere in the near future plan. All I know (from The Statesman) that The Assam Government has the plan to be self energy efficient by 2016. In Canada we should make one that runs on squirrels.

I know how it feels....

2006-06-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

PZ hates anti-environmentalists too. The story that is in the block quote is one often used for environmentals. Another one is that the car is full of economists arguing and such while the environmentalist is locked in the truck screaming about the lake they're about to drive into.

It's a peculiar pathology that thinks environmentalism is an evil plot, that planning is communism/socialism, and that Jesus was a good capitalist.

Of couse it's an evil plot! Us enviornmentalists are trying to steal your souls and money! *sigh*

Shh Kian, shhhh

2006-06-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...enough about Yearly Kos, but Im watching a speech by Chris Mooney *swoon*...he's a really great speaker, (and he's so cute!!) He talked about a book, the originially cover page on Amazon said:

"liberals have hijacked science long enough - now its our turn."

It apparently does hijack science as it denies global warming, the AIDs epidemic, questions the theory of relativity. Weeeeeeeird and made me laugh my fucking ass off. I wish mooney would shut the fuck up, I have to pee so bad but cant take me eyes off of the video...."so how are you typing this?" ....I can multi task. He is also helping me to...distrust everyone in the world even more. Next question....is Mooney married???? :D j/k..........? PZ's speech was great. (Someone has to be doing transcripts of these right? I can't find them, but...there has to be something, somewhere. Markos posted a copy of his speech, but that's all I can find.)

Just a few ...things.

2006-06-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

1. Daily Kos blogger works with Walmart...I think it would have be okay hadn't he had made it such a big secret kind of situation... But, I bet it'll be bye bye to his fucking corporate loving ass. 2. This is halarious. The anorexia finally caught up with her hardcore. NOW tell me how sexy skinny girls are *pu-leese*. The girl looks like she was vaccum sealed. 3. This guy is such an idiot that he literally made me 'lol'...it really seems as though he's a bit frightened at the fact that so many liberals can come together and unite like they are in Vegas. Fuckind mind blowing to the ultra conservatives I 'spose. 4. And finally, another 'LOL' worthy post. ha ha ha ... Like, wtf?

Im an angry puppy!

2006-06-08T22:52:00.000-07:00

Posts like this just irritate the fuck out of me. Honestly. Like, the stupid bs at the end is ...well, stupid and bs. And the quote its self is what has always bothered me about people. "Hey we don't need to give a fuck now, because we won't be here in 1000 years" ...Yeah, but we're going to be here in 10. Instead of destorying what we have *now* to live off of, prolong it by conserving it. I've always wondered why money driven jerk offs cant get their head around that... The fact is, we're living in the right now. Not in a million years. So C02 matters today, and tomorrow and next week and next year. It is in THAT time frame that we should be setting our eyes on a solution, or at least a depreciation to the destruction.

I just fucking love it...

2006-06-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

All these folks posting along on the blogosphere get sooooo halarious over some things. I've already found one post ramming Yearly Kos. Its pretty funny, and I think he's just jealous. :D sometimes i question the relevance of disses

Oh-one always wants to know whether the other side’s women are more attractive. So rest assured, my gentlemen readers at Hotair, you are on the right side of history. Again, not an extreme case: If you had pictured nothing but young, budding, be-Birkenstocked Helen Thomases traipsing through the Riviera’s halls, seeking whom they may devour, it’s nowhere near that bad; it’s just that I’ve been to CPAC; and this, sir, is no CPAC. Hmm…I think I just saw Wonkette, if she’s your type…

I would like to take this moment to point out - I wear Birkenstocks. And I love them. And really, the more intelligent the girl, the hotter - therefore 'our side' wins by defualt. *burn* hehe

Maddow's mom is Canadian?!?! HYPE

2006-06-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

For once in my life I find myself questioning Maddow's opinion... The very last bit - about none of the senators being suitable ...I think that's a bit off. And that really...almost any of them that run a peace based platform, and get support like Howie did...which should be easier to do now, that it won't be as hard as Maddow and Tucker and saying. ....IMO.

ah shiat...

2006-06-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

I found like a zillion new Rachel Maddow videos.... this one is an addition to the same sex marriage post I made a few days ago... It's interesting because it's less about "gay is bad/good" and more about "what is more fair or democratic about opposing gay marriage?" which is cool.

The evolution of dance

2006-06-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this a little while ago..someone sent the link to me. And I saw it again tonight on The Hour (Yes, Katie's got me hooked) and I thought I'd share it with you all. I love absolutely everything about people dancing, definitely one of my favorite things in the world! It's dope yo. -metroid