Another week and another bailout by the Bush government. This wouldn't be so bad if the government was also taking steps to help those who might not run banks and insurance companies.
Instead, Bush has largely just stood by while record numbers of people are forced from their homes. I know. I know. I shouldn't question him. After all, if nothing else, Bush is all about the (rich, republican, born again) common folks.
Sadly, something doesn't add up. Now, I will freely admit my religious beliefs are nowhere near as strong as Bush's but I'm beginning to wonder if we are even reading from the same bible. I've been thumbing through my King James Version all morning and I have yet to find the part about protecting the money lenders and forsaking the poor.
Even better, the attitude behind this bias is that people should not expect the government to bail them out for making ill-informed, rash decisions. They should bear responsibility for trying to take advantage of a market that was out of control.
Who says irony is dead?
Perhaps Mr. Bush should put down his bible and find himself a dictionary. There's got to be one somewhere in the White House library, left by a president who might've actually cracked the spine on a book or two. He should then look up the word hypocrite.
(Of course, chances are the library has already been converted into a Presidential rec room, complete with 100 inch plasma, la-z-boy and ping pong table.)
Books, Music, More Books, Travel, Even More Books. . .
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Why I'm Starting to Turn Green
This federal election has been tough for me. I mean, I know what I don't want - that's a Harper government of any stripe but particularly not a majority. As for the government I want, that's a little harder to define. The Liberals have never really excited me. The NDP have irked me since the Alexa McDonough days when the party that should have worried about labour issues seemed to base it's whole platform around children and the elderly. Not that I have anything against children and the elderly, it's just that I expected more from the NDP and didn't get it.
This has left me with few options. One year, I even voted Marxist-Leninist because it was only in the fringe parties that I saw my interests being addressed.
This year, though, I may wind up turning Green. I've never really had much interest in the party. I guess I never really looked at what they stood for other than the environment. Looking at their platform, though, I see a lot to like:
Restoring the GST to 6 per cent from its currently 5 per cent. Transfer the revenue to cities for environmental infrastructure projects such as public transit.
$50-a-tonne carbon tax that would that would be used to fund poverty reduction measures and reduce income taxes.
Mandatory three-week vacation.
Reduced payroll taxes to encourage more employment instead of more overtime.
They also want to decriminalize marijuana. Not something that will affect me, personally, but I do have friends who will like that. Besides, I've never really understood how alcohol can be legal and even promoted with massive amounts of advertising while marijuana is vilified. And, no, Cheech and Chong movies don't count as advertising.
As part of their environment platform, they are also big into trains. I'm not sure how feasible the notion of twinning rails are as it's pretty much already been done where it is most cost effective, but more money into infrastructure and technology will make the greener way even, well, greener.
Besides, you have to love a party that's willing to campaign by train. It sure beats the other parties, who talk about the environment and then jet off to the next town.
Perhaps we should require all the parties to campaign by train. Put them all on one train (with a suite of cars devoted to each party) and then, rather than popping into towns for meaningless soundbites, they may be tempted to engage in actual dialogue and debate. Heck, if they were forced to share the same dining car each night, they might actually find ways to bridge the ever widening gaps between their parties.
With a campaign train, they would wind up visiting more communities, big and small, close and remote (how about having the debate in Churchill, Manitoba or White River, Ontario). Of course, other modes of transportation would be allowed for regions not covered by rail, like the Territories, P.E.I. and Newfoundland.
This has left me with few options. One year, I even voted Marxist-Leninist because it was only in the fringe parties that I saw my interests being addressed.
This year, though, I may wind up turning Green. I've never really had much interest in the party. I guess I never really looked at what they stood for other than the environment. Looking at their platform, though, I see a lot to like:
Restoring the GST to 6 per cent from its currently 5 per cent. Transfer the revenue to cities for environmental infrastructure projects such as public transit.
$50-a-tonne carbon tax that would that would be used to fund poverty reduction measures and reduce income taxes.
Mandatory three-week vacation.
Reduced payroll taxes to encourage more employment instead of more overtime.
They also want to decriminalize marijuana. Not something that will affect me, personally, but I do have friends who will like that. Besides, I've never really understood how alcohol can be legal and even promoted with massive amounts of advertising while marijuana is vilified. And, no, Cheech and Chong movies don't count as advertising.
As part of their environment platform, they are also big into trains. I'm not sure how feasible the notion of twinning rails are as it's pretty much already been done where it is most cost effective, but more money into infrastructure and technology will make the greener way even, well, greener.
Besides, you have to love a party that's willing to campaign by train. It sure beats the other parties, who talk about the environment and then jet off to the next town.
Perhaps we should require all the parties to campaign by train. Put them all on one train (with a suite of cars devoted to each party) and then, rather than popping into towns for meaningless soundbites, they may be tempted to engage in actual dialogue and debate. Heck, if they were forced to share the same dining car each night, they might actually find ways to bridge the ever widening gaps between their parties.
With a campaign train, they would wind up visiting more communities, big and small, close and remote (how about having the debate in Churchill, Manitoba or White River, Ontario). Of course, other modes of transportation would be allowed for regions not covered by rail, like the Territories, P.E.I. and Newfoundland.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Genius
Anyone else out there playing with the new Itunes novelty Genius? It was on the latest software update. What it does is offer up a playlist from your library based on a song you select.
For instance, I used genius on the song Desert Island by the Magnetic Fields.
Genius offered up the following selection after Desert Island:
1. Echos Myron by Guided by Voices
2. As You Turn to Go by The 6ths
3. Magnet's Coil by Sebadoh
4. Nice Day for a Sulk by Belle and Sebastian
5. Rollercoaster by Jesus and Mary Chain
6. Singapore by Tom Waits
7. Young Lions by The Constantines
8. Gimme Danger by Iggy Pop
9. The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing by the Magnetic Fields
10. the Daniel Johnston song Go covered by Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips
It actually goes on for another 14 songs but you get the idea. It will also offer up a sidebar of recommended songs to buy from itunes, but that is easy enough to hide.
My friend Adam, singer-songwriter and music geek extraordinaire, is quite taken by the concept. He cites some of the almost uncanny selections that appear, songs that compliment or juxtapose themes and styles in ways he might not have come up with himself. He says it has given him a new way to look at his music collection.
I'm not quite so excited, but I think it's an interesting experiment. I keep looking for the stranger, more obscure tunes in my library and checking what Genius will come up with. Overall, it's been pretty good. I can see using it like my own personal radio station for when I'm puttering about.
Speaking of which, I have some laundry and cleaning to do. So excuse me while I putter. . .
For instance, I used genius on the song Desert Island by the Magnetic Fields.
Genius offered up the following selection after Desert Island:
1. Echos Myron by Guided by Voices
2. As You Turn to Go by The 6ths
3. Magnet's Coil by Sebadoh
4. Nice Day for a Sulk by Belle and Sebastian
5. Rollercoaster by Jesus and Mary Chain
6. Singapore by Tom Waits
7. Young Lions by The Constantines
8. Gimme Danger by Iggy Pop
9. The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing by the Magnetic Fields
10. the Daniel Johnston song Go covered by Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips
It actually goes on for another 14 songs but you get the idea. It will also offer up a sidebar of recommended songs to buy from itunes, but that is easy enough to hide.
My friend Adam, singer-songwriter and music geek extraordinaire, is quite taken by the concept. He cites some of the almost uncanny selections that appear, songs that compliment or juxtapose themes and styles in ways he might not have come up with himself. He says it has given him a new way to look at his music collection.
I'm not quite so excited, but I think it's an interesting experiment. I keep looking for the stranger, more obscure tunes in my library and checking what Genius will come up with. Overall, it's been pretty good. I can see using it like my own personal radio station for when I'm puttering about.
Speaking of which, I have some laundry and cleaning to do. So excuse me while I putter. . .
A New Greener Me
Baby steps. . . Baby steps. . .
Lately, I've become sort of bothered by the number of coffee cups I've been using. I love my coffee but I hate making it for myself. As such, I often make the trek down the street to the local Starbucks. Enough trips to Starbucks and even I could see I was wasting a lot of trees.
As such, in a fit of guilt (or whimsy), I went out and bought a stainless steel coffee mug. It feels sort of odd to walk into a coffee shop with your own mug, but the people behind the counter didn't seem to mind.
My verdict? Mixed.
On the plus side, I'm reducing waste. I'm also saving myself some money.
On the minus side, the air-tight seal isn't really all that air tight. I'm glad I was close to home when I first used the mug because walking alround all day with coffee all over my shirt would not have been fun. It's not too bad as long as you're careful, though.
What I'll have to do next is get one for at work.
Now all I have to do is try to cut out the plastic water bottles. . .
Lately, I've become sort of bothered by the number of coffee cups I've been using. I love my coffee but I hate making it for myself. As such, I often make the trek down the street to the local Starbucks. Enough trips to Starbucks and even I could see I was wasting a lot of trees.
As such, in a fit of guilt (or whimsy), I went out and bought a stainless steel coffee mug. It feels sort of odd to walk into a coffee shop with your own mug, but the people behind the counter didn't seem to mind.
My verdict? Mixed.
On the plus side, I'm reducing waste. I'm also saving myself some money.
On the minus side, the air-tight seal isn't really all that air tight. I'm glad I was close to home when I first used the mug because walking alround all day with coffee all over my shirt would not have been fun. It's not too bad as long as you're careful, though.
What I'll have to do next is get one for at work.
Now all I have to do is try to cut out the plastic water bottles. . .
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What I'm Reading
Not much to say so I figured I'd offer up a couple of choice lines from books I've been reading lately:
"-he's the kind of guy who would make a heavy-breathing call collect if he could get away with it."
- Changing Places by David Lodge
"oh god it's wonderful
to get out of bed
and drink too much coffee
and smoke too many cigarettes
and love you so much"
- from Steps by Frank O'Hara from the book Lunch Poems
"What happens in the heart simply happens."
- from Child's Park by Ted Hughes from the book Birthday Letters
"-he's the kind of guy who would make a heavy-breathing call collect if he could get away with it."
- Changing Places by David Lodge
"oh god it's wonderful
to get out of bed
and drink too much coffee
and smoke too many cigarettes
and love you so much"
- from Steps by Frank O'Hara from the book Lunch Poems
"What happens in the heart simply happens."
- from Child's Park by Ted Hughes from the book Birthday Letters
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Stealing from Ninjas. . .
I had to steal this link from Bookninja (http://www.bookninja.com/). It's a comic story about a bookseller. Odd and cool.
http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/5408800.html
By the way, if you aren't checking out bookninja regularly, you are missing out.
http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/5408800.html
By the way, if you aren't checking out bookninja regularly, you are missing out.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Why I Like The Huffington Post
Citing Republican VP nominee Palin's affection for earmarks and old-school budgetary pork (the very pork she claims to be against), they posed the question - What's the difference between Sarah Palin and an old-style GOP crony?
Lipstick.
Ba-da Ba.
I spend way too much time watching and reading American political news and views. Of course, I can excuse myself by saying I'm just doing research. I mean, all you have to do is watch what the Republicans do and say and you'll get a good idea of what to expect from Mr. Harper.
By the way, if you are not already reading Yann Martel's blog http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/, you really need to start. His latest post is a response to the Conservative's recent cuts in arts funding. It's a good one.
Lipstick.
Ba-da Ba.
I spend way too much time watching and reading American political news and views. Of course, I can excuse myself by saying I'm just doing research. I mean, all you have to do is watch what the Republicans do and say and you'll get a good idea of what to expect from Mr. Harper.
By the way, if you are not already reading Yann Martel's blog http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/, you really need to start. His latest post is a response to the Conservative's recent cuts in arts funding. It's a good one.
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