Not Related

The following stories are ^not related.

Canadians increasingly cynical about state of democracy: Hepburn
Voters are losing trust in the way Canada’s democracy works.

Nuh-uh!

Living in the Age of Dumbness
By Janice Kennedy, Ottawa Citizen

Right now, at least in North America, human civilization seems to be wallowing hip-deep in an Age of Determined Dumbness.

It’s depressing, and ironic. No other civilization has ever been as educated, informed and technologically advanced as ours.

Even in that article, there’s nary a mention of climate change or pollution to help make that point. There’s not a dumber fact of life than making short term ‘gains’ for known long term permanent pain. There’s also nothing more human. Pass the booze.

Cats On The Net

This one goes back a few years now…

April 6, 2006 Thursday
Final Edition
SASKATCHEWAN: Mayor’s approval rating with felines is suspect
BYLINE: The Star Phoenix

Residents of a village in southern Saskatchewan may want to be on the lookout for a cat that’s got a definite taste for politics.

The mayor of Wood Mountain says he spent three days in hospital last week receiving antibiotic treatment for an infection after the feline bit him.

Michael Klein says he was chomped while at the home of a business acquaintance. He perhaps should have seen it coming.

The same cat bit him a year earlier on the hand, forcing him to get antibiotics and a tetanus shot.

Klein says he is now fine, but the status of the cat is not so assured. It has disappeared.

The Garlic: Interview With Carbon Dioxide

The Onion hasn’t lived up to its journalistic standards of fake news, so I’m writing a piece for The Garlic, and interviewing Carbon Dioxide to get its thoughts on surpassing the dangerous 400 parts per million mark.

John Klein (JK): So, Carbon Dioxide, do you mind if I call you Carbon for short?

Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Sure John, no problem. I’ll even let you abbreviate my name to CO2 without making the two subscript.

JK: Very kind of you, Carbon.

CO2: No problem, it’s my pleasure to help out. It’s the least I can do, for helping to destroy your climate.

JK: It’s really humanity’s fault though for burning so much fossil fuel. You can’t take responsibility for that, you’re just a molecule created through oxidation of carbon.
Let’s get to the questions. How do you feel about surpassing 400 ppm in the atmosphere for the first time during human civilization?

CO2: I feel pretty negative about the whole situation, right down to my electrons. I was quite content at levels under 300 ppm, and it seems like only a few years ago that I was at 350 ppm.

JK: It was only a few years ago you were at 350 ppm, before 1988.

CO2: Anyway, I feel really burned out by all of this talk about sequestering me. I’d rather spend time at the ocean.

JK: You mean you by becoming carbonic acid in the Earth’s oceans, and harming shell fish and other aquatic life?

CO2: There’s no malice intended, I’m just a molecule, as you’ve already pointed out. If you had a choice between taking a soak in the ocean, or being put into a high pressure situation under the Canadian plains, what would you choose?

JK: I see your point.

CO2: It’s not easy being humankind’s most despised molecule, with some many millions out to reduce my levels. I can count on some support from misguided, or well paid carbon fluffers, but it’s not easy being anti-green. At least plants (and potted plants in Congress) love me.
See:

Another twisted and scientifically bad #climate piece in the #WSJ. Deceptive from the first paragraph to the last. online.wsj.com/article/SB1000….—
Peter Gleick (@PeterGleick) May 09, 2013

JK: The plants that don’t end up underwater from flooding, or burned from drought, love you?

CO2: Yes.

JK: My city has been trying to cut back on creating Carbon Dioxide since the early 1990s. Here’s a sign from 1999′s Cool Down The City Challenge:

They installed one bike rack for ten bikes. There are over 220,000 people in Regina. It would appear people don’t take Carbon Dioxide very seriously.

CO2: My influence on human civilization and daily life is vastly underestimated by most people.

JK: Indeed. It was a pleasure speaking to you, I should let you get back to warming our atmosphere too much.

CO2: Thanks for asking me to talk, John. I think I’m going to chill for a bit (as a liquid, naturally).

JK: Poor Carbon gets such a bum rap. There are so many good politicians on its case.

Atmospheric CO2 levels breached 400ppm for first time in history of human civ. A sad milestone. A call to action. bit.ly/10ztcQU—
Al Gore (@algore) May 10, 2013

Oil The Humanity!

Oww, my sides would be hurting from laughing at the irony of this situation, if it weren’t a deadly serious joke that the Conservatives are playing on Canadians.

On a public relations mission to convince the public that the BC coast will be safe from oil spills, the clean-up vessel ran aground on a sandbar, and was delayed by hours.

British Columbia’s largest oil spill response vessel got stuck on a sandbar en route to a federal news conference where Monday about strengthening Canada’s oil spill defences.

This was only a test. If this had been a real emergency, your coastline would be covered in oil. Joe Oliver would be cackling.

You really have to love it when a press conference fails so badly for any politician hell bent on pitching a catastrophic idea destined to ruin lives and our environment.

Conservative Shampoo

Conservative #CPC brand Election Shampoo: CHEAT, RINSE, REPEAT! Endorsed by Cheater Peter.

Also available is #CPC brand Hide Detergent. If the opposition is throwing dirt, use Hide.

–

Here’s my list of election crimes in Canada recently, and what’s (not) been done about them.

–

See Penashue when asked a question.

Here’s a TV campaign ad.

==

Here’s a nice clip of PM Harper misleading the country about coalition governments.

Tarsand Analogy

This is an unpolished analogy of Canada’s attitude toward the tarsand/climate change problem.

Let’s say Canada is a person complaining about their weight (they think their carbon footprints are too heavy). To solve this problem they read a diet book that their friend Europa suggested to them, and they even try to get FIT in the Ontario core area, but they continue to eat at the greasy Tar Sands Cafe every day and never learn to cook their own meals in a solar oven. Canada’s friend Alberta and Tex suggest a new method of eating at the Tar Sands which will improve Canada’s bank account by next year. The only catch is that it requires hooking a food line right into a vein and causes early death. Canada isn’t totally sold on the idea, but is addicted, so this mainline seems like an option. Plus, they’re scared about not having enough money.

Canada could choose to start using their solar oven, and make meals at home, but would have to convince Tex and Alberta to join them in making healthier food. That seems like too much work, and it’s so much easier to take the mainline and watch Rex Murphy rant on TV about how things should never change. The dough rolls in, and the weight piles on.

Russian Dash-cameras

The meteor strike last week made more people realize the prevalence of dash-cams in Russia. I’d seen shocking vehicle footage on YouTube before, one of a brick flying from a truck and killing a passenger in a car going the other way. The Guardian put together an assortment of unusual vehicle incident videos. The one of the car being hung up on the street car wire is particularly unusual, as are the two with jets. Unfortunately one with a jet, is a crash, where four on the plane died. I’d be more than a little terrified if a hail of debris suddenly washed over the highway in front of me (with a wheel hitting the car in front too).

Flight and Death

Last week I watched “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” [9/10] which is a must-see movie, not only if you love it when alien bugs invade brains. I won’t spoil the ending, but someone important dies.

I saw the end of “Death Race” [3/10] and I’m glad I didn’t see the beginning.

==

Time for a humourous song moment:

United Breaks More Guitars

I think this was the coolest model plane ever, and I only just discovered the video of it:

Model plane flight doesn’t always work:

Bones of Kings

The discovery of Richard III’s grave is pretty awesome. Bonus, he was still inside it! It’s really hard to get the motivation to leave a grave though, it doesn’t happen very often anyway, and is entirely with assistance.

And here’s another thing entirely:

Make Fun in Regina

Of course, you can write in the snow too; Write with your finger.

-Here’s where I narrowly missed the Archives Week presentation on prohibition of alcohol.