Saturday, May 29, 2004

I was reading the Edmonton Journal (Owned by CanWest Global) this morning when I came across an article that was discussing the 'advancement' of humanity through scientific means. Such things as bio-engineering, computer chip implants in the brain, drugs to control emotions/ enhance memory, and a plethora of other technologies. The people that support this idea point to the advances medicine has made in the last 100 years, and I certainly won't argue with that. If I thought that science was pure evil, I would still be a cross-eyed, buck-toothed human.

But I wonder if our various imperfections, inside and out, are what combine to make us truly human. If we have drugs controlling our feelings (actually we already do), what will come of love? Will it be cheapened, a medical shadow of it's true passion?

Comments regarding a 500-year life span were tossed about in this article, which also caused me some concern. Frankly, I don't want to live forever. Would you? I think I might start to take every day for granted. It sounds like a bunch of science fiction, but everyday brings us closer to this reality.

Such advances as nanotechnology hold great promise for new methods of treating cancers and other deadly diseases, but there is always an underside. The technology can be abused, and if history is any indication, it will be. I think that with all this technology on the near horizon, ethics will become more important than ever. I am not against the advancements of science, but I do think we need to critque and monitor them carefully. I suspect that my fathers generation experienced the greatest changes ever seen in human history. To date. My generation is poised to live through the most drastic changes humanity has ever seen. I hope we will mind our way.

Speaking of change and responsibility to speak, the comic "Doonesbury" took a rather drastic step this moring. For those of you who read it, you know that Doonesbury consistently tackles political issues, usually from a left wing slant. In the Saturday comics, the comic strip printed the names of all the soldiers who have died in Iraq. This is in response to the secrecy of the Bush administration when it comes to reporting the true cost of war. It was interesting and long overdue.

Edmonton Folk Fest announced it's lineup for 2004 and it looks good. Check out all the info here.

I have also added a new link, Earth & Sky, which is an informative environmental radio programme. Good for teachers too!

Okay that is more than enough blogging for today. It is raining in this prairie city, drowning the dust and reminding me why I love the coast.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 12:01 PM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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"Well I'm better than dirt. Well, not that store-bought dirt, that stuff is loaded with nutrients. I can't compete with that." Moe Syzlak, The Simposons

Oh man it was a wet and cold morning on the golf course today. But my $12.99 raingear from Army & Navy worked real well, surprise surprise.

Stevey Harper said yesterday that he still stands by his "firewall" signature of a few years ago. You see, before he was the politically correct leader of the Conservatives, Harper was a little less politically careful. He signed his name to a letter, the contents of which urged a more autonomous Alberta, more separated from the meddling Feds. Now he is standing by this issue, something that will surely appease the far-right voters of Canada, and especially Alberta.

However, making this comment is kind of like shooting fish in a barrel, as Harper was in Calgary when he did it. On a country wide scale, these comments are more likely to shoot him in the foot. Far right politics does not fly well with many Canadians and this comment could easily undo all the careful scripting that the Conservatives have done in the past months to position themselves as a moderate, middle ground alternative to the Liberals.

Megan is sick, down and out with a bug she picked up from the hospital. This means that I will be scoring easy brownie points. Why, on the way home from work, I stopped and bought some ginger ale, popsicles and yogurt. Now when she wakes up, I'll be a hero. Shhh, don't tell her.

Meanwhile, I laid down on my bed yesterday at 430pm to do some reading (Churchill Bio, still really good) but dozed off. For 12 hours. Made it easier to get up at 430am this morning, even if I didn't have a wild Friday night.

One love.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 9:50 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Thursday, May 27, 2004

Allo!

Well, Jack Layton, leader of the federal NDP, said last night that because of Paul Martin's cuts to affordable housing areas during the early-mid 90s, people died. Ergo, Paul Martin is responsible for homeless people's deaths. A little harsh, I would say, and certainly politically incorrect. This may well haunt the NDP for the rest of the election run. These kind of comments can easily portray an entire party as extremist.

It's funny, in a sad way, that as I get older I find myself ending up going places I would rather not be, a saving face sort of existence. I always thought, as I played in my sandbox, that once I was an adult, I could do whatever the hell I wanted. But that isn't the case sometimes. Sigh.

I was working today, like a good little clock, right around the clubhouse. And I thought to myself that next summer, and hopefully the summers that follow, I will be the one sitting on the patio, drinking beer, instead of working around it while others wet their whistle. Soon, Jay, soon.

Bought Timothy Findley's novel Spadework yesterday at the Wee Book Inn on Whyte. $6 + tax, you can't go wrong. I've been meaning to read it for a while. I like the Wee Book Inn, it's kinda like a big treasure hunt. Yes, I am a nerd, but I'm bigger than you and I have a dark side, so shut it.

Off to read the paper.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 3:18 PM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Wednesday, May 26, 2004

An interesting op-ed article, passed along from the only Lefty still left in blue Calgary. Thanks Todd!

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 6:36 PM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Just finished the last midterm ever. It went well, although it would have been better to write it without a splitting headache. Stupid neck, I'm just about ready to start listening to Megan about physio treatment.

I finished reading James Joyce's Dubliners, which I really enjoyed. It is a collection of snapshots froms the wide economic and social strata that was Dublin in the early 1900s. Well written, detailed and to the point.

Now I am reading a biography of Winston Churchill, who most of you should know of. He was the Prime Minister of Britain during WW2. It is a huge biography, actually it is two books. Book one, which is what I am reading now, is about 850 pages long and runs 1874-1939. Book two is pretty much dedicated to WW2 and after. So far it is a good read.

Talked with Cadrin last night and much to my disappointment, he is coming to Edmonton this weekend. Dammit, that means I have to get ready for what promises to be a huge political arguement, what with the election call. Gonna be fun.

Okay, I can't think of anything else, so I'll sign off for now. Play a practical joke on someone before the weekend.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 10:40 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

shout out out out out out

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Monday, May 24, 2004

First, some music/poetry from Ben Harper

Forever
Not talkin' 'bout a year
No not three or four
I don't want that kind of forever
In my life anymore
Forever always seems
to be around when it begins
but forever never seems
to be around when it ends
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you

People spend so much time
Every single day
Runnin' 'round all over town
Givin' their forever away
But no not me
I won't let my forever roam
and now I hope I can find
my forever a home
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you

Like a handless clock with numbers
An infinite of time
No not the forever found
Only in the mind
Forever always seems
to be around when things begin
but forever never seems
to be around when things end
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you

I am studying, or at least attempting to, in my favorite Whyte Ave cafe, when this guy comes through the door. It's a slow day for everyone except this guy who is trying to sell something to the girl behind the counter. Now, she seems nice, but I doubt she is the owner. But he's talking a mile a minute.

"How much do you think this is worth? Well, it's cheaper than that because of this liquidation sale that is going on. Regular, thats regular price, is $62.99, but today it's only $45.00. Good buy eh?" Yadda yadda yadda. The girl can't even get a word in, this guy is talking so fast. High pressure must be this guys middle name. He left, almost as fast as he was talking, having not made a sale. I watched him go and hit the books a little harder.

Election call and immediately the nasty talk starts. Look, I don't like every candidate or party, but I would appreciate that some genuine information about party policy, instead of ads telling me why candidate X is the spawn of Satan. It's not as bad as the US, but give it another 10 years.

And the Edmonton Journal has this section called "Venting." It's a small section, usually in the City section of the paper, where people can write a sentence or two, 'venting' about whatever is pissing them off that day. Today they had a special edition of "Election Venting." Now I have a theory that the people who write into Venting are simply too lazy/dumb to write a proper letter to the editor. As such, the comments are usually black vs. white and rather uninformed. Such was the case today, as there was a lot of pro-Conservative tidbits, slamming the Liberals. Look, fine you have your opinion. But I'm not going to respect it unless you can back up you 'vents' with some solid info. I'm not picking up the Journal to read Edmonton Sun commentary.

As well, Deputy Minister Anne Mclellan, who is the only Liberal elected from Edmonton and is also one of the closest people to the PM, is already preparing to do battle to save her seat. She won last time by a super super slim majority, and it looks like that will be the case again, if she wins at all. Now tell me why Alberta, who is always bitching about Western alienation, would want to not re-elect someone who is going to be sitting on the PM's shoulder, whispering in his ear. She is aware of the Alberta points of view, yet Blue Alberta writes her off as ineffective. And if/when she loses, and Alberta has no voice with the PM, the voices of western alienation will rise again, decrying the ignorance of the East.

As an aside, I do think that western alienation is bullshit, at least regarding Alberta. As the richest province in Canada, we have a lot of power and we do get listened to, if only because of our finances. Maybe in the old days, but not now. We have a lot of power and alienation is nothing more than a political distraction tool thrown up by Ralphy everytime he doesn't get his way.

Politics, they angry up my blood. Good day.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 11:20 AM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

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Sunday, May 23, 2004

"What would you change if you could?"~~ Counting Crows

Man, that is one loaded question. I'll plead the fifth, thank you very much.

A sovereign thought, delivered to your door at 4:49 PM ~~ 0 bonsai trees

shout out out out out out

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