Quantify your Emotion:

Do you ever wonder if Hallmark’s success is because their cards reflect life? Or is it because life reflects Hallmarks? So often these days we’re told what to feel and how to feel it. (c’mon, don’t tell me that teen angst wasn’t a least a little prolonged by watching too much Degrassi.) We think that in North America we are generally good people. Maybe it’s simply because we can afford it, that kindness cost us virtually nothing. Nevetheless our goodness is largely true, judging by our actions. I would argue that if good walls make good neighbours, then that’s why we’re the best. We walk around with walls a mile high in a society where it’s practically rude to express genuine emotion or opinion. Oh wait, that’s my cue, turn up the joy dial, okay, now for the sympathy button and mix it with a little regretful empathy. Short and measured bursts of emotion that we hurl at one another, and why? Because in our modern world, there’s no time for reality. We cannot afford to invest the time and energy necessary to create and maintain true emotional bonds. This, coupled with the personal expectation heaped on us by the media to be the star of our own Hollywood movie with all its drama, we simply fake it. We're going through the motions as expected of us. Most of us barely even notice when we do it anymore. In the day where our happiness can be quantified into a colon-bracket symbol and our laughter compartmentalized into a three letter acronym, what’s the point of real interaction? What need is there to let down our inner walls of solitude and open ourselves up to hurt in a meaningful, commitment-requiring relationship with one single individual when we can express a crass ream of diverse quantified emotions to dozens of other virtual people with all the gratification of emotional interaction without the risk?

Look online. Maybe the Beatles didn’t have the internet in mind when they sang Eleanor Rigby but when you look at all the lonely people you’ll end up on the web.(I realize the irony, as this is a blog) So many people interacting with other people, we hail it as the downfall of communication barriers! But in reality, most are socially lonely and personally isolated people who discover they can become someone that other people love without condition. To gain this supposed unconditional acceptance without risk all that is required is simply to be a not-you. It’s basically an masked egofuck fest for those who feel void of all meaningful personal relationships in their real lives. And why do they feel this way? Why does anyone feel alone? Because they are too afraid to realize that even as they feel isolated, even as they feel alone, unloved, maybe unlovable, that the person next to them, and probably everyone around them, is feeling the exact same thing. Relationships are built on trust, and trust on mutual vulnerability. To trust someone, you have to let down your wall and be vulnerable to them, likewise they need to be vulnerable to you by letting down their wall. This is scary thing, and it’s sad but some people stay scared their whole lives. And by the way Erika, this isn’t an encouragement for group hugging, that’s just gross. To end it off, I think the Googoo Dolls had it right when they said: "when everything feels like the movies/ ya you bleed just to know you’re alive."

Somedays, I feel like bleeding, then atleast my life would be more like a movie.

July Review

AUGUST so named after Caesar Augustus, replacing sextilis and placed in honour of Cleopatra's suicide (remember Augustus was actually Octavian).

July has been named as the hottest month on record in the Netherlands since 1706, when temperatures were first recorded.

Steve Nash shaved his head.

Edmonton and Calgary report record-high energy use.

Heat related deaths in the US reach atleast 29, in France: 40.

UK pea growers abandon 20% of crops due to drought.

Two typhoons hit China, causing atleast 612 deaths and half and million evacuees.

The natural range of the tiger has now fallen 7% of historic area.

Antibiotics are not recommended for any illness involving a runny nose.

44% of Canadians stay at the bank where they opened their first accounts.

Those who start excercising after the age of 40 still have a 55% chance of avoiding heart disease or strokes.

Medical painkillers now account for more accidental overdose deaths than heroine and cocaine combined. (4451 painkillers in US, 2569 cocaine, 1061 heroine)

Badly polluted air contributes to heart disease. (Up to about 40% higher chance if you live in a badly polluted area)

Isreali forces killed four United Nations observers, including one Canadian, when they bombed a UN observation outpost of which they clearly knew the location. this brings the number of Canadians to die by Isreali fire in the recent attacks to 9.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) recently held joint-military exercises. This alliance comprises of China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan with Iran as an observer state, similar to the Partnership programme in NATO (the PfP, EAPC, MAPs, IPAPs etc.) These developments have worried some NATO nations.

The British Navy has new laws limiting bagpipe practising to 15 minutes a day indoors, 24 minutes outdoors. Earplugs are mandatory. Bagpipes produce 111 decibels.

Suzane Von Richthofen, relation to Manfred Von Richthofen(aka the Red Baron), was found guilty of cooercing her boyfriend and his brother to kill her parents by bludgeoning in Sao Paulo. Wierd.

The recent success of M15, Britain's domestic Security Service, in stopping an extremist plot is only one of 20 some Islamic extremist plots in the past few years it has successfully stopped. This is often not mentioned.

Two of the more conservative members of the Kansas Board of Education were ousted. This shows a marked change in the ID/Evolution battle in Kansas.

Arnie proposed bill AB32, which would effect many green policies in California, including pollution caps on industry. This is the first bill of its kind in the US. California is currently the 12th largest greenhouse gas emmiter in the world.

August 13th marked Fidel Castro's 80th birthday.(see my profile picture). He has recovered from surgery and is doing well. Bush, in his arrogance, had set up a Cuban Transition Commision in 2003 hoping that Fidel died soon and US could once again dictate Cuba's affairs, like it does with everyone else's.

The Orange Revolution of Ukraine, as we all know failed quite some time ago, but truly is dead after Victor Yanukovich reclaimed power recently and Yulia Tymnoshenko maybe arrested on charges of corruption.

Dell laptop batteries produced by Sony between 2004 and now may suddenly catch fire or explode, so watch out.

Uranium oxide has raised from 7.25$/pound in 2001 to 47.25$/pound. Anyone else saying why didn't I invest in Cameco? (sadly I actually considered it, then decided to start with the security of a mutual fund instead. My mutual funds have reaped about 1% over five years. Not even close to offsetting the devaluation caused by inflation. But then, I was only 15.)

Singapore rises as a private banking paradise, totaling over 200 billion dollars of private assets managed there. Still not competition for Switzerland(in the trillions), but gaining strength.

World Bank gets its God on. The Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics, a small World Bank programme has earned success in involving religious groups in its iniatives, such as fighting malaria, AIDS education and water distribution in India.

Vaginal microbicides are in testing phases for human use to prevent the transmission of such viruses as HIV.

Grinnell Glacier in Montana's Glacier National Park has shrunk by 70% in the past century.

Congress debates a bill designed to prevent large companies from converting the internet into a two-tiered system where those web-sites that pay extra fees will load faster and all others will be condemned to a low, dial-up-like speed. This is important because it may take longer to get your Handsblog news.

This has been your update.

Little known trivia

The world's first commercial fibre optics telecommunications network was the 3268 kilometres system created by SaskTel in Saskatchewan in 1982.

The world's first documentary film was Nanook of the North, which was shot in Canada by Robert Flaherty in 1922.

Henry Woodward of Toronto invented the first electric light bulb in 1874. He later sold a share in his patent to Thomas Edison, who designed a more practical bulb in 1879.

The greatest contribution to nuclear theory at a Canadian university was Ernest Rutherford's theory of atomic structure, which he developed while at McGill University in 1902. It earned him the Nobel Prize in 1908.

Canadian National Anthem

Here is an interesting look at our national anthem. Left is the full French version - translated via jonathon- and the right side of the / is the corresponding full English version. Note: French version was written shortly after 1880, current English lyrics written by Mr. Justice Robert Stanley Weir in 1908. O Canada became Canada's official national anthem in 1980, 100 years after it was composed.

O Canada! Land of our forebears, / O Canada! Our home and native land!
Your brow is girdled with glorious jewels! / True patriot love in all thy sons command.
For your arm knows how to carry the sword, / With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
It knows how to carry the cross! / The True North strong and free!
Your history is an epic / From far and wide, O Canada,
Of the most brilliant of exploits. / We stand on guard for thee.
And your valour, tempered by faith, / God keep our land glorious and free!
Will protect our hearths and our rights. / O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
Protect our hearths and our rights. / O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Under the eye of God, ‘side a river great, / O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
The Canadian grows with the hope, / Great prairies spread And lordly rivers flow,
That he is born of a fierce race, / How dear to us thy broad domain,
Blessed is his cradle. / From East to Western Sea,
Heaven has made his career, / Thou land of hope, for all who toil!
In this New World. / Thou True North strong and free!
Always guided by the Light, / God keep our land glorious and free!
He guards the honour of his flag; / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!
He guards the honour of his flag. / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!

From his master, forerunner of the true God, / O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
He carries to the battlefront the ring of fire. (or : enrobed in flame) /May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
The enemy of tyranny, /To keep thee steadfast through the years
Yet full of loyalty, / From East to Western Sea,
He keeps in harmony with / Our own beloved native land!
His proud liberty; / Our True North strong and free!
And by the endeavour of his genius, / God keep our land glorious and free!
On our soil is the seat of truth, / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!
On our soil is the seat of truth. / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!

The sacred love of the throne and of the altar, / Ruler Supreme,
Fills our hearts with your immortal breath! / who hearest humble prayer,
Among foreign races, / Hold our Dominion in Thy loving care.
Our guide is the law: / Help us to find, O God, in Thee
We know how to be a people of brothers, / A lasting, rich reward,
Under the yoke of faith. / As waiting for the Better Day
As we repeat, like our fathers, / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!
The victorious cry: "For Christ and king," / O Canada! We stand on guard for thee!
The victorious cry: "For Christ and king," / We ever stand on guard.

Fun test

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 60% Conservative, 40% Liberal

Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

Ethics: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

I posted song lyrics like Teegs, so now I'll post a poem like Tah. It has no butterflies, so Erika, don't read it.

I watched quietly by as the beam of sun fell down,
striking the mote of dust into flame without a sound.
Above shifting piano chords that rippling waved –
a breathless, soundless tremor where my maudlin spirit bathed.

To the cooing of pigeons amid the smell of rain,
soft waking of ancient faces, old voices of pain.
Snuggle warm, sit beneath homeknit wool of countless smiles,
to the titter-tatter of droplets on the naked cold tiles.

Quiet melodies embrace my heart and hold it dear,
among scarlet-clothed maples, beneath a sky grown clear.
With Loss – solemn, but so comforting – now do I dance,
as I, to your stone beneath these scarlet leaves, still glance.

INEQUALITY & THE SUBVERSION OF MERITOCRACY

In the ideal world of our democratic and egalitarian initiatives, we must seek to install a meritocratic system of advancement.

Meritocracy: 1)A system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. 2) a form of social system in which power goes to those with superior intellects 3) the belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth.

Meritocratarian ideals combined with true egalitarianism (equality of opportunity), are a defiance of aristocracy and redefine the elite of society as the most deserving and persevering to be in the positions of authority and power. Meritocracy also upholds utilitarianism, as placement and advancement based on best qualified and most able delivers greater productivity to society. It is inherently specialization oriented.

Nepotism is generally considered an unfair, outdated and corrupt system for society; yet, in place of this model, we have installed proportional or ‘interest’ placement. In our fervour for equality we have sought equality of result before equality of opportunity, and uniformity through divisive classification. This is absurd. The idea that if Race A constitutes 30% of the population and Gender B constitutes 50% of the population, that 15% of any given position in society should be from this racegender combination, is not only laughably unequal, but senseless. It is a denial of utilitarianism, as it limits efficiency and the potential of society. It marginalises deserving members of all classifications as quotas are filled and emptied. Furthermore, it erodes the basis of equality: equality of opportunity.

At the fundamental basis of proportional placement (argued to be egalitarian), is, in fact, the root of discrimination. Classification and division is discriminatory in nature, the very act of classifying an individual into race, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, income bracket, education level etc. enables persons of other classifications to distance and differentiate from them. Instead, all individuals considered and classified as a multitude of individuals all belonging to the family of humanity is a meritocratic ideal. This is true equality. Today we see organizations for Native poverty, African poverty, yet we don’t see Caucasian poverty groups. In a world where your place in society is based only on merit, not on these divisions, a solution for Caucasian poverty, for Native poverty, for Immigrant poverty, must be a solution for all poverty. Thus we destroy the very building blocks of discrimination by destroying institutional discrimination.

Someone has to have an opinion, so if no one responds, you're all mindless automatons.........

...................MINDLESS AUTOMATONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My new theme song.

When I was a young boy I was honest and I had more self-control If I was tempted I would run
Then, when I got older I began to lie to get exactly what I wanted When I wanted it -
And I wanted it
Now, I'm having trouble differentiating Between what I want And what I need To make me happy
So instead of thinking I just stop Before I have the chance to contemplate the Consequences of action
And I will turn off And I will shut down Burying the voices of my conscience hitting ground
And I will turn off And I will shut down The chemicals are restless in my head
'Cuz I lie Not because I want to But I seem to need to All the time Yeah, I lie
And I don't even know it Maybe this is All a part of my flawed design
And ever since I figured out That I could control other people I've had trouble sleeping With both eyes closed And if I asked permission If I make sure it's ok I promise I won't slip up this time
You can trust me But never take advice from someone Who just admitted to being devious
Who just confessed to treason And I would ask That you never ask a question That I cannot ask myself
For it might Dirty up your conscience
And how can you say those things Why can't you just believe?
And how can you say those things And keep a straight face?
And how can you say those things Why can't you just believe?
And how can you say those things And keep a straight face?
'Cuz I lie Not because I want to But I seem to need to All the time Yeah, I lie And I don't even know it
Maybe this is All a part of my - 'Cuz I lie And if I could control it Maybe I could leave it all behind
Yeah, I lie And I don't even know it Maybe this is all a part of my Flawed Design

Lyric from Flawed Design, Stabilo.