I am, admittedly, quite far from proclaiming myself to be any sort of expert when it comes to climatology. I am, however, somewhat perplexed that this manages to get the kind of attention it still does.
For starters, this is a forecast. I'll start putting greater stock in these things when people actually figure out how to predict the weather accurately beyond the next couple of days.
The other thing that bothers me is how eager the MSM seem to make this a huge issue. A research team has made a revised prediction regarding the upcoming hurricane season. Among the mind-blowing changes are a staggering increase of 7 hurricanes (made Dec. 2007) to a whopping 8!
I have never lived in a hurricane zone and I can understand the need to plan for the inevitabilities of inclement weather. I just can't stand the sensationalism that often accompanies it. Has anyone really stopped to think why we're making news about weather events that haven't even happened yet? Have enough people really considered the corners we might be trapping ourselves in by getting too caught up in our own rhetoric?
I'll tell you what... when all the proverbial poop hits the fan and calamity ensues, I'll be among the first to eat my words and admit I was wrong. In the meantime though, keep your excitement to yourselves because I have plenty of more important things to worry about.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
A humble proposal
If we have morons who are going to spout garbage like this, then maybe they should take the lead on the issue and get started with themselves. If anything, they can not only meet their ridiculous goals but rid us of their stupidity. Win-win.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Whither thee, Newspapers?
Every morning, I wake up around 4:30 so that I can pack up my kids and deliver newspapers with my wife. While not the most glamorous job by any means, it brings in some welcome cash and will allow us to meet some financial goals a heck of a lot sooner than if we didn't. I have to wonder, though, about the longevity of the newspaper in an increasingly digital and 'green' world.
Think about it for a second. I and many of my early-morning comrades deliver a thick, folded stacks of newsprint and advertisements every morning. Most of the ads are likely ignored by a majority of readers, and the news is from the day before and has usually been reported on on TV and 'teh interwebs.' What then drives the need to receive a new edition of the local paper each and every morning? Sudoku puzzles? The comics? The infamous Sunshine Girl?
While I take a copy for myself every morning, I find that I spend more and more of my news-gathering time on the internet. I find it far more informative to consult a variety of online sources, including a growing number of blogs, to get my daily dose of info... and I can do it right at my desk and with very little effort on my part.
In an age where I constantly hear about how horrible I am for not doing enough for the environment, combined with the continued dominance of digital media, how is it that the traditional newspaper can survive? I don't doubt that others have pondered the very same conundrum, but instead of seeing a revitalization of the paper all I see is a realization that we might as well keep on doing what we're doing. For now.
Think about it for a second. I and many of my early-morning comrades deliver a thick, folded stacks of newsprint and advertisements every morning. Most of the ads are likely ignored by a majority of readers, and the news is from the day before and has usually been reported on on TV and 'teh interwebs.' What then drives the need to receive a new edition of the local paper each and every morning? Sudoku puzzles? The comics? The infamous Sunshine Girl?
While I take a copy for myself every morning, I find that I spend more and more of my news-gathering time on the internet. I find it far more informative to consult a variety of online sources, including a growing number of blogs, to get my daily dose of info... and I can do it right at my desk and with very little effort on my part.
In an age where I constantly hear about how horrible I am for not doing enough for the environment, combined with the continued dominance of digital media, how is it that the traditional newspaper can survive? I don't doubt that others have pondered the very same conundrum, but instead of seeing a revitalization of the paper all I see is a realization that we might as well keep on doing what we're doing. For now.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Earth Hour: one more exercise in futility
With only 11 hours to go before Earth Hour celebrations(?) get under way here in E-Town, I can't help but think about just how useless this whole thing is. Its one thing to take small, tangible steps to decrease our impact on the environment but this is just plain ridiculous. The whole idea that turning off my lights for one hour will really enhance my perspective on the matter is truly laughable.
Consider that we have 365 days in a year composed of 24 hours each. This gives us a total of 8,760 hours in a given year. Let's assume for the sake of this argument that 8 hours a day are spent sleeping cutting average daily use of electricity to about two-thirds of the day. That leaves us with 5,840 hours of plugged-in time over the course of a year.
The proposal to cut into that staggering total by a single hour, dropping plugged-in time to 5,839, will not do anything in the long run. While some will argue that that impact adds up when you consider the number of participants, it still amounts to nothing in the end. If you want to make yourself feel better by identifying yourself as a participant in this farce, you go right ahead and pat yourself on the back all you want. The sad fact of the matter is that for most people this is all that they will do before cranking everything back up to full power and carrying on with their lives as if nothing had even happened.
This story is not about what people are willing to sacrifice for a mere 60 minutes. Unfortunately, this continues to say a whole lot more about what we as a society still can't bring ourselves to do with the rest of our precious time.
Post Earth Hour Update:
I spent the bulk of my evening watching a movie with my family. I did manage to steal a few quick glances out of my apartment window to see how others in the neighborhood fared. Generally speaking I saw little difference and more than a few neighboring apartments that made no apparent effort to hide what would be normal energy use. Either I'm surrounded by people with climate change awareness up the wazoo, or no one cared. I tend to think it was the latter...
Consider that we have 365 days in a year composed of 24 hours each. This gives us a total of 8,760 hours in a given year. Let's assume for the sake of this argument that 8 hours a day are spent sleeping cutting average daily use of electricity to about two-thirds of the day. That leaves us with 5,840 hours of plugged-in time over the course of a year.
The proposal to cut into that staggering total by a single hour, dropping plugged-in time to 5,839, will not do anything in the long run. While some will argue that that impact adds up when you consider the number of participants, it still amounts to nothing in the end. If you want to make yourself feel better by identifying yourself as a participant in this farce, you go right ahead and pat yourself on the back all you want. The sad fact of the matter is that for most people this is all that they will do before cranking everything back up to full power and carrying on with their lives as if nothing had even happened.
This story is not about what people are willing to sacrifice for a mere 60 minutes. Unfortunately, this continues to say a whole lot more about what we as a society still can't bring ourselves to do with the rest of our precious time.
Post Earth Hour Update:
I spent the bulk of my evening watching a movie with my family. I did manage to steal a few quick glances out of my apartment window to see how others in the neighborhood fared. Generally speaking I saw little difference and more than a few neighboring apartments that made no apparent effort to hide what would be normal energy use. Either I'm surrounded by people with climate change awareness up the wazoo, or no one cared. I tend to think it was the latter...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Go Harper, Go!!
I'm getting really tired of hearing about this whole affair but I'm anxious to see how this plays out.
Maybe this will help the Liberal Party find their way out of the bottom of the barrel they've been spending so much time in.
Maybe this will help the Liberal Party find their way out of the bottom of the barrel they've been spending so much time in.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Yet Another Reason I've Lost Faith in the Rising Generation
As a student and teacher, I've encountered a variety of learning styles and personalities. While I still cling to the belief, or hope, that most people eventually find their way to contribute to society, we just never seem to run out of the "what-the-heck-is-wrong-with-you?" variety.
During my lunch break today, I made a quick trip over to the nearest Subway to indulge in a delicious Turkey breast sub on wheat. Mmmmmm.... The two customers after me were two teenage girls somewhere around the age of sixteen or so. I'd like to assume that by this point in one's life, they would have figured out the basics of ordering food from a menu. Instead, to my combined amusement and bewilderment, these two bastions of intellectualism order "a sandwich." The confused worker raised an eyebrow and politely asked what kind of sub they would like to which the girls responded with raised eyebrows of their own: "What kind? What are you talking about?"
Before this matter was even settled, a new round of stimulating questioning commenced. "How much does a sub cost?" The employee, looking even more confused now, informs them that the price depends entirely on, once again, the kind of sub being ordered. More confusion. By the time I had received and paid for my meal, the two little Misses has just settled on the choice of bacon, the general idea of the menu remaining somewhat elusive to them.
But Jason, you say, this is only about a sandwich and nothing more. That may be true, but it is for me indicative of a general trend plaguing society. In our efforts to be inclusive and not subject our children to the heartache of failure, we have essentially made many of them lazy and stupid. No need to think things through on your own, oh no. And certainly not when teacher is there to pass you along regardless of your effort and mom and dad keep things fairly relaxed for your oh-so challenging lives.
Only a sandwich, yes. But I see the problems behind these kinds of things far too often to not be concerned.
During my lunch break today, I made a quick trip over to the nearest Subway to indulge in a delicious Turkey breast sub on wheat. Mmmmmm.... The two customers after me were two teenage girls somewhere around the age of sixteen or so. I'd like to assume that by this point in one's life, they would have figured out the basics of ordering food from a menu. Instead, to my combined amusement and bewilderment, these two bastions of intellectualism order "a sandwich." The confused worker raised an eyebrow and politely asked what kind of sub they would like to which the girls responded with raised eyebrows of their own: "What kind? What are you talking about?"
Before this matter was even settled, a new round of stimulating questioning commenced. "How much does a sub cost?" The employee, looking even more confused now, informs them that the price depends entirely on, once again, the kind of sub being ordered. More confusion. By the time I had received and paid for my meal, the two little Misses has just settled on the choice of bacon, the general idea of the menu remaining somewhat elusive to them.
But Jason, you say, this is only about a sandwich and nothing more. That may be true, but it is for me indicative of a general trend plaguing society. In our efforts to be inclusive and not subject our children to the heartache of failure, we have essentially made many of them lazy and stupid. No need to think things through on your own, oh no. And certainly not when teacher is there to pass you along regardless of your effort and mom and dad keep things fairly relaxed for your oh-so challenging lives.
Only a sandwich, yes. But I see the problems behind these kinds of things far too often to not be concerned.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Election Thoughts
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't find the recent Alberta campaign all that exciting. While I agree that there are plenty of areas that could use a little more attention I can't help but feel that things are still pretty darn good here. That we are in a position to be worrying about some very specific concerns is rewarding at some level.
Firstly, I have to congratulate my good friend, Rob Anderson, for his victory in the riding of Airdrie-Chestermere. I've known Rob and his family for a few years now and I know that he'll do a fantastic job for his constituents.
Secondly, I was surprised as anyone else at how big Ed Stelmach won. I was expecting a significantly reduced majority, especially given the doom-and-gloom prophecies of the opposition and media. If anything, my trust in the main-stream media has been further damaged and I will continue to look for my information elsewhere.
Lastly, to all the naysayers who can't seem to stop whining about anything... pack up and leave if its that horrible. If you want to spend your time always looking for something else that needs fixing, it shouldn't come as a surprise that you'll never be satisfied. No one expects you to be thrilled with yesterday's outcome but now that the choice has been made it might not be such a bad idea to act a little constructively instead. If you can't do that then good riddance and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Firstly, I have to congratulate my good friend, Rob Anderson, for his victory in the riding of Airdrie-Chestermere. I've known Rob and his family for a few years now and I know that he'll do a fantastic job for his constituents.
Secondly, I was surprised as anyone else at how big Ed Stelmach won. I was expecting a significantly reduced majority, especially given the doom-and-gloom prophecies of the opposition and media. If anything, my trust in the main-stream media has been further damaged and I will continue to look for my information elsewhere.
Lastly, to all the naysayers who can't seem to stop whining about anything... pack up and leave if its that horrible. If you want to spend your time always looking for something else that needs fixing, it shouldn't come as a surprise that you'll never be satisfied. No one expects you to be thrilled with yesterday's outcome but now that the choice has been made it might not be such a bad idea to act a little constructively instead. If you can't do that then good riddance and don't let the door hit you on the way out.
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