A B.Sc., with a major in Warp Theory

It seems as though Cumberland Regional College in Saskatchewan has a logo inspired by Star Trek:

I think you can clearly see where they got their inspiration from:

 

This is important

According to the Observer, the Pentagon thinks that climate change is perhaps an even greater national security concern than terrorism. That kinda throws a monkey wrench into Bush’s policies, doesn’t it? Especially since his administration has repeatedly denied the scientific validity of climate change.

Well, Bush, even your own hand-picked, mouth-breathing policy-type people recognize that a rapidly-changing climate will result in global war, as individuals, communities, and nations defend what precious little resources they have. Oh, and the insufferable English will be living in a Siberian landscape inside of 20 years. Fun times!

From the article (via BoingBoing):

A secret report, suppressed by US defence chiefs and obtained by The Observer, warns that major European cities will be sunk beneath rising seas as Britain is plunged into a ‘Siberian’ climate by 2020. Nuclear conflict, mega-droughts, famine and widespread rioting will erupt across the world.

[...]

The findings will prove humiliating to the Bush administration, which has repeatedly denied that climate change even exists. Experts said that they will also make unsettling reading for a President who has insisted national defence is a priority.

>> read more… 

I know it’s wrong…

… But I really love this hoodie from thinkgeek.com:

The description from the site:

Meetings. They happen no matter what you do. Even in the future, they haven’t managed to find a cure for the common meeting. Take Battlestar Galactica, for instance. Adama meets with the Cylons on Galactica. The resistance has meetings to review escape plans. The Quorum of Twelve holds meetings to decide upon new laws for the colonies. Meetings, meetings, meetings. And they’re still unbearably long. And you’re sitting there, quietly, in the back thinking to yourself, “What did I do to deserve this?” [chug coffee, time passes] “Any idiot knows that plan will never work.” [doodle on notepad, time passes] “What the frak is that guy thinking?”

It’s like this every morning…

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Jay Morrissey… this guy is, in a word, the shit. I don’t even know how I came across his blog, but every single post I read there is like a little gold nugget. Except I don’t want to exchange it for cash, my gods no. I would rather hold onto it, show others, and bask in its yellowy glow.

OK, so that metaphor got away from me. So far away, it boarded a plane bound for parts unknown. But this is the kind of thing I’m talking about then it comes to Jay Morrissey:

[...] It is important to learn to communicate effectively with those who hold a different perspective to our own. In fact, an important lesson is to prioritise human respect ahead of challenging another person’s belief. [Emphasis mine.]

>> read more…

I used to be rather impetuous and judgmental. I still am. But I keep that to myself. I’ve learned you have to choose your battles, and that no matter how much your beliefs might differ from someone else’s, that doesn’t mean that someone else’s belief are no less valuable than your own. How long did it take me to realize this? About 26 years. And I still need to be reminded every now and then.

But Jay discusses it far more succinctly than I ever could. So read ‘im.

Them’s ma’ peoples

Ah, smalltown Alberta, with your intoxicating aromas, intoxicating sight lines, and intoxicated drivers. So intoxicated, and so high-larious, as to make it onto Reuters’ Oddly Enough:

Police in the western Canadian town of Wetaskiwin didn’t have to do much work when they arrested a drunk driver at the weekend — he had parked his car next to their offices and wandered inside.

>> read more…

It’s really not funny—dude could have killed someone. But he didn’t. The only thing this man killed was his own buzz.

All the right type

Hailing from a background of newspaperism and editorial management (and wordmakeupology), I have a tendency to get a figurative (and sometimes literal) boner for all things design. Like typography.

Typefaces, fonts, letter and word forms… if I were a fetishist with an infinite about of money, I can guarantee you I would be buying fonts left, right and centre… Perhaps even up and down as well. I would fetishize that shit in three fuckin’ dimensions. And you, my dear friends, would learn to love it.

(this image from www.typography.com—a typeface called Archer)

That’s why I now read this site, and why you should too. Because text doesn’t have to be a fetish object. But if it is to you too, we now have something in common. Maybe we should date.

Free hockey stuff!

Hey hockey fans: want to win an Oilers jersey? Go to Oilersnation.com and suggest a trade in the comments here. You could be picked as a finalist, at which time the entire community would get to vote on your suggestion!

Easy forgettence

It’s so easy to forget. Everything.

I’ve worked with, gotten to know, like, dislike, love, regret, pine for, and laugh with/at so many people in a life that’s only spanned 27.5 years. I always, and will always, have one regret: I am just fucking rotten at staying in touch with people. Case in point: Jorge.

Now that Jorge lives one province over, it’s rare to see him. And we don’t often communicate other than a random email or text message.

I visited Jorge in one of my favourite cities last summer, and it was good. Great. Beer, coastal sunsets, non-gay handholding… good times.

Miss you, Jorge. I found you by way of Loxy. Here’s hoping you catch on to the notion that you’re now on my blogroll.

Ratings, ratings everywhere

How many of you out there use the rating function on iTunes (or on any other music player)? I use it a lot—I actually spend hours going through and listening to unrated songs so I can give them ratings. I’m trying to take advantage of this rating system as much as I can, so I don’t waste any time unwittingly listening to crappy, unrated music. (Note: some form of the word rate appears six times in this paragraph.)

Naturally, the harshness of the ratings applied depends on the artist. I’m way more forgiving of the Red Hot Chili Peppers than I am the Strokes. The more I like a musician or band, the more selective and extreme I am of how many stars I give them. If I don’t like a favourite group’s song, I really don’t like that song. On the other hand, I would rate their great songs with six stars if iTunes gave me the option.

We’re extreme when it comes to things we feel strongly about, obviously. Mediocrity’s hardly worth consideration. That’s why it’s called mediocrity. It will always only get three stars. No more, and no less.

Filed under “WTF”

The mayor of a small town in Texas has resigned after secretly keeping her neighbour’s Shih Tzu while pretending it had died. Neighbours had asked Alice Mayor Grace Saenz-Lopez to look after the dog, Puddles, during a holiday. She called them to say it was dead. But the dog, which Ms Saenz-Lopez had renamed Panchito, was later seen at a dog groomer’s and at her sister’s home.

This article puzzles me for two reasons:

1. I don’t know what the hell Saenz-Lopez was thinking by stealing her neighbour’s dog and then lying about its death; and,
2. I don’t know why the hell the reporter wouldn’t address this question in the article.

This is one of the problems with journalism nowadays. The focus on balance or impartiality or whatever has completely stiffled any sort of true exploration of the issues reported on in the news. Why didn’t anyone think to ask the mayor of Alice: “Seriously, your honour, what the fuck? The citizens of this town voted for you, and they have a right to know why you thought you could steal your neighbour’s dog.”

Seriously, just ask her! What’s she going to say, “I’m too shit-fucking crazy to answer that, so, uh, no comment.”

We’re leaving this criticism up to the likes of Michael Moore, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert. And I’m glad they do what they do; despite the humour these guys use to present their ideas, they’re hitting the nail on the head where “real” news shows aren’t.

Fat Zombie: Day Six

I’m doing well. I’m still not eating terribly well (and I am not dutifully keeping a food journal), but I’m not eating myself stupid like a gourmand. My progress:

And for those of you who need the visual of my steady decline to non-fatness (or less fatness), peep today’s chart:

I can’t seem to avoid beer. It’s plentiful where I live, and something of a tradition to drink one or two with the roommates after a day at work. I know, I know: bad bad calories. But beer’s just so… wonderful and comforting.

One thing I have to admit I’ve quite proud of is the fact that I’ve cut down on the amount of cheese I eat. My family’s a cheese family. My mum is from France, and it’s tradition to finish off a many-coursed meal with some cheese, fruit and wine. Of course, I’ve done my damnedest to carry on the tradition, but have thus far succeeded in avoiding it.

Tonight is a cheese-based night, though. Wine, cheese, and DVDs with Fish. I just have to limit myself. I need your help, Fish!

Security Theatre

Ars Technica has a great piece on the new TSA blog. Author Jon Stokes asks a very salient question, one I’ve often considered myself:

My experience in airport security line conversations over the years is that everyone who takes a moment to turn three or four neurons’ worth of attention to the much-hated liquids policy comes to exactly the same conclusion: if it takes, say, 20 ounces of bomb juice to blow up an airplane, then you can just send two terrorists with 10 ounces of bomb juice each on board, and they can combine their bomb juice to make a 20-ounce bomb. So why the seemingly idiotic limits on the amount of liquids in my carry-on bag? And why, if I’m in the security line with a bottle of water or a cup of coffee, can’t I just drink some of it to demonstrate that it is not, in fact, bomb juice?

Coal: Cheap. Abundant. Cheap

Fat Zombie Day Five

I was unable to report day 4, everyone. Work and life were too insane. However, I was still paying the price from eating a slice of homemade pie. Today, things are much better:

• Starting weight: 85.4kg
• Current weight: 84.4kg
• Total lost: 1.0kg

From yesterday, I’m down 500g. And I ate well yesterday.

The weekend will be the true test, as this is when everything typically goes to hell. Except that I won’t let it. I’m monitoring my portion sizes and eating only good food… like a delicious lentil soup I made the other night!