I'm Just Sayin'

Environment Minister Peter Kent

2011-01-06T23:34:00.004-05:00

ANWR - America's Next Oil Frontier

In An Inconvenient Truth - Al Gores Oscar winning documentary on climate change he points out that the scientific community unanimously agrees that climate change is real and is a huge threat to our life; while, the popular media is nearly split down the middle on their presentations of climate issues.

This is especially true of right wing-media outlets that down play the climate science and use freak snow storms as anecdotes to debunk the ‘global warming’ craze. Frankly, month long floods in New Brunswick, devastating floods in Australia and Pakistan, freak snowfalls in the UK, hurricanes in Newfoundland, heat waves, hyper active storm systems are all a consequence of a changing climate - a more hostile climate, a less livable planet.

For too long the Canadian federal government, specifically that of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have pretended our nation only works in an economic environment as his decisions demonstrate a disdain for our natural wealth. His government was to present a report on the tar sands in 2010, but for no reason at all it was scrapped. Recently, Jim Prentice left his post as the federal Minister of the Environment to take a luscious position with CIBC. This past week, a new gentleman was appointed to the position of Canadian Minister of the Environment.

Canada’s new leader on Environmental policy is none other than former right-wing reporter and news man Peter Kent of CTV fame.

This is incredibly aggravating as someone who is a true fan of Canada and a huge fan of a livable planet. For his career, when issues of climate change came up, Peter Kent was tasked with the duty of spinning the message, raising questions and making Canadians fear a responsible economy by discounting real science and rejecting sensible alternatives. Federal climate policy is not lead by scientists, it’s lead by news anchors. In America, the Energy secretary is a nobel laureate.

On the first day of Mr. Kent’s appointment he commented that tarsands oil is “ethical oil”. I don’t mean to sound like a pipeline bombing radical environmentalist, but no oil supply around the globe is ethical.

Middle Eastern oil fuels massive wealth gaps making enemies of western states richer, those men (exclusively) are paid with western debt of ballooning deficits and federal indebtedness. Our government is investing our children's future on paying for the oil addiction of baby boomers when they could be building the infrastructure of a vibrant, clean economy not built on non-renewable resources. If that oil doesn’t come from war zones or nations belonging to the ‘axis of evil’, it comes from wells miles below the surface. Deep water drilling is pushing the limits of engineering for drops of oil to feed an addiction news media treats as safe, sensible, sustainable and worth investing in.

Canada is proposing a oil and gas pipeline to now serviceable arctic ports (#thanksclimatechange) to transport oil to our Asian creditors, interrupting migration paths of majestic herds of wildlife. The Arctic National Wildlife Reserve is a target of US republicans to be strip mined, drilled and destroyed in the name of todays hyper consumptive economy, leaving NOTHING for tomorrow.

There is only so much oil. We’re clearly running out. If not for the carbon emissions associated with the combustion of the material, consider the foolishness of building a society on a resource that is finite and dwindling rapidly. Global peak oil production will occur before 2015, prices will rise. Petroeconomic governments like Canada will ruin this country borrowing to participate in a market that is clearly toxic and painfully expensive.

Canada now has a TV star as our environment leader, expect to spin a lie on sustainable tar sands, a suggestion that all is well. Expect the most despicable deciet from the most destructive government in Canada’s history. Do not expect a science based approach to managing climate - expect opinions, anecdotes, lies and bullshit.

Good night, and good luck.

eReaders Eh!?

2010-12-26T00:43:00.002-05:00

Tried Sony’s Reader without the touch screen. I really like the idea of their potential, but wouldn’t choose that specific device myself. I also want something that I can watch movies from the cloud. Unless the eReader is something best left by my bedside?

Who makes the best tablet that serves as a portal to remote media hosting? I guess that’s the device I want.

Or, do I want to be able to watch TV or movies in bed where I used to read? My gut reaction, one I'm happy to concede is no I don't think I want such powerful distractions right beside my bed, my quite place, my happy place.

Maybe a computer, a WiFi tablet for media overload and a black and white eReader all make sense to stop having to buy discs and books. All the service of movies, music, tv none of the ecological damage.

More for artists, less for manufacturers.

It Was 30 Years Ago Today..

2010-12-08T23:13:00.001-05:00

John Lennon with David Chapman before David shot and killed John Lennon.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

@WoodworthMP's Form Letter on C-311

2010-12-07T19:44:00.005-05:00

I received quite the shock today when I received some letter mail from my MP and Twitter nemesis, the one and only Stephen Woodworth (or at least I hope there’s only one).

At first I was a little worried. Recently I’ve been absolutely putting him in his place within the confines of 140 characters while he often requires 2 or 3 tweets to spout the party line and accuse me of drug use or drinking to excess.

Alas, I overcame my concern that I was in for some official show of force and opened the envelope and immediately saw a real signature of my MP. Could this letter be just for me as I feared? When I unfolded it and saw it was just a form response to the Bill C-311 embarrassment, my fear totally subsided.

ASIDE: Bill C-311 was a private members bill tabled by the NDP designed to give Canada something that resembled a climate action plan. It passed the house but didn’t even make it to committee in the Senate before it was thrown out. Contrary to PM Harpers promise that the Senate would never stop legislation passed in the house, the Senate did stop legislation passed in the house.

There are a few idiot points I’d like to address from the form letter:

“I am also very aware of the negative impact that the implementation of this bill would have on Canadians and our economy.”

This of course is a relative statement. It’s [hasn't] been proven that people living close to highly polluting projects like coal fired electricity generating plants and the tar sands developments have higher incidents of birth defects, lower fertility rates, higher cancer incidence and qualitatively lower quality of life. So clearly being proactive and mitigating the toxins Canadian industry is subsidized to propel into the air would actually benefit the health of Canadians and reduce health care costs.

As a government that subsidized the tar sands developments to the tune of $2.9 Billion annually, the Conservatives have shown that the only economies they are concerned with protecting are polluting ones. They fail to see the TREMENDOUS opportunities in creating an economy of problem solvers and innovators. They are content to spend tax dollars on antiquated resource centric economic development that are toxic and unsustainable.

“... the targets contained in Bill C-311 were not achievable.”

Neither was the moon, but an ounce of vision and a mobilized economy put the US there. Quebec has met their Kyoto carbon emissions targets, how can a nation as vast as ours not find energy alternatives to toxic tar sands? It’s one thing to not pursue a dream of Canada worth living in, working for a Canada we can be proud of, establishing ourselves as global leaders in problem solving and meeting tough challenges, but to not even strive for mediocrity is disgusting, embarrassing and reprehensible.

“Further a disproportionate share of these costs would fall, under Bill C-311, on the West, creating enormous regional tensions.”

No shit Sherlock, and as long as Stephen Harper’s planet hating government subsidizes the growth of that global cancer, Alberta will become increasingly at risk of socioeconomic collapse when the global community penalizes gross environmental offenders like Canadians. Just because Harper’s home town support are planet rapists should not mean all Canadians should suffer. Ontario is phasing out dirty energy and has established itself as the most profitable green energy market in the world. This will revolutionize our manufacturing sector. British Columbia has imposed a carbon tax to penalize gross energy wasters and encourage conservation. Quebec has met and exceeded its Kyoto targets producing no more carbon emissions than it did in 1990. The maritimes are investing $6b in a renewable energy pipeline from Labrador to Nova Scotia. Clearly Alberta is the stick in the mud in Canada.

As an aside, the government body that encourages conservation through grants and such in Alberta is called ‘Climate Change Central’. Laughable, since Alberta is climate change central.

Canadians, and all global citizens are fully entitled to hate on Alberta for its negligent development.

“This was an extremely flawed and irresponsible Bill.”

Says a lemming back bencher of an extremely flawed and irresponsible government.

“I’m no fan of the Senate”

Mr. Woodworth is no fan of Canada. The Conservative party has abused the House of Commons through their unprecedented annual prorogations of parliament. They destroyed generations worth of world class statistical legacy with the elimination of the mandatory long form census, destroyed Canadians expectations of a free and just society with they treatment of peaceful protesters at the G20 summit in Toronto and continually lie to Canadians on material issues. The right-wing small government Conservatives have turned a $12b budget surplus in 2006 into a $56b budget deficit in 2010 and have no vision for Canada beyond the status quo - which everyone outside of Ottawa knows is dead but for the Conservatives pathetic attempts to revive it.

Now, my MP flat out says he’s no fan of a significant part of a parliamentary system that keeps fanatical leaders like Stephen Harper from running a mok.

Is playing with parliament for personal political game enough to stay up late fuming about? Well, if it is, you should’ve been staying up late for the past few years. It probably isn’t. But is it incredibly cathartic, fun and entertaining to rant on the antics of someone unfit to run a Tim Bit soccer team let alone represent the dynamic riding of Kitchener Centre on the standing committee on the environment and justice. I'd encourage you to do the same!

Honestly, look at the “progress” Canada has made on the environment and justice issues. Think of how your opinion of this country changed after the G20, how you feel about a doubling of the federal correction budget, minimum prison sentences for growing a plant that’s proven to prevent Alzheimer's and slow cancer growth, a government that disregards Supreme Court rulings and can’t answer the question “Did Canadian soldiers aide or abet in the torture of Afghan detainees in contravention of the Geneva convention?”

Our nation is dying and my local MP deserves much of the blame, since his portfolio clearly highlights the failures of this government for the people; in favor of foreign corporate investments in toxic unsustainable developments.

I can hardly wait for the next election!

H2oil animated sequences from Dale Hayward on Vimeo.

@WoodworthMP Re: Being High

2010-12-02T15:43:00.003-05:00

I communicate on a regular basis with my federal member of parliament on twitter, @WoodworthMP. I’m a politically interested 20-something, even though it’s totally impolite to give a damn about how your government is representing you it seems.

I recently asked my MP:

To which he responded:

I’d like to address my points in a point by point manner to illustrate how not kidding I am.

Record deficit. There is no disputing this. Never has a Canadian government spent more than it took in by such a wide margin than the most recent federal Conservative budget. When the Harper Conservatives took office in 2006 they inherited a $12b budget surplus. Fiscal year 2010 budget is an expected dececit of $56b. Canada’s chief budget officer worries ‘right-wing’ ‘small government’ Conservatives have re-introduced systemic deficits into federal budgeting.

Corporate Favortism. For instance, my MP and a member of the environment committee funds $2.8b in tax breaks to tar sands developers. On top of the the Conservative’s record deficit they intend to extend the corporate sector a tax cut to the tune of $6b dollars. They will pitch it as ‘job creating’. A tactic that was wildly successful for George W - and look how strong the US economy is! A strong private sector economy is certainly right wing, but an out of control frothing economy fueled by government is free market communism. When that forth is guided to morally repugnant projects like the oil sands it's the worst of both worlds.

Liberty destroying - Mostly in reference to the G20 attacks on the rights of Canadian citizens, but also to their attacks on Canadian political institutions such as parliament - the Conservatives unprecedented prorogations of parliament. The fact that a senate that Stephen Harper swore would never axe a bill passed in the house did exactly that with the first piece of forward looking environmental legislation over the 7 year Conservative reign. The Conservatives disdain for Supreme Court rulings also compromises our faith in government. The projected doubling of the federal corrections budget must mean more Canadians will find themselves behind bars in the future in order to justify the prison expansion - that poses a serious threat.

Dishonest - No stretch here, although I will give the government credit on the language they use. Too bad matters of national identity are reduced to semantics vs what the right thing to do is. Topics that come to mind include: Afghanistan end date of 2011, income trusts, answers on the question of Canadas role in torturing prisoners in Afghanistan, a government report on the tar sands, etc. In 2010 the government did not renew the Home Renovation Tax Credit but promoted ecoENERGY only to cancel it 1 month later.

Irresponsibe - Recently we’ve heard of corporate influence in Quebec, Peter MacKay got the nation into hot water with the UAE over his irresponsible comments, our nation has no carbon management plan which is tantamount to generational genocide, bails out failed corporations, among other more subjective accusations of this government. Oh, almost forgot, the elimination of long form census eternally compromises the statistical record Statistics Canada had kept for generations - one of the most heralded public databases in the world.

A truly right-wing government would support free and open markets but create fair prices for non-economic goods in the economy (health care, education, biodiversity, etc.) They would support smaller, more responsive, transparent, accountable governments with open access to the nations information.

If there were truly a right wing government in Canada it would repeal subsidies to dirty industries and potentially subsidize innovation in the economies of tomorrow. Right wing, free market governments do not put up fences - fascists do.

My favorite part of the ongoing social media battle I have with my inept MP is that when it comes down to it, we’re both just people. One of the reasons I like social media so much is because you see the people. Be it celebrities being themselves, people representing the brands, governments interacting with electorate, it’s a equal platform that doesn’t favor economics.

Because of that, how people respond to you shows how much value you add to their lives. If you look at what people say to or about me, I get the impression that I’m adding value. If you look at what people say to and about Mr. Woodworth, it’s clear to see he doesn’t have many friends in the social media community. It’s probably something he isn’t worried about because like most of our representatives he just doesn’t see how fast the world is changing. It’s sad for him, but worse for our nation; or at least what’s left of it.

Social Internet - Financial Freedom

2010-09-28T22:42:00.000-04:00

When people ask if I’m computer literate, I don’t know what to say. There was a time as a kid when I was running a BBS (the first accessible social networks) that I was really computer literate. My parents recently told me they fully expected me to go into a computer career; not that they are (openly) disappointed with my current life trajectory.

I can do a lot of things on a computer, and I think that separates me from a lot of computer users. I can’t design new tools to be used, but I can use a lot of tools. I think about the videos I’ve created with the help of my Apple media suite on my 2008 MacBook. The photos I share on Facebook or Flickr, quality work, and advanced security sharing. Combining them with music on Animoto, makes professional video effortless!

I’d like to think I'm fairly proficient at Twitter. Through university I stressed and stressed this term I had called ‘word economy’. A tweet is 140 characters, a blog post is about a page. An Ignite! talk is 5-minutes. Scare rules drive amazing and focused results.

As the internet evolves and more apps dominate, understanding their use, and using them to a social advantage is creating opportunities that could not have exisited months ago, especially not years ago. I’ve been wondering if the internet is moving to a place where you can live the life you want. Not work a dead beat job for a mortgage and a car payment, but follow your dream. If you’re passionate enough about something, can sharing that passion be enough to live that life?

Can donations, ad revenue, affiliate commissions, etc. allow everyone to live their ultimate life?

The internet used to be a distant creepy place. Now it’s Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter. Hyper local connections leveraged by all of the worlds organized information at the speed of light. These recent, rapid and constant changes will have consequences no one can predict.

But, if you’re honest, passionate, and the least bit savvy, there’s probably a lot of opportunity for you to live the life you want on your terms. Be concise, be relevant, be yourself, and most of all, say thank you.

Lewis Pugh's mind-shifting Mt. Everest swim

2010-07-30T23:54:00.001-04:00

Gary Vaynerchuk on CNBC

2010-07-30T00:21:00.000-04:00

For years I lived on CNBC. Honestly, over an 8 yeah period CNBC was my 'background noise'. I knew announcers in order, and had better opinions than most of them.

So, it's really amazing to see this great interview of Gary on CNBC as they try to give homage to the work that he is doing. Except, that they really don't grasp the impact of what he's doing.

This video really bodes well for the little guy who is so intimidated by the big corporation, but the benefit is, the corporation is so big, slow and confused, it's easy for us little guys to slip one past them.

Another worthwhile video for the growing fan, here he is on Conan. We all know Conan is freakishly tall, but geez this looks bizzare!?

Seth Godin on Standing out - TED '03

2010-07-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

For some of Seth's books, downloads and profile, follow the link!

Amazon's Seth Godin Page

AK and BP Oil Spill. 2010 & 1979

2010-07-13T18:07:00.000-04:00

This can't be true can it?

Most Inspirational Video I've Ever Seen!

2010-07-13T01:07:00.002-04:00

Follow Gary Vaynerchuck on Twitter.
See a preview of what you'll learn in his new book Crush It!

Crush It Promo by Gary V

Buy the book! I did. I love this thinking!

Ignite Waterloo 3.0 or 1.3

2010-07-08T23:24:00.004-04:00

Some have called it a rite of passage in the dynamic social scene that is developing in Kitchener Waterloo right now. There is a growing, dedicated pack of passionate community builders coming together for good times and shared development. A number of names come to mind as catalysts for this spectacular community growth. Of those catalysts I can't think of many that aren't among Ignite alumni in town.

I’ve heard Ignite Waterloo is unlike any other Ignite in the world. This is a global amateur speaking format, but somehow ours is different. What is it about this town that keeps producing the worlds best stuff.

My Ignite talk on soaring was surreal, the whole night is a blur. There were so many powerful images, messages, stories, and delicious local beers to remember everything - and the facility, how many awesome distractions! I think all who attended would agree that it was a special night, a fun night, and a great opportunity to be kids again. I mean there were literally adults running across the room and up a flight of stairs to see what all the cheers from the airplane toss were about.

There are hundreds among the workplaces and think tanks of this town wondering if they are having enough fun in their life, or, what it would be like to enjoy every second of every day? Life isn’t a read through, are we deferring it? And at what cost, the planet, our morality?

It was a heavy night. But, we also learned some great places to find laughs for better health, and that throwing a chisel is a worse idea than being happy. Old businesses die, and new better businesses replace them. We learned the connection between cave paintings, wall posts, and tweets, and had social art showcased for us. New ideas, new concepts, and passionate individuals!

We learned not to tolerate social discrimination, and we should work to eliminate systematic discrimination from education systems. Seriously, all this and more in under 2 hours!

My talk wouldn’t have been what it was if it weren’t for the 8k Grey Silo run I did at 10pm on Tuesday, and I’ll definitely run the Scotiabank 1/2 marathon at the end of Sept., maybe.. really maybe, the Toronto full (Boston marathon qualifying race).

I don’t know how giving my Ignite talk will change my life, or if it will be that the other presentations on Ignite night will be enough for a change; but I feel much richer as a person for having participated. And, I get the impression that’s not a unique sentiment.

I guess what it comes down to is... go soaring. I mean, look how cool this is!

EXTREME

serene (but still EXTREME)

Thanks. Hope you had as much fun as I did!

Oil Is the Key to Our Fate

2010-06-05T00:42:00.002-04:00

With the BP Deep Horizon scar still bleeding into the Gulf of Mexico. Among the empty talk from politicians and corporations that the mess will be fixed.

This mess can not be undone. The blades of grass in the Louisiana wetlands don't respond well to dollars, shares, or bonds. The oil can not be put back in the well, the mess can not be undone.

The lesson is that oil is destructive, and that societies built on the accelerated consumption of non-renewable resources is not a world worth living in, or leaving for children.

But, while BP certainly has a mess on their hands, it doesn't compare to the approved and endorsed project happening on the surface of Canada.

Watch this powerful animation on the Athlabascan Tar Sands:

H2oil animated sequences from Dale Hayward on Vimeo.

Here's the trailer for the film Petropolis which is a beautiful piece of art showcasing the areial scar the tar sands is creating.

Check out the trailer for the documentry Age of Stupid, which is chilling, entertaining, and powerful!

Let's change our society!

Anyone want to build an electric classic VW Beetle with me?

Harper meet Obama

2010-04-13T20:36:00.000-04:00

Get used to this. Stephen Harper was a lap dog to George W. Bush, but a progressive US administration at odds with our disdain for responsible, transparent government, the planet, and the concerns of the citizenry will have a lot more finger wagging, then hat tipping.

via Yahoo! News

ecoENERGY in Ontario

2010-04-12T23:45:00.001-04:00

On March 31, sometime around 2pm, the federal government announced that it was suspending the ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program. This decision protects homeowners who have already entered the program but deprives new homeowners from participating.

This decision came less than 1 month after the federal government added another $80 million to the program, and used it to quell criticism that the Home Renovation Tax Credit was not extended for a second year.

These two programs represented the largest opportunity for homeowners looking to increase home value, decrease home operating costs, improve quality of life, and be introduced to the positive economic benefits that go along with conservation.

In Ontario, this decision comes at an especially difficult time. The Ontario Liberal majority government has invested heavily into the green energy sector and is proving to be globally economically progressive. Absolutely, setting Ontario up to be a hot spring of innovation, and new businesses in the years to follow. The other hot button shift in the right direction being undertaken by the provincial government includes a shift to HST; or a value added tax. This will be wildly beneficial to businesses, and should eventually reduce the cost of many goods.

The thing is, the province needs to adjust. Irresponsible government lead by George W. Bush needed trillions in global bailouts to stay alive, less than 18 months ago. Canada’s approach was balanced and praised around the world. Through the chaos, Ontario is making difficult choices and will come out stronger for it.

The changes though, are significant. Economic activity remains shaky in many sectors. On July 1st, the cost of energy and a swath of other goods increase by 8% with HST, not to mention PST is currently not charged on furnaces and insulation. In the years to come, peak billing will make home operating costs even more expensive. These increases on top of a 41% increase in the cost of electricity between 2004 and 2010 (US Dept. of Energy) need to be managed. Also, since the start of 2010, Ontario homeowners have no option but to install high efficiency furnaces, at a significantly higher cost. General Motors got $10billion, so far Canadians homeowners deserved only $700million.

A booked energy evaluation on or before March 31 (in Ontario) qualified you for $1580 to upgrade your furnace. $1500 to increase your insulation from R-12 to R-50 (knit blanket to down filled duvet), $8,750 in install geothermal heating and cooling, even $130 to change a toilet. If you tried to book an energy evaluation on April 1 you receive no grants for any project whatsoever, but still have the opportunity to learn about ways to conserve in the home.

This is a poor strategy for environmental protection, election planning, and absorbing transition shocks. Canadians need assistance through this period of transition, becoming accustomed to more expensive energy costs, learning that conservation is an all time mindset, not a one time thing. Maybe the federal and provincial grants were too generous. Now, since the federal government is out, the grants available have effectively halved. I still feel this is too abrupt of a transition, at least it is a transition. Ontarioans need help through this period, especially since they province has created the transition in the first place.

Ontario can take the time at current grant rates to decide on a separate energy efficiency organization (strategy used by many other provinces), or, other ways to phase out, enhance, or dismantle the program. This is the wrong time for such an abrupt change that affects so many Canadians, using educations, trades, and effort to help other Canadians, and increase awareness of responsible energy use, energy efficiency, and occasionally, environmentalism.

ecoENERGY Ends on New Brunswick Highways

2010-04-06T23:34:00.005-04:00

It had been at least 15 years since my family and I made the drive to eastern Canada. My father was born in PEI, and like all wise (or delusional) eastern Canadians he still considers it home, even after 50 years in Ontario.

The reason for our trip was because my friend received a great job offer in New Brunswick. She's a human resource professional and has the thrill of hiring hundreds of people for a huge infrastructure project. Obviously, a tremendous opportunity for her.

The trip is bitter sweet for me, as things have taken an abrupt turn for the worse. On Wednesday, March 31, late in the day, the Harper government announced the suspension of the ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program, protecting grants for homeowners already entered in the program, but eliminateing the opportunity for service organizations to generate new business. As an energy advisor, my employment has been evaporated by a press release delivered at the end of the day, one working day prior to the Easter weekend.

Here are a few reasons why suspending ecoENERGY makes sense:
1) In many provinces high effeciency furnaces are required as of Jan 1/10, this is the most popular retofit. Why the government would continue to subsidize legal minimums is a valid criticism. (Transition)
2) From an environmental perspective, in many cases the federal government is providing grants in the neighborhood of $1000 to reduce annual carbon emissions per home by about 1.8 tonn/year. Anyone in waste reduction knows that $550/reduced ton of carbon is quite inefficient; and
3) As has been reported, the program was too popular, since 2007 has cost the federal government $700million.

Here are a few reasons ecoENERGY should continue (with modification):
1) Reducing household emissions means less fuel is being consumed, which means less money is being spent on that fuel. Effectively, this means that homeowners who make improvements increase monthly cash flows - a huge help in "these economic times".
2) Energy advisors and interested homeowners find meaningful ways to eliminate waste in the home, as well as discuss behavior changes. When this information is shared, even spills into the workplace, real economic savings are captured, emissions are reduced, and the stressed electricity network can gain more breathing room.
3) The federal government created this industry (energy advising), promoted it's popularity in the budget, and after 3 years of not accepting new applications for service organizations, late in 2009 began accepting new applications to provide the service. The created the market, promoted it's continuance, and fueled the expectation that there was a strong future in it.

The decision to suspend this program can be debated, but this is clearly a budgetary decision. The federal government has more important things to do with our money than help Canadians or the environment. Things like fight a decade long war to accomplish nothing but destroy our once proud reputation on the world stage, spend tens of billions of dollars, and, end more than 150 Canadian lives. Or, to subsidize Alberta oil production with billions for Carbon Capture and Storage which has no potential to mitigate any of the many reprehensible poisions that come from that development.

Maybe the government is right to dump tens of billions of dollars into make work projects to bolster their support in the east coast, building new highways, paving un-used roads, and justifying this terribly ironic, albiet fun, and beautiful trip.

Kung Fu Hustle

2010-03-27T10:23:00.006-04:00

Kung Fu Hustle is a Stephen Chow film from 2006. How this picture did not win best picture I do not know, but it is absolutely brilliant.

This film tells an amazing story, that doing the right thing might make life a little easier, but you’re rewarded in the end. It is jam packed with some of the most amazing fight scenes I’ve ever seen embracing kung fu, and, animation. The special effects blend seamlessly into the live action making this seem fantastical, and highly relatable all in one.

The film really does have everything, and makes me worry for Hollywood. I’m sure this cost a fraction to produce, the acting and effects are fantastic, and, the story is so richly positive that everyone should see it.

I highly recommend this, even if only to play in the background with music and conversation over top, it’s visually stimulating, unique, and a whole lot of fun.

Hope you enjoy!

Ann Coulter, Not Welcome!

2010-03-25T20:01:00.002-04:00

I’ve been a long time critic of Ann Coulter. Her ‘good looks’ and absolute lack of intelligible comments have enraged me more than any other speaker I’ve had the misfortune of hearing preach from a pulpit (including Stephen Harper and his lies).

Ann proclaims on issues she is only marginally aware of in her butchy crass tone with the flamboyant style of a giraffe sprinting 100m. She’d be better left as a voiceover on Teletoon, but is too regularly forced upon mindless ultra-Christian conservatives via Fox ‘News’ and CNN.

This week Canadians took the moral high ground in Ottawa and protested the circus tour she was on. Ann is here to tell Canadians how wrong we are without really even knowing there is more to the country than hockey and Tim Hortons. She proclaimates on issues like universal health care only knowing there are wait times, speaks on our (pre-Afghan) proud military history without knowing which mistakes we took passes on.

Ann Coulter suggests that Canadians are lucky that America doesn’t roll over and crush us one day for not towing the despicable Bush II line. Ann has no concept of a tolerant state, she represents the worst 1/3 of America. Through it all, by the clearest proof of the failure of the free market, managed to get rich (and validated) by being outlandish, wrong, and strangely attractive.

I find her repugnant, from outside in. She is not attractive, her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard, her opinions are nonsensical and are better left for first year political science students to discuss, or, the Conservative caucus.

There is plenty of room for differing thought in the political realm, but Ann is wrong, she adds no value, and is a absolute distraction from intelligent debate. She is overpowering in conversation, and will NEVER admit defeat. She can not learn, and she should not teach. She loves Jesus, because she, like most conservatives use him as a crutch. She hates Muslmis for flying planes into buildings. She thrives on stereotypes, protected by Jesus and all his might, and has become the worlds most worthy person to be burned in effigy.

Ann’s world is very simple, it’s very dangerous and it’s a mindset that should not be tolerated in a nation as great as Canada has been.

When her speech at the University of Ottawa was cancelled due to protesters unhappy with the ‘hate speech’ she had leveled on a student at UWO days earlier (among other inhuman opinions she defends and disseminates) it marked a victory for freedom of speech, and Canadians right to protest, not a defeat of our nations freedoms. Canadians have a right, no, an obligation to defend this country. A woman who advocates (even if in ‘jest’ - hard to tell with that bitch) invading and assimilating Canada into America’s 51st state should expect resistance from intelligent Canadians.

The incident at UofO was a victory for Canada, for free speech, and, for the right to protest. It was a failure to organize a speaking engagement by a rancid whore who does not deserve a pulpit in this decreasingly great nation.

If she wants a stage she deserves, maybe she should show up at a strip club on amature night, but even then, who want’s to see Gumby strip?

Omar Khadr Needs to Come Home!

2010-01-29T20:21:00.006-05:00

Omar Khadr is a 23 year old Canadian held in a pig pen in Cuba. The Supreme Court of Canada has released a number of statements encouraging the Harper government to bring this young Canadian home. Most recently, the Supreme Court released a statement indicating that Omar’s basic human rights have been violated. Minimum rights demanded by international standards are not being adhered to, and Canada’s own charter rights are not being extended to this young Canadian citizen.

This is not a criticism of the US guards that hold, torture and interrogate this man, it is a criticism of the Stephen Harper’s minority government who relentlessly fail to do what is right for it’s citizens, the nation, and, the globe. Obviously, PM Harper feels he is above the law and continues to disregard Supreme Court decisions on what ought to be done in a society that once valued the rule of law. This is indicative of the autocratic regime Harper leads, a threat to Canadian democracy, and, to institutions once envied around the world.

Fear keeps the Canadian public complacent, but doing what is right used to be what Canadians were admired for, we’ve lost that shine.

Canadian interrogators spoke with Omar in 2004 playing on his emotions as he had become resistant to US interrogators. Through this process, the Canadian government became aware of the conditions Omar faces. He was deprived of sleep through participation in the “frequent-flyer” program over a 3 week period, among other despicable acts designed to force false confessions. There are legitimate concerns that this man was beat and tortured when he was brought into custody in Afghanistan in 2002.

Omar has been held in US custody since 2002, he was arrested at the age of 14 for allegedly throwing a grenade which killed a US soldier in a fire fight outside of Ayub Kheyl, Afghanistan. He is now 23, and has spent over 30% of his life in US custody.

Omar remains the only western captive in the Guantanamo bay prison center. His charges have been dropped three times and are currently suspended. He has spent his entire adolescence in captivity, endured practices deemed inhumane by any developed nation, and the international community. He was a child soldier in a war that has seen many times the Afghan deaths as coalition deaths. He is being inhumanely punished for Canadians shallow sense of comfort, and, lack of compassion. This case is one of many scars on the nation of Canada, his continued incarceration is breeding a lawsuit that will undoubtedly cost Canadians millions of dollars when/if he is ever released.

This Canadian was a boy when he was arrested. If he was treated as the Canadian that he is, we wouldn’t know his name since he should be protected by the Young Offenders Act, his rights should have been protected through the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, and, if the current government actually cared about our Charter of Rights and Freedoms he would be protected via that document too.

Our government is destroying the image of this nation. The responsible thing to do is to adhere to the Supreme Court’s decision, bring this boy home, and give him the second chance young offenders are entitled to. No matter what happens from here on our government will most certainly face a significant legal settlement since the Supreme Court has already sided with Mr. Khadr. We have wronged this man, we need to start doing what is right, immediately!

Canadian law is plagued with wrongful convictions and expensive settlements. At least in past cases prisoners were exonerated based on new information or new technology. In this case, even if we assume the worst, that Omar did throw a life ending grenade, it was done in war. If there was any justice, western soldiers should also face legal repercussions for the volumes of killing they do for reasons far less legitimate than Omar’s.

Consider the fate of Maj. Schmidt who killed 4 Canadian soldiers and wounded 8 when he mistakenly bombed Canadians on a training exercise. Surely, any reasonable person would find this more offensive than a child soldier defending his own nation? All charges were eventually dropped, but Maj. Schmidt was fined $5,700, but did sue the USAF for violations of his privacy.

This situation, like so many others facilitated by the authoritarian Harper Conservative government are scars on our national identity. No longer is traveling with a Canadian flag on your backpack an assistance with safe passage. Our image is tarnished, and it’s the continuation of these painful injustices that define our people.

Shame on us all! Demand Omar be returned home, overwhelm him with compassion!

In Banff

2010-01-24T01:41:00.002-05:00

The Lift, originally uploaded by patrickmcmahon4.

Sorry I missed the protesting, was busy having one of the best days of my life!

See more photos here!

PM Stephen Hitler

2010-01-05T12:24:00.004-05:00

As Canadians we look back on World War 2 with a sense of pride, that our nation rose to the cause of legitimate global concern and gave more than our share to stop an evil tyrant gone mad with power.

Our perspective is from the future, and it’s hard to put into context what that ordeal must have been like in the present. We can look back and say things like “the writing was on the wall”, that something should have been done to stop the forces of evil from gaining such momentum. That is history though, and we know that the world came together and crushed that repressive regime. The world was a better place.

Imagine participating in the 1933 election of a minority leader whose first order of business was outlawing his political competition. Quickly dissolving parliament to run again and be elected as a majority leader. Could you imagine the intense discomfort one would feel being a German Jew finding the political temperament of your homeland increasingly unwelcoming? Can you ask yourself how long your love for your homeland could keep you in a country that was becoming increasingly hostile to your faith community?

The writing was on the wall. A political mastermind recognizing the need for more natural resources to grow the Germanic people into the nation they deserved to be. Since that rise to infamy, Adolf Hitler’s name has become synonymous with pure evil. His name should be synonymous with political prowess, dominance over subordinates, a blatant lack of humanity, and, maybe a pinch of unbridled insanity, which lead to history holding him as the greatest villain of modern time.

The scope of Hitler’s evil should not overshadow the political games that lead to his rise, they are lessons that must be learned, or, as they say, history will repeat itself. It is for this reason, we must compare the contemporary political record of Canada’s least legitimate Prime Minister to that of the rising Adolf Hitler.

Stephen Harper is a relatively new face on the national scene for many Canadians. The calm demeanor with which he delivers his lies hides a menacing, and brutal political warrior that crushes subordinates that step out of line in a manner not seen in Canadian politics for generations. His disdain for institutions many Canadians holds dear speaks to his lack of satisfaction of the Canada he inherited, one envied around the world.

The course of Canada is being changed, and it’s direction is not dictated by what is best for the nation. Obviously, PM Harper is fighting with his inability to control the political reigns of this country with absolute dominance, a leading factor why his first order of business after the 2008 minority win was to bankrupt his political competition. Far too similar to Adolf Hitler’s tactic in 1933 to make his competitors illegal.

PM Harper faired well through this mess. He was able to eloquently shoot holes through the governing alternative (coalition), and got a break from facing the non-confidence vote he faced with an unprecedented prorougation of parliament amidst a maelstrom of crises. Clearly, the hardship of PM Harper’s citizenry are of no consequence to his political fortunes.

Our government committed to a withdrawal of troops from an unsupported, costly, and dangerous war zone by 2011 through the 2008 election cycle. That promise has dissolved, and Canada will find itself in a gritty war for over a decade. With few checkpoints if any to measure our progress.

 Meanwhile, on a day that saw 5 Canadians killed in Afghanistan, and, amidst growing turmoil regarding our troops alleged (and seemingly verified) aiding or abetting of torture, PM Harper intends to seek his second annual prorougation of parliament. Suspending all inquiries into our nations part in torture, a very serious concern for many proud Canadians, but one that can not happen concurrently with the Olympics it seems.

So far, Stephen Harper’s career as Canada’s Prime Minister has been met with political dead lock. The opposition parties representing a plurality of Canadian voters have limited his ability to destroy this country, all though the back room deals are beginning to come to light. For instance, as an oil man, PM Harper recognizes the value imbedded in our national fabric. Trees, oil, gold, uranium, etc., he has put these assets for sale on the global market and buyers are offering billions for a share. Recently, the US government encouraged the Canadian government to re-evaluate some of these contracts because they feel such economic pressures are threat to our national security and sovereignty. At least someone in office is concerned for our national security and sovereignty, too bad that office is in another country.

Stephen Harpers love for oil sands development is about as close as we can get to calling him genocidal, as the development of that cancer is so morally repugnant Canada runs the risk of alienating first world trading partners interested in bringing climate consciousness into trade agreements.

While Hitler destroyed his country looking to add resources, Harper is effectively destroying our country by selling our resources to private companies, mostly foreign. Relegating our diverse populace to mere employees of multi-national corporations. Corporations with no interest in how our landscapes end up, or the consequences of a tailings pond leeching into the Albertan water supply, or the lives being ruined through the soulless work of extracting bitumen with individual and global consequence.

For the obvious, and legitimate parallels that can be drawn between Adolf Hitler and Stephen Harper, one thing that must be mentioned, is that both came to power and afflicted their pain in a democratic system. Now, Hitler did ‘prorouge’ democracy for the war effort, and Canada’s democracy is off the track. But, the case must be made that the citizens, the voters, are to blame for electing these men.

Canada stands to be wildly embarrassed on the world stage through the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. China in 2008 managed to keep reporters from seeing the injustices those citizens face, but it’s hard to hide a scar visible from space. The scar of the growing reminder of the injustices our world faces by PM Harper’s commodification of our natural wealth and splendor. While these activities take place in a country trying to hide from the prospect that the government knew and did nothing about torture being done under our flag, compromising EVERY proud Canadian, alive, or dead.

Reminds me of Berlin ’38, what a great games those were.

Please vote.

Stir Your Conscience

2009-12-27T12:56:00.003-05:00

Can you watch this music video without a sense of guilt for the consumer society we all participate in? Can you imagine a world where slavery is illegal and socially reprehensible?

Imagine the story that can be told about the food industry, something as intimate as what you eat, and see if you can maintain your guilt free attitude.

We can't turn a blind eye to these issues and hope for success of the status quo. We can obviously see the damage and danger of this form of social organization, but for things to stay the same - or worse - get better according to 'business as usual', we need more of this exploitation, more dirty science to make our unsustainable lives livable.

We haven't earned this existence and we need to work back to an quality of life that is responsible, which can only be defined individually.

So, how responsible do you want to be?

Copenhagen, Winter Solstice, and Freight Trains

2009-12-21T19:46:00.004-05:00

The Copenhagen agreement to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees celsius is a lot like todays solstice.

Today, December 21, marks the first day of winter, and the day with the least amount of sunlight of the year. The sun, more than anything else, dictates weather and climate on this planet with areas further from the equator experiencing greater climate variations through the year - seasons.

Isn’t it peculiar that the day with the least amount of sunlight in the northern hemisphere marks the start of winter, not the end? After all, every day from now until the start of summer we receive more sun than the day before. But, as any seasoned Canadian knows, the coldest days are often through January and February.

This phenomenon of lower temperatures with more sunlight makes me think of how futile the Copenhagen agreement is. The current draft asks for the UN member states to sign on to a commitment to limit global warming to 2 degrees celsius with no discussion of controlling the mechanism with which we are collectively warming the planet.

An apt analogy might be to say we commit to stopping a freight train before it runs into a building far down the tracks. That is all semantics if all players continue the tragedy of the commons and continue practicing the status quo of accelerating the delivery of fuel to the train.

Of course, without any restrictions on how much fuel the train can receive, and with status quo incentives (and subsidies) still in place to reward those adding the fuel, there is no reasonable expectation that the amount of fuel the train would receive would diminish, no expectation for the train to slow down, and, no available technology to apply the brakes.

Today we experienced the least amount of sun we will receive all year, but we won’t know that the temperature has hit it’s annual low until we get to the spring, and the hottest day of the year will not be June 21st, but some time in July or August.

The point is, tying our goals to something with such unmanageable momentum as global temperature is a recipe for disaster. Tying our goals to the amount of pollution that underlies the temperature increase is much more sensible.

Sense is lost on leaders sent to serve citizens around the world that asked for an agreement that would set our species in a direction away from building a society on the accelerated consumption of a non-renewable resource. They couldn’t. There is no sense in relying so heavily and intimately on oil. Failing to chart a course away shows how little sense our leaders have. What recourse do the citizens have against our debt laden governments who subsidize the destruction of our planet?

A Decade of Fear and Failure

2009-12-18T19:08:00.006-05:00

With less than 2 weeks left in this decade, many of us are sent back to reflect on the significance of the past decade, and some might dare to think of the future.

It’s hard to look back on the last decade and not be overwhelmed by a sense of false urgency. We entered the decade through the chaos of Y2K, a crisis that sent stock markets to record highs. Less than 2 years into the decade the world suffered through 9/11, and is still suffering with ongoing wars against a unrecognizable evil, in lands most of us can’t find on a map. War remains profitable, and underpins the economic growth that has become more important than anything else.

Recently civilization has experienced an ‘economic crisis’, and between then and now a few pandemic scares including SARS, and H1N1. All of these fear inducing crises have been good for business. Diseases may have been bad for store front retail, but sanitation services and pharmaceutical solutions have prospered.

While all of these periodic crises come and go, while more of our best young men are injured and killed in wars we do not support, our civilization is digging an ever deeper hole. Larger and faster to feed an economic animal that is more important than our own morality, than a safe world for our children, than majestic animals like polar bears, pandas, elephants, and grandchildren.

For decades, we have suffered a crisis of apathy. We have let media outlets dictate what we think, what we fear, and what we can buy to insulate ourselves from the larger issues. Our society breeds injustice, if not in our communities, then in far away lands where children are slaves, cities are factories, and human rights take a distant consideration to profits.

Near the end of this decade, humanity had a choice. A choice to make the turn to rebuild broken economies with a moral compass. To recognize the irreplaceable value the Earth provides. Not so much about carbon emissions as much as responsibility and doing what’s right to ensure the planet is livable for the next generation.

Unfortunately, we failed. Humanity sent its sovereign leaders, negotiators, and tens of thousands of activists to reach an agreement to provide direction and save us from our own demise. Our leaders failed, a deal was not reached. More half measures and greenwash have guaranteed the extinction of the polar bear, more destruction in northern Alberta, and another endorsement of business as usual.

The first baby boomers turn 65 in 2010, the system designed to support their destructive lives has come of age. It is now time for them to do nothing more than exist. To consume resources and contribute nothing. The echo generation is coming of age, and raising their voices. We shout, plead and cry against the sheer stupidity of the pillars of our economic existence. Our voices are silenced by the greed and confusion of our parents who can not keep up with the change. They honestly believe that increasing the rate of consumption of a non-renewable resource is a sensible way to organize a society. How could they be so stupid? How were we unable to mobilize the world to social justice as this decade closes?

Boomers, you’ve failed. Our labour will support your ride into the sunset, but we will not have a graceful fall, our world will be chaos, food supplies, fuel supplies, and communities will be torn apart because you couldn’t make a deal. Because soulless jobs in factories and oil sands are somehow more important than my dreams or your foolish dreams of grandchildren. I will not forgive you for this failure, you promised me the world, but are taking it with you!

Not My Prime Minister

2009-12-15T00:42:00.004-05:00

In the weeks before Copenhagen, PM Harper toured the pacific rim and India. In fact, he made his first stop in the People’s Republic of China in 5 years of governance; he boycotted the Beijing Olympics citing China’s human rights record.

Now, Harper is selling our morality on the global market, and can meet as equals with Chinese representatives.

Today (Dec 14), CBC posted an article about a watered down version of the Conservative green house gas strategy. Watered down from “unacceptable” to “grossly negligent to planetary life”. Mr. Harper plans a emissions reduction strategy with exceptions for oil sands production.

The problem of course with oil sands production is that for economic profits to grow so must emissions, and since oil sands product is so cost and labour intensive a marginal increase in year over year profits means a material increase in year over year emissions.

While our Prime Minster searches for Asian ears willing to buy our souless oil, Americans, and all developed nations push back against us for being such a toxic people. Our nation used to be envied for our wide open spaces and lush wildernesses, now we are plagued by images of toxic tailing ponds, and a scar on our mother land that must look like cancer on the lungs and wheat basket of the earth.

Harper knows that out of Copenhagen, we will have a tough time selling our oil to Americans and Europeans who have looked in their children's eyes and stirred what remains of a baby boomer conscience. Your Prime Minister knows as long as we keep buying crap, the people that make that crap will buy our fuel.

Live better, spend less on things that define your existence. Shop at Wal-Mart, vote Conservative.

Morons, you elected this tyrant!

1 Hour to Environmentalism

2009-12-13T20:34:00.004-05:00

Watch these videos to be inspired by the opportunities that exist in fixing the planet.

Up first, the trailer for Chasing Ice, a documentary film on James Balog's Extreme Ice Survey. This should scare you, the planet is suffering and our western lifestyle is doing the damage!

Chasing Ice Teaser from Extreme Ice Survey on Vimeo.

Next, a segment of TV Ontario's documentary film The Corporation featuring sustainable business pioneer Ray Anderson speaking about the morality of business as usual, and the success his company (Interface Carpets) has had at increasing sales and decreasing impact.

The next few deal with some business ideas, and inspiring technologies for the future. Watch what interests you.

First, the power of the wind and innovative new ways to harness it with Saul Griffith, of Makani Power. Why these aren't in the market, especially in Ontario's rich renewable energy market I don't know!?

Here's an inspiring and in depth talk by Willie Smits on how he has successfully restored barren clear cut plam oil fields, restored biodiversity in plants and animals, and, actually changed the climate!

Lastly, one of my favorite talks. Mostly because of the economic lesson that is taught. Throughout the 'green' movement people get scared off by the prices. See what happens when you rent, not buy batteries for your electric car, same goes for your solar panels, heat pumps, etc.

We can get through this. Do you want to be a leader or a luddite. Failure to act will mean failure of society. We can't continue to live so unsustainably, it's unsustainable!

Profit / Impact (Update)

2009-12-13T12:35:00.005-05:00

This week I received my welcome package from Bullfrog Power, which supposedly provides me 100% renewable energy. The idea seems like a bit of a scam, except that currently Ontario does generate a portion of its electricity from renewable sources and no one else has laid a claim to it. Bullfrog has established that claim and is extracting the value from the consumer. By showing there is demand for cleaner options, even at higher prices, demonstrates an increased willingness of consumers to pay more to do the right thing.

This step has been one in a long road to carbon neutrality, one I’m not even close to, but one I was much further off quite recently.

20 months ago I was driving to and from work, where I would build SUV’s. 200 SUV’s a day, 5.5 days a week. I started to ask where do all these cars keep coming from, and, I knew where they all went - to a lifetime of consuming gas, creating pollution, and, lubricating the economic gears of society in our collective race to the bottom.

So, I quit. That wasn’t a system I wanted to derive my living from. Next I went on to volunteer as a soaring instructor teaching young and old to fly planes without engines - gliders. A lot of renewable energy used there for hour to 5 hour flights without an engine, however, still a lot of pollution from the tow plane. Although, a great improvement from factory servitude.

My next shift was to get myself back working. I had hoped for soaring, snowboard, and white water instructor, but ended up as an home energy advisor. Now, in a job I enjoy, through an average week I help 15 homeowners switch from low to high efficiency furnaces eliminating over 1.5 tonnes of CO2 per year (each), and saving 30% on their energy bills. Some get free attic insulation, others free toilets that save water and money obviously and immediately. My income is now derived from carbon reduction and helping homeowners be more efficient.

Up until this point my life had been fueled by dirty energy. My car runs on high octane gasoline, my home is heated with natural gas, and of course our electricity grid is only a bit cleaner than coal. So, by opting into Bullfrog power, at least my electricity is ‘clean’. All that is left is the heating fuel for my building, fuel for my car, and, the things I buy.

And that’s why 2010 is the year of the electric car for me. A car to make my full-size AWD car my second car, and a practical, fun, electric car to be my first.

In the mean time my income is significantly up, while benefits are down, but options are exploding in front of me. A case could be made that I’m atoning for the damage I did building cars.

For the logic of measuring impact vs. profit, see my blog post 'Profit / Impact' from February 14, 2009.

Here are the new numbers based on the carbon calculator @ Carbonzero:
CO2e from travel (2300km/mo in a large car) = 0.7 tonnes/mo
CO2e from home heating (assuming 50m3 of Natural gas) = 0.1 tonnes/mo
CO2e from home electricity = 0 - Bullfrog
CO2e from my work = 0 since my work leads to carbon reductions (although, not elimination)

Therefore my total monthly carbon impact is 0.8 tonnes per month. My impact when I was a factory worker was 1.83 tonnes per month. My monthly profit then was $600, or $327.9/CO2e. If my profits stayed the same, my new impact weighted profit becomes $750/CO2e, except that finding a career doing good has increased monthly profits to around $2000/mo, so my new weighted profit becomes $2500/CO2e. Representing a 662% increase in weighted earnings.

If I am successful at eliminating 70% of vehicle emissions with an electric car, increasing home expenses by $100 (insurance, electricity, etc. but less gas), my monthly impact drops to 0.6 tonnes per month and profit to $1900 per month my weighted monthly profit goes to $3170/CO2e, a 867% increase from factory days and a 27% increase year over year without any growth in profit - unlikely.

I'd encourage you to do the same. There is no sense making more money today if the pursuit of those dollars ensures there will be no tomorrow.

Riding Giants

2009-09-30T22:23:00.008-04:00

A similarly inspirational film:

Share this post - http://tinyurl.com/rdngiants2006

Thanks.

Young Dragons

2009-09-12T12:41:00.002-04:00

Finally, a Conservative majority government is on the horizon. Stephen Harper is already ramping up the attack rhetoric and threatening Conservative supporters with the absolute need for a majority. Harper’s 2008 campaign on the intrinsic strength of the Canadian economy due to 2.5 years of Conservative governance has imploded. His promises of balanced budgets turned to a record deficit projection of $30 billion, only to be revised to $50 billion when his government foolishly bought General Motors for young Canadians not old enough to vote, but old enough to be tried as adults for violent crime. His ardent opposition to carbon pricing is growing into a blatantly inequitable carbon tax policy. A policy designed to punish all provinces but his home turf of Alberta and Saskatchewan who (literally) race to the bottom in pursuit of turning Canada’s decreasingly great landscapes into capital on global commodity markets, relegating Canada the worst environmental steward of the G8 countries.

Frankly, our country faces a dismal political future. We essentially have two options, a Conservative majority, or, a minority government of some sort.

The policies we will hear about through the coming months into an impending election in this country will cater to baby boomers and war birds, as they are the most active voting group. This approach is called the ‘median voter principle’, and, also explains why all parties propose similar policies since they are all targeting the same, ‘average’ Canadian. The citizens of tomorrow, innovators, entrepreneurs, students, will not be thought of because in Canada, planning for the future is political suicide, while political success is determined by swindling the retired and infirm into believing government will defend the disastrous status quo, or, scaring voters away from other relevant parties with unfamiliar ideas (like responsibility).

The youth in this country hold the key to political change, and represent a dragon waiting to be awoken to shake Canadian politics at it’s core. A generation of Canadians interested in responsible government, responsible citizens, responsible programs, good will, and, an end to for-profit wars in lands many of us cannot find on a map. These Canadians realize that our future prosperity will not be environmental destruction for dollars today, but charting a sustainable course with a greater focus on quality of life, not wealth creation.

This election must be about the youth. This election must create a generational divide and allow the youth to tell the aged that they have done wrong, that policies designed to ensure a happily ever after have an expiration date and do not apply to young Canadians.

The only hope for this country is that a party can take a risk and succeed in painting a picture of a Canada of the future, a deviation from the present course. This will not be well received by Canadians invested in the destruction of this country, and nor should it. The Canada young people want values Canada’s natural beauty not as a balance sheet of unharvested natural resources, but a vast wilderness of untold mystery and adventure.
Our nation needs help. We need a political option for the future. We need a leader that can motivate disenfranchised youth. We need legislative ideas that encourage innovation, not hegemony. We need your vote!

Wish List

2009-08-27T22:33:00.004-04:00

Media I want to consume:

I've read all of Chuck's books up to here, and Amazon makes this sound like the best yet.

Given the transformation internet communications is beginnging to have in the new economy, some readings from one of the most significant contributors to communication theory (and a Canadian) might provide some intrinsic understanding and advantages in the dynamic web game.

My favourite song this minute (past few days) is Smashing Pumpkins - Stellar, lead me to re-visit some of the old albums which are all masterpieces. Corrigan has things figured out, but if you line up to follow him, it proves, you don't have it figured out.

Road Resurfacing

2009-07-30T08:05:00.001-04:00

As the winter approaches here in Ontario, the other Canadian season - construction - is in full swing. Everywhere I go roads are torn up, many for resurfacing, some that had been resurfaced the last time the government wanted to waste money on make work projects.

Road resurfacing is the greatest analogy to the futility of conventional government stimulus. Everything about that capital expenditure is matched with untold volumes of waste.

Many of these workers are paid very well, some of this work happening at night when premiums are in effect. Many people on these sites do little to know real work, which isn’t a legitimate criticism because there are more than enough white collar lazy people being overcompensated - in the public and private sector. eHealth, GM, AIG - I suppose those are all public sector examples?

The real waste, is in the impact. If a road’s surface is generally fit, destroying it violates Canadians favourite proverb of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. By tearing up the roads, leaving sharp bumps to slow down traffic, exposing manholes, and creating all sorts of other hazards government can pat themselves on the back for ‘stimulating the economy’.

Have you seen the machines used to resurface these roads. Can you imagine the volume of diesel fuel that must be consumed to eat asphalt and propel it into an awaiting dump truck, while an army of Ford pick-ups sit idling all day? The new asphalt is a oil rich by product, that obviously doesn’t stand up if these roads are being worked on every 5 years. Carbon emissions from petroleum weigh three times the input weight of the fuel itself, according to Scientific American.

Essentially, the government is stimulating the economy by fixing problems that need not be fixed, while avoiding the problems that do need to be fixed. Through this process they are creating headaches and slowing down the productive portion of the economy with endless detours, closed lanes, and, slower traffic flows. And, they are creating a huge carbon footprint just for a smooth finish on a road that was previously pretty smooth.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. How long have North American economies been buoyed by the killing we sponsor in Afghanistan and Iraq? Economic stimulus. How much money has been spent keeping people with no quality of life alive and consuming resources? Economic stimulus. What is the daily growth rate of the tailing ponds in Alberta? How much extra profit are insurance companies squandering when police hand out 15km/h tickets like meter maids? Why are those same police exempt from the rules they demand we adhere too?

The system is broken. The priorities are backwards. It’s one thing to keep people working, but if their work negatively contributes to society in general, has a significant environmental impact, severely complicates the lives of the citizenry, shouldn’t those costs be considered instead of just thinking about how many tax dollars can be wasted through a period of economic uncertainty.

What I would do for responsible government! Too bad all I can do is vote, too bad you didn’t.

Why Rent?

2009-07-27T23:35:00.004-04:00

My father turns 60 this month. He’s not alone, especially not in Canada. Relatively speaking, Canada has more boomers than nearly any other western nation. Our distressed sick care system is already taxed with no plan for the huge burden these boomers will place on it.

My parents own two homes, many boomers have multiple properties, either for additional income, or, recreation. Many count on them to provide financial security in retirement.

Humans, especially boomers, are a cancer on the Earth. Their birth was a celebration of defeating Hitler’s Germany. World War II began because Hitler realized that a strong Germany needed more natural resources to satisfy the Aryan race. At the end of that war, the global human population was approximately 2.5bln, now, it’s 6.8bln and growing faster than the planet can accommodate.

Many Canadians pride our nation in being so tolerant to emigrants seeking a safe new beginning in Canada. It’s true, we are (were?) one of the most accepting nations with respect to refugees, but this has never been exclusively a humanitarian policy. Our government needs to manage the nations demographic histogram to ensure that there are enough consumers in the economy to drive businesses and therefore tax revenues to support the retired and aged. The influx of new Canadians has been critical to the exponential growth in real estate values we all count on, and, increased immigration will be required to balance budgets when boomers start drawing on the system. If balanced budgets will ever be seen again - I have my doubts!

The cool headed justification for renting is that, as boomers retire and begin to lose their ability to take care of themselves or their properties, there will be a huge influx of properties on the market. At first prices will hold, but this will represent a tide that will drive home prices down. Think of the untouchable vacation properties at deep deep discounts!

The hot headed justification for renting is along the same lines, just that, if there will be a real estate market in 2050 it will require fewer human beings living unsustainable lives, probably fewer humans period.

Look at a city from space, look at pictures of oil rigs, tar sands, think about the millions of acres of the planet that have turned from diverse forests, to monocultures, to suburbs. There is nothing natural about the way we live our lives, and, when an organism that has as much damaging potential as humans do breeds and multiplies the way we have, we cross a tipping point where our host can no longer survive. New York, Shanghai, Mumbai, London, Toronto, these are tumors that drain the planet of it’s ability to survive through sea, air, rail and highway networks. I eat snow peas grown in China that ripen on an ocean freighter, each gram of food energy I consume has between 10 and 55 grams of fossil energy in it’s manufacture.

Our grandparents were born from the ashes of the Great Depression, they learned about hard work. Their hard work inspired their children to follow those footsteps toward a happy ever after with a good pension and life insurance, all driven by the pursuit of the soulless dollar. Now, insurance companies are nearly bankrupt, governments are running record deficits, and, this weird weather can only be attributed to Mother Earth hitting menopause. This, still a year before the first boomers turn 65.

Rent, don’t own. Stay mobile.

Moreover, the first 5 - 7 years of a mortgage you’re just paying interest. If you buy with a minimal down payment any price depreciation puts you in negative equity, then you can’t move. Ask America!

Iranian Democracy

2009-06-20T23:46:00.003-04:00

In what, less than 2 months, Americans have switched from perceiving Iranians as terrorists, to empathizing with their strength to defy, stand up, and, truly fight for their freedom.

I fully support the Iranian people in their fight for freedom. What a tremendous act, especially from a place in the world that is so repressed compared to a Patriot Act protected, free, America. I applaud the strength and conviction of these people, and, not focus on how bad things must be to risk their lives to change their nation.

Really, I don’t think we even have the moral authority to applaud the Iranians, we should really take from their example. We, after all, are the nations currently invading and occupying other nations. We, store a select swath of ‘terrorists’ in Gitmo, and, have the scar of Abu Ghraib.

I hope the media coverage coming from Iran turns from front line cell phone videos to a real discussion of the issue, the question of democracy. The Iranians are saying yes, have American’s done enough just by voting?

The fight for freedom can not be won with violence. As long as my country spends my tax dollars on colonial occupation, I feel cheated to cheerlead a protesting people, but, not have the fight domestically to continue to work for peace, change, and, what’s right.

As a person, I am grateful, every time people rise up against oppression, we all gain a little more freedom. I just worry that we cheerlead a people rising up against an oppressive government, when, our own governments are not protested while we are actively engaged in war.

Strange times we live in. As the June Fourth Incident celebrates it’s 20th year anniversary.

Peace.

One Week

2009-06-18T21:41:00.005-04:00

After missing this Canadian indie film when it was in select theaters, I bought it for a ridiculous sum of money from my 'local' Chapters. View the trailer below.

I haven't seen many films lately, but what a spectacular film this was. I hate to qualify it with labels like ‘Canadiana’ that somehow exempt it from straight up comparison to other films, but this speaks to Canadians in a way that will exclude it from mass market success, and relegate it to the favourites of those who are in the know.

This film showcases glimpses of our great nation in a way a mainstream film never has, with a story line and plot lesson that is incredibly powerful to anyone who questions their role in this world, the meaning of life, or believes in 'life expectancy'.

A mix of On The Road, Into The Wild, and Tuesdays With Morrie, this film begs you to ask the question - “What if you only had one day, one week, one month to live?”.

A question worth asking, because, after all, what if you only have one day, one week, or, one month to live?

Don't smoke!

Warning - An Election Is Coming

2009-06-15T22:40:00.006-04:00

I heard an unfortunate rumor that Canadians may be headed to the polls (again) through the summer. I suppose this isn’t such a bad proposition, we are after all in the midst of a period of incredible economic uncertainty, and, another federal election campaign would inject about $400 million dollars into the economy, to, once again, solve nothing.

Since our last election, Stephen Harper’s government has broke it’s most ardent campaign promises of balanced budgets and continued economic growth. His fiscally prudent ideologically driven party is deviating wildly from it’s grass roots base. Harper policies are chasing bad decisions with worse decision in an attempt to coddle every special interest group in defense of his teetering rule. Recently, cabinet ministers misplaced top secret documents (again), marginalized terminally ill Canadians, further threaten our health care system, and, revised deficit expectations up by over 50%. If Canadians shared budgeting skills of the Hon. Minister from Whitby (home of bailed out GM) we’d all be bankrupt - but, be driving new GMC Sierra trucks I suppose.

It is my opinion that the Conservatives, ruled by Harper’s iron fist, are not fit to govern. I think Stephen Harper’s government is seriously threatening Canada’s most sacred institutions, remains a proponent of failed draconian right wing government doctrine, and, has no vision past the horizon of an Albertan tailing pond, when the nation needs to be pointed in the polar opposite direction.

However, the other side of the isle is no better, maybe worse. From election day, through a failed attempt for true minority governance, leadership battles, infighting, etc., the political alternatives have contributed nothing. They have been content to just ride the coat tails of suffering Canadians blaming global economic contraction on a government that has never been able to lead while providing no alternatives, just criticism.

The Liberals only remain viable because baby boomers foolishly hope for the return of Tredeau politics, while, current Liberal policies (if there are any) vary only marginally from Conservative policies. The leader is arrogant and impersonal, and, they are spineless. The NDP have a different crisis. They are blessed with an effectual leader, and bass ackwards policies. The utopian spend, spend, coddle policies indicative of NDP campaign promises would surely be obliterated by the terrifying prospect of a NDP budget cycle.

What options remain? I would certainly vote Bloc given the chance. Gilles Duceppe is a fantastic leader, has an understanding of culture, and, represents the only Canadian province to have met it’s Kyoto carbon emission target. That is the kind of direction we so desperately need for our great nation. Celebrate our uniqueness, and, respect the natural environment we, unlike any other global citizenry, have dominion over.

Or, Ms. May and the Greens. The Green party has a sensible budgetary platform to transition the country for the future with a focus on the only thing that matters - keeping the planet livable for the next generation of GM shareholders, sorry, Canadians. Unfortunately, with a platform that makes the most sense for people whose immediate concerns are not shuffleboard and funeral planning, but the young Canadians left to inherit the mess created by the recent swath of nincompoops selected to steer North American economies, the prospect for the party is in line with the prospect for humanity - dim.

Since I can not vote Bloc, I will vote green. I suspect many more people will make this switch from Liberal or NDP support, increasing the division of votes on the ‘left’; plausibly, and finally, handing Harper his coveted majority.

Given this depressing situation, the total void of leadership amongst our political elite, I’d prefer our government not waste more of our money on an election that will achieve nothing, but further weaken our nation (financially and politically). I would much prefer if our overpaid, pathetic federal politicians would just do some work for once. Reach some consensus, collaborate, innovate, and create some effective legislation that is responsible to the Canadians left to manage bailed out industries; not ensure a comfortable ride into oblivion for the few Canadians that remain politically engaged.

Mind you, our MP's have been yelling at each other for at least 3 months now since government was prorouged with only a few weeks for spring recess. Surely it's reasonable they have their summer vacation before they get back down to doing nothing, officially, again.

Food Inc. Trailer

2009-06-15T22:11:00.004-04:00

I've been struggling with my diet of late. Not only have I packed on a few pounds, but my attempt to have a vegetarian day a week has failed, 3 weeks in a row now.

I have a shimmer of an idea of the perils of the commercial food industry, but feel this film will give me enough information to force myself into more responsible dietary choices.

Ask yourself, did you earn your kill today? If not, save your steak for the day you do.

mmmmmm, steak!!

The Power of One!

2009-06-03T23:04:00.000-04:00

Babies Buy GM

2009-06-01T22:30:00.004-04:00

Our foolish Prime MInister, who campaigned on balanced budgets, will run a $50 billion deficit in 2009 alone. With the clear intent of reviving the economy through the assembly lines of GM and Chrysler.

Today, Canadian children invested $10 billion for a 12% stake in a company whose most promising product offering is a $50,000 Chevy Cavalier. With a pipeline of hopes and dreams, and a work and pension force of skill-less factory workers who for too long have been paid more than nurses and teachers, Stephen Harper has invested our country in failure; indicative of the legacy he is building for himself.

The world is ending. I had hope, but with a record amount of good money after bad from our elected officials, it’s hard to see an alternative end to the paradigm the boomer politicians are transfixed on. Defending votes, not the country, not the citizens, not the children.

The environment, unlike fiscal plans, budgets and statements does not reset every year or quarter. For decades, since the abolition of the gold standard, the pace of economic activity, and the destruction of natural landscapes which is required to fuel economic growth has been building a cumulative toll on the planet. Strip mines are dug deeper, tailing ponds stretch past the horizon, and more and more carbon is expelled into the atmosphere. Trees which could capture that carbon are felled or burned to raise cattle for our immoral diets, oceans are overfished or poisoned with fertilizer, creating massive dead zones. The planet is taxed, yet we borrow from our children to squeeze it even more, not realizing, without the planet, our privileged existence wouldn’t exist.

Governments of today, indicated by their targeted ‘stimulus’ are missing the point. The baby boom lust for money, and material wealth will take humanity to the grave. The end game of economic activity as we know it, and, as is being defended with tax revenues of unborn Canadians is destruction, famine, disease, and extinction.

Every single planetary life support system is in decline, yet, we remain more interested in reviving economic growth that will only accelerate our race into oblivion. A highly critical crusader for social justice tells me the solution is the end of the free market. I laugh, because there is no free market. Cars, homes, drugs are all subsidized by governments encouraging dependence on economic systems, while we pay insurance premiums to failed corporations to protect us from an end they can not protect us from.

As long as idiots like Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, and Jack Layton fight for the right to destroy our future, my hope turns to fear. Canada used to stand for what’s right in the world, now we are adrift on the seas of global capitalism and exploitation. Given the chance to regain some democratic control, citizens of British Columbia dropped the ball. The course of our nation remains directed by a man who can’t steer it in the direction he wants for fear of losing the right to govern, yet, those who would take the helm, have no relevant ideas. The opposition in this country is content heckling from the sidelines, or, infighting.

This storm is here to stay, managing crisis will be the role of leaders in the foreseeable future. In managing this first wave of economic uncertainty, world governments have expended their entire war chest of capital, foolishly drawn toward ‘business as usual’ as the road to recovery.

We need ideas, not idiots. Our politicians need to get out of the way, and let leaders lead. This isn’t a time for politicking, it’s a time for action, it’s a time for ideas. After 3 years of political stale mate, it’s clear, this nation has no one capable of leading.

We’d be better off as American’s, at least Obama brings hope! Maybe that’s Harper’s Conservative end game, if he ruins Canada enough, we’ll crawl to the US offering our fresh water, wide open spaces, and, natural wealth, for colourless money, and the right to bear arms. He certainly is a smooth operator.

For more pictures from the May 30/09 storm in Toronto (including double rainbow) click ici.

Paul Hawken - Commencement Speech '09 (U of Portland)

2009-05-26T19:22:00.003-04:00

When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was "direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful." No pressure there.

Let's begin with the startling part. Class of 2009: you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation... but not one peer-reviewed paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement. Basically, civilization needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades.

This planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don't poison the water, soil, or air, don't let the earth get overcrowded, and don't touch the thermostat have been broken. Buckminster Fuller said that spaceship earth was so ingeniously designed that no one has a clue that we are on one, flying through the universe at a million miles per hour, with no need for seatbelts, lots of room in coach, and really good food—but all that is changing.

There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and in case you didn't bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it says: You are Brilliant, and the Earth is Hiring. The earth couldn't afford to send recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain, sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute person you are dating. Take the hint. And here's the deal: Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don't be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world. The poet Adrienne Rich wrote, "So much has been destroyed I have cast my lot with those who, age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world." There could be no better description. Humanity is coalescing. It is reconstituting the world, and the action is taking place in schoolrooms, farms, jungles, villages, campuses, companies, refuge camps, deserts, fisheries, and slums.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more. This is the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. Like Mercy Corps, it works behind the scenes and gets the job done. Large as it is, no one knows the true size of this movement. It provides hope, support, and meaning to billions of people in the world. Its clout resides in idea, not in force. It is made up of teachers, children, peasants, businesspeople, rappers, organic farmers, nuns, artists, government workers, fisherfolk, engineers, students, incorrigible writers, weeping Muslims, concerned mothers, poets, doctors without borders, grieving Christians, street musicians, the President of the United States of America, and as the writer David James Duncan would say, the Creator, the One who loves us all in such a huge way.

There is a rabbinical teaching that says if the world is ending and the Messiah arrives, first plant a tree, and then see if the story is true. Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity's willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider. "One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice," is Mary Oliver's description of moving away from the profane toward a deep sense of connectedness to the living world.

Millions of people are working on behalf of strangers, even if the evening news is usually about the death of strangers. This kindness of strangers has religious, even mythic origins, and very specific eighteenth-century roots. Abolitionists were the first people to create a national and global movement to defend the rights of those they did not know. Until that time, no group had filed a grievance except on behalf of itself. The founders of this movement were largely unknown -- Granville Clark, Thomas Clarkson, Josiah Wedgwood — and their goal was ridiculous on the face of it: at that time three out of four people in the world were enslaved. Enslaving each other was what human beings had done for ages. And the abolitionist movement was greeted with incredulity. Conservative spokesmen ridiculed the abolitionists as liberals, progressives, do-gooders, meddlers, and activists. They were told they would ruin the economy and drive England into poverty. But for the first time in history a group of people organized themselves to help people they would never know, from whom they would never receive direct or indirect benefit. And today tens of millions of
people do this every day. It is called the world of non-profits, civil society, schools, social entrepreneurship, non-governmental organizations, and companies who place social and environmental justice at the top of their strategic goals. The scope and scale of this effort is unparalleled in history.

The living world is not "out there" somewhere, but in your heart. What do we know about life? In the words of biologist Janine Benyus, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. I can think of no better motto for a future economy. We have tens of thousands of abandoned homes without people and tens of thousands of abandoned people without homes. We have failed bankers advising failed regulators on how to save failed assets. We are the only species on the planet without full employment. Brilliant. We have an economy that tells us that it is cheaper to destroy earth in real time rather than renew, restore, and sustain it. You can print money to bail out a bank but you can't print life to bail out a planet. At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product. We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

The first living cell came into being nearly 40 million centuries ago, and its direct descendants are in all of our bloodstreams. Literally you are breathing molecules this very second that were inhaled by Moses, Mother Teresa, and Bono. We are vastly interconnected. Our fates are inseparable. We are here because the dream of every cell is to become two cells. And dreams come true. In each of you are one quadrillion cells, 90 percent of which are not human cells. Your body is a community, and without those other microorganisms you would perish in hours. Each human cell has 400 billion molecules conducting millions of processes between trillions of atoms. The total cellular activity in one human body is staggering: one septillion actions at any one moment, a one with twenty-four zeros after it. In a millisecond, our body has undergone ten times more processes than there are stars in the universe, which is exactly what Charles Darwin foretold when he said science would discover that each living creature was a "little universe, formed of a host of self-propagating organisms, inconceivably minute and as numerous as the stars of heaven."

So I have two questions for you all: First, can you feel your body? Stop for a moment. Feel your body. One septillion activities going on simultaneously, and your body does this so well you are free to ignore it, and wonder instead when this speech will end. You can feel it. It is called life. This is who you are. Second question: who is in charge of your body? Who is managing those molecules? Hopefully not a political party. Life is creating the conditions that are conducive to life inside you, just as in all of nature. Our innate nature is to create the conditions that are conducive to life. What I want you to imagine is that collectively humanity is evincing a deep innate wisdom in coming together to heal the wounds and insults of the past.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television.

This extraordinary time when we are globally aware of each other and the multiple dangers that threaten civilization has never happened, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand years. Each of us is as complex and beautiful as all the stars in the universe. We have done great things and we have gone way off course in terms of honoring creation. You are graduating to the most amazing, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. The generations before you failed. They didn't stay up all night. They got distracted and lost sight of the fact that life is a miracle every moment of your existence. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn't ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hope only makes sense when it doesn't make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

Copied from Charity Focus

Videos for the Future

2009-05-22T19:38:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple videos for the future.

The first is from the godfather of sustainable business practices, the founder and former CEO of Interface Carpets, Ray Anderson, speaking at TED 2009.

The second video is a ad for Showtime's show Weeds. The first 2 seasons of which, I adored. I have a serious crush on Marie Louise Parker (since she was on West Wing). With more and more states getting on board of decriminalizing marijuana for medicinal use, you can remain fearful and restrained regarding the most effective drug you can grow in your backyard. Remember Pfizer and Merck's "blockbuster" cox-2 inhibitor pain killers that killed a number of people? Know that marijuana in over 4000 years of use for pain has caused a grand total of 0 deaths.

Watch The History of Weed and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

Great Message From Nike!

2009-05-11T23:36:00.001-04:00

Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo.

Leadership

2009-05-11T23:12:00.003-04:00

In the highly connected world, mass markets will prove less worthwhile, and certainly less accessible for individuals looking to make change.

If you have the desire to make change, here is the best leadership advice I've ever seen!

Tamil Protests

2009-05-11T01:23:00.006-04:00

I'd heard of peaceful Tamil Tiger protests around University on recent radio traffic reports, but tonight, Mother's Day, people rallied together and are having a termendous, peaceful impact.

Allegedly, overnight thousands of innocent civilians were slaugthered by government, camps are being set up and people sent there with unsafe drinking water, and, inadequate food supplies. Other anecdotes of cruelty defy belief.

I've learned that the protesters are no longer blocking the highway, but their request seemed so simple. Organizers demanded a member of significance from Stephen Harper's government explain Canada's position with regards to reported genocide in Sri Lanka.

Does it really take the stopping of one of the busiest roads in Canada to have our federal government publicly announce they do not support genocide?

I guess that is a serious concession for the Harper government to make.

Bizzare!?

Speaking of bizzare, here are a few pictures of the Gardnier totally devoid of traffic this evening!

1k Weekend

2009-05-08T08:48:00.003-04:00

My video tribute to last weekend. Birthday party gong shows, cottage opener, and familiarizing myself with my new car!

Many thanks for the invites, and to all who helped make it a great summer kick-off weekend!

1k Weekend from Patrick McMahon on Vimeo.

Responsible Government

2009-04-26T14:13:00.004-04:00

4/25/09: Your Weekly Address from White House on Vimeo.

Bound to make you smile!

2009-04-21T21:54:00.002-04:00

The Electric Car is (Re)born

2009-04-13T11:03:00.005-04:00

Check out this great video from a recent Ted conference.

End of Suburbia (Documentry)

2009-04-12T15:53:00.001-04:00

Airborn Toxic Event - Innocence

2009-04-06T00:26:00.001-04:00

Dissent

2009-04-04T18:11:00.002-04:00

The beauty of political dissent!

Kite Power

2009-04-02T01:32:00.005-04:00

Kites really are the future, just look and see.

Given the horizontal sweep of power generating kites, the increased density of water compared to air, and, more predictable river flows; I wonder if this could be adapted to river flow turbines? Water turbines are already making a splash, and the technology is still in development. Something these guys know a lot about - Verdant Power

Of course, an idea is only good these days if it's cool, so, here are some beautiful women with amazing skills showing off how cool kites are!

Won't the future be fun!?

Food Sustainability

2009-04-02T00:33:00.003-04:00

An amazing presentation on what the food chain looks like today, how it will change, and how that change can be managed.

Expensive Electricity

2009-04-01T00:26:00.003-04:00

Worrying that coal is cheaper than wind, solar, or whatever responsible technology is unimportant. The increases, while significant are not monumental, and our energy mix is not changing over night, but, it does need to change.

Opponents of renewable energy worry that the increases as they are passed down to consumers, claiming they are very price sensitive right now. I beg to differ, gasoline has risen in price by 30% since it’s crisis lows and consumers are managing. Moreover, energy consumption is down as industrial activity is down.

Introducing more expensive sources of power right now could not make more economic sense. Current costs of energy must be below budgeted forecasts given the drop in prices since the summer of ’08, and given the slowdown in productive activity. Introducing a small price shock now will have little effect on companies and households bottom lines compared to other stresses associated with cheap energy and over consumption.

Building a measured expectation of increasing electricity costs into budget modeling will have significant implications for technology and innovation decisions as companies rebound and grow again. The potential increase of even 8% as is being faced in Ontario is manageable through a concerted effort at energy consumption reduction through changed light bulbs, and a clean air filters.

Measuring revenue or profit in relation to energy required for that profit will provide companies a framework to evaluate how efficiently they are using a resource increasing in price. Organizations and individuals then can look for ways to increase energy efficiency, produce more value per unit of energy.

If you like this outlook, one that finally begins to address the true value of the host of all ecosystems, and stores of natural resources. Do a GHG Inventory, or, hire a consultant. Establishing a baseline level of impact, monitoring it, and working to reduce it will manage rising electricity prices, decrease impending carbon taxation, increase cash flow, and, put your organization on the path to sustainable business.

"Love is a first" - The Tragically Hip

2009-03-27T11:59:00.002-04:00

Has society learned the lesson the invisible hand is trying to teach us? Never before seen flooding is being funneled into Canada but is already doing massive damage in the freezing cold of Fargo, North Dakota. Not the first surprising occurrence in the intensifying battle against climate.

It’s going to take a lot of money to fix the homes being destroyed by an early start to the tornado season through Mississippi. A volcano is trembling in Alaska, a mere 3 months through a solar 2009 that has already destroyed much of Australia through wild fires.

The ‘developed’ countries need oil, $40 per barrel was just as unrealistically low as $140 was unrealistically high. Mother nature is going to make us consume natural resources fighting the fires in the same way as we always have. But, we can not pour oil on a planet that is saying “you can’t live here any more” to defend property and capital.

People need to live where the Earth lets them, not where it is economically viable depending on the nature in which your employment destroys the earth. I think that’s fair. The earth whored herself a little bit so we could be imparted with economics, she just didn’t know we would get crack stupid on her bounty. Vegetables, grains, fruits, meats, sugars, marijuana, coffee, beer, vioxx, oxycotin, viagra, cigarettes, oil, etc.

As cycles go, this is a big one. Consider how imperialists treated indigenous people the last time there was such a social shift in discovering the new world. Poisoning people who lived sustainably for hundreds of years while in Europe people learned about religion, serfdom, currency, and, industry - God’s vision of man in the world - servitude.

In 1974 President Nixon abolished the rule that said you had to match currency to gold reserves. The costs stemming from World War 2, Korea, Vietnam lead him to eliminate the connection between money and wealth. From that policy change, stock markets rallied to their post Y2K highs, generating unprecedented wealth as natural resources went from valuing currency to generating money, with no concept of the destruction done for the acquisition of that money.

It is war, hate and destruction that has put us here. Wars fought for Jesus, fought for natural wealth, fought for ideology, fought for oil. People don’t care about any of those things, organizations do. The church, the state, your way of life justifies killing people, ecosystems, and differing opinion in order to progress.

Enough. Can’t we give peace a chance finally? We have the tools in place to empower citizens to take personal responsibility, and share in open collaborative global networks untied from wired communities with portable power generation, mobile connectivity, and a whole world to discover and embrace.

"The medium is the message"

2009-03-27T03:16:00.005-04:00

I'd like to hold on to the Canadian values instilled in me after 5 generations. I think the 3rd and forth waring generations might have been misguided but my Acadian ancestors would have understood the fight to live off the land through a Canadian winter.

Fixing this country will take a new set of tools that are misunderstood by the generation doing the damage, but, making the decisions. Twitter is one of those tools, understanding the social opportunities and liberty it provides is a paradigm shift.

And, worth remembering.

2009-03-27T00:50:00.005-04:00

There is no room for your past in the mosh pit.

There is no room for your future in the mosh pit.

In the mosh pit, the music defines the moment.

In the mosh pit, it’s just you, the music, and, the mob.

Video by Kotsy

Harper Continues To Destroy Canada

2009-03-25T13:26:00.001-04:00

Stephen Harper announced today that the CBC will have to shed at least 800 jobs and sell $125 million in assets. This is yet another gleaming example of how much this man hates Canada.

This is not prudent governance, to demand the sale of assets in such a depressed market, eliminating public sector jobs in a horrendous economy, while he still has not put his economic recovery plan into action.

Ironically, this announcement comes days after Fox News’ host of Red Eye, an overnight talk show lambasted the Canadian armed forces for covering the US’ ass while they evaded the real enemy and tried to secure more fat oil profits for the American business elites for the past 7 years. This, mere weeks after our most inept politician (and there are many to choose from) went to New York for an interview with Fox News, obviously recognizing the legitimate weight that tabloid holds in the news world.

Soon, Stephen Harper will have destroyed any sense of Canadian culture fostered by the CBC through it’s various outlets, not the least of which is the coveted RadioCanada in Quebec, leaving a void for Fox News Canada to fill. The CBC should make all it’s cuts to French language programming, as it is very clear now that Stephen Harper’s Canada does not include Quebec. Either the Quebecers would outrage and demand his government be toppled as all Canadians should, or a referendum on Quebec sovereignty would be back on the table, have a increased likelihood of success, and, without worrying about Quebec’s House of Commons seats, Harper will have his majority.

Quebec is the model Canada needs to be adopting, not Alberta’s model. Quebec has achieved it’s 1990 carbon emissions target set forth internationally by the Kyoto protocol, while Canada as a whole has increased its carbon output by 24% in less than a decade. Quebec’s economy has grown with a healthy arts and culture sector not through natural resource destruction and manufacturing.

Harper has tried to bankrupt his political counterparts, and, successfully eliminated womens rights to pay equity tribunals. These are policies similar to Adolf Hitler in 1933, with a similar economic backdrop. Hate, war, and, destruction are values only held by Harper and his right wing fanatics, these are not representative of the values of Canada. If this is allowed to continue he will permanently destroy what this country stands for while the opposition rubber stamps the destruction.

I can’t believe how in less than a year, America has become a more progressive, intelligent nation than Canada. I never thought I’d live to see the day. I never thought Canadians could be so monumentally stupid to elect this demon! We are all weaker for your stupidity.

Please apologize for voting Conservative!

Tweet For Your Town

2009-03-24T14:04:00.005-04:00

If you don’t know what Twitter is, this won’t explain it, Twitter is really a learn by doing kind of thing. I suggest you sign-up (takes 30 seconds) and search for people you find interesting, maybe me - @Paddy_Mack. Follow those people and you will create a news feed of news sources you find interesting, all served in 140 characters or less, making for a very manageable flow of information. Get comfortable with it on the web, then, transition to your mobile device.

Given Twitter’s quick penetration, and, such an open platform, many Twitter centric social innovations are already budding and will continue to develop. One I’m very hopeful for, will be to use this global platform for very localized collaboration. Using Twitter as a simple point of contact for municipal government will be wildly beneficial.

The idea is to send a Tweet to your cities Twitter account with a short message regarding something you would like to see improved. For example “@mycambridge A #pothole on Main St. at Water just ate my car”, “@mywaterloo there are 3 #streetlight out between Bricker St and University Ave on Albert St”, or “@mykitchener New #graffiti on south wall of Kit. Aud. Very offensive”. Instead of having city workers drive around hunting for work, wasting time, tax dollars, and fuel, using the power of responsible citizens, problems will be identified and can be quickly addressed.

Citizens lives are improved by having deficiencies in their communities identified, and corrected, while gaining a satisfaction from knowing they are part of improving the community. Also, you’ll notice the use of the number sign (#) known as a hash tag. With some software development, municipalities can use hash tags to auto-sort incoming tweets and route them to appropriate departments. This could lead to better information management, and, possibly to a compensation scheme for citizens who embrace this tool and work to improve the community and streamline government operations.

Municipal governments will benefit through increased contact with citizens, and, that contact not coming in the form of highly emotional, time consuming letters and phone calls that are only generated when problems get ‘out of control’. Not only are Tweets a maximum of 140 characters, but, using this system with a responsible local government will ensure problems do not get out of control.

Communities will benefit as more and more people become active in improving the community, this positive end would be sped up with a compensation program. Given the demographic most easily empowered by this tool, it may turn ‘trouble making’ youths into community ambassadors, able to earn income by improving our communities. This tool will be a great starting point to increase political participation of our youths who have no choice but to inherit a world ravaged by their parents.

If you think this is a good idea, join Twitter, follow me, and, follow your city (mycambridge, mywaterloo, mykitchener, or, waterlooregion). Then send them a Tweet like “Hire @patrickmcmahon4 so I can help improve my city using twitter and make some bling bling” or something to that effect. I want the job, and cities need Twitter.

Suncor Buys Petro Canada

2009-03-24T00:54:00.007-04:00

The forces of evil at work are so great, it took a global publication to make Canada atone for it’s abuse of the planet. The oil sands were recently featured as a cover story of National Geographic. Yesterday, the oil sands rode a wave of support as the 5th largest North American oil and gas company was born through the merger between Suncor and Petro Canada.

Amidst the glee of a reprieve from financial destruction, this epic merger was announced in the shadow of more intelligent American legislation. Suncor, who was the the primary corporate star of National Geographic's horrific expose merged with Petro Canada. Until 2004 more than 19% of the company was owned by Canadians. The federal Liberals sold the nations remaining share "to help develop new technologies to address environmental challenges." according to then Liberal minority finance minister Ralph Goodale for $3.2 billion.

Stephen Harper was minority opposition leader then, and would begin his disastrous run as Minority Prime Minister in 2006; subsidizing franchise Canada from his MLM up-line George W Bush. His government would increase subsidies for more oil and gas destruction, fail at investing in the new technologies promised to Canadians, while cutting cultural spending and maintaining an unpopular war. Instead of moving in the right direction 3 years ago, Stephen Harper continues to seek to further develop the oil and gas sector, stifling our nations ability to change, and remaining ignorant to the impacts on the global environment.

Markets rallied this merger Monday because America proposed a economic relief plan that allows people to invest in other people for pennies on the dollar, building conectedness and stronger communities. In fact, if Americans participate, and America thrives beacuse America comes together and accomplishes something great, this plan can turn $6 of risk into $100 returned. Meanwhile, the Canadian federal government is still reading from the Bush II handbook; Conservatives paid him to come up and give them an update.

Stephen Harper is driving this coutnry like a train into a brick wall. None of his political counterparts have any vision or gumption to offer an alternative, content to count their political blessings not to have to manage through this crisis to attack when things get back to 'normal'. Ask citizens of Manitoba when normal returns as they already face significant flooding 3 weeks before the river peaks during it's spring thaw.

There is hope, the Ontario Liberals are drafting legislation that will make Ontario the most profitable solar market in the world, stimulating the green economy, shifts to sustainable buiness, while trying to distance themselves from the course of the nation lead by the bleak vision of an uninspiring man.

We need change too, and we need it now!

My Canada

2009-03-23T21:55:00.005-04:00

We value peace.

We value our people.

We value the law, and don't need guns to defend those laws.

Powerful Global Warming Commercial

2009-03-23T19:48:00.001-04:00

Stupid Americans

2009-03-23T13:24:00.004-04:00

God Bless Fox News! What a monumentally worthless sink hole of capital. It's too bad good people are losing jobs and these people have jobs.

They should be thanking us. We are covering the US' ass in Afghanistan because Bush II was playing colonial hop scotch trying to have his first successful oil venture. The real battle was / is in Afghanistan, intelligent people know this. Fox News and the former editor of such monumental rags as Stuff, and Maxim are obviously working with a half deck of cards to support this nonsense.

This kind of uneducated 'journalism' is indicative of a media empire controlled with an iron fist by a megalomaniac who doesn't even know how to work e-mail. How can this tripe be marketed as news!

Absolutely disgusting!

2009-03-22T19:02:00.003-04:00

"Truth is like a vast tree, which yields more an more fruit the more you nurture it. The deeper the search in the mine of truth, the richer the discovery of the gems buried there, in the shape of openings of an ever greater variety of service."

- Gandhi

"It has always been a mystery to me how
men can feel themselves honored
by the humiliation of their fellow beings"
- Gandhi

Fat Green Profits

2009-03-21T12:02:00.005-04:00

When the Government of Ontario submits the Green Energy Act it will include new feed in tariff levels for alternative energy production making Ontario the global solar hot spot, with the highest rates paid for rooftop solar installations up to 10kW. This plan is so bold, Ontario roof owners could earn annual rates of return between 14 and 20% depending on location and size of array. Those returns are guaranteed in collaboration with the Ontario Power Authority for 20 years, and, the rising and setting of the sun for the next few billion.

Compare that financial performance to the ‘conservative’ 11% annual return equities provide by investing in industries like oil, gas, mining, and forestry that generate profits through the destruction of our shared environment. Or, manufacturers who are on the verge of bankruptcy after decades of exploiting workers and turning once beautiful landscapes into strip mines for steel and plastic. Casinos, weapons contractors, drug companies, or, for-profit health care.

The problem is of course; as it is with all drastic environmental improvements, the initial investment. To yield upwards of 15% annually, you need to be investing in the neighbourhood of $65,000. But, with that kind of investment, you get steady predictable returns, you are producing a tremendous amount of clean energy, and, sow the seeds of hope in your community by creating employment, and, moving from the sinking ship to the high speed, low emission train of the future.

Yes, the problem of initial capital requirements is daunting, especially considering the generation with that kind of capital are still hoping their stock portfolios of financially hemorrhaging companies will return to record profits and foolishly inflated stock prices with record negative environmental and sociological impacts.

For the generation who recognizes the tremendous benefits of producing your own electricity, capturing steady income, and, the need for alternative energy, capital must be made available to take advantage of the financial opportunities created in the alternative energy environment. Financing these investments remains the most significant barrier to entry, and, with banks freezing capital they are starving citizens of opportunity, society of progress, and, themselves of safe, profitable lending opportunities.

The unwillingness to lend for projects of the future speaks to how banks, like politicians, cater to the baby boom generation. By withholding the tools from younger generations with the creativity and innovative ideas that can begin to fix the tremendous mistakes of their parents generation, we face further economic uncertainty, an greater risk to the natural environment.

One possible solution would require a banking product not utilized in decades, one that could increase solar penetration in our community, share the financial benefits, and generate tax free earnings. If a financial product was created where citizens could invest their Tax Free Savings Account holdings into a local solar fund, or, more broadly a community innovation fund, they could help finance solar installations and other high yielding green projects in the community, evade taxes on income generated, and, allow many people to participate in this exciting shift.

Interested in profitable solar power on your roof? Buy my eBook
Small Scale Solar Power in Ontario

Leverage

2009-03-17T00:06:00.001-04:00

If you happened to catch Jim Cramer’s interview with Jon Steward on The Daily Show of Thursday, March, 12, you would have seen one of the greatest interviews thus far in the financial crisis. At least as far as I am concerned.

During this hard hitting interview, Mr. Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money and one of the most outspoken cheer leaders of unsustainable business practices acknowledged that he, and the network he works for (CNBC, owned by GE) should have been responsible enough to evaluate the prospect of such outrageous levels of credit in the market. As Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers failed, US banks were leveraged 35:1 or more. That’s to say, they had $35 issued in credit for every $1 of controlled assets. Many thanks for these disgusting lending practices must be given to Bush II’s treasury secretary Hank Paulson, who should be tried, sentenced, and executed so as to not cost the American people more dollars to imprison him.

It is because the worlds most powerful financial institutions were so leveraged that stock markets matter of factly can not return to their recent historical levels. In the future, banks will again behave more like banks, and less like venture capitalists; horrible ones at that. These huge banks will be forced, possibly through legislation, but hopefully by responsible management to reign in their credit exposure.

This, effectively will mean that money will have to be taken out of the market to retire debt, especially high risk instruments such as securitized mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans. Now, the US government has provided $700 billion dollars through the troubled asset relief program (TARP) that will certainly help in this endeavor, but equity will have to come out of the market to return levels of leverage to sustainable levels (if there is such a thing).

The market ran up on the continued relaxation of lending standards under Bush II, the market rallied on froth of unethical, unsustainable, and unintelligent lending practices, and as a result must be reeled back in.

However, if banks are exclusively focused on bringing leverage back under control and stop lending they will cease to be going concerns, and, new financial products from new ventures will be created to fill the void. No matter who is providing the credit, we should all hope that it is loaned in a responsible way for responsible projects. Again, while global capital mobility has lead us to this unfortunate circumstance, local deployments of capital must be central to the solution. Bankers must know who they are lending to, what (generally) capital will be used for, and believe in those uses.

We already find ourselves in a 0% interest rate environment; socially we should take a step toward increased Islamic styled banking systems, where capital is not loaned since interest is forbidden, but providers of capital share in ownership, success, and failure of ventures they subsidize. Not only has Bush II destroyed capitalism as we know it, he has prejudiced the world against the beauty of the Islamic faith, while defending creationism over evolution, and, killing for oil. What a tremendously awful man, one who supports the death penalty, and certainly deserves it.

Watch the Cramer v. Stewart interview in CANADA

Watch the Cramer v. Steward interview in USA? Find it yourself!

My EV Competition

2009-03-14T22:04:00.001-04:00

Canadian Auto Ultimatums

2009-03-12T18:03:00.005-04:00

Chrysler LLC, the most troubled of the American auto manufactures dropped an ultimatum on the Canadian government on March 11, saying that without forced wage concessions, a significant capital injection, and, eliminated tax liability they will close Canadian operations. On March 10, Toyota Canada suggested $12 billion is required in domestic auto aid to help the faltering sector.

There is no question regarding the significance of the automotive sector to the Canadian economy, especially Ontario’s economy. No other sector has the economic growth potential compared to manufacturing. As the economy has come to such an abrupt halt, auto makers and dealers are faced with growing stockpiles of unsold vehicles, slowing assembly lines, and, layoffs.

The auto makers have proven time and time again they are not viable businesses. All major auto manufactures have been adorned with tax breaks and incentives from various levels of government, yet, even in the good times many could not post a profit. What example does it set if governments are to continue to bail out businesses that have a proven track record of being incapable of operating prudently? If businesses can borrow wildly, operate wastefully, treat people poorly, provide a suboptimal product, and, come back to government for more aid, what are responsible businesses and people to think? Why are defunct US corporations more worthy of tax payer dollars than tax payers?

Has the time not come to finally demand that our politicians start investing in Canada and Canadians not multi-national corporations? Chrysler is a private company, and it’s owner (Cerberus) is not prepared to invest more capital. If a party that is privy to the inner financial woes of it’s subsidiary is not prepared to invest in the company, why should my children be forced to?

Canada needs to distance itself from the foreign auto makers, not further embrace them. Mind you, transitioning from such economic dependence on the auto manufacturers will require capital, but if that capital comes from future tax receipts of unborn Canadians, then the money should be to support Canadians in difficult times, not corporations that have created this mess, and continue to lay off Canadians. Any government bail out would certainly contribute to severance packages, in effect, using Canadian tax dollars to subsidize increased unemployment.

A ‘needed’ bailout for the future of the auto makers should also embrace other social goals that have come to the surface through this chaos. For instance, an appropriate use of tax payer dollars might be to encourage Canadians to take old inefficient vehicles off the road for newer low emission vehicles. This would reduce transportation carbon emissions, move stalled inventory, stimulate the economy, and, reduce transportation costs of citizens.

Might I suggest the made in Ontario Toyota Corolla or Matrix, and, Honda Civic.

Any stimulus for the auto sector should be directed at moving existing inventory, not increasing manufacturing pace. We all need to acknowledge that we have seen a peak in production of internal combustion vehicle units, and, it is foolish to think that the companies that have been so blind to the needed shifts in social infrastructure can create products of the future.

The vehicles of tomorrow will be built by smaller, dynamic, growing companies with innovative ideas, more sustainable business practices, and a focus on efficiency. GM is not ahead of the curve by promoting a Chevy Cavalier that costs as much as a Cadillac with it’s pipe dream, saving grace, the Volt. To add to this outrage, a new Canadian auto manufacturer can not even sell it’s product throughout most of Canada. How can we pretend to encourage innovation when government stands so obviously in the way of it?

Any tax payer dollars going into the sieves of US corporate boardrooms is reprehensible and should not be supported by Canadians. There are ways the government can help struggling Canadians purchase products from struggling auto makers that will reduce fuel costs, reduce pollution, and, help the Canadian automotive sector transition. Capital injected directly into failing US businesses instead of fostering innovation here at home will demonstrate where our governments allegiances lie. Given the statements Harper has provided in the past few days, he still seems foolishly hopeful that the destructive practices of ‘business as usual’ that brought about the financial crisis will soon be restored. With this in mind, we can not let the Conservatives take Canada further of course with their autocratic rule.

Harper has been the leader of the opposition or Prime Minister of minority governments since 2002. His policies and timeline run hand in hand with the obscurely regulated and destructive policies of the Bush II era. He has made Canada the last safe haven for extreme right wing policies and disdain for responsible government. The financial crisis he is presiding over is forcing his party into stimulative policies they do not support and cannot facilitate appropriately. Our current opposition must draft a new budget, seeing the ‘books’ is almost unimportant given the upheavals going on in the economy. Create legislation for the future, draft a budget around where Canada needs to be in 5, 10 years, and get Stephen Harper out of the Prime Ministers seat.

Lily Allen - The Fear

2009-03-12T12:14:00.001-04:00

Amazingly insightful lyrics from this cute little temptress!

Buffet on Cap and Trade

2009-03-10T01:27:00.003-04:00

Warren Buffet was featured on CNBC recently discussing President Obama’s plan to tax carbon emissions as a way to initiate a shift to carbon consciousness. Mr. Buffet explained that this might not be the most effective tax since, it will be passed through to consumers on their energy bills. Since a greater portion of a low income individuals income goes to heating and electricity, an increase in this financial obligation will have greater impact as a percentage of income compared to the impact on a more affluent person; this is what makes it a ‘regressive’ tax. This compares to income tax, where tax rates get higher the more you earn, ‘progressive’ taxation.

It is true, a tax on pollution will raise the cost of polluting activities, which regrettably include electricity generation and household heating. But, this is just the first step, since once individuals and businesses understand the costs associated with energy consumption they will invest in innovative, more efficient products to maintain their standard of living, and pollute less. Many of these innovations will be cash flow positive in time, and adopting them is not only good for the planet, but good for the local economy potentially creating manufacturing jobs, installation jobs, even sales jobs.

Also, the reason carbon taxation schemes are so poorly tolerated is because the group who pollutes most is the corporate sector, through industrial processes, which, in and of themselves are toxic to the environment. If pollution based taxation were to be introduced, it would mean significant increases in costs to begin to account for the damage being done to our shared natural environment (bearing no mind to the damage already done). The question then becomes, what does a carbon tax mean to me? Frankly, not much.

As it stands, it costs around $400 in electricity to generate 1 ton of CO2 emissions. If there were a $25/ton carbon tax, your energy costs should effectively increase by 6.25%, meaning, if you don’t want to pay more for energy, you need to find a way to decrease your consumption by a paltry 6.25%. While you’re working on the problem, why not try to reduce your consumption by 20%, most households can. And those that already have, look for ways to cut another 20%.

The problem we face is that few of us actually understand how much we are polluting, so talking about reductions is irrelevant because we don’t know where we are reducing from. So, while introducing a price for carbon emissions, we all must endeavor to understand and measure what our own personal impacts are. With that knowledge and a financial reward (evaded carbon taxes), we can evaluate and implement cost effective alternatives that have no negative impacts to standard of living.

In the same interview with CNBC Mr. Buffet also commented on his concern over the inflationary potential of all this federal stimulus money. The Republican’s are trying to stir carbon taxation as an attack on lower income Americans as a way to rally support against this tax. Not surprising since it is the corporations who need lax regulations to pillage the earth to generate record profits, with record impacts. The real story from the interview is the threat of inflation Mr. Buffet spoke of, which, he worries, might be higher than in the ‘70s.

Only with the innovations sparked by the pricing of carbon emissions will sustainable economic activity return to the capitalistic world. Failing to manage the tail spin the economy is in by wasting trillions of dollars to prop up failed industries will lead to unimaginable environmental consequences, widespread fear, and inflation. If we choose a carbon tax today as an investment in tomorrow, manage a marginal increase in energy costs with responsible consumption choices, the inflationary risk dissipates hugely, compared to the old way of propping up failed businesses over and over again.

We need a change or we risk environmental and economic collapse, and, we need a legislative framework that fosters those changes, invests in the required innovations, and stops wasting future generations tax dollars on companies working to ensure there is no world for those generations to inherit.

1962

2009-03-08T15:18:00.003-04:00

Banks aren’t lending. I went to find out; with an excellent credit score, clean balance sheet, and great ideas for the future I tried to secure financing to sow the seeds of hope. Armed with ideas like a college course teaching sustainable business, a distribution business for solar thermal pool products, even a plan to convert classic cars into electric vehicles. After years of turning credit away, and asking for my limits to be reduced I thought that amidst this chaos my prudent behaviour would be rewarded with opportunity in a tumultuous time. I was wrong.

It became apparent very early in my meeting that the banking system is broken. Banks like households are hoarding cash. Opportunities for profit are being overlooked as stock markets tumble and wealthy nations, and their citizens collapse in fear. The end game of this fear is horrific, and something no one wants. It’s an end game not wished upon us by hippies, terrorists, environmentalists, Republicans, or Democrats. The end game of fear is bunkering down into self sufficient pods. The end game of love is bunkering down into self sufficient communities, with global interaction, collaboration, and, transparency thanks to the internet and broadening mobile network.

The boogie man isn’t so bad when you realize that the barometer of wealth is a stock index of companies whose average year of induction was 1962. Obviously the companies born of modern warfare, labor exploitation, environmental exploitation, and consumerism should not be the measuring stick we use for the future. To be a profiteer from destruction in the pursuit of money, money which is being rendered useless, seems foolish, dangerous, and unethical.

Unless investments are made in businesses and ideas that will fuel transitioning the sacred forestry, mining, and manufacturing sectors I suspect dollars will fail. The key to averting economic collapse will have to be a recognition that while we measure our economic time in years, all of our natural impacts are cumulative. Just because our annual income resets January 1, doesn’t mean that our carbon from last years activities has been captured, or the pit dug to mine the steel being stamped has been replenished.

Our society can not be too afraid to tackle the issues of climate change in a way that enhances our standard of living. Economic fear can not drive people into corners of solitude, we must embrace the natural world, and, discard a value set devoted to it’s destruction.

For too long dollars have stood on their own as a measuring stick, but we must understand that profits and earnings are relative to the impact we have on the Earth. We have ignored the fact that without raw materials, no economic wealth can be created at all. Free markets, and dollars are important social organization and transaction tools that we will need in order to accomplish the technology and lifestyle changes required to create a vibrant society once more. Artisans, restaurants, local farming, local energy, personal responsibility.

I <3 Erin Burnett

2009-03-07T15:02:00.001-05:00

Beware!! Falling Stocks!

2009-03-03T23:49:00.003-05:00

Acknowledging that the US stock indexes are the best barometers for Western wealth, their behaviour so far this week is troubling, but, not surprising. When the S&P 500 broke the November 20, 2008 low on February 23, 2009, this marked a technical failure of the stock market. The November 20th low seemed to be a floor in stocks around the same levels found after 9/11, before turning around in 2003. When that level (755) was broken, technicians consider it a failed test of support leading to more downside, which is exactly what we’ve seen.

What do we make of this, how painful will the continued decline in stock prices be, how long will you remain invested in failure?

Change is more than a slogan, it’s a requisite. Change is happening in spite of legislators desire to stand in the way. Change is happening because every day, more and more people are realizing that continuing to do work they deplore, threatening all planetary life is insane. Thankfully, some of the worst corporate offenders are the ones facilitating the tough break ups with massive lay offs due to severely compromised profit outlooks.

It is the large companies, the listed multi-national corporations with beat down stock prices, aggravated investors, that are cutting jobs, it will be small businesses, and new ventures that pick them up. But, as the economy contracts, all businesses suffer. The suffering for many small businesses is magnified by the restraints placed on them by the market failures associated with the failings of businesses that are ‘too big to fail’.

It is exactly because local small businesses hold the key, yet, global stock markets hold us transfixed in agony, that our economy is, as some put it, spiraling out of control. But, at the same time, when Canadians are asked how the ‘recession’ is affecting them, many are surprisingly content. The problem really lies in the fact that the broader economy does have to make up for the income void left by the multi-nationals and we lack a policy framework to foster the businesses that will make the changes.

How does this chaos happen? It doesn’t matter, it is happening. Stock markets are heading lower, our government has decided to piss away $100 billion, Canada will be the first nation to try a minor for war crimes, and, a gang of police abused a Polish man to death for being confused. We should not look for a solution from a government that so viciously repels the idea that scaring our nation to kill the planet for dollars might be a bad idea.

Canadians, for the first time in a long time need to change government more than Americans. Americans - but Canadians too - need to change themselves. As citizens that curse governments for spending our tax dollars on failing businesses, we should not spend our after-tax dollars on them. Instead, shop locally, certainly eat locally, attend local theatre, at least see a local band. Instead of investing in exchange traded funds that track obscure industries in strange lands, invest in your community and fund a small business. See the fruits of your wealth.

After our personal houses are in order, with high efficiency bulbs and clean air filters, we must demand our politicians put programs in place to encourage this change. Policies that provide small business incentives, arts funding, energy efficiency lending, tax free municipal bonds, and, no new nuclear must be central to any legislative framework that supports and develops change. The deficiencies in society require unimaginable innovations that only the private sector can provide. If all levels of government were focused on sustainable profits (economics, social, and, environmental) this recession will pass quickly and save us in the future, with new jobs, stronger communities, thriving arts, and, environmental responsibility.

The risk that the current legislative regime continues, is a risk we can not take. Our leaders must learn from President Obama. His new budget is just that, a new budget. Our opposition parties oppose without any alternatives, insist that they see ‘the books’ before they can draft a budget. We don’t have time for any more political games. Start fresh, chart a course into the future, do not support the waste of billions of dollars on policies drafted looking in the rearview mirror.

How the economy broke by PBS

Man on Wire

2009-02-28T00:21:00.006-05:00

In the middle of the first oil shock of 1973, when crude oil prices tripled overnight, stock markets behaved erratically. As the price of oil went up, the stock markets went down. To the tune of 40%.

When market activity was precipitous in nature an artist pulled a prank of unmatched proportions, and, haunting symbolism by tight rope walking, or dancing, between the buildings. When badgered by American reporters demanding "why he had done it?" he finally said, "There is no why."

The market rallied that week, maybe a glimmer of hope. It deteriorated wildly after that, but within the year had set a low which would hold.

The story of the tightrope walker, who found peace and beauty amidst collective economic hemorrhaging is the subject of this years Oscar for Best Documentary. I think it is a fantastic story, and a tremendous lesson on life.

Consider renting it and putting a smile on your face!

Thank me later! ;)

Everything is Everything

2009-02-20T20:14:00.001-05:00

Muni Bonds

2009-02-20T13:15:00.002-05:00

Many economists agree that the collapse in the US housing market was the first domino to fall in the financial crisis we face today. The mortgage market was much to blame as the process of securitizing sub-prime loans into investment grade instruments propelled a wildly unsustainable housing boom. These pools of toxic debt were sold on financial markets to investors all around the world, many, touted as a shining example of global capital mobility in an increasingly globalized world.

If ‘fixing’ the housing crisis is paramount to stabilizing financial markets, and, a lack of restraint on the part of lenders was the cause of the de-stabilization, then, finding more sustainable lending practices is the key to recovery. Chances are, new instruments will look very different compared to those that have gotten us into this mess. For instance, more localized debt, and less globalized debt. A specific instrument to consider would be the return of the tax-free municipal bond. Even a taxable municipal bond would be extremely effective these days with the advent of the Tax Free Savings Account, which renders the bond tax free at the investors discretion.

Municipalities could raise capital to secure infrastructure money made available in the federal budget, pools of capital could be created for business start-ups, easing credit pressures on local small business, home loans for environmental initiatives, or, otherwise improving the community. Knowing that individual investments are serving the local community only stands to strengthen the community and bolster local employment.

The tools are in place to revive banking models not seen in decades, practices left to the stalwart credit unions. These practices were abandoned for the easier, larger profits of commercial lending, however, we are now seeing the implications of the profit motive, as it has erased a decade of wealth creation, and has yet been stymied.

2009-02-15T13:02:00.005-05:00

"We live in a culture which is stealing
the future. We steal the future and
sell it in the present and call it GDP."

- Paul Hawken, Authors@Google

2009-02-14T22:02:00.003-05:00

"If from the outside there's no demand for what you do.
Then inside there's an army waiting for their marching orders from you."

- Tragically Hip The Dark Canuck

Profit / Impact

2009-02-14T15:36:00.003-05:00

It is my belief that environmental action will be the rising tide that restores economic growth. What the world will look like when the reality of environmental responsibility reaches corporate boardrooms is hard to say, but there is little doubt of one thing; we are increasingly finding ourselves in a ‘carbon conscious’ society.

How does a carbon conscious society relate to our profit conscious society, what metrics can we use?

I propose, that the best judge of the profit of a person, family, community, or, business should be financial profit divided by environmental impact. For example, while Wal Mart and Exxon continue to generate record profits, so too is their negative impact on the environment. So, in this evaluation, their profits are far less than the dollar amounts because when divided by their environmental impact (which is huge) this measure of environmentally responsible profits is much smaller. A practical example would be Sun Microsystems, who are actively pursuing sustainability initiatives. In 2007 the company generated 285,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions with profits of $473 million. Their profit per unit of environmental impact (CO2e) is then $1659.

Really, the goal in an ideal capitalistic society should be to generate the most profits with the least negative impact. The problem becomes finding ways to quantify profits and impact. Dollars seem to be an easy way to measure profits, but are still inadequate; for example, happiness is profitable, but has no dollar value. The same applies for impact; carbon emissions are becoming a popular way to quantify your impact, but is admittedly not all encompassing.

In order to evaluate my responsible profits I need some data. First I need my income and to subtract my expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, etc. Then I need to calculate my carbon footprint. Using a carbon calculator from CarbonZero I found that my share of household electricity and natural gas works out to 0.4960 tonnes of CO2e per month. Right now, I am averaging about 210l of fuel per month which generates 0.567 tonnes of CO2e. This brings my total monthly carbon footprint to 1.063 tonnes of CO2e per month. Assuming, my income less expenses is $600 per month, my profit per unit of impact is $564.44.

With these baseline measurements in place, I can then look at ways of managing my personal responsible profits. For example, if I decided to stop driving my car and start taking the bus, I would eliminate the 0.567 tonnes of CO2e from driving, for just 0.2 tonnes of CO2e from taking a bus, making my new monthly carbon footprint 0.696 tonnes of CO2e. With the same financial profits ($600) and my new carbon footprint, my responsible profits are now $862.07 per unit of impact.

BUT, by not taking my car, I save $180 in unneeded fuel, but do have to pay for a $50 bus pass. Therefore, I have $730 (600+180-50) financial profits with a carbon impact of just 0.696, generating profit per unit of impact of $1048.85.

AND, if I were to totally get rid of my car, saving $300/month in car payments, $105 in insurance, and $50 for parking, my financial profits would be increased by a further $455, now, $1185 divided by 0.696 is $1702.59 per tonne of CO2e.

This calculation is especially flattering if you are self employed and your calculations are exclusively based on your own self generated income, and self generated pollution. However, since most of us are employed, we have to take into account our activity at work. That is, unless you work for a company that offsets their impact. Since few companies do this, you are therefore responsible for the pollution you generate, since your employer won’t take responsibility for it.

Using Sun Microsystems as an example again, the 285k tonnes of CO2e generated in 2007 was shared among, about, 33k employees. This breaks down to an additional 0.72 tonnes of CO2e per employee per month for similar manufacturing companies. Using this value of 0.72 tonnes of CO2e per month for employment, keeping my car (and it’s costs), my financial profits go back to $600, divided by my new total impact of 1.783 tonnes of CO2e my profit per unit of impact is reduced to $336.51 due to my increased negative environmental impact. Selling my car and choosing the bus will increase my financial profit to $1185 and reduce my impact to 1.416 tonnes of CO2e resulting in profit per unit of impact of $836.86.

The important take away here is that in order to live a richer life in a carbon conscious world, you need to increase monthly financial profits, and/or, reduce your environmental impact. To do either, you need to measure in order to manage. We can only know we have improved our financial or environmental impact if we know where we are starting from.

Calculate your impact, and encourage your employer to calculate and share their impact. The work you do is the legacy you leave. If your work is destroying the natural environment, and your employer does not accept responsibility for their impact, then, that impact is yours to bear. Hopefully, you’re a better citizen than they are.

We need to understand the damage we are doing before we can begin to fix it. Assessing that damage takes a few minutes using gas receipts, utility bills, and an estimation of your at work impact. If you care about leaving an inhabitable world to your children, the first step is finding out how much damage you are doing to it. We can’t get to where we want to be if we don’t know where we are.

CarbonZero Carbon Calculator

2009-02-12T15:21:00.004-05:00

"Today, our continuing progress is restricted not by the number of fishing boats, but by the decreasing numbers of fish; not by the power of pumps but by the depletion of aquifers; not by the number of chainsaws but by the disappearance of primary forests."

- Natural Capitalism

2009-02-10T16:09:00.005-05:00

I am Canadian

2009-02-08T11:16:00.004-05:00

Although, regrettably, Molson is now owned by a US brewery, this commercial is still brilliant!

2009-02-07T14:43:00.001-05:00

Happiness

2009-02-05T16:42:00.005-05:00

From 'Astronomy Picture of the Day' for July 22, 2008, an amazing video showing a peculiar activity.

'Explanation of the Picture':

What are these humans doing? Dancing. Many humans on Earth exhibit periods of happiness, and one method of displaying happiness is dancing. Happiness and dancing transcend political boundaries and occur in practically every human society. Above, Matt Harding traveled through many nations on Earth, started dancing, and filmed the result. The video is perhaps a dramatic example that humans from all over planet Earth feel a common bond as part of a single species. Happiness is frequently contagious -- few people are able to watch the above video without smiling.

2009-02-03T00:50:00.003-05:00

"1) What one enjoys doing and doesn't harm others, one should do. 2) What one doesn't enjoy and only aggravates others, one should not do."

- Albert Einstein

MGMT - Kids

2009-02-01T13:08:00.001-05:00

350

2009-01-27T16:01:00.003-05:00

The number 350 is a global number, we need to get levels of carbon in the atmosphere back below 350 parts per million for any chance at a livable planet. Nothing is more important than the preservation of life on this earth.

Below, is a neat language-free animation about how and what the 350 movement is about.

Also, check out this link for some interesting t-shirt ideas or whimsical global warming mathematics!

Canadian Values

2009-01-26T23:37:00.001-05:00

We need to decide what ‘Canadian values’ are, and what the defense of those values represents. I’m a 5th generation Canadian, I’ve inherited a love for Canada from my parents and serving grandparents. My parents were Trudeau maniacs, my grandfathers were chief petty officers. Trudeau fought for a just society, my grandfathers for a free society - both fights were expensive, but history has shown, worthwhile.

Canadian values to me means an unyielding defense of good and what is right in the world. It took Pearl Harbor to put America into World War II, it took selflessness to put Canada in it. By some accounts, no nation gave as much as Canada, our nation barely threatened by that great evil.

I think that is important, I think, and hope, that Canadians are good people. That our nation doesn’t defend itself with armies, or economic clout, but handshakes, respect, and honesty.

If we had defended those ideals, made the right choices, traversed the responsible path, maybe we wouldn’t find ourselves in this situation. However, even in the face of the social ills we have collectively embraced, we have managed a tremendous financial feat through the past decade by maintaining balanced budgets. Up to here.

Our Prime Minister is charting a new course for Canada, one that will erase the gem of Canada as a steady financial horse, and turn us ever more into a model of American fiscal irresponsibility. This becomes a value judgment.

As a Canadian, if my government is going to put future generations in debt, I want to make sure the investments they are making are good for those generations. Afterall, wasn’t it irresponsible lending, and wasteful consumption that got us into this mess in the first place? PM Harper seems to have drafted a budget to defend his job; it is calculated, political, unrealistic, and inherently flawed. It’s flaws exist primarily because the value set it supports is dangerous, and wrong.

The values being catered to with this budget, which will set back an era of fiscal responsibility by an indeterminable amount of time, cater to the value judgments of voting Canadians. Since no youths vote, it sends a clear signal to government to not concern themselves with politically unpopular programs if they will anger those Canadians who do vote - boomers and war birds.

Smoother highways, secure oil and gas jobs, deforestation, government run housing, among others, make up a mix of program spending designed to delay the hemorrhaging, financially cripple the country, keep Stephen Harper’s job, take Canada further off course, and, win indifference of the voting generations at its very best. Committing useful, scarce Canadian tax dollars on problems that again fail to address the obvious failures in our economic systems.

Trying to revive the economic beast that died in 2008, built on the foundation of profits over people, and, people over the planet is insanity. The social illusions fought for through the cold war have failed. The other side of the curtain isn’t doing so well either, a compromise must exist, humanity much choose good, responsibility, and change.

America has chosen change, and if they can choose change, and we can’t, I fear for what my grandfather would think. To see his sons generation ruin it for everyone, I wonder if he would think what we have become was what he was fighting for? I hope not, I hope he knew how important it is to sacrifice for something great.

The values of Leave it to Beaver should not be defended in Canada with my tax dollars, and especially not with my childrens. This is no longer a political game, and it’s too bad Canada’s youth couldn’t see that in October, as Americas youth saw it in November. The writing is on the wall. Harper’s record stands on it’s merits, his broken promises, his broken laws, his costly stock advice, and naiveté to campaign on the strength of the Canadian economy only to have to stall parliament to draft a budget that in one fell swoop will erase a dynasty of fiscal prudence to stave off a depression. How can we trust a man who vehemently denied the existence of a problem with charting a solution, how can we be so selfish to risk our children's future on that solution?

I can’t imagine we can keep Harper as Prime Minister, I have more hope in the coalition, however, they preach a marginally different mantra of wasteful spending, negligent environmental policy, and a lack of Canadian vision.

Could Elizabeth May be Canada’s Barack Obama? I suppose, time may tell.

For how I would allocate deficit spending, read this!

You! Me! Dancing!

2009-01-25T21:24:00.001-05:00

Watch the video through the intro, then, start dancing!!

Responsibility Shouldn't Be Revolutionary

2009-01-24T16:10:00.004-05:00

The most amazing aspect of Barack Obama’s election to America’s highest office is the fact that the election of such an unlikely hero marks a paradigm shift in politics, a shift from party lines and attack ads, to an election of ideas and hope. American’s chose to put their single votes and millions of individual donations to elect a man who preached change, and represents it in so many ways.

 For what is made of the racial significance of Barack’s election as president, the message is stronger than that. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would not have been satisfied merely by acceptance of blacks by whites, but, I think, by eliminating all instances of inequality. These crusaders understand that all people deserve to be treated with respect, irrespective of skin color, gender, creed, economic status, nationality or, orientation.

Barack also recognizes our individual potential to affect collective change. Our diversity is compromised when keeping up with the Jones’ has entire communities moving in the same direction with similar houses, hobbies, employment, etc. Worst of all, when this hegemony leads us so far down the wrong path, growing unsustainable industries that have created the various crises we face today. President Obama will change this, his staff is made up of professors, industry experts, even a Nobel laureate in physics; science, technology, and innovation will be brought back to positions of significance in American society.

Other fundamental shifts being proposed include the hiring of an ‘army of new teachers’ to improve the educational competitiveness of American school children. Hopefully, along with new teachers will come a new curriculum, one that stresses the importance of ecological responsibility, respect for people, and, innovation, over profits and indifference to the consequences of our actions.

As these political tides change so dramatically, Canadians, Americans and all global citizens face other dramatic changes. The outgoing administration, has left a devastating legacy. The administration that subsidized the Hummer is gone, the manufacturer is on the verge of bankruptcy. President Obama should end the subsidization of industries that are explicitly detrimental to the environment, and stop an expensive war fought for oil, at the expense of what remains of America’s reputation.

The ship is changing course, the transition will not be easy. Obama will turn acres of land dedicated to vast monocultures of corn from fuel sources back to food sources. He will draft policies that stimulate sustainable growth, fund initiatives to right the wrongs perpetrated by the boomer generation, and, re-establish America as a global leader, dedicated to global responsibility, peace, and, environmental protection.

The epic failures of the Bush II administration has weakened America on the global stage. The title of global super-power could be up for grabs, or, people around the world can rally around this shining example of responsibility, a proponent of peace, and an assembled team of intelligent people that can improve America. Moving America from it’s title of most wasteful to global leader in environmental protection, modifying trade agreements to eliminate off shore pollution, will force any manufacturing nation wishing to do business with American to adopt responsible, sustainable processes.

The past decades have seen an unfettered pursuit of monetary profits. This misguided approach to social organization lead to unsustainable industries including housing, automotive, lending, and justified the relentless marginalization of the middle class worker. A change to responsibility is a great idea, one that will only be achieved by millions of other great ideas. It’s hard to imagine that responsibility could be considered revolutionary.

Treat yourself with dignity, your neighbors with respect, and, take responsibility for your actions.

MLK Jr Day - '09

2009-01-19T18:14:00.003-05:00

Today, the day before a triumph for the equal rights movement in the US, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday for service in America.

Some have said that the election of an African-American to the highest office in the United States of America is a final triumph of the dream Dr. King spoke of 45 years ago.

I hope this is not the case. I hope that the dream that Dr. King spoke of is a perpetual journey and fight for equality throughout society. I hope Barack Obama is successful in uniting the United States to save themselves and all of us.

I hope Barack Obama will see the inequity that exists not only in America but around the world. I hope he will see that our privileged lifestyles devastate individuals, diverse communities, and the ecosystems we exploit to live the wasteful lives we do.

I hope Barack Obama will rally the global population, organize and motivate all the worlds people to take responsibility for their actions, for their choices, and, can encourage them to make the right decisions. To make the right decisions for themselves, for their children, their neighbours, and, our lonely planet.

We have entered a time where our collective greed is quickly destroying the very possibility of future. The economic inequity and self-entitled lifestyles that are apathetic to the consequences of our actions need to be changed, we all need a dose of personal responsibility, a recognition that all lives are worth living, and our wasteful actions in Canada and America breed unimaginable inequity throughout the world.

Let freedom rain! Let Barack Obama usher in a shift in humanity, breed a sense of personal responsibility, and change the world; not just America.

I have a dream, I have a dream that the unity Barack Obama exemplifies is a paradigm shift, I have a dream that this shift will extend far beyond racial lines. I have a dream that Barack Obama has a strong, righteous vision for the future, a glimmer of hope, leading the destructive, greedy masses!

Por Ti Volaré

2009-01-17T18:36:00.000-05:00

Peace

2009-01-17T14:47:00.002-05:00

"Do everything for peace.
Piss for peace, or
smile for peace, or
go to school for peace, or
don't go to school for peace.
Whatever you do, just do it for peace."

- John Lennon
to 14-year old Jerry Levitan in Toronto, ON in 1969

Apple

2009-01-16T17:04:00.008-05:00

On January 14, 2009 Steve Jobs announced that he would be taking a 5 month medical leave.

Jobs, one of the co-founders of Apple Computers from the mid-70s, who, in a boardroom scuffle was ousted from the company in 1985. Jobs went on to start a company that eventually bought out his original start-up in 1997 and was restored to the CEO role of Apple and has transformed how we interact with media and technology, popularizing technology in the consumer space as no other company has.

On January 22, 1984 he debuted one of the greatest ads of all time, the famous 1984 ad seen below.

Since his return, Steve Jobs has given the world the iPod (2001), iPhone (2007), MacBook Air (2008) among other great products. His products have revolutionized how we interact with technology and media, and his performance within that company is legendary.

In 2004 Steve Jobs beat pancreatic cancer, something more amazing than iTunes. Over the past few years many pundits have begun to worry about his health as he has lost a visible amount of weight. This weight loss had been attributed to a vegan diet; at least until lately.

Steve Jobs has dedicated the past 30 years of his life to changing the way we interact with technology, creating inferior products by technical specifications, but that are more fun, and easier to use, with a stronger human connection. Maybe it's been the corporate pressure, technicalities of investor expectations has drained him, maybe he's lost the fire for fun, his will to innovate if only for profit.

No matter, I wish all the best to Mr. Jobs. If he ever returns I hope it is for the right reasons. I hope he realizes how precious life is, how much he has accomplished, how much fun he should be having. Maybe he'll fallow his greatest contemporary into the trenches of philanthropy.

Steve Jobs being Steve Jobs is more important than Steve Jobs being Apple CEO.

Infrastructure Stimulus

2009-01-15T13:20:00.003-05:00

People just want things to get back to normal it seems. Citizens are looking to governments to increase spending. Governments normal tool kit includes spending under the ‘infrastructure’ umbrella during weak economic times, such as these.

Public spending on infrastructure is usually directed at things such as better public transit, improved sewer systems, fewer pot holes, etc. And of course, if the money is flowing, requests are made for improving the social fabric of communities with swimming pools, hockey rinks, and affordable housing.

Historically, public spending has failed at reviving faltering economies and there should be no expectation that this round would be different. In fact, history has shown that dollars spent on such infrastructure programs in down times leads to continued government spending on the carrying costs of those projects, expanding government and their need to tax.

Out with the old, in with the new. Todays infrastructure stimulus needs to be about efficiency, not waste. Our politicians are experts at waste, which is why they are so ineffectual at creating good policies or deploying capital effectively.

If our governments invested in infrastructure already in place, by implementing energy saving technologies with quick pay back periods, the government would generate free positive cash flow from it’s infrastructure spending, all the while reducing pollution and showcasing themselves as environmental stewards.

Canadians are some of the most wasteful people in the world when it comes to ineffective uses of energy. We are the worlds highest per capita users of electricity, and among the highest users per capita of fossil fuel energy. Since 1990 (the Kyoto protocol baseline) the USA has increased their carbon pollution by 16%, Canada by 24%. We are falling behind - fast - we remain well over 10 times more dangerous to this planet than our Chinese or Indian counterparts.

Now, it’s a tall order to expect intelligence from our politicians, they’ve proven totally inept at everything they do of late, so my hope wains. However, the right course of action will not be the historical process of capital investment in new projects, with new carrying costs, leading to increased government spending, higher taxes, and more pollution.

The best way to solve the problems of government spending, infrastructure stimulus, job creation, among others will be to invest in making Canada more energy efficient. There are quick, easy, broad fixes, as well as those that require customized solutions. We need better measures of where we spend our energy to highlight areas where new technologies can make the biggest difference.

For example, switching traditional street lights with solar powered street lights will do more than create jobs, it will reduce the operating costs of the cities, reduce pollution, provide better lighting, and, even generate income by selling excess power to the utility grid. Sounds good right? Let me tell you, this is a poor decision when evaluated because it’s payback is too long.

Governments need to seek tender bids on projects with the lowest cost per reduced watt of electricity or unit of natural gas. They need to encourage ‘nega-watt’ thinking. Projects with low cost per reduced watt of electricity represent low hanging fruit easily picked representing huge savings, those savings could in part or in whole fund investments with higher ‘nega-watt’ rates. This whole process represents net cost savings, net pollution reduction, and dollars spent on creating jobs, not on the commodity of electricity or a cubic meter of fossil fuel.

If the government spent their dollars employing private sector companies to assess and eliminate some of the multitudes of energy waste that is rampant through our society, and especially the public sector, they would stimulate the economy of today, reduce operating budgets for tomorrow, and chart a path for a cleaner future.

Of course, that makes too much sense for hardened career politicians, and government stimulus will surely fall into its normal receptacles, pot holes.

2009-01-11T14:33:00.003-05:00

"By being happy, you support
global happiness."

- Nicholas Müller, Snowboarder

Tokyo Police Club - Citizens of Tomorrow

2009-01-02T00:27:00.001-05:00

No we can't

See the ruins of the old world below
That's what our ancestors left us.
Our robot masters will know
How to clean this mess up
And build a better world
For man and machine alike
For the boys and the girls
Who are slaves building spaceships at night
In the fluorescent light.
That's 2009.

No we can't, No we won't, No we can't, No we won't

On cold frosty Martian mornings
The chill on my breath is red
Redder than my mother's blood
When she turned to me and said
"This is not how we planned it
But we've gotten ahead of ourselves
Computers rule the planet
And the moon and mars as well
We lost the fight"
That's 2009.

I have a microchip
Implanted in my heart
So if I try to escape
The robots will blow me apart
And my limbs will go flying
And land before the ones that I love
Who would wail and would weep
But the robots would keep them at bay
While I shut my eyes
For the very last time.
Citizens of tomorrow be forewarned.

How It's Made

2009-01-01T23:32:00.004-05:00

They always say, you would never eat a hot dog if you saw how it was made. That's probably true for a lot of things. Pretty much any meal would qualify. Clear cutting for agriculture to slaughterhouses, all of our meals involve scary propositions.

The same probably goes for our clothes. If we saw how our 'Made in India' shirts were made, $1,000 purses, computers and laptops etc.

The Gospel Of Green

2008-12-31T19:20:00.002-05:00

Here is an exceptional documentary by CBC's Fifth Estate regarding the green economy and how it has transformed Germany.

Understanding the changes required to break our addiction to oil, to reduce our pollution, jump start an economic, and, environmental revolution.

This is not conjecture, working toward environmental protection and sustainability is our only option. This isn't a scare tactic, it's wholly liberating, profitable, and promising.

See the future, watch the video! - Gospel of Green

MGMT - The Youth

2008-12-27T17:02:00.001-05:00

This is a call of arms to live and love and sleep together
We could flood the streets with love or light or heat whatever
Lock the parents out, cut a rug, twist and shout
Wave your hands
Make it rain
For stars will rise again

The youth is starting to change
Are you starting to change?
Are you?
Together

In a couple of years
Tides have turned from booze to tears
And in spite of the weather
We could learn to make it together

The youth is starting to change
Are you starting to change?
Are you?
Together

2009

2008-12-25T22:04:00.004-05:00

2009 approaches. The year that follows 2008, the year that had hurricanes, stock market crashes, a flurry of politics, a glimmer of hope, terror in India, and Canada’s first coast to coast white Christmas in 40 years.

Intense shifts are happening all around us, right into the holidays. This break gives the impossible gift of time, a chance to reflect on what is important, to talk with our families, our neighbours, our communities. Maybe this year, the off limit topics will change some minds, open some eyes, and build the foundation for the year that we all hope 2009 will be, the year that it can be if we work together.

2009 will have more new small businesses and ‘own bosses’ than ever before. It will change our utility grid and allow local energy production. It will mean more teachers and brighter children. It can bud thriving farmers markets, and town centers. It might be a happier year, a much needed reset to what’s really important.

This new years is a precipice, an opportunity to change, a mantra of change, a change we want - ‘Yes We Can’. Be resolute this New Years, change, choose sustainability. Maybe not all at once, but when you can, and it’s so easy when you start looking.

The fact is, the solutions required to change are simple, we need to change from a society of waste, and become, a society that is sustainable. Living in a manner that will eventually kill the planet, is not sustainable, and no one, can advocate that. We know what is right, yet, too often we choose what is wrong.

Our culture of hate, crime, imprisonment, and alienation also needs to change. We need bridges not barriers, a stronger sense of community, greater trust, peace, and love.

Choosing to love your life, and, to live a life of love is easy when you believe in what you are doing. When the way you look at your life changes from ‘what can I afford?’ to ‘what is the right thing to do?’ and ‘what do I want to do?’, you’ve changed.

This doesn’t have to be radical - it’s simple. FIrst, stop doing things you hate doing that are not sustainable - maybe a crappy job. Secondly, reduce how much waste you have in your life - fix some leaky windows. Third, do more of the things you love to do, especially if they are sustainable - surfing.

Maybe I’m a dreamer, but, I really think that it’s now or never.

Choose a life worth living, choose to love each day, and, share your smiles - happiness is contagious.