Lee Marvin.

Has the best voice.  Of a certain Lebowski cowboy barmate saying “Dude” quality.  Attn: Starlight video screens on weekend nights.  Am I right or am I right?  It’s too familiar.

Toronto hikes.

Do you like anagrams?  This image is an anagram.  Learn more about this anagram here.  They did a great job with this!  So it looks like the TTC fare for regular fares, tokens, and Metropasses is going up.  The news media has been going crazy reporting the speculation.  For goodness sakes, it’s 25 cents.  Prices go up.  Your Tim Horton’s coffee, your rent, your paycheque, your cable bill, your subway fare.  Things go up, right?  My main complaint is that now the monthly pass will cost $126.  In Montreal it’s less than half of that, and they have more than 50% of our service.

And now to get Toronto less out of the hole, the city budget officer is considering a municipal sales tax of approximately 1%.  I didn’t know this, but many other large American cities aggressively tax on the municipal level, from taxing bottled water (LIKE IT) and fountain pop to hotel stays.

In closing, sometimes I wish I had a pop fountain in my apartment – I think we can all agree that fountain pop is the absolute best – less sweet, more fizz.  Never underestimate the power of effervescence.

Sesame Street politico.

Everyone has an opinion on Walmart.  And Fox News.  Party on, Oscar.  At least Fox has Sheppard Smith, they’re not 100% one sided.  That dude keeps it real.

microscopic nanoscopic.

Click the image for a sexy interactive flash slider of the various sizes of various materials.  From coffee beans to covalent bonds.  It’s fun !

How isn’t she inspiring you ?

Part 2 can be found here if you liked Part 1.  Besides her transparent hybrid car name drop, her philosophy is so universal and so incredibly appealing to a wide variety of people.  Yet why is her party considered marginal?  Truths, common sense, compassion, and not being afraid to look forward.  That’s why I’ll always be a participant in promoting this type of thinking – it sounds after school special, but we all know it to be true.  To appreciate and focus on being and not having.  With disappointing and partisan politics surrounding the CBC news cycle, how isn’t this a breath of fresh air?

Whenever I postulate on politics, I automatically black and white my brain – left, right.  Bleeding heart, no heart.  Too much trust in government, too much trust in the free market.  It’s not overly healthy, it’s from reading too much news and too much punditry.  Gray is the new black, we know this.

However lately, I’m realizing that  many “right-of-centre thinkers” are often too focused on (and idolize) the past.  They also focus too much on having.  The good old days when there weren’t a lot of people on the planet and you could have whatever you wanted, as long as you were white and rich.   Sustainability-based policies aren’t afraid to look forward into our future.  Opponents of  “progressives” call these predictions apocalyptic fearmongering.  Yes, some eco-friendlies wear their catastrophic hats, but it’s also true we worry about  real impacts on millions of people.  The future will be at least a bit scarycompared to now. Sorry guys.

Fair fish.

The first time I heard about the Monterey Bay Aquarium was from its progressive (and regularly updated) sustainable seafood guide.  Formerly available in pocket form, now available on your iPhone.  I really wanted to check out the aquarium during my past Calivisit, but $30 admission was a nogo.

Click here to see which fish you can cook and subsequently brag to your friends about cooking.

And on the topic of “responsible eating”, read a nice article about how eating less meat is much better than eating locally if you’re worried about carbon.  This is when you take a sigh of relief for being able to live in Canada and not feel as ashamed for regularly buying citrus.

 

Nature/nurture clarity ?

[via Toronto Star] :

It used to be said that biology is destiny, as if each human brain contained its own personal genetic limitations… Many scientists now believe that 20 per cent of a person’s outcome in life is the result of innate brain capacity. The other 80 per cent is based on what happens after birth.

So we actually have a percentage now ?  Seems a bit too concrete for me, the brain is too mysterious.  Mystery is one of my favourite things in the world.

New algae progress.

Mark my words.  I really think algae has potential to be THE fuel of the future.  Or at least one of them.

[via Scientific American] :

Backers of algae-based biofuels tout the simplicity of their feedstock. Sunlight and water are all that’s needed to convert carbon dioxide into fuel.  Now, some scientists are testing the notion that sunlight might be optional.  Researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology are planning to grow algae for fuel in abandoned mines using light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.

Turns out that algae grows best under red and blue light specifically.  Instead of regular light (ROYGBIV yaaaay) they could grow even more efficiently under low-energy LEDs and focused light.  Me loves my science.

The quick Mad Men season.

This one felt very fast, don’t know why.  Until about two or three weeks ago, I was about to give up on this program.  Love Don, love Joan, love to hate Peter Campbell, like Roger Sterling.  Ohh Joanie.  Costumes and sets are undeniably mesmerizing.  But how about we do something else other than Don wooing a pretty slim lady and feeling f’ed up about it.  The self-loathing and whining is trying, and Peggy is doin Duck.  Gross.  That’s worthy of crawling out of one’s skin.

I won’t ruin it for non-watchers, but the blankity blank blank, blank blanks blank.  I mean the last few episodes have been amazing and partially renewed my faith.  Anyone excited for the finale next week ?

Your alt-feed.

I’m an idiot.  I just started using Google Reader as my exclusive news/blog info acquisition vector.  If you read a lot of news/blogs you should just do it now, mmkay?  It’s made my bookmarks disappear by 50%.  I feel lean and streaaamliined and sassy.  Here’s some choice cuts from said reader.

Ontario themed bar in Williamsburg – The hipster capital of the universe opened up an Ontario themed bar just outside of Brooklyn.  Ontario finally getting some respect, but Molson Canadian is the only thing on tap and Rush is on the jukebox.  A for effort, D for execution.  If you had Mill St. and played some Hayden I’d be much happier. [Toronto Star]

Downtown condos opt for green space instead of parking – Some small properties in downtown Toronto are getting developed for condos, and to make it work they decided to scrap all but 9 car-share parking spaces, “encouraging” tenants to use transit exclusively.  Works for me – if you’re right downtown, having a car would be like having a $20,000 paperweight, anyway. [National Post]

Cyclist love notes – The new theme in confronting the bike-car divide – hippie love.  Some cycling advocacy groups are choosing to leave thank you cards on windshields or in drivers’ hands to thank them for properly sharing the road.   It’s interesting how cycling is so incredibly white/liberal/lovely. [Toronto Star ed]

The apocalyptic left – A warning/reminder for climate change enthusiasts to tone down the extreme weather / climate change connections. [New York  Times]

Great Lakes Go-ahead – the EPA and Obama are soon to launch a solid Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Maybe a good idea for the largest supply of accessible drinking water.  Calling Minister Prentice … ?

 

Pop (#5).

Pop is something Canada does really, really well.  Maybe it seems like I’m reaching for another pop post, but I’m actually not.

During my teenagerdom, my sleeves were tagged with the scrawlings of east coast powerpop bands.  These groups were my version of social salvation in those typical disjointed times.  Where music acts as a good guidance counsellor you actually like.  It was simple music, but it’s this type of music that commonly makes one understand its power and communitizing qualities.  From grades 9-12, I was socially in limbo – not fully down with the super cool A-list basketball players, but also too cool for other “lesser” cliques.  So I ended up where many other social intermediaries settled – Student Council. Later in high school I found people that loved this music as much as I did, even though it was in an ironic way.  So we started a shitty band.  And I belooonged !  I found that place to be exclusive and superior and cool.  It felt right and it still does.

My older brother had a large impact on me in high school period, and an even greater impact on what I listened to.  He was high school A-list, and I still felt like it was important to climb the list ladder. So I listened.

It primarily came down to THE Halifax Pop Explosion of the 90s, the clear flagwavers of the movement being Sloan.  I still think they were truly great.

Sloan – Take The Bench

Sloan didn’t care about how close the Beatles were to their respective chests – it was undeniable, very witty, thought out, fun pop music.  Then the “second tier” of bands followed in the promenade, and it was my chance to really impress people with slightly obscure band names.  I was 17 and I felt like a young Cameron Crowe. Thrush Hermit, Local Rabbits, Super Friendz, Flashing Lights, Eric’s Trip, and The Inbreds.  Really bands like Sloan and Thrush came down to revived Beatles and The Who, where Eric’s Trip and Local Rabbits followed a modern influence of American 90s indie like Pavement and Sonic Youth.  Growing up on the Beatles, I already leaned towards certain sounds, but I was thirsty for it all.  More importantly, after thinking Pearl Jam was the be all throughout my earlier days, I was encouraged that great pop rock music could be more feminine than grunge, and that’s even without the out-of-control Chris Cornell hair.

And now we jump to the 00s.  Luckily, we still have great reasons to celebrate straightforward pop music from the east coast.  They destroy the rest of Canada in this department right now, so I present Exhibits A thru infinity.

Mardeen – Kids

Mardeen – Pretty Smart

I still don’t know why this band isn’t at least a national household name.  Their debut record Read Less Minds is just unabashed fun.  Every song is a winner, I’ve said this many times.  Unassuming, fun energy, and brings back the wit and the subtle swagger of east coast rock.  The pre-chorus starting at (0:56) of “Kids” is exactly what people should want in a pre-chorus – drenched in hook but with the knowledge that something epic may just punt your whole body after the turn.

Two Hours Traffic – Nighthawks

This is what irks me – no disrespect to Two Hours Traffic, but they don’t deserve what they got.  If Mardeen was given their chances, boy oh boy.  This is their only song that I’ve really enjoyed, and even then I really only want to stick around for the first verse and the first chorus.  The first line is perfect, too.

In Flight Safety – I Could Love You More

I’ve had a soft spot for In Flight for many years.  Their first record was one of those records that I wish I wrote.  I was simultaneously jealous and enamoured.  A great mix of Sigur Ros atmospherics with homey lyrics and folk aesthetics.  Singer John Mullane feels like a kindred spirit, and from the handful of times we’ve chatted, I think I’m right.  Compassionate, aware, and good dollops of romanticism.  It’s also a bit crazy that as their influences have changed, mine have changed in the exact same way.  From an obsession with reverb ala Sigur Ros to a slightly embarrassing fondness for cheesy Britpop to a more controlled love of darkish, sentimental, well-revealed rock like The National.  This band does not fit into the aloof and apathetic hipster cool mold, and that’s why I like them.  It always comes back to the cheese, man.  They’ve had blips of popularity, but they still are quietly creating beautiful pop music.

Wintersleep – Migration

Wintersleep brings in grungier, folkier, and darker elements to Halifax pop/rock.  They remain as one of my favourite Canadian bands.

GOOD magazine goodies.

You probably know GOOD magazine.  Maybe it’s a blog, maybe it’s a website, I don’t know.  I don’t do journalism.  Really.  GOOD is the mother of all creations on the internet – the infographic.  A visual and concise way of displaying trends and many different types of information, from global energy use to meat consumption to healthcare spending.  It seems to try and tackle some of the bigthink, TEDesque problems we all face today.  I love this website.

Just today I read a great article on second generation biofuels (the ones that we all actually want that doesn’t take food sources away from people) and was given the link to a nice little diagram on how the smart grid would/should work when implemented.  Obama has given billions to improving the smart grid situation, and to me is arguably the most important initiative they can run with right now.

Oh and this nice video.  Just a quick reminder that insane amounts of water and carbon go into our daily lives.

 

 

“Second generation biofuels”

 

 

Transit ride frustration science.

You’ve been there before – you wait for a bus, streetcar or train, and you wait wait wait.  Then all of a sudden 3 buses/streetcars/trains show up right after the other.  Turns out our paranoia and frustration is getting rectified with Mexican professors and transport modellers.

Read the New Scientist article here.

[image via spacing]

U.N.K.L.E.

I am an unnnncle !!  Maryn Cameron Christie – 7 lbs, 5 oz.  Off to see the new niece today and hopefully cook the fam a beautiful meal.  She was actually an adorable baby.  No bias, I swear.  No oblonged misshapen heads, just pure babycute.  We are fam-i-ly!

350 times.

I went to this on Saturday, and to be a sourpuss I was disappointed.  Non-violent activism is great, but it needs to last longer than an hour for people to take it seriously.  I’m glad Ottawa’s protest was so well attended.

Read this article about the day c/o friend Chris DePaul and the Qatalyst blog. Chris was kind enough to post a link where one person can send a letter to the 5 heads of our political parties c/o the David Suzuki Foundation.  One letter gets sent to 5 people.  Efficient deliveries!  But seriously, now is the time.  Of any time recently, now is the time to actually do something.  Make your voice heard, send letters, it’s not difficult nor time consuming.  Democracy is more than feeling annoyed by voting every few years.  Even a little bit helps.

The fact that our government has been so silent on climate change truly angers me.  People are even walking out on Harper in international climate meetings because they know he’s not serious about anything climate related.  Finally the international community is starting to put pressure on us to act.  Environment Minister Jim Prentice says that “Kyoto needs to be rewritten”.  I love how transparent politicians make themselves in a matter of one sentence.  Jim Prentice is proving to be the worst.

He’s not actually the worst, I’m sure his wife is a smart and talented lady and has well-adjusted children and drinks tap water proudly and believes in evolution and knows the problems with politics and maybe even hopes to try and change things.  (my self-indulgent run-ons).   But he’s acting sans spine and a true yes man to Harper.  The dictatorial tone to the Harper legacy returns?

You’ve probably heard of the protestors interrupting question period in the House of Commons yesterday.  My biased guts really appreciated their sacrifice, but the reasoned part of me knows this is a very disrespectful thing to do in the House.  If people were yelling how we should teach creation in schools, I would be pissed.  I get it, let them do their job.  However,  if you think House MPs are any less disrespectful or infantile, check your head.  People don’t want Copenhagen to be a failure, and the message needs to be loud.