I have an outline!

Copyright Jorge Cham
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=715

This is, in effect, my life right now. I wonder if my advisor/spouse/parent would allow ME to get away with this?

The Do-Nothing approach: works every time.

I've given PM Harper the benefit of the doubt and even agreed with him on a few issues, not much, but a few.

But I'm once again exasperated at the mismanagement of the entire issue of climate change and the environment in general.

First, you appoint Rona Ambrose as minister of the Environment, who has little experience in the field, thinks that tapping maple sap for syrup "hurts trees", and doesn't seem all too excited about the portfolio in the first place.

But how could he top that? Why, by sending her to chair the next round of discussions on targets and mechanisms for the continual implementation of the Kyoto Protocols. Brilliant!! How hypocritical can we be? Let's find out.

First, to be fair, we did little under the Chretien and Martin government and as a result, our emissions increased a lot and there's probably no chance of us meeting our targets. So her solution: blame the previous government, ask the other delegates (who's actually trying to meet their required targets) to give Canada a free pass on missing our goals and ask for breaks for our industries. That's like telling my supervisor that I'm not going to graduate because I haven't finished my thesis, but let me get my degree and convocate anyways, and hey, why doesn't he help me fast track my accreditation? Simple, right?

How can Harper be more two-faced, you asked? Why, let me tell you. He's told the nation that he wants a "Made in Canada" approach to reducing climate change. And yet, we're somehow still committed to the Kyoto Protocols? How does that work? You can't have it both ways. You either commit Canada to Kyoto or back-off and face the consequences, nationally and internationally. Minister Ambrose also gives other half-hearted excuses, but Gwyn's more or less nailed them all.

It gets even better though. So, what was the "Made in Canada" approach that he favours?

"The Conservative ministers said all federal dollars for the environment will be spent in Canada to help the private sector take the lead in developing technology for such things as cleaner use of fossil fuels and renewable energy."

So if that's the case, why are the Conservative government cancelling a program (Energuide) aimed at helping homeowners get access to these technologies, thereby increasing demand and pushing the market towards green technology? And not just middle and high-income earners, they're canceling the program for low-income homeowners too, the people who probably benefit most from energy-efficient housing? So, what was their excuse? Why, let me share it with you, from the Toronto Star article:

The Conservatives say EnerGuide is being dropped because the cost of the audits was too high. Last year, audits in support of homeowners' energy renovation grants totalled $15.1 million out of the total $44.3 million cost of the program, Natural Resources officials said.

"We are going to ensure that every single Canadian taxpayer gets value for their money," Lunn said yesterday when asked in the Commons to justify the decision.

So, because audits require specialized professionals, it's expensive. If there were more demand for audits, we'd need more professionals, there'd be more competition between them, which lowers the price, etc, etc. Simple economics, right? But we need more people to buy-in, and as North Americans are usually slow on the uptake with respect to the environment, we tend to need a bit of carrot from the government. But how does Natural Resources Minister Lunn want us to get value for our money?

By taking the carrot home. Clearly, that's the best solution overall.

I can rant on and on but there's no point. No one listens, least of all the Conservative Government. I'd hate to say it. Maybe we need a nationwide blackout, coupled with massive freak storms and complete ecosystem collapses. Maybe that'll finally wake us up, I don't know. Because logic and reason doesn't seem to work anymore.

An actual mirage?!

No, this isn't a picture of a mist-covered city. It's actually a mirage of a city out in the open sea. This is actually Penglai City, in China's eastern Shandong province.

I didn't think mirages actually occur to the detail that this does. I mean, the only time I'd ever hear about mirages are in movies or TV shows when they're set in the desert or something. And even then, it's usually a mirage of a Dr. Pepper vending machine (...tip of the hat to Family Guy).

This though, is quite fascinating. Nature always finds a way to surprise.

CBC, hitting a new low.

As an ardent supporter of CBC Television and an occasional listener to CBC radio, I defend this public institution with vigour and verve when I can. I am proud that it distributes programs on TV like This is Wonderland, Twitch City, This Hour has 22 Minutes, Trudeau, Made in Canada and many others.

But when they decide to create an entire department devoted to adapting foreign reality-TV shows for Canadian production and distribution, and call it 'factual entertainment programming,' they're just giving me one more reason to never buy a TV again.

They promise not to pander to the lowest-common denominator by putting on shows like The Swan, but instead look to programs like Wife Swap (?!) to connect with Canadian communities?! Clearly, swapping a wife from Calgary with one from Toronto is going to help us understand our regional disparities? Why didn't I think of it? It's genius!

Bravo, CBC. I applaud your lack of creativity. Thank you for giving up on helping to create a better Canadian TV landscape by filling it with more mediocrity.

If I didn't know better, I'd say the idea to create this sort of department might have been some crazy scheme hatched from an Apprentice-type show. But I do know better, and this would be WAY too ironic for even my liking.

May Days

The term's over, summer's arriving, and it doesn't seem like I've much to show for it. It's been a strange year all around, but it's neither good nor bad, just strange. Much of my friends have already left for distant shores (well, cities, anyways) while others will soon be leaving (lookin' at you, Karen and Jenny) such that I will probably not see them as frequently as I used to this year ever again. Again, neither good nor bad, but it's nostalgic moments like this that I know I'm just procrastinating.

I've been meaning to post something critically but nothing's really stood out. A lot more urban and environmental issues seem to have come up as of late (at least in the Toronto Star anyhow), which while doesn't automatically create solutions, at least we're discussing and thinking about them. I've even started reading the Condo and Home section in the Star as of late because of pieces on LEED and environmental technology.