Tonight between the hours of 8 and 9 pm wifey and I will be doing... whatever the hell we want with or without electricity. Fuck Earth Hour.
I'm not against energy conservation. I'm all for independence from fossil fuels for political and economic reasons. I'd like cleaner air in cities and I'm all for government subsidizing the research and development of energy harnessing technologies, and... Read More
The girl and I turned the lights off (she's an ecohippy and while I didn't necessarily share her view of the significance of the event, it was still important to her and that makes it important to me), although we didn't do the candles and conversation thing. My understanding was that the lights were to go off. I didn't hear any mention of TVs and Playstations so they stayed on, and the hour passed much like any other.
I have an absolutely brilliant view of downtown that you must come over and see. The local news certainly called the evening a success, but with the exception of a dark CN Tower, my view seemed identical at 8:59 and 9:01. Alas.
I came across the event in a soft-sell kind of way. The goal as I understood it was to get people to think a little more about conservation and about people who didn't have access to the abundance of resources that we enjoy. I can get behind that, and I like the idea that there are dozens of little things like those that you mention that can be done easily at the individual level. The stat that got bandied about last night was that Toronto saved enough energy during Earth Hour to power 150 000 homes. I'd certainly like to know how they got that number (was it based on estimated participation? did the folks at the generators call in to mark the difference?), and they didn't give a duration. Powering 150 000 homes for a week is certainly a better goal than powering them for, say, six seconds. Still, it was a nice example of "here's what Toronto can do collectively with its people doing small things at the individual level"
The fearmongering I can do without. To me, that kind of dystopic hyperbole always boils down to "the terrorists hate our light bulbs".
The lights were off at work for like half my shift and my eyes fucking ached from staring at the computer screen (yeah everything is on EXCEPT the goddamn lights) for 4 hours.
All my v-neck t-shirts were in the wash and it was too cold to go without anything underneath my shirt (and I don't like doing that anyway) and I really didn't want a white crewneck peeking up into view, so I decided to wear a tie to work.
That was a couple of weeks ago and I've kept it up for the most part. Today... Read More
Dear woman who lives downstairs,
I've made my peace with you listening to the news too loud in the evening and your tendency to speak just a hair too loud when you're out on the deck at night smoking. We renters can't be too picky and I've experienced a lot worse anyway. Besides, I'm sure there are plenty of noises we make up here that... Read More
Back from Mexico, Christmas just about done... THE HONEYMOON IS OVER!
Keep your eye on my wife's blog for links to photo albums. We had the best wedding photographer ever, supplemented by some really neato analog stuff in the hands of guests.
If I didn't know otherwise, I'd think you guys were professional wedding planners. The photos are really, really good, and that's a observation on the equal contribution of the journalist and the subject(s). Well done, and happy for both of you.
Winter storm warning for: City of Toronto Issued at 3:44 PM EST SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2007
A NEAR-CRIPPLING SNOW STORM WITH HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW AS WELL AS SOME ICE PELLETS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS IS A WARNING THAT DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS.... Read More
14 days until the wedding. Everything's coming together on schedule, and all the main parts are more or less in place. The nervous energy around the event is closer to excitement than stress. The week in Mexico that begins the Monday after the wedding is doing a good job of keeping us facing forward.
But the thing I'm most looking forward to is no longer... Read More
You'll share the wedding date of Baudouin, King of the Belgians, and Queen Fabiola. Auspicious. But I'll bet they didn't celebrate by swimming naked in the surf on the Gulf of Campeche, under the stars.
Ginny has been allergic to nuts all her life. Tonight she's decided she's through missing out, so she's helping herself to a bowl of granola with almonds.
What was your favourite memory of Ginny? I liked all those times she didn't kill herself with cereal.
Since there hasn't been an update to your journal am I to assume that you're still at Ginny's bedside in the hospital where she's fighting for life? ,o)
Dear Asshole Who Ran Into Our Car In The Parking Lot Today And Didn't Leave A Note,
As you have already ascertained, I believe you are an asshole. And a coward. And I hope that you're such a bad driver, having crumpled the door of our car in broad daylight in a suburban parking lot with spaces wide enough to comfortably park and get out... Read More
If we're putting in requests for Letters to Assholes, how about one for the theatre company that doesn't want to pay me what I'm worth, and know I'll probably still take their shitty job anyway. Or the low-life who stole the number plates off my car last weekend, making it impossible for me to drive. Or the Japanese bureaucrats who've not processed my pension refund yet, forcing me to stay living with family rather than get my much-needed privacy in a new rental property?
Wore one of my new suits to work on Wednesday. Surprised to meet a former Prime Minister in the afternoon.
Reading The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith by Peter Carey. It's wonderful. I'm starting to really resent all the mediocre new novels I have to read for work because they get in the way of all the... Read More
As much as I try to deny it, haberdashery does certainly define the rising executive. Even if you've noted contextual sarcasm for this in the past, none is implied here: Godspeed.
One of my uncles died Monday morning, so Tuesday we went to the funeral. I didn't know him very well but I knew his reputation. He was the one in the family who was smart enough to get away with being a liar and philanderer. I mean, he got caught and everyone knew he was a sonofabitch, but he played it well and never really... Read More
There was a time not long ago when not everyone had to be good looking. This is not a rant about the cosmetics industry, not even the people who designed the moisturizerAnti Dryness System that sits in my medicine cabinet between the barbasol and the razor (Gillette Mach 3, which has become about as primitive as slamming your face against a rock if Gillette's... Read More
OTOH, I think there's something to be said for consumer choice and people not cramming themselves into the latest hula hoop-like fashion trend; nothing looks as homely as a country bumpkin dressed in the latest big-city clothes. Maybe this is just one more iteration of the Long Tail and the endless choices available to consumers. What a wonderful world the communications age has envisaged.
Anyway, your kids are going to have that hybrid vigor thing, so I'm sure they're going to be extremely cute.
I have an absolutely brilliant view of downtown that you must come over and see. The local news certainly called the evening a success, but with the exception of a dark CN Tower, my view seemed identical at 8:59 and 9:01. Alas.
I came across the event in a soft-sell kind of way. The goal as I understood it was to get people to think a little more about conservation and about people who didn't have access to the abundance of resources that we enjoy. I can get behind that, and I like the idea that there are dozens of little things like those that you mention that can be done easily at the individual level. The stat that got bandied about last night was that Toronto saved enough energy during Earth Hour to power 150 000 homes. I'd certainly like to know how they got that number (was it based on estimated participation? did the folks at the generators call in to mark the difference?), and they didn't give a duration. Powering 150 000 homes for a week is certainly a better goal than powering them for, say, six seconds. Still, it was a nice example of "here's what Toronto can do collectively with its people doing small things at the individual level"
The fearmongering I can do without. To me, that kind of dystopic hyperbole always boils down to "the terrorists hate our light bulbs".
Thanks Earth Hour!