Irrational Focus

Climategate exposes a far more serious problem than just how our climate is mis-behaving. In the global temperature graphs presented to the world there were originally two significant periods: the Medieval Warming Period (MWP) and a Little Ice Age (LIA). They are discussed in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_Warm_Period They appear to have been "smoothed" over in some of the climate researchers "graphs". This blog shows the infamous hockey stick graph and tries to defend the practice: http://scienceblogs.com/illconsidered/2006/03/hockey-stick-is-broken.php But it can't be done. You can't justify manipulating the numbers. Science -- some unfortunate souls seem to have forgotten -- is about producing rigid verifiable TRUE results. If two different independent groups study the same phenomenon, and they both use a properly rigorous processes, then they will come to the same results. The results are reproducible and verifiable. If...

Some may think that humanity's impending doom comes from the recklessness in which we treat our world. We consume and pollute without consequence or remorse. Some may think that it comes from our out-of-control population growth. Like an evil tide, we flow over the land bringing destruction and mayhem to each and every corner. Some may think that it comes from technology. That our limited intellect allows us to create things faster than we can understand them. But the real truth is that it comes from our own arrogance. From our ability to easily lie and cover up the truth when it turns out not to be convenient to our world view. From our ability to justify our loathsome methods, if we think the cause is even mildly noble. From our belief that we can fool each other and won't ever get caught, even though history is proof to the contrary. Our impending doom comes not from our possible changes to the climate, but from the scientists supposedly studying it using "scien...

Free trips on the TTC? I came across a site that suggested that ALL mass transit systems should be FREE. At first glance, I figured the idea was crazy, but when you think about it: - it wastes tonnes of money to figure out who paid - it means way more infrastructure: people, tokens, tickets, transfers, booths, - it means horrible line-ups - it means people won't just wait, if the system is too busy If it is free, people will get on and off a lot more. Which is actually a good thing, particularity in this age of green awareness. It may just be so easy to bus there, then walk home (or partway home). Dropping the cost to zero liberates the system. Why do we waste all of this money? So that people who use the system "more often", pay more? Who are these people anyways? The poor? If we just made it free: - more people would use it, and for shorter trips, - line-ups would be easier. - people choosing to use their cars would pay "extra" (for unused s...

I've decided to take this one personally. According to the following two links: http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091113/ttc_boycott_091113/20091113/?hub=TorontoNewHome http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/729716 the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) public transportation system has experienced a relatively minor 20% bump in token sales (according to their own spokesperson); a normal event in any sales process. Token shortages shouldn't occur with such a small increase in sales. And, they are clearly exaggerating about losing any millions in revenue. Any non-defective organization should easily be able to deal with an extra windfall of cash. Normally people buying ahead of an increase is a good thing. Particularly if you announce the increase nearly two months in advance. So what's happening here? I figured the first round of this stupid game -- punishing the riders by limiting tokens -- was just some type of power-play. A typical TTC vs....

Normally, I wouldn't be interested in promoting mass action, it is not really my style. Still, after a lifetime of irritation, frustration and general annoyance, I think it's about time that we -- as disenfranchised TTC riders -- make a point to the management that we think that they are doing a bad job. A really crappy one. The TTC, for all of my international readers, stands for the "Toronto Transit Commission". It is the organization directly in charge of making sure that Toronto has some type of public transit system that reflects our status in the world. They run our late buses, hulking streetcars, overcrowded subways and our silly little rapid transit system. Apparently they still subscribe to the idea that Toronto is "hogtown", since that's the appropriate level of service that they shakily provide for us. In Canada, Ontario has always had a long, sordid history of running really pathetic, hopelessly inept bureaucracies. We seem gifted at gath...

Honestly, I'm tired of being a target. I'm tired of people trying to figure out how to extract my income with whatever stupid trick they currently think is clever. I'm tired of people trying to play on my sympathies in order to own fancier cars and larger houses. I'm tired of people assuming that I'm just too stupid or lazy to notice that they are ripping me off. I'm tired of turning a blind eye to their deception, just because realistically there are no other choices; no alternatives. I'm tired of them thinking, in any way, form or shape, that I've somehow been hoodwinked by their entirely obviously, facile, pathetic attempts to propel themselves forward at my expense. I'm tired of people playing games; stupid ones that they think they are getting away with. I'm tired of people hiding their knowledge, because somehow, they think that it is their only shot at getting their little slice of the pie. I'm tired of people thinking that whatever pa...

Sitting patiently on the left, you can't help wondering about the endless stream of cars passing on the right. Passing because they are trying to slip in somewhere farther up there in the line. Passing because they no longer have the patience to sit and wait. Passing because they think they have some divine right to be allowed to avoid this particular lineup. Passing because they think that the rules do not apply to them. That the rest of us "common folk" are just saps to be avoided wherever possible. When ever possible. And we know, as we see this endless stream of BMWs, Mercedes and Hummers, that these are truly important people. Important enough that they shouldn't have to sit and wait with the rest of us. Important enough that we should forgive them for their callous rudeness, their disrespect, their "oh-so-clever, I've figured out how to leap to the head of the line, and no one else has" attitude. Important enough that their lives just can't aff...

Recently some of Toronto's city workers, including our garbage-men have gone on strike. Ceased work. They hope that this action will help them negotiate a better deal with the city. A key issue in the negotiations seems to be that they are currently getting 18 bankable sick days per year; they can cash these in to retire early. The city wants to take this away. Meanwhile the trash that is no longer being collected is piling up in people's houses, and some massive dump sites. A smelly problem, quickly growing worse. There are a couple of things I find interesting about this situation. The first is that I find it hard to get around the idea of a person actually retiring from a career as a garbageman. People have to do something I guess, but does it make real sense in our modern world for every job to be a "career" oriented job? Is "garbageman" really an answer for kids on career day? Should this be something that you plan to do for the next twenty years? It...

The world is a cruel and harsh place. In spite of this, a few of us realize that our fates and those of our species depend on how quickly we are able to lift ourselves out of our lowly behaviors, and start acting with a higher degree of civilization. Some people foolishly believe that money, power or fame are the keys to success, but many of us know that the only real measure of our worth comes from how the world sees us. Greed and selfishness are only the keys to loneliness. Throughout all of the trials, troubles and tribulations of this life, we can all choose to walk a path of decency. It is a choice that each person has to make for themselves, and it is that prevailing choice that defines us. We can all choose to be decent, but few of us have the real strength to see it through. For those that try, it is an admirable road. Being decent means: accepting that there are other people around, lots of them. having real empathy for others, and using it were appropriate. knowing that the m...

"Would you like to purchase a bag with that?" she said sarcastically, as if the mere idea of someone purchasing a bag for just one item would be distasteful. I'd congratulate the city of Toronto on its latest eco-friendly concept of applying a 5 cent charge for shopping bags, but I actually think it is yet another shiny example of the sort of moronic idiocy that is helping to define the 21 century as the time when a large segment of humanity became completely unglued to the reality of the world around them, and instead, started flip-flopping between ever increasingly stupid fear-inspired fads. Last week it was safety through SUVs, this week it's remembering to toss your whole collection of moldy dirty recycled grocery bags into you SUV before you head to the store. Sure, that ought to make my life better. The plan, or perhaps plot is a more appropriate term, as conceived of by the usual pack of short-sighted rich politicians who clearly never shopped a day in their li...

I t's a huge mass of metal, cloth, plastic and who knows what else flying through a dark tunnel at high speed. The wind rushes before it, displaced like a wave of toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube. You hear the metal on metal screeching to a halt, opening its doors and disgorging the contents all over the platform and into the bowels of Toronto's transport system. The subway has arrived. You'd think that we would appreciate the might and magistery of these massive machines, but in that frantic never-ending rush-hour-like jostling there is little time or energy to concentrate on their wonder. It's in these cramped tunnels, deep below the earth that we meet the most fascinating creatures. An underground labyrinth filled to the brim twice a day with a mass of wide-eyed zombies stumbling off for another unproductive day in a miserable bureaucracy somewhere. It's the way they look through you; as if you don't exists, or they don't. That's how you know t...

It was another long tiring day; I was on my way home from work, having first swung by the grocery store to purchase a couple of bags loaded with food. As I turned the corner onto my side-street, the woman walking in front of me approached a van precariously parked halfway on the road, and halfway on the sidewalk. It appeared to be loaded with people; you could see a video playing on a mounted little TV inside. The position of the vehicle was such that there was only enough room for one person to get between the van and a fence bordering an adjacent yard. Briefly I considered crossing the street, but seeing as I lived on this side, that seemed an awful long detour just to avoid an annoying obstacle. The woman, middle-aged and carrying a bag containing several cartons of take-out food from one of the multitudes of neighboring restaurants, reached for the side door on the van, but realized that I was right behind her. Instead of opening the door, she turned sideways, allowing me to awkwar...