A Suggestion for Stephen Harper

No, not that one, this is about the softwood lumber dispute.
Looking at how effective our marijuana marketing board has been, I suggest we make all exports of softwood lumber to the United States Illegal. This will completely circumvent the US duty on softwood lumber, as they will not be able to collect duties on Illegally imported goods. Soon thousands of truckloads of illegal softwood lumber would be careening across the border, our unarmed border guards helpless to do anything. Judging by the B.C. pot exports, the forests of British Columbia would soon be denuded (making room for more grow ops) And this would be perfect payback for all the tobacco smuggling coming in from the US.

Think, you little bastards, think!

No information source is perfectly reliable, and so I'm equally worried about the credulous who believe everything they read, and the skeptical who reject everything just because it came from "the internet". Both are just an excuse not to think critically and check sources.

I think this skill is one of the most important and neglected in education. Imagine a course for sixth graders where the exams are just a list of facts, urban legends, half-truths. Google is available during the exam, and the mark is based on how well the student identifies the trustworthiness of each statement.

Final exam is composed entirely of statements by politicians and corporate leaders.

I want to teach this course, sure, but that's too small a goal. I want every sixth grade class in the world to teach it. Does anyone remember the "smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud"? How far would that kind of bullshit go in a world where every kid had this kind of education?

P.S. Just got this pointer on how to evaluate a web page's reliability: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Dan Savage Alert

Remember santorum, that frothy mix of lube and feces that is the result of anal sex? Named after US Senator Rick Santorum. Well, Dan's at it again with a new site called ITMFA
Check it out

Afghanistan Again

I have felt uneasy about the Afghani adventure on which our armed forces embarked after the Sept 11 catastrophe in New York. Not that there wasn't justification for an expedition to try and stop the agents of 9/11, but it seemed perhaps too much mission creep to not only punish Al Qaeda and capture those responsible for the planning of the New York terrorist strike, but overthrow the government of Afghanistan and replace it with... what? A democracy? How similar is that to what the Soviet Union tried to do?

We are now into four years of helping Afghanistan. The Taliban have been driven to the borders and inside the tribal areas of Pakistan, where they are helping destabilize that country. But the Taliban, or some insurgent force, has not been driven from the land. As we all know, insurgencies cannot survive without the support of the populace, so it seems apparent that the Taliban have support, if only in certain areas (like everywhere except Kabul).

Our horror at the Taliban government and so our support for the overthrow of that government by the so-called Northern Alliance seems to have been engineered in the same way our horror at Saddham Hussain’s troops “rape” of the maternity wards in the Kuwaiti hospitals were engineered, playing on our western sensitivities and suspicion of the other.

The current government in Afghanistan has had to deal recently with the Western world’s reaction to their Islamic constitution, which under law would have dictated the execution of a Muslim man whose apparent crime was to convert to Christianity. Fortunately the court seems to have decided he was crazy, and thus not responsible for his actions, or able to stand trial. This condition of madness has not always been seen in Texas as sufficient to prevent execution, but never mind.

Under the Taliban there is no doubt he would have been executed, but is that a sufficient difference? I believe he has been found mad to let the court off the hook – it might stop the flow of cash, or at least slow it slightly if he were to be executed.

The Taliban tried to rule Afghanistan the way Europe was ruled only 600 years ago, with no nuance or mercy to the law. Remember the Cathar – slaughtered en masse because they weren’t the proper brand of Christianity.

The current Government of Afghanistan has warlords as democratic representatives, a President hand-picked by the Government of the US to rule, survives on not just hand-outs, but generous bribes to the warlords who really control the countryside, has gone from supplying less than 10% of the opium for heroin in the world to almost 90% currently. One wonders what the growers in the hills around Laos are doing for a buck these days.

What then are we trying to do in Afghanistan?

We need (oh, wait for it) a vigorous debate about our position in Afghanistan, the reason we have troops there, what they can accomplish and whether they can accomplish that while working closely with US Forces, or whether we should be trying to do something elsewhere (perhaps Darfur). Hopefully the debate might ignite one on what our foreign policy is, and in light of that foreign policy, what the mission of our military might be.

IBM thinktank calls on businesses to save the world while making money

physorg.com

While Hollywood celebrities and Silicon Valley executives have the cash to pay for trendy earth-friendly lifestyles, ordinary people don't, a US think-tank warned.

The onus was on businesses worldwide to lead a 'green' revolution by sharing technology and costs before authoritarian governments slapped them and citizens with life-altering regulations, according to panel members.

'Perhaps I'm naive, but I don't think the green consumer will be the answer,' Patrick Atkins, director of energy innovation at Alcoa aluminum company, said during a Global Innovation Outlook forum led by IBM Corporation.

'People need to reach a tipping point at which it clearly effects their lives, and then they will address the problem and galvanize the innovation of the world.'

Executives from major firms such as Halliburton and Intuit packed an auditorium in the San Francisco Museum of Art, where academics and technology veterans brainstormed solutions to pollution and transportation woes.

'Business has a key role to play,' said Bjorn Stigson, president of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

'Here we are. It is up to us to create a sustainable path in the world. If we don't, I don't like where we are going.'

When Stigson asked how many people in the room believed in the 'green consumer,' a person willing to pay more for eco-sensitive products such as electric cars or organic produce, only one hand was raised.

'You can't tell poor, struggling people to just pay more,' Hugh Aldridge of the Cambridge-MIT Institute warned. 'If you price things out of reach for people you don't have stability, you have rebellion.'

If business doesn't step in to fix the quality-of-life ills in major urban areas, heavy-handed governments will, predicted Aldridge.

Technology being "seriously discussed" in England would remotely redirect cars and stop them to lessen traffic congestion, Aldridge said.

"Governments are thinking in authoritarian ways to deal with these problems because they don't think market forces will do it," Aldridge said. "That, to me, is a huge danger and we need to come up with innovation to stop it."

It would be misguided to expect business alone to solve environmental problems, but shifting costs to the wallets of consumers was a doomed strategy and waiting for government regulation foolish, pundits said.

IBM will create a databank of "eco-patents" that will be free to legitimate users of the technology, said Nicholas Donofrio, vice president of Innovation and Technology at the company.

'The oil clock is ticking," panelist Lee Schipper of the World Resources Institute said, gesturing as if holding up a watch. "The greenhouse clock is ticking. And, we can't even clarify the problems."

People should not expect technology to be a panacea, Lee said.

"There is always a fool smart enough to violate a foolproof system," he quipped.

THE SELFISH GENE: THIRTY YEARS ON

[link]

My Dream Home

globeandmail.com
'It's not Buckingham Palace'

One of Canada's most famous business addresses — 10 Toronto Street — has been put up for sale and calls are pouring in from prospective buyers.

The 153-year-old landmark, once the headquarters for E.P. Taylor and Conrad Black, is best known for its imposing frontage with four Ionic pillars and a massive coat of arms.

The property was recently listed with Colliers International by Hollinger Inc., once controlled by Lord Black. Colliers is still putting together an information package on the site and the agent handling the listing, Michael Cowie, was not available for comment.

But word of the listing is already the talk of real estate circles and Hollinger has been fielding a flurry of inquiries.

'I've heard of a number of well-known people who have looked at it seriously and I know a few people who are very keen on it,' said Toronto developer Harry Stinson, adding that he will likely submit a bid. 'There's certainly a fascinating history to it.' [... more in the Globe and Mail article]

I've had my eye on this building for going on 15 years. I had no idea it was historical or owned by the past powers that were. I did know that the building strongly signifies security, luxury, and location. I've always intended to live there. After some research, I became aware it owned by Argos Corp., and that this was taken over by Black in the '70's. Darn it. I don't think I'll be shucking out 10M for a cool space to live. Maybe when it next hits the market in 20 years. ;) Curiously, I find the rear view more compelling. And I've a strong fondess for old bank buildings.

Netiquette Guidelines

RFC 1855 (rfc1855) - Netiquette Guidelines

Network Working Group                       S. Hambridge
Request For Comments: 1855                   Intel Corp.
FYI: 28                                     October 1995
Category: Informational

                         Netiquette Guidelines

Status of This Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

This document provides a minimum set of guidelines for Network Etiquette (Netiquette) which organizations may take and adapt for their own use. As such, it is deliberately written in a bulleted format to make adaptation easier and to make any particular item easy (or easier) to find. It also functions as a minimum set of guidelines for individuals, both users and administrators. This memo is the product of the Responsible Use of the Network (RUN) Working Group of the IETF.

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 One-to-One Communication
3.0 One-to-Many Communication
4.0 Information Services
5.0 Selected Bibliography
6.0 Security Considerations
7.0 Author's Address

Read more...

Mojave - A Success in Progress

In honour of our recent space-faring achievement, I propose the working title "Mojave - A Success in Progress".

Seed Rules for Mojave

Mojave Immutable Rules:

1. Become financially independent.
   
2. Do really interesting stuff.
   
3. Impact the world in some way.
   
4. Create an organization that will grow to serve these goals.
   
5. Co-ordinate efforts.
   
6. Work with intelligent, creative people invited by current members. [here]
   
7. All Nomic Initial Set of Rules [1] are further adopted in creating this plan, with the exception of the win state, and are referred to as Nomic rules.
   
8. All seed rules shall be treated as immutable or mutable in the same way that all Nomic rules are treated as immutable or mutable. In other words, seed rules 10-49 shall be governed similarly to Nomic rules 100-199, and seed rules 50-99 shall be governed similarly to Nomic rules 200-299.
   
9. Win state: This plan is complete when no further changes are desired by any members.
   
10. Win state: This plan is complete with the success of Goal 1.
    
11. Brief guideline: a mutable goal can become immutable; an immutable goal can become mutable; a mutable goal can be removed or altered; and a new goal is mutable.

Mojave Mutable Goals:

1. Work part-time / during spare time on this project.
   
2. None of these activities will displace other income generating activities.
   
3. Derive income, in the short-term.
   
4. Acquire funding.
   
5. Develop or invigorate idea / product / service /... to take to market.
   
6. Build our reputations.

An Afghani Adventure

My friend Tony and I were both surprised at Rick Mercer's take on Prime Minister Steven Harper's trip to Afghanistan. Following is a letter Tony emailed to Mercer. I endorse his views.
Hello Rick,
I very much enjoy your show, especially your “rants”. However, your March 14 rant about Mr. Harper’s Kandahar visit included some very serious misrepresentations. I believe it important to call them out as so many people look to your show for information as well as entertainment.
Mr. Harper's visit was not "out of the blue," having been speculated about for over a month. It also was not purely a "classy act," given its timing to coincide with Ambassador Wilson's investiture in Washington and its usefulness in changing the press coverage at home (Shapiro, Emerson, Fortier, child care, "open federalism," etc.). One would have to be a dolt to not see the spin machine at work.
Most disturbingly, though, is your assertion that Harper's photo-op was worth "a thousand speeches on Canadian soil" and that anyone can stand up in the House of Commons and say nice things about our troops.
Support for our soldiers must be built on home soil in our democratic chambers.
Mr. Harper openly opposes free debate and candid discussion of the Afghanistan mission in Parliament. Far from classy or patriotic, Mr. Harper‚s attitude towards the role of democracy in supporting our military is disturbing.
Our soldiers and civil servants went to Afghanistan when our neighbour and ally was attacked. That attack cost two-dozen Canadians their lives. Canadians supported the deployment. After the Taliban and their terrorist tenants were ousted, our soldiers were further deployed to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led security mission. Canadians support our commitment to NATO. As the nature of the mission in Afghanistan changes to one of civil society promotion and nation building, it is right and proper that our MPs debate the merits and perils of the mission.
Our troops deserve no less.
Canadian soldiers are also aware that our citizens are capable of distinguishing between support for policies and support for the men and women who put themselves in harm‚s way on our behalf.
Mr. Harper would have no such discussion. Far from “classy”. Far from Canadian.
Your rant may have been heartfelt, but it was also deeply, deeply flawed.
Thank you for your consideration.
A. Demaso
Toronto

The Portrait of the Mastermind

keirsey.com

I'm very strongly an iNTj. Over the years I've worked to add skills and interests outside of this framework, and so on the tests, I score these days with at least 2 X's (midway point between one value it's it's complement). I've quite proud of having expanded myself beyond, and yet I look know over the official description for my type, and am stunned at how much it does describe how I work within all communities:

Of the four aspects of strategic analysis and definition, it is the contingency planning or entailment organizing role that reaches the highest development in Masterminds. Entailing or contingency planning is not an informative activity, rather it is a directive one in which the planner tells others what to do and in what order to do it. As the organizing capabilities the Masterminds increase so does their inclination to take charge of whatever is going on.

It is in their abilities that Masterminds differ from the other Rationals, while in most of their attitudes they are just like the others. However there is one attitude that sets them apart from other Rationals: they tend to be much more self-confident than the rest, having, for obscure reasons, developed a very strong will. They are rather rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population. Being very judicious, decisions come naturally to them; indeed, they can hardly rest until they have things settled, decided, and set. They are the people who are able to formulate coherent and comprehensive contingency plans, hence contingency organizers or 'entailers.'

Masterminds will adopt ideas only if they are useful, which is to say if they work efficiently toward accomplishing the Mastermind's well-defined goals. Natural leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command of projects or groups, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once in charge, however, Masterminds are the supreme pragmatists, seeing reality as a crucible for refining their strategies for goal-directed action. In a sense, Masterminds approach reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error or adversity. To the Mastermind, organizational structure and operational procedures are never arbitrary, never set in concrete, but are quite malleable and can be changed, improved, streamlined. In their drive for efficient action, Masterminds are the most open-minded of all the types. No idea is too far-fetched to be entertained-if it is useful. Masterminds are natural brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking them. They are also alert to the consequences of applying new ideas or positions. Theories which cannot be made to work are quickly discarded by the Masterminds. On the other hand, Masterminds can be quite ruthless in implementing effective ideas, seldom counting personal cost in terms of time and energy.

Canadians beginning to shun office life

globeandmail.com

Canadian's priorities are shifting away from the office towards a more balanced personal life, according to a nationwide survey released Wednesday.

According to the survey, conducted by Workopolis, an online job search site, family has become more important to Canadians than their careers, reversing the priorities they held five years ago when a persons' career took the top spot.

In 2001, when the online survey was last conducted, 37 per cent of respondents said their career was their top priority. At that time, only 31 per cent said that their family was most important part of their life.

Those priorities have changed, however, with 44 per cent of respondents now saying family was the most important aspect of their life, while only 31 per cent said their career was. And more than a third of those surveyed said they would leave their job for better work/life balance, compared to only 14 per cent who said they would five years ago.

Wonka-Style 'Purple Ticket' Pushes Prince Album Sales

Media and internet savvy... Here's a campaign that shows awareness of how promotion can circumvent piracy. Well done"
PROMO "To promote the artist's latest CD, Universal will hide 14 purple tickets in 3121 CDs—seven in the U.S. and seven internationally—due out March 21. Fans who find a purple ticket can attend a private performance at Prince's Los Angeles house, dubbed An Evening With Prince.

"In addition, consumers can enter to win seven digital tickets to the exclusive performance through Apple's iTunes online music store. Fans who download the two-track e-single Black Sweat from iTunes, which contains Black Sweat by Prince and Beautiful Loved and Blessed by Tamar, will be entered into the An Evening With Prince sweepstakes. The sweepstakes is open to consumers 18 and older and runs through March 21. Online materials support. West Coast Marketing, Calabasas, CA handles.

"Universal's Purple Ticket campaign mimics the fictitious actions of Willy Wonka in the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where children found golden tickets in chocolate bars to win a tour of a chocolate factory. Universal Records is a division of Universal Music Group.

"In total, Universal Records will give away 21 tickets to winners and a guest for an exclusive Prince performance. The company has designated groups of seven winners to coincide with the name of Prince's album 3121 (add up the numbers and you get seven), Bill Richards senior director of marketing, Universal Records, said yesterday."

Missile Defense and Mr. Harper

The next time Steven Harper says he wants Canada to join in the North American missile defense program, I hope somebody asks him about this . Way to go, USAF.

modern relationships

I have this stack of emails from friends I don't get to see or speak with often and from colleagues wishing to have coffee, just sitting in my inbox.

I don't feel an urgent desire to respond. These accumulate until suddenly I answer them all late at night, before curling up with a cat. Do you do this too?

Just a Question

What would be the consequences of allowing full 2 tier medicine, complete with pay as you go hospitals and clinics, but said "No tax back on anything out of the Canada Healthcare System? Go and get your hip replaced, but you pay full pop in after-tax dollars.
Comments?