New energies?

In the wake of the devastating quake in Japan, and the subsequent problems with th enuclear reactor, the tree huggers (I assume) are back out in full force condemning nuclear power.

I for one think they're nuts. I'm a big environment fan, you know that, but I also follow the facts. Nuclear energy is safe, creates far less pollution than coal or oil, and produces more.

THe bad side is in the event of a problem the effects can be catastrophic. Doesn't happen often, but when it does it's news.

What about other energy sources?


Here is one, how trustworthy the data is I'm not sure, but interesting nonetheless:

Metering Not Out Yet

Remember my metering article?

We're not out the of woods yet, and if this story is any indication Canadians are about to get gouged.


http://openmedia.ca/gouging


We already pay the most out of anybody in the world pretty much for cel lphone use. If giant telecomes get their greedy way they'll do the same for internet.

Gonna have to check out food for people

I'm ashamed I've lived near this new store but have never ventured inside> i was dropping off the recycling the other day and I noticed the shop in a run down mini strip mall.

http://peoplefood.ca/a-modest-proposal/

What a neat place, locally grown foods and breads.

Fantastic, will keep you posted on my adventure inside. This will really help any 100 mile diet ...

Meat meat meat meat fast

There's a crazy for the paleolithic diet. Periods of fasting, and periods of gorging, mostly on meant.

But does it really work. Do we really need to return to our primitive ways in order to live longer? Or have our bodies adapted to a different form of diet? I think we're ok with not tracking down deer meat and eating it all in a few sittings.... thta's just me though.

http://www.good.is/post/good-asks-the-experts-is-the-paleolithic-diet-really-better/

DO it, Window Farm

Tough to find sustainable food sources, or rather live on the 100 mile diet, when you live smack in th emiddle of the city.

Well there are many innovative ways to grow some basic herbs and veggies in your window, even if you live in an apartment.

Check it out!

Want lower tuition? Outsource it!

Seriously, I read this article from an economist and it made a bit of sense.

When we compare tshirts from 20 years ago and today we find we pay about the same (in fact less given inflation).

http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2011/02/have-universities-reached-the-tipping-point.html

But tuition for universities has grown 7-20 fold depending where you go to school.

I'm not a fan.

But the question is why?!

Well part of it is outsourcing.

If you demand your walmart goods and cheap fast food.....no wait that's not it...... if you demand cheap goods like any product made in china, you want the lowest price.

The producers know this and they watn to deliver to make themselves competitive. That means lowest price points. Lowest price points means sending jobs/work to those who live with a lower standard of living (largest expense for any company is of course salary).

So pay the Chinese 2/hr vs. 18/hr in canada.

THen pass savings to you.


Universities need to maintain their quality teaching (let's assume quality) by paying their profs. Doesn't help they lose funding from government along the way.

So if it weren't for the globalization of all our products we'd be paying $50 bucks for a t shirt.............

I do'nt like where this is going....

Sustainable Food Sources

Just watched Super Size me again last night.

Then this morning a great article from NY Times. ALL subsidies for food go to big fast food corporations. It's made Americans (and Canadians) dumb, fat, and unhealthy. It's also a waste of energy, a waste of resources, and inefficient.

We need to demand better from our politicians who regulate the food industry.


Take a read: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/a-food-manifesto-for-the-future/

Some key elements mentioned:

* End government subsidies to processed food. We grow more corn for livestock and cars than for humans, and it’s subsidized by more than $3 billion annually; most of it is processed beyond recognition. The story is similar for other crops, including soy: 98 percent of soybean meal becomes livestock feed, while most soybean oil is used in processed foods. Meanwhile, the marketers of the junk food made from these crops receive tax write-offs for the costs of promoting their wares. Total agricultural subsidies in 2009 were around $16 billion, which would pay for a great many of the ideas that follow.

* Begin subsidies to those who produce and sell actual food for direct consumption. Small farmers and their employees need to make living wages. Markets — from super- to farmers’ — should be supported when they open in so-called food deserts and when they focus on real food rather than junk food. And, of course, we should immediately increase subsidies for school lunches so we can feed our youth more real food.

The Cost of Water Bottles?

It's steep. Everything from the scam marketers have places on bottle water 'necessity' at the expense of municipal tap sources to the degrading infrastructure of our water mains. It's not good. People have been tricked into believe bottled water is better at the expense of the average consumer (sya 99% of us). Yet less than 1% will reap massive profits from our stupidity.

STAY AWAY FORM BOTTLED WATER. Unless of course that's your only source of clean water, which for many it is. But you'd think Coke, who has the monopoly worldwide on bottled water, would stop trying to scam us at home. But I guess it's more about money rather than being a good neighbor.

5 degrading aspects of bottled water.

Whew, Metering Revisited

Well how about that, the internet was used to stop a bill metering internet.

Canadians were quick to respond, well actually it took more than a month, but over a quarter of a million people signed a petition against the proposed metering of internet bandwidth. The Conservative government sees this as an opportunity to get some brownie points with potential voters; they've intervened and asked the CRTC for a reason why they made the ruling to permit the oligopolies to charge what is essentially free bandwidth to consumers.

Looks like, for now, we're safe from being charged exorbitant fees like we have on our cell phones (from the very same companies I might add).

Great to see Canadians slowly losing their rediculous apathy too.

Who's in Bed? Internet Metering

Remember parking meters? Put in some dimes for some time?

Well now the big billions dollar telecommunications giants in Canada want more of the pie. Despite earning millions upon million every year through our cell phones, tv, and phones (we pay the highest in the world for our cell phones, don't forget that) the likes of Bell, Rogers, and Telus, are combining to meter the internet. I know for sure the first two are working hard to get a bigger piece of the internet pie.

The problem is two fold.

On one hand the CRTC has instructed the oligopoly of telecommunications providers to allow competition. The problem, the competitors need to buy from the oligopoly. One of the problems in an age where people watch TV not on TV but on their computers, bandwidth deamdn increase.

The second level internet providers were actually giving unlimited bandwidth to their customers, or at a lower rate than the big giants. So they want a higher share.

But of course, it won't end there, it will move towards the point (already has with Bell) where everyone will be metered. Well technically we already are, but we haven't had to pay X amount more for tiered service.

This is an afront that the CRTC has caved to. The big giants want even bigger profits and they hate the fact people drop their phones and their TVs for internet. NDP and liberals are on board, but not conservatives. Let's see if they actually give a damn about Canadians.

Sign th epetition, almost half a million already!

http://openmedia.ca/meter