The Christmas shopping season has arrived and with it one of my least favourite things: Christmas Carols.
In truth, I don't mind them in moderation. The problem is that for the ENTIRE month of December (and in some places the entire month of January!) it is impossible to escape them! You get in your car and they're on the radio. You go in to the mall and they're on the speakers. Every single store you enter is blaring them non-stop. They're even playing 24/7 at the gym. Yes, THE GYM! Imagine trying to deadlift 300 lbs to Silent Night. Not exactly the most motivating anthem! Even when you think you're free after locking yourself in your house with all radios and televisions turned off, you're really not. Noooo. People will actually come to your house, uninvited, and sing on your front steps! ARGH!
What do I want for christmas? A pair of these!
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Friday, December 03, 2004
Drug Bust, or Boom?
On the same day that Winnipeg Police make their largest-ever drug bust, comes a report from the CATO Institute about the failure of the US War on Drugs.
Although the report uses US data, the situation is very similar in Canada. Police departments across the nation spend endless amounts of money and time making drug busts, yet availability contiues to rise and prices continue to fall.
Let's also remember perhaps the biggest drug contradiction in Canada: medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is legal in Canada, provided you obtain your drugs from the government. The problem? Users complain the government pushed drug is poor quality, expensive, and in short supply. This while there is a perfectly suitable, and significantly cheaper, supply on the free market.
The message? It's bad to be a drug dealer unless you're the government, and it's bad to use drugs unless you get them from the government. Why not kill two birds with one stone: decriminalize marijuana and get the government out of the drug dealing business.
Although the report uses US data, the situation is very similar in Canada. Police departments across the nation spend endless amounts of money and time making drug busts, yet availability contiues to rise and prices continue to fall.
Let's also remember perhaps the biggest drug contradiction in Canada: medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is legal in Canada, provided you obtain your drugs from the government. The problem? Users complain the government pushed drug is poor quality, expensive, and in short supply. This while there is a perfectly suitable, and significantly cheaper, supply on the free market.
The message? It's bad to be a drug dealer unless you're the government, and it's bad to use drugs unless you get them from the government. Why not kill two birds with one stone: decriminalize marijuana and get the government out of the drug dealing business.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Yellow Arrow
I saw this really neat concept on The Screen Savers today: Yellow Arrow.
Basically, you get these yellow arrows with a unique number on them. You stick the arrow somewhere in the world pointing to something significant to you: the corner store, a lamp post, in the mall, etc. Then you send a short text message about what the arrow is pointing at to Yellow Arrow's central server. Anyone who comes across the arrow can then send a text message containing the unique number on the arrow to the server and get back the message you put in.
It's a novel idea with an endless number of possibilities. Kinda like a hyperlink in real life!
The arrows can be ordered off the website for $0.60 per sticker. Of course, it helps to live in a city with more than three buildings downtown and more than a handful of interesting locations. ;)
Basically, you get these yellow arrows with a unique number on them. You stick the arrow somewhere in the world pointing to something significant to you: the corner store, a lamp post, in the mall, etc. Then you send a short text message about what the arrow is pointing at to Yellow Arrow's central server. Anyone who comes across the arrow can then send a text message containing the unique number on the arrow to the server and get back the message you put in.
It's a novel idea with an endless number of possibilities. Kinda like a hyperlink in real life!
The arrows can be ordered off the website for $0.60 per sticker. Of course, it helps to live in a city with more than three buildings downtown and more than a handful of interesting locations. ;)
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