I saw horsies! Walking down Yonge Street! Horsies!!!!
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Things I wonder about bodily fluids:
1. How much blood can you lose without dying?
2. Suppose you're a hemophiliac, so if you start bleeding it doesn't stop without medical attention. Suppose you get a really really tiny pinprick, so you're bleeding very very slowly. If you're bleeding at a slower rate than your body can regenerate blood cells, but you keep bleeding forever, would you still bleed to death or could you keep functioning normally despite the fact that you're trickling blood.
3. When people have had total kidney failure so they have to have dialysis, do they still need to urinate?
1. How much blood can you lose without dying?
2. Suppose you're a hemophiliac, so if you start bleeding it doesn't stop without medical attention. Suppose you get a really really tiny pinprick, so you're bleeding very very slowly. If you're bleeding at a slower rate than your body can regenerate blood cells, but you keep bleeding forever, would you still bleed to death or could you keep functioning normally despite the fact that you're trickling blood.
3. When people have had total kidney failure so they have to have dialysis, do they still need to urinate?
I hate this. I'm a shy and nervous person, so I have various nervous tics
when I'm feeling uncomfortable. When I was a child, these tics were rather
unpleasant things, like picking my nose, squeezing my zits, or cracking my
knuckles.. As I got older I realized I couldn't do these things in public,
so I consciously switched to playing with my necklaces. Eventually, all my
necklaces broke. So I made another conscious effort to switch fixing my hair
and touching my neck as though unconsciously scratching an itch. Then I read
an article that said that these are signs of flirting, so I worked
consciously to eliminate them, channelling my nervous energies into
adjusting my clothes.
Now I just read an article that said that signs of flirting are adjusting
your clothes, tossing your head, and making eye contact and looking away. I
now adjust my clothes as a nervous tic, I toss my head to avoid touching my
hair and coming across as flirting, and I make eye contact and look away
because I'm trying not to make eye contact at all so as not to give the
impression that I'm interested! GAH! So now it looks like I'll have to
find another nervous tic, wear my hair pulled tightly back and thoroughly
sprayed at all times so it never requires adjustment, and wear dark
sunglasses everywhere.
when I'm feeling uncomfortable. When I was a child, these tics were rather
unpleasant things, like picking my nose, squeezing my zits, or cracking my
knuckles.. As I got older I realized I couldn't do these things in public,
so I consciously switched to playing with my necklaces. Eventually, all my
necklaces broke. So I made another conscious effort to switch fixing my hair
and touching my neck as though unconsciously scratching an itch. Then I read
an article that said that these are signs of flirting, so I worked
consciously to eliminate them, channelling my nervous energies into
adjusting my clothes.
Now I just read an article that said that signs of flirting are adjusting
your clothes, tossing your head, and making eye contact and looking away. I
now adjust my clothes as a nervous tic, I toss my head to avoid touching my
hair and coming across as flirting, and I make eye contact and look away
because I'm trying not to make eye contact at all so as not to give the
impression that I'm interested! GAH! So now it looks like I'll have to
find another nervous tic, wear my hair pulled tightly back and thoroughly
sprayed at all times so it never requires adjustment, and wear dark
sunglasses everywhere.
Things They Should Invent: an "I don't want to see this ad any more" option
for web browsers
It would put a cookie in your browser telling ad servers not to show you
particular ads. This would be no loss to the advertisers because obviously
users aren't going to click on an ad that they don't want to see, and it
would make users' browsing experience more pleasant.
I use WebWasher to achieve this at home, but I'm not allowed to install
software on my work computer and I really would like a way to avoid seeing
ads for Spiderman, dating services, and pornographic screensavers while at
work.
for web browsers
It would put a cookie in your browser telling ad servers not to show you
particular ads. This would be no loss to the advertisers because obviously
users aren't going to click on an ad that they don't want to see, and it
would make users' browsing experience more pleasant.
I use WebWasher to achieve this at home, but I'm not allowed to install
software on my work computer and I really would like a way to avoid seeing
ads for Spiderman, dating services, and pornographic screensavers while at
work.
Some Great Thing by Colin McAdam
I can't decide whether I like this book or not. The big problem is that all the characters are entirely unsympathetic. They all act like assholes, jerks or idiots, they all end up committing adultery, and they all do so with the attitude that the adultery is some random phenomenon that just happened to them, rather than a conscious decision that they made themselves. I found it very difficult to work my way through the book because of all this - I simply did not enjoy spending my evenings inside these people's heads.
However, it does have a lot of redeeming qualities. The author has perfectly captured the vernacular of his diverse characters, both in terms of speech and in terms of train of thought. He has an unfortunate habit of not indicating frequently enough which character is speaking, leaving the reader counting lines, but the dialogue is impeccable. Another plus is that the book is about urban planning in Ottawa during the 1970s, but the fact that it is about urban planning does not make the book less interesting in any way. That's certainly an indication of the author's talent, being able to make a novel about urban planning interesting!
The book itself is quite good, it's just that I found the characters intolerable. If you think you can put up with the characters, it might be worth reading the book. I should warn, however, that there is a LOT of profanity in this book. It's piled in layers upon layers in fascinating combinations that I've never seen before. For me, the sheer density of the profanity made it meaningless, but other people might not feel this way.
I can't decide whether I like this book or not. The big problem is that all the characters are entirely unsympathetic. They all act like assholes, jerks or idiots, they all end up committing adultery, and they all do so with the attitude that the adultery is some random phenomenon that just happened to them, rather than a conscious decision that they made themselves. I found it very difficult to work my way through the book because of all this - I simply did not enjoy spending my evenings inside these people's heads.
However, it does have a lot of redeeming qualities. The author has perfectly captured the vernacular of his diverse characters, both in terms of speech and in terms of train of thought. He has an unfortunate habit of not indicating frequently enough which character is speaking, leaving the reader counting lines, but the dialogue is impeccable. Another plus is that the book is about urban planning in Ottawa during the 1970s, but the fact that it is about urban planning does not make the book less interesting in any way. That's certainly an indication of the author's talent, being able to make a novel about urban planning interesting!
The book itself is quite good, it's just that I found the characters intolerable. If you think you can put up with the characters, it might be worth reading the book. I should warn, however, that there is a LOT of profanity in this book. It's piled in layers upon layers in fascinating combinations that I've never seen before. For me, the sheer density of the profanity made it meaningless, but other people might not feel this way.
Friday, July 23, 2004
Indulge me for a moment as I talk my way through a train of thought:
There are some people who are opposed to employment equity. People have various reasons for being opposed to this policy. One of the reasons that some people are opposed is that they feel that employment equity is favouring less-qualified candidates from designated groups over more qualified candidates not from designated groups.
It occurs to me that the people who oppose employment equity for this reason might want to keep quiet about it.
Why? Well, let's start with the premise that since they are opposed to employment equity, their goal is to put an end to the program, so all candidates will be evaluated solely on merit and qualifications with no consideration for designated group status.
So what would it take to make the program end? First and foremost, all parties involved would have to feel that the program has done its job and is no longer necessary.
How would they decide if the program has done its job? I think two factors have to be met.
First of all, the numbers have to work out. The percentage of members of designated groups within whatever the organization is would have to match their percentages in the general population. This is complex, there are many factors, I have many thoughts on this, and it does need to be addressed. However, it is very big, and it outside the control of people who are opposed to employment equity, and outside the scope of this little logic exercise of mine.
The second factor is that the members of designated groups who are sitting on employment equity committees have to start reporting back that they are not feeling at all disadvantaged or discriminated against because of their designated status.
Now imagine for a moment you are a member of a designated group; let's say you are an Icklibogg. You worked very hard to get where you are, learned a lot, were always willing to try something new. Meanwhile, somewhere decided that Ickliboggs are under-represented in your organization and put them on the employment equity list, because there aren't many Ickliboggs in the organization, they rope you into sitting on the employment equity committe.
Then one day you overhear someone saying, in a very derisive tone, "Oh, they're only where they are because they're an Icklibogg." You don't know whether they're talking about you or not, but you heard quite clearly what they said.
Later that day, you have to go to an employment equity committee meeting. The chair asks you "So do you feel that our organization is a positive environment for Ickliboggs?"
Would your answer contribute to the elimination of employment equity?
There are some people who are opposed to employment equity. People have various reasons for being opposed to this policy. One of the reasons that some people are opposed is that they feel that employment equity is favouring less-qualified candidates from designated groups over more qualified candidates not from designated groups.
It occurs to me that the people who oppose employment equity for this reason might want to keep quiet about it.
Why? Well, let's start with the premise that since they are opposed to employment equity, their goal is to put an end to the program, so all candidates will be evaluated solely on merit and qualifications with no consideration for designated group status.
So what would it take to make the program end? First and foremost, all parties involved would have to feel that the program has done its job and is no longer necessary.
How would they decide if the program has done its job? I think two factors have to be met.
First of all, the numbers have to work out. The percentage of members of designated groups within whatever the organization is would have to match their percentages in the general population. This is complex, there are many factors, I have many thoughts on this, and it does need to be addressed. However, it is very big, and it outside the control of people who are opposed to employment equity, and outside the scope of this little logic exercise of mine.
The second factor is that the members of designated groups who are sitting on employment equity committees have to start reporting back that they are not feeling at all disadvantaged or discriminated against because of their designated status.
Now imagine for a moment you are a member of a designated group; let's say you are an Icklibogg. You worked very hard to get where you are, learned a lot, were always willing to try something new. Meanwhile, somewhere decided that Ickliboggs are under-represented in your organization and put them on the employment equity list, because there aren't many Ickliboggs in the organization, they rope you into sitting on the employment equity committe.
Then one day you overhear someone saying, in a very derisive tone, "Oh, they're only where they are because they're an Icklibogg." You don't know whether they're talking about you or not, but you heard quite clearly what they said.
Later that day, you have to go to an employment equity committee meeting. The chair asks you "So do you feel that our organization is a positive environment for Ickliboggs?"
Would your answer contribute to the elimination of employment equity?
Re: Catney's comments (which I'm far too lazy to find a link for - do a
Google News search for Catney if you don't already know what I'm talking
about):
The problem with the possibility of these comments poisoning the trial is
not purely academic. It isn't just some lofty theoretical matter of a
police officer verbally violating the "innocent until proven guilty" precept
even though we all know everything thinks he's the guy. The problem is the
possibility that Chen did, in fact, kill Cecilia Zhang, if he is, in fact, a
psychopathic cold-blooded child murderer from whom society needs to be
protected, and he gets a decent criminal lawyer and walks free because
Catney let his professionalism drop for one minute and poisoned the trial.
Google News search for Catney if you don't already know what I'm talking
about):
The problem with the possibility of these comments poisoning the trial is
not purely academic. It isn't just some lofty theoretical matter of a
police officer verbally violating the "innocent until proven guilty" precept
even though we all know everything thinks he's the guy. The problem is the
possibility that Chen did, in fact, kill Cecilia Zhang, if he is, in fact, a
psychopathic cold-blooded child murderer from whom society needs to be
protected, and he gets a decent criminal lawyer and walks free because
Catney let his professionalism drop for one minute and poisoned the trial.
Things They Should Invent:
1. Self-scanning library return drop-box. When you drop a book in, it
automatically scans it as having been returned. Then all the librarians
need to do is reshelf the books. The scanner would have to be further
inside to prevent people from sticking the edge of the book into the slot
then pulling it back out and walking off with the book, but I think it could
be done with something like a supermarket scanner. On a related note, they
should come up with a library system that lets the library track books with
their UPS barcode instead of adding a new barcode.
2. Time-sensitive "reply to" field for email. So when I send an urgent
personal email from work, I can have the "reply to" address be my work
address before 5:00, and my home address after 5:00.
1. Self-scanning library return drop-box. When you drop a book in, it
automatically scans it as having been returned. Then all the librarians
need to do is reshelf the books. The scanner would have to be further
inside to prevent people from sticking the edge of the book into the slot
then pulling it back out and walking off with the book, but I think it could
be done with something like a supermarket scanner. On a related note, they
should come up with a library system that lets the library track books with
their UPS barcode instead of adding a new barcode.
2. Time-sensitive "reply to" field for email. So when I send an urgent
personal email from work, I can have the "reply to" address be my work
address before 5:00, and my home address after 5:00.
When I read that there had been an arrest in the Cecilia Zhang case, the
first thought that popped into my head was "I wonder if this guy really did
it, or if they're just pinning it on someone they had to arrest for
something else so the police could have some positive press."
And Fantino says there has been no loss of public trust!
first thought that popped into my head was "I wonder if this guy really did
it, or if they're just pinning it on someone they had to arrest for
something else so the police could have some positive press."
And Fantino says there has been no loss of public trust!
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Helpful hint: wrap skirt + windy day + 4 bags of groceries = bad idea
However, it did result in my inventing something: a button at about knee
level on the outside edge of a wrap skirt! Unfortunately, I don't know how
to make buttonholes. Fortunately, I think my mommy does. Yes, I'm so inept
at the whole "physically making stuff" thing that I still have to go crying
to my mommy when I want to alter a garment.
However, it did result in my inventing something: a button at about knee
level on the outside edge of a wrap skirt! Unfortunately, I don't know how
to make buttonholes. Fortunately, I think my mommy does. Yes, I'm so inept
at the whole "physically making stuff" thing that I still have to go crying
to my mommy when I want to alter a garment.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
It seems that, through jurilinguistic fluke , same-sex marriage is legal in
Ontario, but same-sex divorce is not.
That has me wondering: how do people who are opposed to same-sex marriage
feel about same-sex divorce? What about people who are opposed to same-sex
marriage but are also opposed to divorce in general?
Ontario, but same-sex divorce is not.
That has me wondering: how do people who are opposed to same-sex marriage
feel about same-sex divorce? What about people who are opposed to same-sex
marriage but are also opposed to divorce in general?
Things they should invent: exercise television. All exercise shows, all the time. Not shows about exercising, shows where the people on TV are exercising and the viewer at home is supposed to follow along.
Why? Well, I find that for myself, personally, the only way I can get myself to exercise is by following exercise shows on TV. I like doing this because I can exercise in the privacy of my own home, there's little to no cost for me, and the exercises presented are sufficiently random so I don't have to do the same thing every day and I don't always know what's coming. I know exercise shows aren't the best workouts in the world, but they are the only ones that I end up actually doing, so that makes them the best option.
Now I can't be the only one who feels this way about exercising. I'm sure there are a lot of people who wouldn't mind having the opportunity to exercise in the privacy of their own homes, at their leisure. However, in my area at least, exercise shows are only on TV at one specific time, around 6:00 a.m. Now this happens to fit into my schedule, but I'm sure there are some people who have to leave the house early or work shifts or whatnot and simply can't make the time to exercise at that particular time of day. This is where Exercise Television comes in.
Exercise Television would show only exercise shows, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There would be strict alternation between shows featuring cardio, strength, and flexibility exercises, so if the viewer watches for any 90 straight minutes they'd get all three. There would be maybe three 8-hour cycles or four 6-hour cycles every day, so if someone wants to catch a particular show they have several opportunities, but no one episode would be shown two days in a row so viewers don't find themselves doing the exact same thing every day. The channel could pad out their programming by buying up old PBS exercise shows that are all retro 70s or 80s but still perfectly good exercise. They could show commercials only between the shows so as not to interrupt anyone's workout. If necessary, they could even become a pay channel - I'm sure people who are interested would pay something like $5 per month to be able to exercise at home at any time of the day. What would be better is if whatever gov't department or agency is responsible for getting Canadians to exercise (those demons who came up with Canada Fitness!) subsidized this channel and made sure it was broadcast on every television service.
Why? Well, I find that for myself, personally, the only way I can get myself to exercise is by following exercise shows on TV. I like doing this because I can exercise in the privacy of my own home, there's little to no cost for me, and the exercises presented are sufficiently random so I don't have to do the same thing every day and I don't always know what's coming. I know exercise shows aren't the best workouts in the world, but they are the only ones that I end up actually doing, so that makes them the best option.
Now I can't be the only one who feels this way about exercising. I'm sure there are a lot of people who wouldn't mind having the opportunity to exercise in the privacy of their own homes, at their leisure. However, in my area at least, exercise shows are only on TV at one specific time, around 6:00 a.m. Now this happens to fit into my schedule, but I'm sure there are some people who have to leave the house early or work shifts or whatnot and simply can't make the time to exercise at that particular time of day. This is where Exercise Television comes in.
Exercise Television would show only exercise shows, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There would be strict alternation between shows featuring cardio, strength, and flexibility exercises, so if the viewer watches for any 90 straight minutes they'd get all three. There would be maybe three 8-hour cycles or four 6-hour cycles every day, so if someone wants to catch a particular show they have several opportunities, but no one episode would be shown two days in a row so viewers don't find themselves doing the exact same thing every day. The channel could pad out their programming by buying up old PBS exercise shows that are all retro 70s or 80s but still perfectly good exercise. They could show commercials only between the shows so as not to interrupt anyone's workout. If necessary, they could even become a pay channel - I'm sure people who are interested would pay something like $5 per month to be able to exercise at home at any time of the day. What would be better is if whatever gov't department or agency is responsible for getting Canadians to exercise (those demons who came up with Canada Fitness!) subsidized this channel and made sure it was broadcast on every television service.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Reasons why I am grumpy:
1. Everyone gets to be nocturnal except me.
2. I have a zit in my eyebrow, which not only hurts but also messes up my
eyebrow grooming. Not to mention that I should have outgrown zits by now.
3. I bought the wrong shampoo.
4. There was apparently a torrential thunderstorm this afternoon and I
missed the whole thing except for a few thunderclaps because there is no
window in my office.
5. Various political things I can't discuss here.
6. Every day when I go to collect my morning newspaper, the carpet outside
my apartments looks more and more unravelled. I have no idea how this is
happening. It looks like it's my fault because it's right outside my
apartment, but it isn't - I never even walk on that section of the carpet!
1. Everyone gets to be nocturnal except me.
2. I have a zit in my eyebrow, which not only hurts but also messes up my
eyebrow grooming. Not to mention that I should have outgrown zits by now.
3. I bought the wrong shampoo.
4. There was apparently a torrential thunderstorm this afternoon and I
missed the whole thing except for a few thunderclaps because there is no
window in my office.
5. Various political things I can't discuss here.
6. Every day when I go to collect my morning newspaper, the carpet outside
my apartments looks more and more unravelled. I have no idea how this is
happening. It looks like it's my fault because it's right outside my
apartment, but it isn't - I never even walk on that section of the carpet!
Sunday, July 18, 2004
So I'm buying some items in a lingerie store. As the cashier goes through her normal transaction spiel, she asks me "Did you find the right sizes?"
This is a very strange question to ask in a lingerie store. Lingerie is a very finicky item of clothing that only works if it's the right size. Why would I be buying things if I didn't find the right sizes? Do they think someone's going to say "Actually, you were plum out of 36D, so I decided to make due with this 32A instead." I wonder what they were thinking when they put that in the script?
However, I am very happy. I got two bras for only $32, and I spent less than 30 minutes in the store. Some La Senza products have small cup sizes, so if you happen to be a half size like me, going to La Senza and getting an item in the larger cup size might help.
This is a very strange question to ask in a lingerie store. Lingerie is a very finicky item of clothing that only works if it's the right size. Why would I be buying things if I didn't find the right sizes? Do they think someone's going to say "Actually, you were plum out of 36D, so I decided to make due with this 32A instead." I wonder what they were thinking when they put that in the script?
However, I am very happy. I got two bras for only $32, and I spent less than 30 minutes in the store. Some La Senza products have small cup sizes, so if you happen to be a half size like me, going to La Senza and getting an item in the larger cup size might help.
Someone remind me in mid-August to sign up for my class at U of T please?
Now that I've sorted out the application process and been accepted and decoded the calendar and taken a brief detour to drool over the assortment of linguistics courses available, I have no need to think about it until my enrolment date, and if anything else requiring my attention comes up between now and then I might forget about it completely!
Now that I've sorted out the application process and been accepted and decoded the calendar and taken a brief detour to drool over the assortment of linguistics courses available, I have no need to think about it until my enrolment date, and if anything else requiring my attention comes up between now and then I might forget about it completely!
Saturday, July 17, 2004
I try to blog about any new products and services I've tried that I either
like or don't like, but I keep forgetting to blog about my best discovery in
recent weeks: CBC Radio One.
I've never been too fond of radio in general; I find most radio programming
either obnoxious or dull, and hold a particular animosity towards radio
commercials. However, I do find it's the best thing to wake up to in the
morning because it eases me out of sleep more gently than an alarm. For
years I never listened to CBC because I have it mentally associated with
long, nauseating car rides, but when I was in Quebec in June I needed a
radio station to wake up to and found myself faced with a dial full of
unfamiliar stations and no internet on which to look them up, so I tuned in
to the English CBC just because I knew they have higher standards than most
commercial radio, so I would hear pertinent news and weather, with no
obnoxious commercials or crude hosts.
What I heard was the most relevant newscast I've heard in ages, weather at
frequent intervals, local election coverage that was interesting to me even
though this wasn't my riding, and NO COMMERCIALS except for paid political
broadcasts.
I was particularly happy with the way they covered local election issues and
the way they did news - they have a knack for touching upon all the stories
that are interesting to me - so I decided to set my radio to CBC once I got
home and listen to them for the rest of the election. The election finished
weeks ago, and I'm still listening! Every single topic they discuss is
interesting, and they leave me wanting more rather than droning on and on
for far too long. Their news coverage touches on all the developments in
the stories that are most important to me - they mention Maher Arar almost
every single day, and on days when nothing is happening with him they
mention why nothing is happening, unlike certain newspapers that just ignore
it when nothing is happening. Their traffic coverage includes mentions of
any TTC delays! Their sports coverage even touches on more interesting
things like Euro Cup and Tour de France and Olympic trials rather than just
rattling off professional sports scores, or going way overboard with
analysis.
Basically it's the first time I've ever listened to a radio station and felt
like I'm the target demographic, like they actively want me, personally, to
be listening. So I'm going to keep listening.
like or don't like, but I keep forgetting to blog about my best discovery in
recent weeks: CBC Radio One.
I've never been too fond of radio in general; I find most radio programming
either obnoxious or dull, and hold a particular animosity towards radio
commercials. However, I do find it's the best thing to wake up to in the
morning because it eases me out of sleep more gently than an alarm. For
years I never listened to CBC because I have it mentally associated with
long, nauseating car rides, but when I was in Quebec in June I needed a
radio station to wake up to and found myself faced with a dial full of
unfamiliar stations and no internet on which to look them up, so I tuned in
to the English CBC just because I knew they have higher standards than most
commercial radio, so I would hear pertinent news and weather, with no
obnoxious commercials or crude hosts.
What I heard was the most relevant newscast I've heard in ages, weather at
frequent intervals, local election coverage that was interesting to me even
though this wasn't my riding, and NO COMMERCIALS except for paid political
broadcasts.
I was particularly happy with the way they covered local election issues and
the way they did news - they have a knack for touching upon all the stories
that are interesting to me - so I decided to set my radio to CBC once I got
home and listen to them for the rest of the election. The election finished
weeks ago, and I'm still listening! Every single topic they discuss is
interesting, and they leave me wanting more rather than droning on and on
for far too long. Their news coverage touches on all the developments in
the stories that are most important to me - they mention Maher Arar almost
every single day, and on days when nothing is happening with him they
mention why nothing is happening, unlike certain newspapers that just ignore
it when nothing is happening. Their traffic coverage includes mentions of
any TTC delays! Their sports coverage even touches on more interesting
things like Euro Cup and Tour de France and Olympic trials rather than just
rattling off professional sports scores, or going way overboard with
analysis.
Basically it's the first time I've ever listened to a radio station and felt
like I'm the target demographic, like they actively want me, personally, to
be listening. So I'm going to keep listening.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Two random things I've been wondering:
1. What are the origins of pressing the palms of one's hands together to signify prayer? I know that this gesture exists in xianity and in yoga, so it can't be religion-specific...
2. I read that they film five episodes of Jeopardy! in one day. Has anyone noticed if the returning contestant (or Alex Trebeck) wear the same outfit for two episodes in a row?
1. What are the origins of pressing the palms of one's hands together to signify prayer? I know that this gesture exists in xianity and in yoga, so it can't be religion-specific...
2. I read that they film five episodes of Jeopardy! in one day. Has anyone noticed if the returning contestant (or Alex Trebeck) wear the same outfit for two episodes in a row?
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