Happy Saturday Cyberspace!
It's Saturday, and you know what that means - time to have a look at what's caught my eye recently. I hope you all have a great weekend!
This is Yanni - a modern day composer. I can't stop listening to his music.
Marching Season
Nostalgia
This is the scariest thing I've probably ever seen. I will more than likely be leaving this country as soon as this becomes mandatory...hopefully they will give me enough time to get the hell outta here!
The MintChip (or the end of any guise of liberty) - watch the video.
And last, but not least, a great blog written by my good friend Tekebo about the party system in Canada and its inherent flaws.
The Party System
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Friday, 27 April 2012
Painted Lanes
Hey again Cyberspace.
Alright...I admit it. I completely forgot about my blog yesterday. I had someone else's computer hooked up for most of the day and was out for most of the rest of it. Unfortunately, this could be viewed as some inadvertent foreshadowing. I am in the midst of disassembling my apartment in preparation for moving this weekend, which will be promptly followed by a trip to Montreal. I probably won't be blogging very much over the next week and a half...this Sunday Storytime will probably be the last entry for a while.
Today's topic is one that probably all of us have had to deal with - road rage. I see it everyday, and I do have a mild case of it myself (mine is mostly limited to swearing at other drivers).
I can understand how someone can get mad while driving. Take me, for instance...if I get cut off or someone decides to plow into my lane without looking, I will be cursing you. My anger is based on the safety of the people in the car. I am responsible for transporting each of the individuals in my vehicle from Point A to Point B safely. It is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. By doing something stupid while driving, you are putting me and my whole family at risk. Any person that threatens my family is not going to be received well. If a moving ton or more of plastic, rubber and steel is being operated irresponsibly, does that truck or car not become a weapon? How would you feel if someone was coming at your family with a loaded gun? I think that this is the basic principle behind some of the seemingly insane actions we hear about or see that get chalked up to 'road rage'.
The onus of safety does not only land on me (or the operator of whichever vehicle you may be in) - it also belongs to every other driver on the road. Failing to signal, failing to check a blind spot, playing with the radio...these things seem mundane. But they are not. Pay attention...it's really not that hard. As soon as you get behind that wheel, you are accepting your responsibility to everyone else - it may not seem like it, but safe driving is a collective effort.
I don't want to be misconstrued - I'm not trying to say that if someone cuts off you should follow them home. All I'm saying is that I can understand why people get so worked up. The trouble is once you're angry, there's a good chance that you will start shirking your responsibility. And this is the part that really gets me. I cannot wrap my head around the logic of "Well he cut me off, so I'm going to drive at a ridiculous speed and put everyone else in peril to pull up beside this person and give them the finger," or the like. It doesn't add up to me. So here's my suggestion - if you're driving, and someone does something that makes you unbelievably angry...pull over.
I feel as though this should be taught in every driving course that exists. Just take a breather. Pull over and calm down before doing something rash that you will only regret later. I mean, really what's worse - someone almost getting you into an accident; or you causing an accident and if you survive, living with the guilt of those you've injured or killed? At the very least your insurance premium will go up - and who wants to pay more to 'protect themselves' from something that may occur?
Accidents do happen. Attention spans are short. If you are going to be on the road, you have to be ready for anything at any moment. If someone does something you don't like, call them an asshole and move on. Don't waste your time being pissed off - spend your time keeping you and your family safe.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Alright...I admit it. I completely forgot about my blog yesterday. I had someone else's computer hooked up for most of the day and was out for most of the rest of it. Unfortunately, this could be viewed as some inadvertent foreshadowing. I am in the midst of disassembling my apartment in preparation for moving this weekend, which will be promptly followed by a trip to Montreal. I probably won't be blogging very much over the next week and a half...this Sunday Storytime will probably be the last entry for a while.
Today's topic is one that probably all of us have had to deal with - road rage. I see it everyday, and I do have a mild case of it myself (mine is mostly limited to swearing at other drivers).
I can understand how someone can get mad while driving. Take me, for instance...if I get cut off or someone decides to plow into my lane without looking, I will be cursing you. My anger is based on the safety of the people in the car. I am responsible for transporting each of the individuals in my vehicle from Point A to Point B safely. It is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. By doing something stupid while driving, you are putting me and my whole family at risk. Any person that threatens my family is not going to be received well. If a moving ton or more of plastic, rubber and steel is being operated irresponsibly, does that truck or car not become a weapon? How would you feel if someone was coming at your family with a loaded gun? I think that this is the basic principle behind some of the seemingly insane actions we hear about or see that get chalked up to 'road rage'.
The onus of safety does not only land on me (or the operator of whichever vehicle you may be in) - it also belongs to every other driver on the road. Failing to signal, failing to check a blind spot, playing with the radio...these things seem mundane. But they are not. Pay attention...it's really not that hard. As soon as you get behind that wheel, you are accepting your responsibility to everyone else - it may not seem like it, but safe driving is a collective effort.
I don't want to be misconstrued - I'm not trying to say that if someone cuts off you should follow them home. All I'm saying is that I can understand why people get so worked up. The trouble is once you're angry, there's a good chance that you will start shirking your responsibility. And this is the part that really gets me. I cannot wrap my head around the logic of "Well he cut me off, so I'm going to drive at a ridiculous speed and put everyone else in peril to pull up beside this person and give them the finger," or the like. It doesn't add up to me. So here's my suggestion - if you're driving, and someone does something that makes you unbelievably angry...pull over.
I feel as though this should be taught in every driving course that exists. Just take a breather. Pull over and calm down before doing something rash that you will only regret later. I mean, really what's worse - someone almost getting you into an accident; or you causing an accident and if you survive, living with the guilt of those you've injured or killed? At the very least your insurance premium will go up - and who wants to pay more to 'protect themselves' from something that may occur?
Accidents do happen. Attention spans are short. If you are going to be on the road, you have to be ready for anything at any moment. If someone does something you don't like, call them an asshole and move on. Don't waste your time being pissed off - spend your time keeping you and your family safe.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Comic Book Conundrum
Hi Cyberspace.
I seem to be struggling to find a topic for my blog today. So I've decided to bring something to light that I haven't discussed for at least a few years. It is that age-old debate: Who would win in a fight between Batman and Spiderman?
As a kid growing up, this was a very important question. You were either a Spiderman kid or a Batman kid (I would have considered myself an X-Men kid, but that's really a moot point), and there were tangible social implications of this phenomenon. For example, at recess, usually that Batman kids would group together and the Spiderman kids would group together and compete - whether it was tag or redass, there was definitely some animosity between the two sides.
In those days, I was always a Spiderman kid. I had some very valid reasons to believe that Spiderman was the superior combatant. I mean, he had been bitten by a radioactive spider. He could climb walls, jump, had super strength, he could shoot web and most importantly, he had 'Spidey Senses,' which allowed him to know when danger was near.
Batman had none of these advantages. He was just a regular guy with some martial arts training and a lot of money. Sure, he had the gadgets, the belt, the body armor and the coolest vehicles...but couldn't Spidey have just shot down a Batarang with a flick of the wrist? Wouldn't Spiderman know that Batman was coming and be able to prepare accordingly? How could Batman ever hit Spiderman, when Spiderman already knew what Batman was going to do?
I held this view for a long time...until I watched 'Batman Begins.' If you haven't seen it, this movie is excellent. it tells of how Bruce Wayne came to be Batman, but with a much more in depth look at how Bruce Wayne was trained and learned to fight. Christopher Nolan, who wrote and directed the movie, was obviously a Batman kid in his younger years. He did an amazing job of showing just how intimidating Batman could be, with a strong emphasis on Batman's skills as a sneaky attacker, hiding in the shadows and only popping out when he knew he had an advantage over the enemy. It made me rethink my views on the whole debate.
Now, I don't know what to think. I guess that my opinion would have to be swayed by the 'Ninja-esque' success of Batman's sneaking around vs the success of Spiderman's ability to foresee what Batman was doing. This is where the fight lies. Spiderman is stronger, Batman is more skilled. Spiderman shoots web, Batman has a whole arsenal of projectile weapons. Spiderman can swing around the rafters on a strand of web, Batman has the ability to glide, thanks to his super cool cape, and the addition of the ever-famous gattling gun. I would say that Spidey would just wrap him up in web, but Batman is extremely crafty and probably has a buzz saw or something equally as effective stashed somewhere that would allow him to cut his way out.
I guess I have to stick with Spiderman. Batman is much more plausible as an answer now, thanks to Christopher Nolan, but Spidey Senses win out in the end. Sorry to everyone who was rooting for the Caped Crusader.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestion are encouraged and appreciated!
I seem to be struggling to find a topic for my blog today. So I've decided to bring something to light that I haven't discussed for at least a few years. It is that age-old debate: Who would win in a fight between Batman and Spiderman?
As a kid growing up, this was a very important question. You were either a Spiderman kid or a Batman kid (I would have considered myself an X-Men kid, but that's really a moot point), and there were tangible social implications of this phenomenon. For example, at recess, usually that Batman kids would group together and the Spiderman kids would group together and compete - whether it was tag or redass, there was definitely some animosity between the two sides.
In those days, I was always a Spiderman kid. I had some very valid reasons to believe that Spiderman was the superior combatant. I mean, he had been bitten by a radioactive spider. He could climb walls, jump, had super strength, he could shoot web and most importantly, he had 'Spidey Senses,' which allowed him to know when danger was near.
Batman had none of these advantages. He was just a regular guy with some martial arts training and a lot of money. Sure, he had the gadgets, the belt, the body armor and the coolest vehicles...but couldn't Spidey have just shot down a Batarang with a flick of the wrist? Wouldn't Spiderman know that Batman was coming and be able to prepare accordingly? How could Batman ever hit Spiderman, when Spiderman already knew what Batman was going to do?
I held this view for a long time...until I watched 'Batman Begins.' If you haven't seen it, this movie is excellent. it tells of how Bruce Wayne came to be Batman, but with a much more in depth look at how Bruce Wayne was trained and learned to fight. Christopher Nolan, who wrote and directed the movie, was obviously a Batman kid in his younger years. He did an amazing job of showing just how intimidating Batman could be, with a strong emphasis on Batman's skills as a sneaky attacker, hiding in the shadows and only popping out when he knew he had an advantage over the enemy. It made me rethink my views on the whole debate.
Now, I don't know what to think. I guess that my opinion would have to be swayed by the 'Ninja-esque' success of Batman's sneaking around vs the success of Spiderman's ability to foresee what Batman was doing. This is where the fight lies. Spiderman is stronger, Batman is more skilled. Spiderman shoots web, Batman has a whole arsenal of projectile weapons. Spiderman can swing around the rafters on a strand of web, Batman has the ability to glide, thanks to his super cool cape, and the addition of the ever-famous gattling gun. I would say that Spidey would just wrap him up in web, but Batman is extremely crafty and probably has a buzz saw or something equally as effective stashed somewhere that would allow him to cut his way out.
I guess I have to stick with Spiderman. Batman is much more plausible as an answer now, thanks to Christopher Nolan, but Spidey Senses win out in the end. Sorry to everyone who was rooting for the Caped Crusader.
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestion are encouraged and appreciated!
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
A Lonely Day
Good Morning Cyberspace.
What a wet day. I was inspired by the torrential downpour outside, and I've decided to write a rainy day poem.
The day is dark
The clouds hang low
I stare at the view
The sky opens
The window is battered
The rain explodes
The path of the streams
As they meet on the glass
It drips for me
It pours for me
The rain is my emotion
It blazes its own trail
I see the puddles
The drops dance on top
I hear the music
Nature's ballet
Calm
I know this feeling
The world is silent;
My thoughts are loud
I see myself
I watch the rhythm
Drums in my chest;
We waltz together
I am the rain
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
What a wet day. I was inspired by the torrential downpour outside, and I've decided to write a rainy day poem.
The day is dark
The clouds hang low
I stare at the view
The sky opens
The window is battered
The rain explodes
The path of the streams
As they meet on the glass
It drips for me
It pours for me
The rain is my emotion
It blazes its own trail
I see the puddles
The drops dance on top
I hear the music
Nature's ballet
Calm
I know this feeling
The world is silent;
My thoughts are loud
I see myself
I watch the rhythm
Drums in my chest;
We waltz together
I am the rain
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Monday, 23 April 2012
"I Shot the Girl Guide...She Had It Coming"
Hi Cyberspace.
I'm going to get right into it today. As most of you probably know, George Zimmerman (the guy who shot Trayvon Martin in Florida) was released last night. Subsequently, on cnn.com, there was a poll - "Would you favor (this is a quote, so as much as I hate it, I have to leave out the u) a 'Stand Your Ground' law in your state?" The results were split; 48% said no, 44% said yes and 8% were undecided.
Are you joking me?!
There are already self-defense laws in place...and while it may give lawyers an opportunity to create that coveted reasonable doubt, self defense, in my opinion, is a valid idea. Everybody should have the right to protect themselves...but it's still a dangerous tightrope to traverse, and there have probably been countless gross injustices that have come about because of the existence of the 'self defense' defense.
But a 'stand your ground' law? No. Essentially, to me, this gives anyone free reign to do absolutely anything to anyone at any given time. All the offender would have to say is - "I thought I was going to be attacked." That's it. It's bad enough that the police can get away with statements like that - "I thought he was reaching for a gun, so I shot him," or "I thought she was going to attack my partner, so I tased her."
Now the theory itself sounds ridiculous enough to me to be immediately dismissed. But if it doesn't to you, than please consider this. The onus of proof always lies on the prosecution. A defendant, by law, is not required to prove that they are innocent - the prosecution must prove that the defendant is guilty. If somebody's thought becomes a valid defense, how would it ever be possible to convict anybody?
Here's a bit of a reach, but if the precedent is set, and someone is able to get away with murder because they thought they may be in danger, why couldn't a drug dealer say they were just 'standing their financial ground?' If being in danger of physical harm is enough to justify taking a life, is being in danger of not being able to afford food not a valid defense? After all, it will kill you. You need money to survive. There's no if, ands or buts about it. Where would it stop? 'I shot the Girl Guide in the face because I thought she poisoned the cookies?' I know it sounds foolish - but it may stand up in a court of law if this 'Stand Your Ground' law ever comes to fruition.
Just a thought I had today. Thanks for reading!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
I'm going to get right into it today. As most of you probably know, George Zimmerman (the guy who shot Trayvon Martin in Florida) was released last night. Subsequently, on cnn.com, there was a poll - "Would you favor (this is a quote, so as much as I hate it, I have to leave out the u) a 'Stand Your Ground' law in your state?" The results were split; 48% said no, 44% said yes and 8% were undecided.
Are you joking me?!
There are already self-defense laws in place...and while it may give lawyers an opportunity to create that coveted reasonable doubt, self defense, in my opinion, is a valid idea. Everybody should have the right to protect themselves...but it's still a dangerous tightrope to traverse, and there have probably been countless gross injustices that have come about because of the existence of the 'self defense' defense.
But a 'stand your ground' law? No. Essentially, to me, this gives anyone free reign to do absolutely anything to anyone at any given time. All the offender would have to say is - "I thought I was going to be attacked." That's it. It's bad enough that the police can get away with statements like that - "I thought he was reaching for a gun, so I shot him," or "I thought she was going to attack my partner, so I tased her."
Now the theory itself sounds ridiculous enough to me to be immediately dismissed. But if it doesn't to you, than please consider this. The onus of proof always lies on the prosecution. A defendant, by law, is not required to prove that they are innocent - the prosecution must prove that the defendant is guilty. If somebody's thought becomes a valid defense, how would it ever be possible to convict anybody?
Here's a bit of a reach, but if the precedent is set, and someone is able to get away with murder because they thought they may be in danger, why couldn't a drug dealer say they were just 'standing their financial ground?' If being in danger of physical harm is enough to justify taking a life, is being in danger of not being able to afford food not a valid defense? After all, it will kill you. You need money to survive. There's no if, ands or buts about it. Where would it stop? 'I shot the Girl Guide in the face because I thought she poisoned the cookies?' I know it sounds foolish - but it may stand up in a court of law if this 'Stand Your Ground' law ever comes to fruition.
Just a thought I had today. Thanks for reading!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Sunday Storytime #5
I hope this finds you well, Cyberspace.
JIM
He looked at the cover. it looked like it had been read hundreds of times. The title and author's name were faded beyond recognition.
"Go ahead...pick me up."
He jumped. There was nobody else around.
"Yeah...you. Pick me up. You won't regret it."
He watched his aching hand reach out and grab the battered spine from the shelf. It was much heavier than expected - he almost dropped it.
"Open me."
He glanced up at the concave mirror in the corner. The reflection showed only himself and the the book in his hands. His hand trembled as he peeled back the cover. The dedication simply read 'For Jim.'
"That's strange," he said aloud. His name was Jim. He turned the leaf - and he was shocked by the opening line of the story.
'The baby was brought into the world on a cold autumn night - October 25, to be exact, 1892.'
That was Jim's birthday, long ago as it was. The next page told of the death of the baby's father in a train accident - Jim's father had been killed the day after he was born in a train derailment. He slammed the book closed.
"Go ahead Jim; keep reading. Don't you want to know?"
Jim knew he should put the book back on the shelf - but he couldn't. His curiosity got the better of him. As he cracked the volume open again, he felt a strange sense of foreboding. He skimmed the pages, reading about his old relationships, his mother, experiences he remembered and some things he had completely forgotten. Before he knew it, Jim had wasted three hours in the book store.
"Go ahead Jim...skip to the end. That's the best part anyway."
That's exactly what Jim did. He skipped ahead to the last chapter. It told of Jim as an old man, bedridden and sick. It spoke of his suffering and eventual mental breakdown. He finally reached the last page of the story - only to find the last line trailing off in mid-sentence. Jim threw the book to the floor and angrily made his way down the aisle.
***
'Another long day at work,' thought the nurse as she made her final rounds. All of the patients were asleep now, and it was her job to go make sure everything was cleaned up. She always saved the library for last, and today was no different. As she was making her rounds, she stumbled upon a red book that seemed to have been written on a typewriter. It was laying on the floor, opened to the back cover. The only writing that was visible was a signature - 'Jim McFadden, memoirs, 1957.'
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
JIM
He looked at the cover. it looked like it had been read hundreds of times. The title and author's name were faded beyond recognition.
"Go ahead...pick me up."
He jumped. There was nobody else around.
"Yeah...you. Pick me up. You won't regret it."
He watched his aching hand reach out and grab the battered spine from the shelf. It was much heavier than expected - he almost dropped it.
"Open me."
He glanced up at the concave mirror in the corner. The reflection showed only himself and the the book in his hands. His hand trembled as he peeled back the cover. The dedication simply read 'For Jim.'
"That's strange," he said aloud. His name was Jim. He turned the leaf - and he was shocked by the opening line of the story.
'The baby was brought into the world on a cold autumn night - October 25, to be exact, 1892.'
That was Jim's birthday, long ago as it was. The next page told of the death of the baby's father in a train accident - Jim's father had been killed the day after he was born in a train derailment. He slammed the book closed.
"Go ahead Jim; keep reading. Don't you want to know?"
Jim knew he should put the book back on the shelf - but he couldn't. His curiosity got the better of him. As he cracked the volume open again, he felt a strange sense of foreboding. He skimmed the pages, reading about his old relationships, his mother, experiences he remembered and some things he had completely forgotten. Before he knew it, Jim had wasted three hours in the book store.
"Go ahead Jim...skip to the end. That's the best part anyway."
That's exactly what Jim did. He skipped ahead to the last chapter. It told of Jim as an old man, bedridden and sick. It spoke of his suffering and eventual mental breakdown. He finally reached the last page of the story - only to find the last line trailing off in mid-sentence. Jim threw the book to the floor and angrily made his way down the aisle.
***
'Another long day at work,' thought the nurse as she made her final rounds. All of the patients were asleep now, and it was her job to go make sure everything was cleaned up. She always saved the library for last, and today was no different. As she was making her rounds, she stumbled upon a red book that seemed to have been written on a typewriter. It was laying on the floor, opened to the back cover. The only writing that was visible was a signature - 'Jim McFadden, memoirs, 1957.'
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Saturday Share #4
Happy Saturday Cyberspace.
First of all, let me begin by saying that the weather is amazing. I've been out and about all day, and I came extremely close to completely forgetting to write my blog. Damn you Sun! Anywho, in the spirit of the norm, here comes what has caught my eye this week.
I thought this was just hilarious - but beware the language.
What Is Blue Raspberry?
This article from CNN just proves a lot of what I've said in this blog and believe - such as the futility of the Afghan war, the obvious bias in the mass media, the idea of perpetual revenge...but I'll leave you to form your own opinion.
The Real Terrorists
This is a video that most of you have probably already seen. I just found out about this song and fell in love with it - I highly suggest you watch both videos in their entirety.
Somebody I Used to Know - Original
Somebody I Used to Know cover - Walk Off The Earth (five people play one guitar)
I hope you enjoy!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
First of all, let me begin by saying that the weather is amazing. I've been out and about all day, and I came extremely close to completely forgetting to write my blog. Damn you Sun! Anywho, in the spirit of the norm, here comes what has caught my eye this week.
I thought this was just hilarious - but beware the language.
What Is Blue Raspberry?
This article from CNN just proves a lot of what I've said in this blog and believe - such as the futility of the Afghan war, the obvious bias in the mass media, the idea of perpetual revenge...but I'll leave you to form your own opinion.
The Real Terrorists
This is a video that most of you have probably already seen. I just found out about this song and fell in love with it - I highly suggest you watch both videos in their entirety.
Somebody I Used to Know - Original
Somebody I Used to Know cover - Walk Off The Earth (five people play one guitar)
I hope you enjoy!
Peace and Love
The Critical Stranger
As always thoughts, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated!
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