I have actually read a lot more news than previous years. Downtime inbetween code compiles lets me browse reuters, google news, bbc, and a pile of financial and foreign sources. However, despite all this, I feel less informed to give an opinion than ever. I have learned how gray all of it is, and how much you need to be there. What can I say about Iran, who had a rebellion, almost a revolution, but now what? I read a teenager was jailed and tortured for wearing a green wristband. Also Ahmadinejad appointed some female ministers, and more people oppose him. I don’t really get what it all means other than I’m glad I don’t live there and I hope the youth growing up will not act like the current ruling class when they gain power.

Or what can I say about Obamacare? I know a ton of republicans are being straight up morons in their arguments against it. But beyond that, I don’t seem to have a strong opinion on it. This would be another “revolution” of sorts, although not as severe as Iran. Will change actually come from anything they decide? Is it unrealistic to expect a system to be flipped on its end overnight? There are massive groups of “conservatives” which by definition are resistant to change. So obviously, change isn’t going to happen very easily. And if they ever form the majority in usa again, who is to say they don’t just change it back? I really don’t know what’s going to happen, from the little I know, American medical system is messed up, but how should that be fixed? And at what cost? I think you have to… trust… the politicians who put together bills or proposals for medicare plans and then… trust… other politicans who endorse it. There is no way I’m going to read one of those plans, and there is no way I am going to understand the system and terms in the plan even if I read it.

Then there is the topic of stock market, economic stability, inflation deflation, housing crash, toxic loans. And the crazy part of all that, is while I can watch the present, and get general consensus about the past, people interpret all that to form different thoughts on the future. Also I really have a hard time believing consensus of all the factors that made it happen or how successful solutions have been. Does giving american auto industry insane amounts of money help or not? I don’t know. Were all the great years in the 90s and 00s just too good to be true ? Or did something go wrong somewhere. Is it just a normal a boom and bust cycle? Who is to blame, who is to praise? I do think it is clear that those bad credit companies giving AAA ratings to bad loans are obviously to blame. Housing markets were obviously way too greedy and profitable where they shouldn’t have been. People were buying outside of their means and that type of stuff is well known. However, once you go past that topic, what is the role of the Presidency or governments in the last 15 years? What made it better or worse? I don’t really know. Foreign markets are going berserk too, what is up with that? Does China’s corruption affect the whole world? Probably. But it is pretty hard to get the straight truth on something like that.

Anyway, to all the people who think they know what is what: Iran is fixed, or a lost cause, American economy is booming, or ruined, Obamacare is perfect, or evil communism, I really doubt you know what you’re talking about. Same goes for all these journalists and editorialists on television making wild claims, calling presidents racists… sigh. I know strong opinions are more interesting, but just have some humility in your lack of knowledge or insight.

My man John Mayer, who i follow on twitter, has the icon I put at the top regarding Iran and I think he has the right idea. Note that tons of famous people colored their photo green in support of the rebels over there. (although currently, almost all have switched to something else)

I wonder if Napoleon Dynamite quotes will come back. Or if they were over used and died a short lived life.

How do I measure this? Perhaps I should use the 2% line and see if I get a date out of it.
Try to get a laugh from telling people about my nunchuk, bow hunting, computer hacking and skills. (I’ve gotten laughs before, but its worn out)
Or next time someone asks me what I do I can tell them not to be jealous, I’ve been chatting online with babes all day. (ooh, close to home)

Did Ferris Beuhler come back? I think it did. Breakfast Club? Fast Times at Ridgemont High I think definitely did. It must have been super racey at the time, but I guess somewhat accurate as to where culture was going?

Is there anything since Napoleon? Will people be quoting High School Music 3? Actually I’d go with Juno, as far as boyfriends go, Paulie Bleaker is totally boss. The scene about not trying at all, trying really hard is one of my favorites ever. I might have more success picking up a girl by piling her mailbox with tic-tacs. Or she might not get it and think I’m totally nutso.

quote whatever you wanna quote, gosh

How many days would I watch CPAC, or ever even thought about watching it? One. Today.

Apparently overthrowing a government is kinda exciting, and underhanded. Its sorta like they scripted it for a tv show, now all we need to do is have Jacques Bouret come in and defend Ignatieff, who somehow overthrows all 3 dudes and takes over, just because his name is cooler and the writers would probably want him to have some face time. And a steamy romance. Beep Beep Beep Beep. (as an aside, I’m actually sorta excited about 24 this season! Prison Break bait and switched me one too many times, I have broken up with PB to return to my first action love, 24)

But for what is actually on CPAC, it is none of that, well I don’t know for sure, perhaps they’ve spiced things up. At the very least, forming coalition governments with quasi-separatist party and .. the NDP, is quite gripping entertainment on its own.

Cheers Canada, even if its going to be a giant explosion, destroying our comparably good economic position, at least its going to make me read some Canadian news.

Some people say “oh i get my news from the bbc, its better” ugh! (Don’t get me started on the vast majority who get news from comedy shows)

Perhaps usa is on the brink of a recession, it seems to be common opinion (that is perpetuated by biased media?) but i dont really know, I am not an economist. This opinion is not the point of this blog post though. The point is the bias from bbc.

OECD slashed usa growth forecast
BBC subtitle:
The US economy is on the brink of recession, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Actual reporting:
The OECD has slashed its growth forecast for the US economy and hardly expects it to grow at all in the first six months of 2008. But the OECD says it is “premature” to say the US is in recession.

So where does OECD say USA economy is on the brink of recession? Perhaps it is semantics but it is definitely a different tone from ‘premature’ to ‘brink’.

Ugh, news sucks.

I’m in an angry mood.

I’m going to have two-month old (yummy) fudge for lunch because i didn’t make a sandwich and the weather is just ridiculously unpleasant. Sideways rain, cold wind and icey sidewalks. Happy birthday to me.

nothing quite like a little girl to make me smile

Oh.. to have a lambo

There’s nothing more patriotic than watching the first shuttle in over a year get launched on Independance Day.

Or watching Germany be defeated by Italy in a historically rich, grudge match.

I suppose I would required to have ties to any of these countries for me to feel patriotic? What country do I live in anyway eh?

I have always known of the apartheid in South Africa from a very simple level. I don’t know what history textbook it would fall under, but I am interested. I’m also pretty sure it isn’t as simple as the picture in my mind, but Mandela and his movement seemed to be good. I don’t know why Rob Anders was so opposed. (Calgary-fun-fact: Anders beat Bronconnier in 97)

“A freedom fighter learns the hard way that it is the oppressor who defines the nature of the struggle, and the oppressed is often left no recourse but to use methods that mirror those of the oppressor. At a certain point, one can only fight fire with fire” – Honourary citizen of Canada Nelson Mandela (doesn’t he look like a boxer?)

And after talking to someone who fled there a few years ago, it isn’t exactly all peachy over there. It just goes to show how lucky I am to have peace in my land, Canada, for a long time.

Death Sentence for Christian?

I haven’t formed an opinion yet, I’m gonna read it again.

IANAL is an acronym for I am not a lawyer and usually precedes some legal advice that is poorly founded. But why is it so common for people to not fully understand the law? Shouldn’t it be part of the education system? Despite loving physics or math and pursuing it in post secondary school, I think law would prove to be more useful information taught in high school.