Wednesday, April 16, 2008

American Way of Life Under Threat

found this article via reddit. more of the same. there's lots n' lots of hype about the recession. i only hope it's not over hyped! i'm putting in the effort to be prepared for the recession. i hope that the skills and attitudes i've learned will help me through rougher times ahead.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0%2C1518%2C547317%2C00.html

and this on rising food prices:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24127314/

here's another scary food post for those of you who love salmon:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-salmon11apr11,0,5434843.story?

Hymn To Dionysus

the trick is to loose
the wild bear
but hold tight
to the chain,
woe
when the bear
snatches up
the links
and the man dances.


--Alden Nowlan

bisphenol A-Not-So-Okay

from the (don't shoot me!) Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080416.wbpa16/BNStory/National/home

i just love the way that science catches-up with technology years after the damage has been done! But let's not be too hard on BPA. i mean, considering its suspected ability to help cause hormonal imbalances, just think about the effects it must have had on society! i've heard a bit about estrogen in the water supply--from birth control pills largely, i've heard, unable to be filtered out of the water supply. But now BPA, which resembles estrogen, in baby bottles and tupperware, water bottles! Just when you thought you were safe from the tap water, the water bottle helps speed your inevitable emasculation!

And this: Senators rip EPA over lack of knowledge on drugs in water.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPS27KfYUhJ2G2FiciB631uthR9QD902INCG0

swimming upstream-condos to fuck salmon

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080415.BCBRIEFS15-2/TPStory/Environment

this story out of B.C. Nothing exciting, nothing surprising. My friend Ewan was studying in Victoria for a while, he's said that people in B.C. are very environmentally conscious, much, much more so than out here. He also said that (these are my own words) lots of people have been bought by New Age propaganda, and think that their positive thinking can change the world. Of course positive thinking can change the world, but only as much as it effects our behaviour. Anyways, I guess lots of people in B.C. are environmentally conscious, etc, but i doubt that's gonna prevent condo and commercial development from going ahead and fucking with lots of salmon.

Free Groceries and Bar Work

So, it's been a few days now, i ought to update.
i'm in a sandwich shop now, free wi-fi. Last weekend, early before garbage pick-up, i visited a grocery store on Queen-Mary and pulled about 70$ worth of groceries from the dumpster. Lots of veggies--i found five bags of endives, which are going out of season, i gather; i found apples; bananas and carrots; some green onions and bean sprouts; sliced mushrooms and red peppers; some salad dressing and some juice; i found bags and bags of chocolate bars and nuts. i prepared a stir-fry the following afternoon and it was delicious. Most of the chocolate was eaten by my extended family while i was staying-over at some other friends' home. a very good haul, i plan to return this weekend if i'm in the area...
In other news: i've found some hours at a downtown bar. i'm cooking. yesterday i helped prepare the terrace for the beautiful weather and was paid, in part, with a free pitcher of beer. That was good. My friend Shedt's brother is bumming around like me, and we bought some booster cables from Canadian Mo'Fo', jump started the car, and returned to Canadian Mo'Fo' for the refund. Returned a few other things as well. We went into the store and found some items he had on a receipt from much earlier, and we returned those new items for the cash. Smoked lots of pot and we went driving. Lots of fun. Met some nice people in the St.Henri area. Always good to meet people. Especially nice people.
I actually stayed in St.Henri last night with LiLi and her husband Rich. She brought me some muffins that her cafe was tossing. This morning I walked with her to work. She opened the kitchen and fed me some gourmet coffee and a muffin. Now I'm just waiting around to go to work this evening. Plan on hanging around this shop for a good long time. I can't pass up this wi-fi opportunity!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Ivanukite

Here's a cool article about a newly discovered mineral capable of absorbing radiation from liquid nuclear waste!
http://russiatoday.ru/scitech/news/23383

Not too shabby.

good day. went visiting pubs with resumes, and on the way home i discovered a box of bruised pears in a dumpster behind a downtown grocery store. i salvaged fifteen. hopefully they won't go bad on me when i can't eat them fast enough. in other serendipitous food news: i'm staying over with some friends at one of my old apartments. i left behind a tub of rice and some tea and found them still here, waiting for me. with my tinned fish reserve (meager though it is), and my pears, i ought to have enough food to last me a little while until i can get a kitchen job. kitchen jobs are the best--or they are when you get a free staff meal included every shift. never take a free meal that you cook for yourself in a downtown kitchen for granted. take advantage of it!

idle theory

i encountered this article some time ago and bookmarked it because it enchanted me. really enchanted me. here it is to share,
http://idletheory.info/
i suppose, to those of you who may find tis blog, it is common knowledge that "primitive", or, "free" human beings easily complete all necessary "work" to meet their needs in approximately 6/day. most of the time. i'm a huge fan of the six hour work day! i am also one of those people who suffers terribly in the winter time from depression and apathy. were i simply permitted to act naturally, i promise you i would spend the winter sleeping, screwing, and living off fat reserves and preservatives. doubtless, much of the appeal that idle theory has for me is that it rejects the Protestant Work Ethic, which, with industrialization, is largely accountable for most of the woe that i experience all too regularly--not only in the winter. anyways, if you are not already familiar wit this article, i hope that you enjoy it as much as i have!

Homeless Coming (only a little dirty)

Well, after another nine months spent slaving in Alberta for zero accumulated wealth i've come home. More or less. A week in the city, another in the country, and finally, back in the city for a little while at least. i'm still waiting on my final pay cheque, as well as my vacation pay and separation papers from my last job in Ab. So, i'm living on all too limited funds, surfing couches and looking for alternative means to ensure my survival. So far i've been doing housework to try to earn my keep, but i've put the word out, through facebook, that i'm looking for odd jobs in excange for food and places to kip for the night. i've been jobless for about a month with no real income, and i'm loving it! Perhaps i'll it the road again at the summer's end. Who knows? These past three or four years have been nomadic, no question. Working mostly crap jobs, i haven't remained living in the same city/town for more than seven months during those three years. Hitchhiking, Greydogging, and one road trip wit a friend. i feel i'm saving up for one ultimate adventure. Maybe it begins here. In Montreal.