Elections

Well another election is upon us. You know what I really don't know what to do. Our political system just doesn't seem to work. The politicians tell us what we want to hear, or at least what they think we want to hear. They don't really seem to want to work at making the country run smoothly. It's too us vs them. If party A wants something party B doesn't after all we can't cave to the other guy. The thing is we all pretty much want the same thing but people want to be part of a group, these groups have to seem different or else, how will we tell them apart? I read a Cracked article on this recently, yeah I know Cracked is a comedy site but they do have some proper information too. Check it out, they even have several links to the studies they mention. Cracked I know a guy who straight up said he would never vote for the Liberals, ok maybe not for this election, or the next. What about 20 years from now? What about 10? Maybe they will have a good platform with a good leader, but nope they have the wrong name. What I would want is no parties what so ever. You pretty much vote for two people on main leader the Prime Minister and one regional representative. The PM appoints certain regional reps to various ministries. The various reps propose bills, we figure out a voting process and it passes or it doesn't. The PM and the various ministries deal with the day to day type stuff, with some oversight on the bigger decisions. Really similar to today but the votes would be based on what the reps constituents want not on what the party tells them to vote.  Would this work, well I really don't know.
There is another solution, let us decide. We have the technology to allow people to vote online. If a big issue comes up let us vote. Most of us have the internet, if we don't it's not that hard to find a computer to use for a few minutes. Throw in a few stations at all municipal offices for the old folks and all is good.

All that to say I have no clue on who to vote for.

Who can we trust?

With the recent events in Japan it got me thinking. Who can we trust when it comes to dealing with big issues? Nuclear power is it safe or not? Up until recently I was pretty much all for it, my only real issue was what to do with the waste. We were told that modern power stations are extremely thought and full of redundant systems built in. It would seem that this is not the case. Yes it was a pretty brutal disaster but isn't that the point of building up these stations to such high standards? It's one of those issues that people tend to be simply for or against. The for group tends to be represented by scientific types. Experts in the field tell us not to worry. The group opposing tends to be environmental types using scare tactics. who do you believe? I tend to be on the science side, but science isn't always right. Well its not so much science as scientists. Science is the pursuit of knowledge an understanding. It will be wrong on occasion it's the arrogance of some scientists that gets frustrating. It's not just the nuclear debate lots of issues are presented as for or against yet many have a pretty gray area. Some advice also seems to change every other year. Aside from doing all the research yourself how can anyone make heads or tails of any information?
Anyway I know this was a little out there for a post I know what I want to say but it's not that easy to put into words.
  

New phone

Saturday post!
Well I got a new phone. My old "MIKE" phone got dropped the day. It was a flip phone and part of the hinge broke. The screen would sometimes go blank. This was getting annoying not to mention paying 15$ a month for a service I no longer used. This morning I called TELUS and asked what they could do for me. They offered me a new HTC desire hd for 99$ as long as I pay the difference on the discount I got when I bought my Mike phone. Not the greatest deal but acceptable. The guy at the store will even try to get my old one fixed under warranty, if it gets fixed I could sell it. A coworker sold his pretty easily so that's good.
So far I really like the phone I am sure as I get to know it I will like it even more. The location I got it even offers a one on one course on how to use your phone, I imagine they know plenty of cool tricks. The best part its free.
If anyone knows of any cool apps let me know, or you can make me one (you know who you are). Speaking of apps I am writing this on my new phone using the Blogger app. The touch screen typing isn't great but I an already much faster than I was this morning, so I an sure it will get better.
That's all for now, off to get some food then go see the movie Paul. I did want to see Hobo with a shotgun, sadly its not playing in Sarnia.

Skipped a week

Sorry for missing my regular post last week. No real reason just not much to say.

 The Dragon is fast approaching friends.  I have not been on vacation since the last dragon and I am due for some time off. I am getting pretty excited, as I tend to around this time. It's weird this will only be my third time attending but it already feels like I have been going for years. I was originally planning on taking a side trip on the way like last year but I don't think that will happen. Maybe if I had a friend with me I would but I am just not that motivated to do it solo. I do plan on exploring the area a little more this year. I have started to look at the map and I think I can get a few nice drives.

I don't have any concrete plans yet for another vacation but I would like to do something else this summer. There is talk of a camping/kayaking trip in Quebec to do some whale watching. If the camping doesn't happen maybe a few days in Chicago would be fun. I am told taking the train there is pretty cheap. If I do go I will have to do some research on the available food. It doesn't have to be anything fancy but I decided that even if it's not the main focus of a trip, going to a big city I want something special, something I can't get anywhere else. If anyone knows of a good place feel free to share.

Not again

Well they are back, high gas prices. We all know with inflation prices go up but the gas prices do it quickly and often, (wish I could too, well often not quickly so much) and frankly it sucks. The thing is looking at the actual prices it doesn't really seem too bad a few cents one week a few more the next. Unfortunately those small increases get multiplied about forty five times at least for my average fill up. I recently filled up my car to the tune of sixty three dollars, this was a record in my car owning history(both had the same size tank) and I don't like it. The sad part it I am likely to do very little to help myself out in actually saving fuel. Why you ask, well it's no fun. 

  

 There are many many fuel saving devices out there and you guessed it pretty much all of them are utterly useless. Check out this popular mechanics article for the most popular ones. Real fuel saving tips buy an appropriate vehicle. If you are single and never leave the city limits do you really need a full size truck? If you simply want it that's cool but don't expect pity from me. I do drive a small car, well a MINI car that is. Did I buy it for fuel savings? Nope. Sure it is pretty good compared to similarly fun cars but I wanted it because it's a blast to drive. That being said if it truly had really bad fuel economy there is a chance I would of had to pass on it due to simply not being able to afford it. 

Next tip drive a properly maintained car. Has your check engine light been on for three months? Get it checked out. Does it run rough? Yep go get it fixed. Check you tire pressures regularly, hell I am guilty of not checking as much as I should. 

Don't carry around useless junk, sure on a road trip it's good to have some emergency gear but around town you can leave your zombie apocalypse gear at home, well keep the bat just in case. 

Now the most important on, the one I will for the most part ignore. Don't drive like a jack ass. Jack ass here is not about cutting people off and not properly signalling but accelerating quickly and not coasting when coming up to a red light.  Now I don't expect everyone to take a kilometre to get up to the appropriate cruising speed but maybe a little longer than the length of the intersection might help. Same for the coasting, no need to idle  to far away from a red light but if you know you will have to stop take your foot off the gas, don't go for neutral though coasting actually burns no fuel at all neutral is pretty much the equivalent of zero miles per gallon.

Now I make myself sound worse than I actually  am here yes I generally take off from a stop quicker than the average driver on the street but I really don't cruise any faster, nor do I redline every gear every day, but I do give it the beans at least once per outing, sometimes more. But it's worth it because it puts a smile on my face. 

 A few more things to think of, did you buy a gas guzzler and now you regret it? Well do the math before getting rid of it. The last gas was in this price range I heard many people on the news and what not talking about getting rid of their gas guzzlers in favour of a much more fuel efficient model. Sounds like a good idea but it's not always that simple, how much are you losing on that trade in? A thirsty vehicle will be worth less when gas goes up. That nice new fuel sipper well everyone wants one you are not getting a deal. Are you really changing your ways or will you be back to big once the prices go back down?(we all hope they go back down) 

How about a second beater car for your commute? Well don't forget all the associated costs of ownership of having a second car.

Lastly those talks of boycotting big oil in various ways to "teach them a lesson" well they simply don't work. Even if we did manage to cut way down to the point of prices falling they won't stay there if demands peaks again.

Scored some tickets!

Well I managed to score tickets for the Rammstein concert. I got three one for me and two friends. Apparently they changed the date too, that or I had simply read it wrong. It's a good thing too I am not on call that day so no need to switch with anyone. The Concert is May 8th at noon, ok that is a little odd but it does work out well for me, that way I can simply drive home after the concert and not have to take the next day off work.
I just hope I don't build it up too much, it;d gonna rock.

Smoking stinks!

Kind of a short post tonight feeling tired.
In the past few months I have started hanging out with some smokers. I had not had any smoker friends for a while and frankly I am surprised how many youngish people smoke. I just don't get why they would start, yeah I tried it but I never really saw the appeal to get a taste for it. Booze and other drugs have a pretty obvious high and that can be fun. Cigarettes I never really felt anything.
The thing is I don't really care about the second hand smoke, and hey they are aware of the dangers it's their choice. My problem is the fucking smell. I can't stand stopping by a friends place for a few an hour or so and having my clothes stink. If it's a week day I tend to only wear my pants for a few hours in the evening, I am not going to wash them each time I wear them, same goes for sweaters, and jackets.

Well that was my post for the day, pretty much something everyone already knows but oh well it's my blog. I may actually do a proper post in the next couple days, I have a topic planned but it's been a long week on call and I don't have the energy for a good post.