Synthetic Life
I heard about this yesterday in the news but thought I'd post the TED video of the announcement. Indeed, this is a philosophical shift in how we view life. Humanity has now taken its first step toward creating new life not from an existing organism but pretty much from scratch using basic building blocks.
This has, of course, divided the scientific community. Is this opening Pandora's Box? Is this playing God? Or is this something that could offer solutions to things we could not solve before? I am both intrigued and worried about the implications this has in terms of the environment, medicine, and everyday life in the future. Too much CO2? Here, use this special synthetic algae! Lost an arm? Code in your DNA sequence and this vat of amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and fats will grow you a new one!
Okay, maybe that last one is a little extreme for my lifetime. Or not? Create a synthetic sperm and an egg, use a surrogate mother, and there you go. Also, the potential for bioterrorism is real here. Imagine making a cell that thrives on asphalt and concrete. There goes a city's infrastructure. Yeah, that example was from Oryx and Crake.
Anyway, the first step has been taken and we can only guess where this leads. I hope the rigor of ethics approval for future projects is as strong, if not stronger, as the two year process given to this project.
A Trouble of Our Times
Just read this story about a women suing Rogers for inadvertently exposing her extramarital affair and the resultant loss of her marriage, children, and job. This is just ludicrous.
As much as I (along with many others) hate Rogers, it is a reasonable assumption that financial matters are shared between married couples as a sign of trust in one another. Stuff like this would not be happening in the first place in a healthy marriage. Trust, honesty, and love are values we associate with marriage in society and I am sure Rogers made that association as well. Those values are what joint accounts, with all their benefits, are built around. It is unreasonable to assume Rogers intended (i.e., with "criminal intent") on exposing this woman's affair to her husband in what was supposed to be an honest marriage.
I hope this case gets thrown out. Otherwise, tax dollars are going toward defending a lying cheating scumbag who cannot take responsibility for her own actions, while at the same time increasing Rogers' expenses that would probably affect our own bills in some way. The case going forward would also undermine the very concept of a marriage. Get caught cheating? Recoup your losses by suing!
What is this nonsense of suing for "breach of confidence, breach of contract, and negligence"? That's exactly what she is doing to the vows she made on her wedding day. This case is not about privacy. It's about a lady desperately trying to cover her ass playing the victim. She made her bed and now she must lie in it! If by some miracle, she pulls off a travesty of justice and wins, the money should go to the lives she just destroyed (i.e., her children and her husband).
A trouble of our times is that there is too much pointless litigation and too little personal responsibility. Realize the role of your own actions and take responsibility for them instead of wasting energy looking for ways to blame others. Unless, of course, you did nothing wrong and injustice was truly done upon you. You know, the cases that should really go forward in the courts.
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This is just me practicing my vocabulary, writing style, and conveying an opinion. It's all in good fun.
About Toyota
I'm not liking the lynch mob and scapegoating of Toyota. Really? A car mat sticking and now Ottawa is pouring even more taxpayer dollars into a "parliamentary committee" on Toyota? Does Ottawa not find the CEO's apology sincere? Exactly how many Canadians lost their lives cause of this flaw? It certainly was not in the thousands to warrant a committee. Car accidents happen everyday. When Parliament returns from their vacation prorogation, how about they do some real work?
First, start with getting back the money GM and Chrysler scammed us for. Taxpayers have yet to see any significant return on their "investment".
And FYI, Toyota is voluntarily going to the public and apologizing. America had to drag Ford to court for their Ford Pinto (Ford actually factored "human lives" in their cost-benefit analysis with that scandal). Going after Toyota like this can only discourage such honest behavior from other companies in the future and that hurts everyone.
It's all anti-import sentiment speaking here. That's all it is. Don't follow America's lead when Toyota has provided jobs for us.
TTC and Twitpic and its Fallout
Link to news article: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/762105--ttc-workers-urged-to-fight-back#article
Dear TTC Union,
When we pay your exorbitant fees that seem to rise with every year, when a portion of the city's tax dollars (i.e., public money) goes towards your salaries and infrastructure, we expect an acceptable level of customer service. We do not expect your workers to be taking a nap at the collection booths or taking seven-minute coffee breaks, especially after a fare hike. Now, you have the audacity to whine about being put under more scrutiny of the public eye through video cameras and photographs? Here's the solution: do your jobs so that there is nothing wrong to videotape or photograph. Don't blame the public that pays you and don't blame the upper management that has put up with years of you taking the city hostage and costing Toronto millions in lost business.
Work-to-rule? You already seem to be doing the bare minimum and you want to hurt Toronto's revenue even more? The memo is right, an attitude of "complacency and malaise" has seeped deep within the union's ranks. Keep this up and you'll be surprised how powerful public outcry can become. We only ask for workers to do their job. Stop this insubordination.
Sincerely,
A Torontonian who hopes for a better TTC upon his return. Driving downtown is balls.
TTC and Twitpic
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/01/22/snoozing-ttc.html
We have come to a point where going outside means not just being in the public eye of the city you are in but also in the public eye of the Internet world.
One picture on Twitpic has caused quite a stir, leading up to paper newspapers running a whole-page story and a subsequent TTC review on the incident. This could potentially cost him his job (and thus, the ability to pay the mortgage and support the kids) which would really suck in this climate of unemployment.
Though, of course, it was not the intent of the photographer to take someone's job away. He found it funny and I am sure so did a lot of people.
But it illustrates the growing fact that no matter where we are, we need to be aware of our behaviour. Anyone with a cell phone camera can pull this off. So don't act like a fool in public.
This also means we must consider the ramifications of posting something on the Internet. You are speaking to a global community and could easily offend anyone. I take a lot of photos of my "adventures" / daily life but I don't post them all up on Twitpic (just mainly of delicious meals I eat, haha).
I consider, to the best of my ability, whether I am violating anyone's privacy (subjects in the background/foreground) and any other possible consequences before posting.
And well, on two extremes, maybe the guy above will still be enjoying his sleep not worrying about an inquiry or there may be sweeping reform changes throughout the TTC staff in the months to come.
High-Speed Rail in Canada
This article was what I was talking about over the weekend.
Now, if only we had the visionary leaders like those in the US, some action might happen. But no, Parliament thinks it is okay to not work until March. Prorogue - a jargon term to alienate the general public. Pfft.
London Bus Strike
You know, I think it is absurd to continue protecting the striking workers when the LTC is partly subsidized by taxpayer dollars. When the public pays taxes, there is a trust in which the government will render services to the public with those tax dollars. This strike is a direct breach of that trust. This is more so among those who based their decisions on their living arrangements on the assumption of readily available public transit.
Branding carpoolers who charge a fee for their gas and trouble as "rogue taxis" is asinine, given the situation. People should not be handcuffed to either walking or paying exorbitant taxi fees everyday and should be free to find their own solutions. I think workers lose their right to protection from being replaced when some part of their salary is linked with public dollars. Why protect the workers of a publicly subsidized monopoly? Let private operators step in and let free market forces work its magic and problems like these city-crippling strikes disappear. Look at Tokyo and London. Or ban transit strikes like Ottawa did and opt for mandatory arbitration through an independent third-party to settle disputes.
With unemployment holding at 9.3% in Ontario, it is absurd to ask for more than $23/hour + benefits. This is more than a starting salary for a nurse, who also has to deal with similar verbal and physical abuse on the job but is often more stressful than cruising along Richmond Street. I can only hope that they accept this "final offer" and get the buses back on the road in time for the upcoming exam period and the holidays. With so many people out of work in an economy that has only begun to recover, ATU 741 will only look greedy in the public eye should they reject this offer, which they have already recommended to its members to do.
What is worse is that they've already cost people their jobs as small businesses have laid off workers due to lack of business. Can't serve customers if they can't get to your store, right? Quality of life for seniors has been impacted with many social and physical activity events around town have seen a drastic drop in attendance. Food banks, Salvation Army, and other charities have suffered because volunteers, such as students who don't own a car, cannot attend their shifts. I need not mention the impact this strike has had on students and their learning.
I can only hope that the members of ATU 741 are not as consumed by greed as the union leaders are and see how good they have it compared to the many who are less fortunate or even those who went to university and cannot find a job! When the economy hopefully makes a full recovery in 3 years time, then it would be more reasonable to renegotiate for something better. But right now, the public is being held hostage and only sees the greedy asking for more.
This is just my opinion that is also shared by many. Now if you excuse me, I have to get ready for my long walk tomorrow.
Obama’s Speech to Students
Those who thought this was controversial need to be educated. Show me the hidden political agenda in telling kids to endure hardships, work hard, and stay in school. I guess those who protested this speech are in favor of their kids failing, dropping out, and leeching off welfare. Oh wait, now THAT would be the "socialism" they were all afraid of indoctrinating the youth with. Way to go, morons over at Faux News/Fox Noise.
On another note, I wonder, where are Canada's inspiring leaders today? Too busy playing partisan politics to give a damn about what the people really need it seems.
"You can't let your failures define you. You have to let your failures teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time."
Thanks Obama, I'm pumped for the coming challenges ahead (while my leaders run their smear campaigns). This speech could very well have inspired the future inventor of cold fusion power or the researcher who discovers the cure for cancer. You never know.
P.S., X-Box fanboys must be jumping for joy. /facepalm
Bill Clinton The Most Interesting Man in the World
(Picture source: here)
Indeed, he would be a perfect fit now for those commercials. In the words of Jon Stewart of The Daily Show:
"The man hopped on a plane on Monday, flew to North Korea, freed a couple of ladies, got back in time to watch the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance? You know who he is! He is the most interesting man in the world."
So for those landing on my page because I coincidentally blogged about the Dos Equis guy and Bill Clinton, the source of the fad is August 5th's episode of The Daily Show.
You can see it here: http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/240616/wed-august-5-2009-paul-giamatti - In the first 5 minutes of the show you will hear the reference followed by some awesome parody of CNN and Fox News coverage.
Bill Clinton the Hero
If you still don't know what this man did, get out from under the rock and just Google. He rescued two journalists from 12 years of hard labour. People on Twitter were all up in joy yesterday when news broke out.
And as of this moment, Republicans are criticizing him. Wow. Like they have the right to speak. I guess they should be threatened by the Democrat's surge in publicity. Well, after Bush for 8 years, the resulting global recession, and two unfinished wars, Republicans have very little credibility and left a huge mess for Obama to clean up.
I do regress that in the aftermath of such a happy ending comes the scrutiny and speculation of what happened "behind the scenes" ... that this might be too good to be true. It is not enough that they are free and home with their families it seems.
Regardless, not a single shot was fired and relations have improved. Surely, the US cannot afford another war and we don't want our [Canada's] biggest trade partner imploding under the pressure of three wars. Freedom won through diplomacy and not through bloodshed. This is the antithesis to Bush and Cheney's approach to foreign policy.
The picture they wanted...
Freed journalists reunited with their families. Such an emotional moment for all around.
(Photo: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)
As an aside:
I'm Canadian but the truth hurts: Harper and Ignatieff bicker on Parliament Hill as Canada falls into insignificance on the world stage. We failed on our own formulated plan of climate change and now all I see is power struggle this, mudslinging that. This says it all when two Canadians say the following:
"Why is it when US journalists are held, CBC provides endless coverge [sic]. And when Canadians or Canadian journalists are held captive CBC reports nothing?"
Because nothing happens.-CBC News, comments on "Freed U.S. journalists reunite with families"
Our national pride is falling by the wayside.
And to those criticizing the reporters for getting themselves into trouble in the first place, the real issue is that the punishment did not fit their crime. Surely, they needed to be saved from that at least? Of course, conspiracy theorists are quick to believe that they really were CIA operatives. I roll my eyes.
