Ultimate Political Correctness

I have a question for everyone...

Instead of saying Season's Greetings, or Happy Holidays, would it not be more politically correct to not acknowledge the holidays at all. To simply say have a nice day. It would be less festive, but heaven forbid we give up our precious hypocrisy.

Yes, to claim political correctness, then say Happy Holidays is hypocritical. You can't forget about the atheists.

I still prefer being politically incorrect... It is more fun that way.

Until next time...

Another Year Over...

Yes, it is New Year's Eve yet again... What have we learned over the past year.

I learned that while the Liberals are corrupt, the next best thing are not the Conservatives. I learned many things concerning politics, including the fact that I am a very left-winged liberal.

I learned that Waterworld is the worst movie in all of creation. I learned that having a blog helps me relax a bit more, and lastly I learned that I just might get into university after all, contrary to my parent's beliefs.

I learned all of this. What did you learn? What have we as a society learned?

Will we ever learn?

Until next time...

I Need a Break from Life

What I need, is a break from everything... No nagging worries about money, or work, or school in the background... Just generally a complete holiday from reality.

I am so sick of worrying whether or not I will have money for University... I am so sick of constant money woes in my house. I am tired of having to worry about whether or not I will have a ride up to school come February for my Co-op... It is driving me around the bend.

On top of it all now, my one portal into relaxation... my one escape, has been taken from me, as I have no way to top up my Puzzle Pirates account until I can get a credit card. My family cant seem to understand that Puzzle Pirates is just a way for me to unwind from the constant stress, because reading just has not been working lately...

I am tired... both emotionally and physically. I'm just tired...

Until next time...

I Wish You a Merry Christmas

Yes, that is right... I said Christmas.

Not Happy Holidays, not Seasons Greetings... Merry Christmas.

I fail to see how saying Merry Christmas is even all that offensive. All I am doing is wishing good will upon you, what is the problem with that? Why do I need to filter out my religious beliefs to soften the blow of my good will towards mankind?

If a person said Happy Hanukkah to me, I would not be offended... I would be happy, then wish them a Merry Christmas. I might then wish them a Happy Hannukah right back. It isn't that I'm insensitive, it is just that I think that if you eliminate all of our differences, and blend us together, you get a pretty boring world.

My biggest complaint is things like the "Holiday Tree" in Toronto. Who are they kidding? Noone thinks of it as anything but a Christmas tree. People who celebrate Hannukah don't put up a Hannukah tree, nor do people who celebrate Kwanzaa, or any other holiday around this time of year. It is a Christmas tradition to put up a tree. Either they should not put up a tree, or call it a Christmas tree and stop patronizing everyone involved. It is not right, it helps noone, and it ticks me off.

I am happy to report that I have not been wished a happy holiday this year. I have been wished a Merry Christmas every time. I say to those who get offended easily... Get over it, and lighten up. I'm not trying to be offensive, I'm just trying to enjoy the best holiday of the year.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Until next time...

Im Going to be Sick...

It is all breaking up around me.
My family is falling apart.
Stress and worry have gripped us,
I feel it in my heart.

When will it get better?
Noone seems to know...
Could this all be my fault?
For we reap what we sow.

I feel sick to my stomach.
There is a pounding in my brain.
I seem to have no energy...
It's all gone down the drain.

I suppose I can only hope,
That things could get better still.
I just don't know...
If they ever will...

Until next time...

Weekend from Hell Itself

On Friday, things were looking up. I was home from school due to a snow day... It was one week till Christmas, and all was well in the Clark household.

Then... disaster struck. My mother, while exiting her place of work, slipped and fell on some ice that had not been taken care of. She broke her leg in three seperate places. If you were to look at a normal leg bone, it splits into two sections as you go down, leaving a hole in the middle until the bones rejoin eachother. My mother broke both halves, essentially snapping the bone in half. She also broke her ankle.

My mother is currently lying on our couch downstairs, waiting for her Perkocet prescription to come in. Workers compensation could take a month, then there is the matter of her second job, where she is not eligible for workers comp. So there has been talk of a lawsuit.

That itself is pretty bad, but it doesnt stop there.

Yesterday, my grandmother collapsed; doubled over in pain. She is currently resting at my local hospital. The doctors still do not know what is wrong. I hope to God that she is okay, but my relationship with God could use a little work. Maybe it would be better if I had been in a church since mid-September 2001, when I attended my cousin's wedding.

So yes... my weekend has been a hellish one. I can only hope my week will be better.

I can only hope...

Until next time...

University

I head off to whatever university will allow me to attend, this coming September. My top choices are Nipissing, Trent, Trent at UOIT, and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, in that order.

Nipissing is in North Bay, several hours from my home. I like the look of campus life at Nipissing, and something about North Bay appeals to me. I like to live in smaller towns, they seem more personal, and are generally quieter.

Trent is my second choice. Trent is in Peterborough, and is about an hour from home. The campus life at Trent is excellent, and it is easiest for me to get into, in terms of marks. Peterborough is a reasonable sized town, and I can live up there, and still come home fairly often. The downside is that residence at Trent seems to be prohibitively expensive for me.

Trent also offers courses through UOIT, which is about the same distance away from my home as is my high school. Trent at UOIT does not offer all the courses I want though, but the tradeoff is that I would not have to pay residence fees, as I would be living at home.

Lastly UOIT. It is close to home, it is cheap, and it is fairly small. There are no residence charges, because again, I would live at home, and lastly my parents would put my car on the road (It is broken down as of right now). UOIT does not offer the social sciences I want though, so I will probably will not be attending UOIT.

I want to go to Nipissing, my parents want me to live at home, but they will consider Trent. What is a student to do.

Until next time...

All (Do not) Hail the Aligned Heavens

I retract my earlier post saying to hail them. In fact, you should shun them.

Hail the Twisted Fate

Until next time...

Why are we afraid to talk?

Everyone is so afraid to talk to one another. Do we fear the scorn of others? Do we fear that others will mock us? Or not approve of something about us? I'm not saying they wont, but to do so... ever; creates an environment in which one is disinclined to talk to others about their problems.

It only takes a few moments of scorn at a younger age to make a person wary of ever letting their true self show, to make a person not want to talk, and to not want to be around others. The more mockery there is, the more the person may withdraw. I know what that is like...

People, especially families, need to have an atmosphere of absolute honesty, without personal attacks, without scorn, and without fear of mockery or disapproval. Then open discussion can take place, trust can develop, and that may lead to a happier, more honest world. People will be less closed off, and perhaps they will be happier.

That is how I see it anyways...

Until next time...

Slander... It is a Horrible thing

You know what I don't appreciate? Having my good name slandered. Having baseless attacks randomly hurled at me. It is wrong, and it should not be allowed.

Allowing people to go around spreading lies about others, regardless of their age, or anything about the person lying, is wrong. It is wrong regardless of what they are saying, whether it be a joke or not. It must be stopped.

Freedom of expression does not allow for this kind of crap, because it damages my reputation, and has an effeect on my life. Especially when you consider my chosen career path, and the lie told in the case I refer to.

So... lets call him Rick. If you are reading this... Leave me alone. It is slander no matter how you slice it. Also, this is not libel, for two good reasons. One, that what I have said is the truth; and two, I gave you a fake name. Which protects you quite nicely; which is more than you deserve, you jackass.

Still not libel.

Until next time...

Where is the line?

At what point does one act towards his own wants, rather than another's needs? Is this action right? Is it moral? Is it wrong to have more than one television while so many do not have a roof over their head?

Where are inherited talents in a society where survival of the fittest no longer applies? What is the point of them in a capitalist society? Or even more so in a communist society? Where is the evolution?

Inherited traits, if no longer important, are then no longer a factor in procreation. In a society where natural immunity is no longer a factor for humans, due to medical science, how are we supposed to advance biologically. The short answer is that in all likelyhood, we will not.

Survival of the fittest is dead... Natural selection; even more so... Humans base decisions now on emotion, especially in the area of having children. From a social standpoint this is fine... desirable even, but we are completely screwing with evolution.

We will, in all likelyhood, never evolve beyond where we are now, not naturally anyways. Which is fine, we dont really need to... at least as far as I can see. We will have to go the way of social evolution, in that we change our behaviour, we advance our technology, we advance our culture and our way of life.

Unfortunately, there are factors stopping this as well. Standing in the way of science, is those who let religion impede scientific progress, be that in the form of attacks on the theory of evolution, or continued opposition to cloning. Standing in the way of advancement for our culture is ignorance. People opposed to legislation that will advance civil rights, and is usually the will of the majority. People who attack those who are different. It all goes towards slowing societal progress to a standstill.

How will we advance and make ourselves better if both natural selection and societal evolution cannot exist. The answer is quite simply that we cannot. Fear, ignorance, hate. greed and general stupidity stand in the way of our advancement.

We fear the unknown, because we don't understand it. As a result, we don't learn about it, causing ignorance. This ignorance is easily twisted into hate, and hate completely goes against the common good of our society. Greed takes away from the needy needlessly, and while many of my friends would disagree with me, noone needs forty billion dollars. Finally; general stupidity... It is one of the many things in our world that could be stopped with some education. It is the force that advance fear, to ignorance, to hate. It is such a shame that it still exists.

So where does this leave me in regards to my original question? It is an indirect link I suppose. That we can help them, by sharing what we can, not to directly help them necessarily; though that may be an option, but to support advancements that work for sustainable sustainable development.

For instance, the Lifestraw... this straw can filter contaminated enough groundwater for one person for an entire year.The cost is just five dollars, and it could save millions from suffering from disease needlessly. This is an advancement that will help, and supporting this kind of thing seems to be the least that we can do.

Until next time...

Adulthood... Thy Name is Tomorrow

I turn eighteen tomorrow. Precisely at nine-o-clock in the morning, eastern standard time, to be exact. At that moment, adulthood and all of its rights and privileges will be mine. I will be able to vote, to get a credit card and to drink alcohol in certain provinces. I will be able to do so much, yet the day feels muted somehow.

I just expected more... perhaps some feeling of accomplishment, I suppose. I guess it doesnt help that the gift I really wanted will never come (See: A Pox Upon the Amazons). That continues to tick me off.

Oh well... what is a person to do...

Until next time...

Glory to the Shadow Walkers

This is my newly founded crew on Puzzle Pirates. It is on the Midnight ocean, and we are quickly growing. I invite all of my readers to download the game, and join my crew. There is a great opportunity for advancement, and with more crewmates, I can pillage more often.

So I invite you all. I am Shadowlost in-game, come and track me down. Fair seas to you all.

Until next time...

The Problem with Democracy

My friend is running as the Libertarian Party Candidate for my riding. I'm not sure which scares me more. The fact that there is a chance he could win, or the fact that the system I am forced to trust in will allow someone who has been investigated over a shotgun he owns to run for the hallowed position of Member of Parliament.

I thank the democracy gods that he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell. I plan on voting NDP. Margaret Sadem-Thomson, all the way. I would vote for the liberal party, but they are too corrupt, and the conservatives scare me with their policies.

Hurrah for uncorrupted liberalism.
Damn the corrupted ones to hell.

Until next time...

It's not Easy with ADD

It just isnt. I have to take Concerta (Ritalin) every day... even on weekends. I have been taking it for 10 years, and it is really getting it hard when I forget to take it.

When I forget... I am tired, I am groggy, and not only am I not attentive, but it can be hard to focus my eyes at times. It is like a Ritalin hangover... it is hard.

I point out that it is easier when I do take it. I dont mean easier than the withdrawl effects (I think it is withdrawl), I mean easier than dealing with my natural inattentive self. I like myself on the Ritalin.

When I dont take my Ritalin, my eyes unfocus on their own... my mind wanders, and I space out easily... kind of like being high I suppose... which is why I probably wont be taking drugs any time soon.

This post was written late at night on a day when I didn't take my Ritalin. It is easier, mainly because when I am tired, the reverse to normal is true. When I am tired, i need my mind to be able to make quick decisions to be able to make any at all. Ritalin would just slow my brain down way too much. In the day, I am alert enough to be able to afford myself that time.

With me on the school trivia team, it makes me wonder which is better, quick reflexes or quick mind. Should I be able to hit the buzzer fast, or get more answers?... I need a happy medium.

Oh well.

Until next time...

What do I support?

I support two things.

Open-mindedness and Logic. These are two things that are sorely lacking in our world.

There is enough hate in the world that I do not need to add more. People who are not hurting you with their choice of lifestyle, should be left alone at best, and not harassed too much at worst. If you feel that you must say something, keep it tasteful, and do not resort to personal attacks. It is your right to say your piece, but you should respect the other person's right to carry on their life as they wish to.

Also, I support other people to live the way they want. I would want them to not bother me, I will not bother them. It is the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. No matter your choice of lifestyle, as long as it does not hurt anyone, go for it. It is not my business what you do with your life... so have fun with it.

Logic is also important. If you must argue anything, you should do it while keeping a firm base in logic. You should argue logically, without attacking the person, but rather the issues at hand, and their evidence in a scientific debate.

That is my point... Open-mindedness and logic.

Until next time...

To Vote or Not to Vote?

That is the question...

It is my opinion that it is every informed citizens civic duty to vote. Anyone who knows anything substantial about the issues should be voting.

It is also my opinion that every citizen who is not informed, has a civic duty... to not vote. Throwing in an uninformed vote is a waste. It is selfish and counter-productive to the electoral process.

In the boat of the uninformed, I also lump in those citizens who would vote based on a personal grudge against a candidate, those who randomly vote, those who base their vote on who they think looks the best, or whose lifestyles they approve of.

Vote based on the issues, and what you believe in... Vote for who you think will do the best job... Vote for who you think will make a positive difference.

I personally support Liberal policies... but I can't support them right now... it is not good for the country to have millions in taxpayer dollars wasted. That could be given to the poor, for instance... or maybe... Me.

I will be voting NDP, because the Conservatives go against everything that I stand for... The NDP would at least enact some social programs.

So good luck NDP, and good luck Liberals if the NDP cant win.

Until next time...

The Deadline Looms Ahead

The deadline for my Accounting ISU looms ahead. I think I will be okay, but who knows. I worry greatly about the written portion. If it fails to get done, I will be having serious doubts about whether or not I can get into University.

The presentation should pose no real problem... I can whip up a bullshitted presentation overnight without any trouble... especially with the help of PowerPoint.

After that, my History ISU is looming a week away, and beyond that my... History ISU again... hmm... too many ISUs for History there.

Im not even sure when my Physics ISU is due... I am worried... it could be any day now.

Until next time...

I Hath Survived the Blood Clinic of the Damned

Last Monday, I gave blood at my school's annual blood clinic. On average it takes me one hour to donate at Westminster United Church. I expected to miss one class. In reality it did not take me one hour, but two and a half! I missed not only History, but also homeroom and my entire lunch, which after giving blood, is a very bad thing to miss.

People were dropping left and right at that blood clinic. They were fainting outright, at the finger-prick to test for iron, they were getting queasy and taking up beds for 45 minutes at a time. It was chaos... absolute chaos.

I put the blame for this not on the nurses that were there that day, nor do I place it on the would-be donators that fainted or got queasy. I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of Canadian Blood Services. It was known from the beginning by Canadian Blood Services, that this clinic, as a school clinic, was a hotspot for first time donators, whom all of those who fainted and got queasy were. Instead of a greater number of nurses, which should have been the case, the clinic was understaffed.

Some blame also goes to those who aggressively pressured some of the would-be donators into donating, myself included, though none of the people I pressured actually donated... To pressure a person into donating goes against the rules of donating. You are not supposed to give blood if you feel as if you have been pressured into doing it.

So fine... I am ticked, and still a little am, a week later. There is a lesson in this... never give blood at school, it will be absolute hell...

But... Do give blood... it is important to.

Until next time...

Smoking... What do I Think?

I think that anyone who takes up smoking these days is a moron. I do not care what you think of me for saying this. It is true. There is no reason to start now... the information against it is just too public for you to be able to claim ignorance.

If you started smoking more than ten years ago, then fine... keep smoking, though you shouldn't. I wont bother you about it. I wont even bother those who smoke now. Though if you are just starting, it is open season for taking shots at you.

Do not start smoking, is what I am trying to say here. You may as well light a ten dollar bill on fire, let it burn in your hand, and just stand there letting it burn. You will waste time, money and you will burn your hand.

At least you wont be hurting other people.

Until next time...

A Pox Upon the Amazons

I had the first volume of El Goonish Shive on order from Amazon.ca. It was for my birthday... Happy Birthday to ME.

Then Murphy's Law kicked in... the order is delayed... possibly indefinitely. They were supposed to be able to have it for me by the 13th. They likely never will. Damn I wanted that book... I really did.

So now I take my challenge to the world... E-mail Amazon.com. Demand better service... I hope that every person slighted by Amazon, or for that matter, any of these sites, such as Ebay, will e-mail them, will complain, and will spread the word, that these sites are not champions of service.

I hope also that someone will get me that book.

Until next time...