In the news...

Time for me to catch up on my commentary of the news.

Amusing:

SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A ... CARBURETOR?
A man who compared a woman's chest to a carburetor has won an annual contest celebrating the worst writing in the English language.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/07/28/Arts/BadWriting_050728.html

The ocean is not an infinite resource:

WORLD'S HOT SPOTS FOR LARGE FISH SHRINKING
The diversity of tuna, marlin, swordfish and other ocean predators has dropped 50 per cent in the past 50 years, according to a new study.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/07/28/fish-diversity050728.html

I'm glad I don't have to deal with this at the border:

RADIATION PATIENTS SET OFF BORDER SCANNERS
Canadians who have undergone certain diagnostic tests or treatment involving radiation are setting off detectors at crossings along the border with the United States.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/07/28/radiation-border050728.html

Please remember to spay/neuter your pets:

FREE TO GOOD HOMES: 500 CATS
The Toronto Humane Society faces the "most desperate crisis" it has seen after being inundated with abandoned cats, a spokesman says.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/29/humane-cats-050729.html

Interesting:

WORMS INVADE CITY LANDFILL
A city businesswoman is moving more than 9,000 kilograms of worms to the Brady Road landfill to conduct an experiment in vermiculture.
FULL STORY:
http://winnipeg.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=mb_worms-20050729

Sad:

INDIA MONSOON CLEANUP BEGINS, DEATH TOLL MOUNTS
The number of dead from the monsoon that hit western India earlier this week reached 850 on Saturday and could total 1,000, officials fear.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/07/30/mumbai-monsoon050730.html

GUANTANAMO A 'DISGRACE,' SAYS CARTER
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter has called the holding of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba a shameful act that extremists use to justify their attacks on the West.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/07/31/carter050731.html

Everything is connected:

BANFF FOOD WEB SHOWS SHARP DIFFERENCES WITHOUT WOLVES
When wolves left an area near Banff, Alberta, elk became more common, a meadow replaced willow trees, and songbirds were replaced by sparrows, biologists say.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/07/31/wolves050731.html

...yes, everything:

YUKON FOREST FIRES CHANGED AIR QUALITY WORLDWIDE: STUDY
Last summer's forest fires in Yukon and Alaska sent carbon monoxide pollution around the world, scientists say.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/08/02/forestfire-co050802.html

This is not what I call leading by example:

LEAD-FOOTED NEW ZEALAND COPS CHARGED
Five New Zealand police officers have gone on trial for dangerous and careless driving after allegedly reaching speeds of more than 150 km/h while escorting a prime ministerial motorcade.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/08/01/new-zealand-convoy050801.html

The atkins diet is stupid:

ATKINS DIET FIRM IN BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION
The company that helped make cutting carbohydrates into a diet craze filed for bankruptcy protection in New York Sunday.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/national/2005/08/01/atkins-bankrupt050801.html

I'm glad no one was killed... and I hope my flights on Saturday are considerably less "exciting":

NO FATALITIES IN TORONTO AIRPLANE FIRE
All 309 people aboard a jet that overshot a runway and burst into flames at Pearson International Airport Tuesday survived the ordeal, according to fire officials on the scene.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/08/02/pearson-plane050802.html

Good... racial profiling will only alienate a portion of your population, and will cause terrorists to change their profiles:

U.K. POLICE TOLD NOT TO USE RACIAL PROFILING
British police trying to prevent more suicide bombings must refrain from racial profiling when stopping and searching commuters, the country's Home Office said Tuesday.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/08/02/blears050802.html

I wonder who our next Governor General will be?:

PM EXPECTED TO REVEAL NEW GG THIS WEEK
Speculation is mounting that Prime Minister Paul Martin will announce Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson's replacement this week, possibly as early as Thursday.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/08/02/gg050802.html

Dang... now my German grammer won't be the only thing that sucks:

OLD GERMAN SPELLINGS NOW VERBOTEN
Most German traditionalists are reluctantly switching over to new German spelling rules that came into effect this week, designed to modernize and simplify the language.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/08/02/german-spelling050802.html

And here I thought the old way was completely logical. If they want to fix something, get rid of der/die/das. I was never able to figure that out. ;)

Disturbing:

GERMAN MOTHER ACCUSED OF KILLING HER 9 BABIES
A 39-year-old German woman accused of killing her nine newborn babies has only been able to give hazy details surrounding the circumstances of their births and deaths, prosecutors say.
FULL STORY:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/08/02/babies050802.html

Impatiens

Impatiens

I happened to bring my camera with me today for another reason (the flags, and a very nasty sink... photo to come), and just had to snap a photo of my pretty impatiens as well. Aren't they cheery? I hope they don't die while I'm away.

New Addition

New Addition

This appeared at the main intersection near my apartment complex about a week ago. It's probably a good idea, given the number of times someone has tried to run me over here. (Now I can beat their car with a large stick, with an orange flag attached. Those dents in their fancy-pants SUVs will teach them to not mow me down.)

I'm wondering how long it will take for all the flags to end up at one corner of the intersection. I noticed one day where one corner was down to a single flag. (Each corner started off with four flags.)

Sock in Progress

Sock in Progress

Man... I am so in love with my current sock in progress. Should I be worried about my sock obsession?

Idle Thoughts

I'm watching the National Geographic special on whales (or I was... I've drifted over to my computer now), and I had an idle idea about the reason behind why whales beach themselves. I seem to recall whales evolved from land mammals. What does a land mammal do when it's threatened in the water? It gets out! What if there's some really old instinct to get out of the water when threatened? Most of the time nothing is going to threaten a whale, but what if the sonar and pollutants mess with their mind enough that they need out?

Just a silly idle thought. :)

I feel sad for the whales, and the state of the marine ecosystem.

Speaking of messed up ecosystems, the people of Niger could really use our help now. I saw some photos on the news of the starving people... it was truly scary!

Post Office

I made a forray over to the post office today at lunch. Foolish me, thinking a half hour was plenty of time... little did I realize that their sale books were marked down to 50% off the already discounted price. *sigh* I managed to make it through with only a brief browse, and two purchases. It's cooler than last week, but I was still sweaty after walking across campus.

One other thing I'm somewhat annoyed about is that I packaged up Deneen's RAOK socks without taking a picture first. (It's random, but not a surprise... I had to ask her what size her feet were.) I could have opened them up, but didn't feel like wasting the envelope. Deneen, when you get the socks, will you e-mail me a photo? Thanks! I hope you like them. :)

I started a new pair of socks... fun lime green and ultramarine blue! I made a fair amount of progress today too... I needed to stay awake for a friend's dissertation practice talk. (I'm glad I got to see her practice talk, because she's defending while I'm gone. It seems like a while since I've worked on socks for me. It probably hasn't been, but it feels like it. ;)

I haven't had a chance to go shopping for my secret sister yet, but I've already got a few things in my stash I think she'll like. Maybe I'll make it to Ram Wools when I'm in Winnipeg. I really shouldn't go... that store is *dangerous*!

Hmmm... I can't think of what else I was going to say. I think my brain is a little fried from trying to understand the defense on theorem-proving.

Silly Quiz

Your Daddy Is Darth Vader

What You Call Him: Old Man Why You Love Him: He takes you to church

Who's Your Daddy?

Um, but I don't like church! (He does drag me there a lot, though.)

Flounder

Flounder

This is the needle-felted potholder I didn't post photos of earlier. Flounder's now safe at his destination, so now I can make him public. He's not perfect, but he's definitely recognizable. I think the back looks kind of neat too... kind of a Flounder ghost:

Secret Sisters

What fun! I spend most of tonight (when I wasn't washing dishes or eating dinner) plotting ways to stay a secret for my secret sister. I tell you, it's going to be challenging!

In other fun news, "Drachenreiter" arrived! Paulina was really nice and bought it for me when she was in Germany. Thanks Paulina!!!

The latest pair of socks are done. I need a confirmation from Jess before I start her socks (prod, prod), so I guess I'll just have to start socks for me. ;)

I also snuck in another 1% of Weasley. (Dishes and plotting really cut into my crafting time.)

Oh... and good news at school too... I had quite a productive afternoon! Yay!

Yuck!

When I arrived at the bus stop today, there were already two people in the shelter... a woman and a man. The woman greeted me, so I said hello back. I took my usual spot just outside the shelter, on a low wall.

Aside: my advisor just came in...sweaty from bike riding in... and sat on my officemate's chair. He's gone now, and the chair is damp. Ewwww! However, it was nice that he came in to see how I was doing. Too bad I didn't have work on my screen. Oops. However, we arranged for a work session together this afternoon (I seem to concentrate better when I'm sitting in his office), so I should make good progress then. :)

The lady asked me if I made my socks. I said yes. I showed her the pair in progress as well. She was very impressed, and very chatty. I was feeling suspicious. She asked if I made my hat (everyone asks that) I said no, but that I had made my "purse". She said I could make lots of money doing this stuff. Why do people always think that? Between the yarn costs and time involved, I'd only be able to make money if rich people felt like spending ridiculous amounts on it! Sheesh.

Anyway, after a few minutes she leans over, conspiratorially, and quietly asks if I can spare a few bucks so she can buy herself a sandwich. I say I don't... yes, I had money on me, but I'm not "rich", and I'm not sure I'll have an income in the fall. I just wrote a cheque for tuition that's leaving my bank account rather thin.

I also noticed that the gentleman with her was drinking a beer. At 10 am. When they want money for "food".

I'm sorry, but I'm saving my hard-earned pennies for tuition. If I have money left over, I'll donate to a food bank.

And sure enough, after I didn't give her any money, she stopped being so chatty. :P