These are neat videos that I found on youtube by Ben Goldacre. One is about Homeopathy, the other about the placebo effect. They aren't long, but they are very interesting.

I love Jane Austen as an author. I also love this idea - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Read on for more...

Argh.

I feel a rant coming on... hopefully I don't sound too crazy but... I got a chainletter today from someone that really pushed my buttons. It's below with my comments.

This just looks fun - it's a new (started in 2008) animated Batman that's supposed to be a bit less dark and more kid friendly. This clip is great. It's via Wil Wheaton by the way, who has a great blog.

http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2009/01/video-preview-clip-from-fall-of-the-blue-beetle.html

Sigh... well anyone who knows me knows who I'm *not* voting for. Why?


Poor Fiscal Management
With the GST cut no economist would get behind and budgeting so that the surplus is gone, we're on the brink of running a deficit with an economic slump in sight - and the Tories are supposed to be the more fiscally conservative

Handing Food Inspection to Industry
Planning to officially change food inspection to being done/managed by industry instead of the government, which has slowly been happening already (shades of Walkerton, plus the recent Listeria outbreak)

Secrecy
Harper's iron fisted control over gov't information and locking out the press in various ways - and this is from the man who ran on creating a more open and accountable government (how do you keep them accountable if you don't know what they're doing?)

Inaction on the Environment
Lots of talk, no real action, removal of previous programs promoting green energy and business development and active disruption of international cooperative efforts on environmental action - particularly climate change (if you don't believe climate change is happening, you haven't been paying attention, either to scientists - http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=final-report-humans-cause) - or the news - http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gT3x3JoOwwt12fSlVWyCofqaK7qA)

No Early Childhood Plan
A family benefit that's too small to make a real impact and is taxable - nothing they've done have increased daycare spaces either and believe me there's a definite need for more spaces

Underhanded Electioneering
Improper election spending last time (explanantion from the Liberal site http://www.scandalpedia.ca/Scandals/InOut_en.html), using government money for pro-PC flyers (we get these frequently) and the spending gobs of cash on commercials for their party, just before they actually called the election, so they didn't have to count it under their election spending limit

Slamming Ontario
This was spearheaded by Jim Flaherty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Flaherty) - former Harris minister - for what reason I don't know

Lack of Support for Major Cities
Major cities are the hub of commerce and development and many people other than those who live their use city services - with high infrastructure and transit costs alone more support is needed.

Major cuts to the Arts

...


Who will I vote for though? I'll have to write another post about that...

Watch this video!

How It All Ends

This video has gone viral online (i.e. it's VERY popular) and is really good. I highly recommend watching it.

If you like it, be sure to pass it on :)

Also, you might find this article interesting too. It's an easy read and well worth the time

Been going through the hundreds of photos we have - we still haven't ordered our wedding prints, though we have everything online and a nice album that she gave us.

I have to say, I really like this one though ;)

http://www.eclecticmind.ca/mediagallery/media.php?aid=21&f=0&s=71&sort=0

While I do sometimes miss cable, it's nice that some of the things I like best are still to be found online (radio, tv and otherwise) - particularly from public broadcasters like the BBC and CBC.

Yes it's over - but I thought you might like to see our Halloween photos.

We did the deck up as an Alien spaceship this year (with a sign on the front door directing people around), dressed up and handed out less candy than we thought we would - though I'm sure we had at least 100 kids. We also carved our pumpkins alien-style.

For those of you who are curious, I'm currently working part time, about 21 hours/week, at Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region. I'm mostly doing some administration and occasionally still do some of the counselling related things I did as a volunteer. Recently we did the fall newsletter and mailout.

Check the PPWR website if you want to know what it's about

Some other interesting things going on with me:

• Having some Halloween fun (post to come)
• Taking Prenatal yoga through Blue Skies Yoga at Queen St Yoga Studio
• Volunteering with Family & Children's Services of Waterloo Region
• Being annoyed by this sign
• Writing a letter to the editor in response to this one
• Trying to learn more recipes for my slow cooker