Category: News

Let's all hate polar bear cubs

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

I don’t think it’s any secret that I like animals. However, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m an animal activist, especially when people who describe themselves as such claim it’s better to euthanize this polar bear cub than to raise him in a zoo. Now, I don’t think animals should be in zoos in the first place, but if the cub was born in a zoo and was rejected by his mother, I can only think it would be better off experiencing a life of some kind than to be put down because it’s not living the predictable life.

If the question were whether we should be going into the wild to adopt abandoned bear cubs, I’d say no, that’s disrupting the natural cycle. But, as I said, I also don’t think we should be putting animals in zoos, so until that practice ceases I don’t think we should be euthanizing healthy zoo-born animals just because, all other things being equal, they’d die in the wild.

.:.

There’s a new crosswalk in the Annex. Why is this interesting (to me, anyway)? Because I (and many others) damn near died crossing the street there to get to the Dominion. I don’t get back up to that neighbourhood very much anymore, but at least on the few occasions when I do (like the occasional concert at Trinity/St. Paul’s, or when I want to trade some coins for cash) I won’t be muttering “This &%#$ intersection needs a crosswalk!” as I dodge Hyundais.

I expect a hallelujah from Duarte on this. Stanzi and T-Bone used to live over there too; I suspect they dodged cars there more than once. It’s like a Toronto rite of passage.

.:.

Actually, one good reason to go back to that neighbourhood: the Hot Docs documentary festival. If you live in Toronto and you haven’t been, you owe it to yourself to go. I’m bummed that we won’t really have time to see many films this year as we’re moving right in the middle of the festival. Too bad; I really want to go see the reaction to Let’s All Hate Toronto.

[tags]knut, polar bear cub, annex crosswalk, hot docs, lets all hate toronto[/tags]

Scattered thoughts

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment
  • 93 people killed in a bombing attack in Iraq today. How is it that the news media barely pays attention to Iraq anymore? I can’t see this news anywhere on CNN’s front page right now; they’re too busy talking about other news like the Scooter Libby verdict, the randy astronaut story, Naomi Campbell, and a dog pulled from an icy lake “tail-a-wagging”. Bravo.
  • A new BBC poll says that Canada has the best international image. The news is met (outside of Canada, anyway) with an epic yawn.
  • Apple has unveiled a new product-unveiling product called the iLaunch. OK, not really, but give it time.
  • I hate how reviewers keep using the term “Springsteen-esque” when reviewing Neon Bible. Et tu, A.V. Club?
  • If Canadians think ATM fees are unfair, how would they like to be a Lloyd’s TSB customer? Ssoon their credit card customers will be charged 35 pounds per year if they don’t use their card enough.

[tags]iraq, bombing, bbc poll, canada, international image, ilaunch, neon bible[/tags]

Do as we say, not as we do

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

As the world now knows, Saddam Hussein has been executed. I wish it hadn’t happened. Here’s why:

  • I’m opposed to the death penalty on principle. So are most developed nations and human rights organizations.
  • If Iraq really wanted to show that they’d moved on from the era of brutal law and murderous retaliation, why would they execute Hussein after what’s been widely mocked as a kangaroo court? Why not send him to the Hague? Why not put him through the public, mocking spectacle of a trial and imprison him to serve as a perpetual reminder of real change in Iraq?
  • Executing Saddam Hussein will only make him a martyr.

However, it’s done now and we’ll have to wait for the fallout. Sadly, this will do little to solve the bloody puzzle of Iraq.
[tags]saddam hussein, execution, death penalty, iraq[/tags]

Sur la trace de Stephen J. Dubner

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The TIFF group has announced their top ten Canadian movies of the year; I can’t say I’ve seen any of them. Actually, five of them have yet to be released to theatres, so I don’t really feel bad. There’s some controversy over what was left out, but I’m not sure how anyone could be surprised that a film festival group would skip the commercially successful (relatively speaking; this is Canada, after all) films.

Anyway, Cinematheque will be showing each of them in the new year, so perhaps we’ll catch a few.

On a related note I bought tickets to see Doc Soup’s presentation of Jesus Camp next month. I really should buy a subscription; they just had a screening of The Bridge, another one I want to see.

.:.

Last night I emailed the Freakonomics guys about this story in the Globe:

“Ontario teens under the age of 18 will lose their driver’s licence if they drop out of high school under a new law passed Tuesday.”

Today Stephen Dubner emailed me back with a link to their blog post about the story. I love that these guys have a mega-book and they still a) blog frequently about interesting things, and b) read (and answer) email from random people with something to say.
[tags]tiff top ten, cinematheque, freakonomics, ontario driver’s license dropouts[/tags]

Common sense indeed

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Another pedestrian killed on Toronto streets. It’s getting scarier out there. However, it’s nice to see the police blaming the pedestrians first.

“You have to use common sense,” advised Acting Staff Sgt. Doug Surphlis of Traffic Services. “It is the festive time of year and it is important to think before you cross the road. Also, to the mot orists to be courteous to our pedestrians. Look around as well (and) be careful out there.”

Granted, this last victim was crossing at an unmarked part of the road, but in Scarborough it’s not easy for a senior with a stroller to walk all the way to a proper light.

.:.

Montreal wins (snapping their first two-game winless streak of the season) and Toronto loses (to Boston…again), so balance is restored to the sporting world.

[tags]toronto, pedestrian killed, canadiens, maple leafs[/tags]

I would NOT want to mess with a guy named Mathias Heck

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

In general, I think the death penalty’s a bad idea. I believe there are a hundred reasons not to have it. As near as I can tell, there are two common arguments for it:

  • the Bible quote “an eye for an eye” makes it ok;
  • the hope that the death penalty will act as a deterrent, especially to people committing crimes in a similar fashion.

The first argument can be dismissed easily; there are several biblical quotes that would counter the argument, and in any case, the bible doesn’t dictate the law.

The second argument could have merit; I don’t have stats on hand to support or refute it, and am too lazy to look for any. But it passes an initial sniff test, so I’ll bite for the sake of this post.

But how does it apply to this woman who killed her baby by — and I’m not making this up — microwaving it to death? The prosecutor is seeking the death penalty, presumably to remind all those people out there thinking about microwaving their babies to death that it is, in fact, a crime. Look, if you’re so freaking far gone that it seems like a good idea to nuke your infant, do you really think someone’s going to snap out of it just as their finger hovers over the ‘High’ button when they remember the fate of crazy old China Arnold who got the needle as reported in the Plain Dealer last year? I’m guessing not.

Argh.

[tags]death penalty, china arnold[/tags]

No help for Parrsboro after all

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

It looks like the employment optimism that took over my hometown a few months ago has come crashing to the ground. It all sounded pretty fishy from the start — adding 1500 jobs to a town of 1300 people? — but I still hoped for the best.

Sadly, for the past few days I’ve been reading about the apparent collapse of the deal on (former elementary schoolmate and now reporter) Andrew Wagstaff’s blog, and now the story’s showing up on the CBC site as well. It’s too bad, but I can’t say I’m surprised; this guy Kerry Martens sounded like he had more style than substance. I’ve dealt with enough “visionary sales” guys to know that 90% of what they say is horse shit.

That town’s in such dire need of jobs…I think it was even crueler to dangle this in front of them and walk away than to never have mentioned it in the first place.

[tags]parrsboro, headz games, griddly headz, andrew wagstaff, kerry martens[/tags]