You've gotta wonder if it's true. Does the close proxity of Mars to the earth really throw the world into turmoil? I am beginning to believe so. However, that is not what is truly amazing this week. Read on.
The first week of school is always hectic and this week was no exception. (Hence the reference to Mars) Campuses are bustling, roads are busier (if not gridlocked) and the air starts to get a little cooler.
I usually like this time of year but this year, I just want to withdraw from it all. Our college campus is so much more crowded and the queues seem longer. I try to avoid venturing out of my office building because things are moving much more quickly and there seems to be few places where one can go where there is no distraction. It's just so different from the tranquility of summer there.
The thing that irritates me the most is the traffic on the road before and after my work day. I commute by bus everyday as I could no longer stand the inconvenience and expense of owning a car. I thought it would be wonderful as I wouldn't have to focus on the roads and could go about things like reading, making "to do" lists or sleep however, I was mistaken. I end up getting stressed out because of the traffic and the fact that my commute times because of the almost gridlock conditions on the road. You see, a good 85-95 per cent of cars on the road are what I like to refer to as SOVs. No, it's not a new type of off-road vehicle. It stands for Single Occupant Vehicle and it is the epitome of selfishness. Most of the vehicles go in the same directions, clog up roads, fill parking lots and all unnecessarily. Why they cannot be bothered to car pool or take public transit I cannot even begin to guess. However, what lurks in the back of my mind is the word selfish.
Sure, the transit system here is not perfect, but at least we have one. People don't want to be inconvenienced by having to walk to a bus stop or having to adjust to a schedule because they just want to do things when they want and wherever they are. No matter what excuse one uses, I still hear that word selfish.
I know that I should not be so judgmental but I cannot help it. The weather this summer has been the hottest it's been for as long as I can remember. And the humidity. We never had this much humidity here before. Perhaps it's just the trend in weather patterns but maybe it's the effects of global warming. I remember being in high school in the early eighties and scientists were warning us about it. So, nobody who was around then can say that they didn't know about the dangers of it. They just chose to ignore it.
Then, I remember what David and Olivia mentioned about the regeneration of the planet after the fires. I suppose that it could be true that human kind was meant to run the environment into the ground so that the earth can renew itself. Then this unfortunate planet could rid itself of the parasites that live on it.
Okay. So that was a tad bit pessimistic a statement. Oops.
Anyway, I found this story about solutions to traffic in the downtown areas of cities. It sounds like a great idea. However, I am not sure if they are discussing London, England or the London in Ontario, Canada. Either way, you can read about one solution here...
Now, on to other things...
I don't want to say "I told you so" but, really, was anyone expecting the US to succeed in their mission to rid Iraq of Saddam and bring that nation into a better place? Come on. Did we really expect the Iraqi's to welcome the Westerners who had proclaimed it their duty to free everyone? I mean, did anyone give the Iraqi people a choice?
I read yesterday (although I cannot find the headline today) in the National Post that the US admitted that they needed assistance from the UN Security Council to help rebuild post-attack Iraq. Now, I had to laugh at this because there are many out there who saw this coming. Are they all thinking "I told you so"? I bet they are. I certainly am.
And, boy, I think George W. is in trouble. This story tells of his need to address his nation on the state of affairs with Iraq. Is he really going to come clean?
Perhaps I should cancel my contest for the Twin Towers postcard and use the prize to send him a reminder. But, I don't want to deny any of you who have been thinking about entering my contest (See my last entry). I see that no one has participated yet. Is it too presumptious that people might want this postcard? Is it in bad taste? Or is it that people don't want it marred with my scribbles? Whatever the reason, I hope that you will take the time to enter. It doesn't take long and you can write about whatever you want. I just thought it would be fun. I also have a Times Square postcard as a runner-up prize. I would love to hear from you.
Anyway, I had better finish up. I have to go and catch the bus home now. See? It is possible to work within the perameters of a bus schedule.
Before I go though, I thought that I would include a couple of distractions...
First, read about Yoko Ono and a recreation of one of her past works.
And finally, I will never, ever believe anyone again. It is possible to get mortally wounded on a roller-coaster
Cheers!
The first week of school is always hectic and this week was no exception. (Hence the reference to Mars) Campuses are bustling, roads are busier (if not gridlocked) and the air starts to get a little cooler.
I usually like this time of year but this year, I just want to withdraw from it all. Our college campus is so much more crowded and the queues seem longer. I try to avoid venturing out of my office building because things are moving much more quickly and there seems to be few places where one can go where there is no distraction. It's just so different from the tranquility of summer there.
The thing that irritates me the most is the traffic on the road before and after my work day. I commute by bus everyday as I could no longer stand the inconvenience and expense of owning a car. I thought it would be wonderful as I wouldn't have to focus on the roads and could go about things like reading, making "to do" lists or sleep however, I was mistaken. I end up getting stressed out because of the traffic and the fact that my commute times because of the almost gridlock conditions on the road. You see, a good 85-95 per cent of cars on the road are what I like to refer to as SOVs. No, it's not a new type of off-road vehicle. It stands for Single Occupant Vehicle and it is the epitome of selfishness. Most of the vehicles go in the same directions, clog up roads, fill parking lots and all unnecessarily. Why they cannot be bothered to car pool or take public transit I cannot even begin to guess. However, what lurks in the back of my mind is the word selfish.
Sure, the transit system here is not perfect, but at least we have one. People don't want to be inconvenienced by having to walk to a bus stop or having to adjust to a schedule because they just want to do things when they want and wherever they are. No matter what excuse one uses, I still hear that word selfish.
I know that I should not be so judgmental but I cannot help it. The weather this summer has been the hottest it's been for as long as I can remember. And the humidity. We never had this much humidity here before. Perhaps it's just the trend in weather patterns but maybe it's the effects of global warming. I remember being in high school in the early eighties and scientists were warning us about it. So, nobody who was around then can say that they didn't know about the dangers of it. They just chose to ignore it.
Then, I remember what David and Olivia mentioned about the regeneration of the planet after the fires. I suppose that it could be true that human kind was meant to run the environment into the ground so that the earth can renew itself. Then this unfortunate planet could rid itself of the parasites that live on it.
Okay. So that was a tad bit pessimistic a statement. Oops.
Anyway, I found this story about solutions to traffic in the downtown areas of cities. It sounds like a great idea. However, I am not sure if they are discussing London, England or the London in Ontario, Canada. Either way, you can read about one solution here...
Now, on to other things...
I don't want to say "I told you so" but, really, was anyone expecting the US to succeed in their mission to rid Iraq of Saddam and bring that nation into a better place? Come on. Did we really expect the Iraqi's to welcome the Westerners who had proclaimed it their duty to free everyone? I mean, did anyone give the Iraqi people a choice?
I read yesterday (although I cannot find the headline today) in the National Post that the US admitted that they needed assistance from the UN Security Council to help rebuild post-attack Iraq. Now, I had to laugh at this because there are many out there who saw this coming. Are they all thinking "I told you so"? I bet they are. I certainly am.
And, boy, I think George W. is in trouble. This story tells of his need to address his nation on the state of affairs with Iraq. Is he really going to come clean?
Perhaps I should cancel my contest for the Twin Towers postcard and use the prize to send him a reminder. But, I don't want to deny any of you who have been thinking about entering my contest (See my last entry). I see that no one has participated yet. Is it too presumptious that people might want this postcard? Is it in bad taste? Or is it that people don't want it marred with my scribbles? Whatever the reason, I hope that you will take the time to enter. It doesn't take long and you can write about whatever you want. I just thought it would be fun. I also have a Times Square postcard as a runner-up prize. I would love to hear from you.
Anyway, I had better finish up. I have to go and catch the bus home now. See? It is possible to work within the perameters of a bus schedule.
Before I go though, I thought that I would include a couple of distractions...
First, read about Yoko Ono and a recreation of one of her past works.
And finally, I will never, ever believe anyone again. It is possible to get mortally wounded on a roller-coaster
Cheers!
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