Thursday, May 01, 2008
St John River floods
Craziness. The equivalent in Toronto would be if Lake Ontario rose up and reclaimed the land from Queen's Quay to the ACC or the slight rise that is Front Street (the original lake front downtown) or Fort York.
See also
It would be cool to see Grand Falls at this point - presumably it's massive.
At least they're prepared-ish
See also
It would be cool to see Grand Falls at this point - presumably it's massive.
At least they're prepared-ish
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
How The Street Furniture Bids Stacked Up
via Torontoist by Jonathan Goldsbie on 4/30/08
One year ago today, City Council's Executive Committee approved [PDF] the awarding of the street furniture contract—for the purposes of designing, building, owning, and maintaining bus shelters, garbage bins, ad pillars, and more for a period of twenty years in exchange for advertising rights—to Astral Media Outdoor, despite the fact that the company had absolutely no experienceillegal billboards in defiance of City Council. with "street furniture" and maintains dozens of
Here's what the public portion of the staff report [PDF] said: "It is noted that [Astral's] proposal scored highest in all four evaluation categories. For the information of Committee and Council, the scores ranged from 47.75 to 85.54. In accordance with Council approved policy, proponents' scores, financial comparison and staff analysis of the evaluation results can be provided to Councillors in an in-camera presentation if requested by Committee members."
The Toronto Public Space Committee filed an Access to Information request for the scoring and, after an appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, just this week obtained the above document, being published in its full version for the first time. (The heavily-redacted, pre-appeal version previously appeared in mid-January on IllegalSigns.ca [PDF].)
Most interesting is the evaluation of the Financial Element, based entirely on the "Net Present Value of the Financial Proposal to the City." Astral offered an NPV of $252.2 million (meaning that's how much the money is worth in terms of 2007 dollars), earning itself a perfect 30 out of 30. CBS Outdoor, the incumbent for the bus shelters (which provide the bulk of the ad revenue) scored a paltry 3.50 out of 30.
This confirms what had been whispered around the outdoor advertising industry and what had been implied by Clear Channel Outdoor's deputation to the Executive: Astral won the contract, in large part, by wildly outbidding its competitors. Perhaps because they'd never done this before and overestimated how much the contract would be worth, they seem to have outbid CBS (experienced in the Toronto shelter market) by a factor of almost ten.
Some will certainly argue that this means the City got a great deal, and that may be true to a point: that point being the assumption that Astral will actually be able to pay what it's promised. There is a good chance that sometime within the first ten years of the contract, Astral will attempt to renegotiate for more advertising or less money; it's unlikely that the financial model with which they obtained the contract is a sustainable one.
That's exactly what happened with the OMG/Eucan/EcoMedia garbage bin contract. When Eucan found they couldn't pay the City what they owed, they tried to foist on us the MegaBins—seven-and-a-half-foot tall illuminated street-level billboards with trash receptacles on the sides. When Council eventually rejected those, the company was forced to admit that they couldn't pay the $2 million they were supposed to have given the City each year from 1999–2009. According to John Spears in the Star, the total amount paid to the City from 1999–2006 was $3.218 million, or about a half a million a year. The City had no choice but to agree to the renegotiated amount; it had absolutely no leverage in the deal. From that same Star article:
"We're being held over a garbage bin," [Councillor Minnan-Wong] said. Because the city no longer owns its street bins, it couldn't afford to have EcoMedia walk away with them. The street furniture deal's winning bidder will have to provide more than $100 million worth of items, but that means financial risk to the city, he said. "Companies can make all sorts of promises, and if they fall short of those promises the city can lose millions of dollars."Jonathan Goldsbie is a campaigner with the Toronto Public Space Committee. Photo courtesy of Astral Media Outdoor.
Get Outta Town, GO By Bike
interesting idea
via Torontoist by Val Dodge on 4/30/08
Have you ever cycled along the Pickering and Ajax waterfronts? You should. It's one of the best recreational bike rides in the GTA with beautiful scenery and mostly-flat trails, but presents Toronto cyclists with a big problem: how to get there. Because the Waterfront Trail all but disappears through most of Scarborough, you're stuck with either riding the long, miserable route along Kingston Road and Lawrence Avenue to get to Pickering or driving your car to Rouge Beach and riding into Pickering from there.
There is another option: GO Transit. Most cyclists are unaware that they can take their bikes on any GO train (except during weekday rush hours). That's where GO-by-Bike comes in. It's a project conceived by Donald Wiedman that encourages cyclists to take a Sunday GO train to Ajax and ride a leisurely 15 km back along the Waterfront Trail to the Rouge Hill station, where they can catch another train back into the city. Not only do you get to avoid the nasty ride along Kingston Road, but you get to leave the car at home too. And best of all, because GO-by-Bike is promoting an existing capability on all GO trains along the Lakeshore line, you aren't limited to travelling to or from any particular station, or on any particular train, or at any particular time. You're completely free to go at your own pace and can even roll your own custom tour instead of taking one of the pre-surveyed routes covering the waterfront, Highland Creek, Petticoat Creek, Duffins Creek, and more.
Wiedman saw an opportunity to promote both transit and cycling in the spaces around Toronto and approached GO Transit with "a handshake and a smile. I told them right up front that I wasn't looking for help, I was looking to help." Wiedman also says that he wants cyclists to have "do-it-themselves" experiences rather than provide guided or structured tours. "Trails are ultimately self-serve." In the end, it's up to cyclists to set their itineraries, buy their GO tickets, and make the journey. GO-by-Bike plants the seed and provides suggestions, but the form, structure, and timing of the trips are entirely up to the individual cyclists.
By raising awareness of bike-transit connections, Wiedman and GO are hoping that more people will take advantage of eco-friendly local tourism opportunities around Toronto. Taking the GO train provides cyclists with access to dozens of new routes without having to drive for an hour to get to them. Whether you want a simple ride along the waterfront, a more challenging pedal north through the Oak Ridges Moraine, or a new setting for a family picnic, be sure to go by bike and leave the car at home.
GO-by-Bike to Ajax runs on Sundays from June 1 through the end of August. RSVP to the GO-by-Bike Facebook group, get yourself to a Lakeshore GO station, buy your tickets, and hop on an eastbound train. A representative will be at the Ajax GO station on Sundays in the summer to direct cyclists to water, washrooms, food, and the sights of Ajax.
Photo courtesy of the Town of Ajax
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
notes
Hey,
I was cleaning up some of the paperwork that was threatening to bury me under a landslide at the office and came across something that you may, or may not want to keep around.
Cheers
Nigel
I was cleaning up some of the paperwork that was threatening to bury me under a landslide at the office and came across something that you may, or may not want to keep around.
"Rules:
1. no smoking, please use the patio.
2. you can reach the washrooms through the main restaurant
3. In lieu of clinking glasses, and thereby breaking them, anyone wishing to make the new couple kiss need to use this hula hoop. I understand their kiss will last roughly as long as you perform...
As a sibling, you get tremendous insights into the personality of your brother. The only issue is that you always take the worst possible inference from those observations.
Now that I'm old and have the benefit of time and 2000 kilometres of distance, I see that there might be space for multiple interpretations.
One. We always thought he was stubborn. A typical anecdote about Kevin might relate how mom and dad told him that he was to stay at the kitchen table until he had finished some much-loathed meal, possibly involving Brussels sprouts. Hours later, as Roger and Margaret prepared to turn the lights out and lock up the doors, Kevin was still sitting on the yellow metal chairs Dad had 'borrowed' from work. My brother was not going to be the one to give in. He was stubborn.
That said, another way of looking at it is that Kevin's stubbornness is actually Persistence. Sylvia - you can look at this way - you know your husband won't give up or give in.
Two. We always thought Kevin was a pessimist. You'll often hear some grumbling around him. For instance, just recently we put thirty beers into his backpack before hiking up into the Bugaboo Mountains. Put into perspective, that's 30 beers at 350 milliliters or ten and a half litres of beer in his pack. Roughly an extra twenty-five pounds of beer, plus kahlua, plus rum, for five of us. For two days and one night. On top of his normal backpacking load of tent, sleeping bag, clothes and the like.
While he whined at the prospect, once the pack was in place, Kevin just got on with the job and moved uphill faster than the rest of us slowpokes.
My advice to Sylvia - just keep him busy and the pessimism turns into realism.
Three. Taciturn. Kevin, for years, has said little to us. Very little. In fact, we had years without many words between us. But, over time, we became better and better at interpreting the various intonations of Kevin's grunts, headshakes, nods, eyerolls and sighs.
We used to think that Kevin was, well, introverted. But what it really meant is that he was just waiting for the right person to share his thoughts with.
Sylvia, I would like to welcome not just you but your entire family to our side - the Wallis family. Hopefully, in time, you can add to the rules on how to interact with your newly acquired Kevin."
Cheers
Nigel
Monday, April 28, 2008
Bisphenol A: We hardly knew you ...
via David Akin's On the Hill by DavidAkin on 4/27/08
The Washington Post today looks back at more than a 100 years of Bisphenol A, the chemical recently labelled as a a possible problem by Health Canada (a big victory for environmental activists; a bitter defeat for industry types).... My government, which, above all else seems to want to be prudent, says: "The scientists concluded in this assessment that bisphenol A exposure to newborns and infants is below levels that may pose a risk, however, the gap between exposure and effect is not large enough."
Thursday, April 24, 2008
About Dam Time
Seriously. It's a public good, but not treated as one. Same goes for a variety of resources, from timber onwards. If Ontario capped the total volume of spring/groundwater that could be withdrawn per year, and then auctioned it off - I suspect that the per million liter cost might exceed $3.71. In fact, if we just treated it as tap water, my bills inform me that it's higher (i know, not apples to apples - but I'm not profiting off my tap).
In fact, somewhere there's a really good article on hunting for groundwater sources...
tick, tick, tick. Here! Businessweek has a great report on McCloud, CA's struggle with itself and Nestle.
In fact, somewhere there's a really good article on hunting for groundwater sources...
tick, tick, tick. Here! Businessweek has a great report on McCloud, CA's struggle with itself and Nestle.
Isiah was just a Psychological Test
"Ousted Knicks coach and president Isiah Thomas, who presided over the team during one of the least successful and most shameful periods in its history, held a press conference Wednesday to announce that his four-year legacy of abysmal team chemistry, bloated payrolls, sex scandals, and simple losing was actually a vast psychological experiment carried out on New York City as a whole."
"Thomas worked alongside behavioral psychologists with an extensive knowledge of domestic-abuse patterning, aversion dynamics, the works of B. F. Skinner, and long-term mass hysteria to assemble a comprehensive testing program. An experiment consisting of a regimen of slowly increasing stress levels and traumatic events was designed, refined, and eventually performed upon New York City and Knicks fans everywhere."
The (Ugly) Future of Etobicoke's Waterfront
Algonquin - Not Melted Yet
via Algonquin Outfitters web log by Gordon Baker on 4/23/08
Current conditions, based on info from park staff:- Streams and rivers are open. Water levels are very high and still rising.
- In general, all interior lakes are frozen solid up to the shore.
- Several access roads are impassable due to washouts and/or snow.
- Check the Algonquin Park spring ice update for more details and safety messages.
- Check the NOAA satellite images for big lake conditions
- Conditions are changing VERY quickly and the warm weather is continuing. Many smaller lakes will open in the next few days. Mew and Brewer Lakes, for example, are almost ice-free and we expect Costello to open today. There is open water in front of the Opeongo Store.
- Park staff are planning another flight on Friday morning and will report on conditions by early afternoon that day.
The East Arm of Opeongo Lake, looking west
The north end of Lake Lavielle
Happy Isle Lake, looking towards Merchant(the dark area is cloud shadow, not black ice)
Pathfinder Island, on Source Lake
Crooked Chute, on the Petawawa River (yikes!)
The Natch. Nice place, if you could get there.Tuesday, April 22, 2008
How Valid Are T.V. Weather Forecasts?
And this confirms what we were already pretty sure of.
I'd hate to think of doing the same in our line of work :)
I'd hate to think of doing the same in our line of work :)
The not-so-hidden minefields of the TTC deal
And one day, someone really will find some cost savings from amalgamation. Of course, not in this electoral cycle.
via Posted Toronto by Rob Roberts on 4/21/08
Councillor Michael Thompson of Scarborough, who sits on the Toronto Transit Commission, calls the deal the TTC struck with its unions yesterday "quicksand." He calls it "madness." He calls it "Pandora's box." And yet at a TTC meeting Wednesday he will ratify it, because "We have labour peace and the city is running."
Lost amid the relief as Toronto avoided a transit strike is a little clause in the tentative contract called the "GTA clause," which could end up costing the City of Toronto a lot of money. The clause ensures that, throughout the contract, TTC workers will be the highest-paid in greater Toronto.
Which means that as of now, the TTC has handed authority over its budget to Carolyn Parrish and other municipal politicians in Mississauga, Brampton and elsewhere in the 905, possibly creating a unfunded liability of an unknown size.
Mississauga bus drivers at the top of the scale earn $26.63 per hour, whereas Toronto drivers earn $26.58. That 5¢ difference offended the TTC drivers, who believe that, as our police and firefighters, they have the toughest job and should get the best pay.
With this new TTC deal, TTC drivers are tops, but when will this all end? Mississauga Transit is a small shop, with 900 unionized mechanics and drivers and 393 buses (a tenth the size of the TTC) but it could cause us big headaches. Mississauga drivers, grouped in Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1572, begin negotiation this summer ahead of their contract's expiry on Sept. 30.
What if Mississauga wins a 3.5% raise? The TTC apparently then has to top up its drivers, so they stay ahead. Today, Geoff Marinoff, director of Mississauga Transit, said, "We need to be competitive in the job market."
"The TTC is hiring 700 to 900 drivers, we're hiring 100 drivers, Brampton is hiring, GO is hiring," he said. Brampton drivers have a four-year deal that gives them a 3.5% raise in 2010.
Other councillors asked yesterday how this could affect the city's bargaining with other unions. Next up for a contract are Toronto's police.
"Is triple-three [3% per year over the three-year TTC deal] the benchmark or the plateau?" asked Councillor Brian Ashton.
"Part of the madness is that the city has set a precedent," Mr. Thompson said. "It's simply a case of, 'Me too! Me too!' If other organizations say 'We want to be the highest paid,' there's no end to it, unfortunately."
Mr. Thompson and fellow commissioners Peter Milczyn and Anthony Perruzza described conference calls on Saturday night and yesterday morning between the nine commissioners and the TTC negotiation team. All three said the deal was better than a strike.
"As much as we might like to hold the line and be tougher," said Mr. Milczyn, "if there was a strike and they got ordered back to work and there was binding arbitration, it would end up costing us more. At least today the residents of Toronto were spared a major inconvenience."
Mr. Perruzza said, "To some degree I don't think anybody is happy today. It's a very expensive deal for the city, and the union probably wishes it got more."
The union leader, Bob Kinnear, had suggested yesterday that Mayor David Miller intervened personally to cut this deal, but the three commissioners said that was not so.
Brad Ross, a TTC spokesman, said, "that's Mr. Kinnear's speculation." He refused to discuss details of the negotiation or the deal. Union spokespeople in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton did not return calls. Mayor David Miller is resting up after a week in China and has no public events until Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ashton said comparing public sector salaries across the GTA opens another interesting possibility.
"I wish councillors could get that," he said. "If I could get parity with Mississauga councillors, then I could afford to go to Mississauga."
Right now, Toronto councillors earn $95,000, compared to $104,800 for Brampton councillors and $115,000 for councillors in Mississauga.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Better Off Now Than Five Years Ago... Or Not
via Paul Kedrosky's Infectious Greed by pk on 4/18/08
I normally disregard these "Are you better off now than you were X years/months/minutes/seconds ago"? surveys. They are usually selective, small sample, tough to generalize, etc.
But that said, this Pew summary of 40 years of such surveys among the middle-class in America is remarkable:
We are at a 40-year low, with most of the emotional carnage having happened in the last six months. That is the sharpest decline in the poll's history.
So, are you better off than five years ago? Worse? Other? Indifferent? Bemused? Do tell.
Corporatization of Universities, Gone Berserk
This is an appalling development in post-secondary education.
via The Progressive Economics Forum by Jim Stanford on 4/18/08
All too often these days I open the newspaper and become quickly convinced that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. But this little snippet (April 14, a Bloomberg story) really got my goat:
The University of North Carolina (which was a reputable institution, the last I checked) has accepted a $1 million donation from BB&T Corporation (an investment bank), that came with one tiny strong attached:
The University must agree that Ayn Rand's libertarian novel, Atlas Shrugged, will be required reading for UNC business students. Apparently two other universities (Marshall University in WV and Johnson C. Smith University, also in NC) signed similar deals.Corporate funding of universities is lamentable and insidious, and always carries an implied sacrifice of true independence. But this is nauseating.
Worse yet, the Bloomberg story on this hardly even touched the tip of the ethical iceberg that this type of arrangement creates. The main debate is over whether or not Rand's writing is truly worthy of unversity-level inquiry ("Rand could not write her way out of a paper bag," scofs one English prof contacted by the reporter for comment). No-one even asks if it's appropriate for corporations to be dictating curriculum on the basis of their paltry, incomplete donations.What billionaire will endow a university to teach business students Marx, Keynes, Kalecki, or Minsky? (Some might actually want to learn about Minsky, I suppose — to guide their short trading strategies.)
Excuse me now while I go and throw up.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Way to go, Rami
(Test post by email)
Good for the illegalsigns.ca group and by extension, a much needed slap on the wrist for the city and for the City Clerk. What on earth were they thinking?
Good for the illegalsigns.ca group and by extension, a much needed slap on the wrist for the city and for the City Clerk. What on earth were they thinking?
via Torontoist by Robin Rix on 4/17/08
The province has ordered the City of Toronto to stop stonewalling in the face of freedom of information requests about allegedly illegal billboards. IllegalSigns.ca—"our hobby is destroying illegal billboards through the rule of law"—submitted a series of requests asking the City to release information about certain billboards.
The City's Corporate Access and Privacy Unit balked. After receiving over 600 requests from the group in 2006—12% of all requests filed in the City—and after processing over half of them, it decided that the latest batch of requests were "frivolous or vexatious" and could thus be disregarded.
Among the reasons for the City's decision? Illegal Signs was using the information in order to criticize the City for its lax enforcement of existing billboard laws. The City's argument, if accepted, would have set a disastrous precedent for journalists, bloggers, and ordinary citizens throughout Toronto: is criticism of public officials grounds for being deemed frivolous or vexatious? All of a sudden, this became much bigger than billboards.
Illegal Signs appealed the City's decision to Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner. It won—and deservedly so. Our point-by-point analysis of the ruling continues below the fold.
The law states that a public institution must grant a freedom of information request unless an exception can be shown. And, when you think about it, that's the way it should be: public information should generally be accessible to interested parties upon request unless there are compelling reasons to withhold it—personal privacy, national security, and so on.
The exception that the City tried to argue was that the requests were frivolous or vexatious. Again, it's a pretty reasonable exception. There are people out there who file nonsensical complaints about all sorts of things, and public institutions have to be able to focus on what's important while filtering out the stuff that's absurd.
Where it gets murky is where an institution deems a valid request to be frivolous or vexatious. The law states that a request is frivolous or vexatious if it:
(1) is part of a pattern of conduct that amounts to an abuse of the right of access;
(2) is part of a pattern of conduct that would interfere with the operations of the institution;
(3) is made in bad faith; or
(4) is made for a purpose other than to obtain access.
In its ruling [PDF], the IPC held that the City failed to demonstrate that any of these grounds existed with respect to the requests by Illegal Signs. Here's our point-by-point recap:
(1) Whether the request was part of a pattern of conduct that amounts to an abuse of the right of access
There are two legs to this test. The first leg wasn't really in question. Illegal Signs engages in a "pattern of conduct." That's what the group (like most activist groups) does—it requests information about billboards that it deems to be questionable, assesses it, and asks the City to investigate where appropriate.
The second leg was the key battlefield. To find that conduct rises to the level of "abuse," four factors need to be weighed: the number of requests; the nature and scope of the requests; the timing of the requests; and the purpose of the requests. Of these four factors, the only one where the City eked out a victory was in the number of requests. The IPC agreed with the City that Illegal Signs had filed a lot of requests (600+), although it acknowledged the viewpoint that there were over 4,000 billboards in the City and that approximately 2,000 might be illegal. The City lost on all three other factors.
With respect to the nature and scope of the requests, the IPC ruled that the requests were neither "broad and varied in nature" (i.e. Illegal Signs was not conducting a fishing expedition) nor "unusually detailed or comprehensive" (i.e. Illegal Signs was not asking the City to go into too much detail). In other words, like Goldilocks, the requests of Illegal Signs were just right.
With respect to the timing of the requests, the IPC heard no evidence that Illegal Signs had timed its requests in such a way as to abuse the access to information system. With respect to the purpose of the requests, the IPC accepted that Illegal Signs had reasonable and legitimate reasons for requesting the information that it was seeking to access, namely to assess the possible illegality of billboards in Toronto and to file complaints accordingly.
The IPC concluded its analysis of this part of its ruling by finding that only the number of requests might be just cause for deciding that Illegal Signs was acting a frivolous or vexatious way, by weighing that against the countervailing factors, and by concluding that, on balance, Illegal Signs was not acting in a frivolous or vexatious way.
(2) Whether the requests were part of a pattern of conduct that would interfere with the operations of the institution
Again, two legs to the test, and again, the first leg—that Illegal Signs engages in a "pattern of conduct"—isn't really in dispute. The second leg was considered but rejected. The IPC acknowledged that the number of requests was significant but doubted that they interfered with the City's operations, noting that Toronto was a large city with a large government (and thus was expected to be able to deal with a higher volume of requests than a small town) and that the City has been able to fulfill almost all requests to date promptly and within budget. The IPC also noted that the City could access various cost recovery mechanisms, as allowed under law, to help it mitigate or even avoid the administrative burden of fulfilling these requests.
(3) Whether the requests were made in bad faith
The IPC considered this argument because it thought that the City implicitly alleged bad faith on the part of Illegal Signs, even if the City did not say so outright. Accepting that "bad faith" means acting dishonestly, with furtive design, or with ill will, the IPC rejected any notion that Illegal Signs was acting in bad faith, noting that it had a genuine purpose in making the information requests. As for the suggestion that "bad faith" encompassed public criticism, the IPC completely rejected the link between the two. In a section of the ruling worth repeating:
In my view ... the requests made by the appellant [Rami Tabello on behalf of Illegal Signs] were made for a genuine purpose. The appellant is involved in an organization that investigates whether certain billboards posted in the City are illegal. Only by examining City records obtained through access to information procedures can the appellant determine whether or not a billboard is illegal and, if so, subsequently file a legitimate complaint. I cannot agree that the appellant's reasons for seeking access to the information he requests or the uses to which he puts that information once he receives it are either illegitimate or dishonest, however disadvantageous they may appear to the City.
(4) Whether the requests were made for a purpose other than to obtain access
Finally, the IPC turned its attention to whether Illegal Signs was making information requests for a purpose other than to obtain access. Here, it borrowed from earlier administrative rulings, which distinguished between, on the one hand, making a request for the purpose of obtaining access (e.g. "tell me about this possibly illegal sign") and, on the other hand, intending to assess the information so received for another purpose (e.g. "the existence of this illegal sign suggests that the City isn't enforcing its sign by-law").
A common-sense analysis suggests that this is distinction is correctly made: the ideal of government accountability would be frustrated if people could only ask for information that they promised to do nothing further with. Provided that your purpose in making an information request is reasonable and legitimate, what you do with it afterwards is not truly relevant to the legal analysis of "frivolous or vexatious."
Conclusion
In many ways, this ruling is less about billboards and more about freedom of information—and specifically, whether public criticism is grounds for rejecting someone who acts in good faith to request public information.
And so the victory of Illegal Signs over the City is a good one for those concerned about freedom of information and government accountability. Illegal Signs is free to continue its assessment of the illegality of some of Toronto's billboards, and we—all of us: journalists, bloggers, and ordinary citizens alike—are free to request information, secure in the knowledge that we won't be denied it on the basis that we might use it to criticize the powers that be.
With additional reporting from Jonathan Goldsbie.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Help StarWatch
StarWatch is a Canada-wide experiment in which citizens measure night sky brightness levels during the Earth Hour lights out event, and then shortly after the lights are turned back on.
The Question:
Will Earth Hour help you see more stars?
The Experiment:
Volunteers count stars they can see in the Little Dipper during Earth Hour and again when the lights come on.
When: 8:45 and 9:15, Saturday March 29th.
The times need to be as close together as possible so the only variable, or thing that changes, is the lights.
Where: Your yard, the sidewalk, a playing field… wherever, as long as you have a postal code.
Why: Change in sky brightness is an indicator of the amount energy wasted through light pollution.
Your data makes a difference. Here’s how to participate.
http://www.redshiftnow.ca/starwatch/howto.aspx
On March 29th, you can help. It's easy. Print out one of our star charts for the Little Dipper and record which stars are visible in your night sky during Earth Hour and then again once the lights are back on. Submit your results online and see your data appear on our night sky map of Canada!
What you'll need:
- a view to the North
- a printout of this Little Dipper star chart (You'll need the free Acrobat Reader to view or print the document.)
- a pencil
Instructions:
- Turn out your lights at 8 p.m., it’s Earth Hour!
- Head outside with your Little Dipper star chart and pencil. (You'll need the free Acrobat Reader to view or print the document.)
- Find an unobstructed view of the sky to the North.
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- Return to www.RedShiftNow.ca/starwatch/ and submit your data online.
Observing tips and tricks
- Optimize your night vision by allowing your eyes 15 minutes to adjust to the dark. Use this time to get yourself oriented by finding the Little Dipper.
- Shield your eyes from any direct light sources—bright lights will spoil your night vision.
- If you need a flashlight, tape a piece of brown paper bag or red tissue paper across the lens of a regular flashlight. This will dim the light and preserve your night vision.
Earth Hour events
- Ontario Science Centre celebrates Earth Hour with free activities: environmentally themed storytelling; music and art; telescopic observations of Mars and Saturn; dancing to the stars with an Earth Hour DJ set and more. Mar. 29 from 8 p.m. 770 Don Mills Rd. 416-696-3127 or OntarioScienceCentre.ca.
Bystanders are also welcome to do the "Twist" and produce enough human-generated power to light up CFL and LED lights, and even transistor radios, using "disco-generators." Brothers Lorrie and Lloyd Matchett will be demonstrating the invention starting at 5:30 p.m. and all evening outside the Science Centre.
- Earth Hour at the Observatory features astrophysicist Tom Bolton's lecture "Light Pollution — How Richmond Hill Tamed the Light Bulb" at 7 p.m., plus a tour of the facility's Administrative Building. That's followed at 8 p.m. with some outdoor telescopic viewing and tours of the night sky, and a sacred aboriginal ceremony with David Grey Eagle and his People. David Dunlap Observatory, 123 Hillsview Dr. Richmond Hill. savetheddo.org.
- Light your house with clear Christmas LED energy-efficient lights all year long.
- Put air in your tires. Well-inflated tires save gas and stay in good shape for a longer period.
- Make fewer left turns. You'll spend less time idling in the turn lane.
- Don't limit yourself to a green bin in your kitchen. Keep one in your bathroom and recycle used tissues, toenail clippings, etc.
- Get in shape and run your electronics at the same time. Hook up a generator to your exercise bike (Google it to get instructions) and power things like computers, toasters and blenders.
- Avoid washing some of your clothing altogether – really. Do this with jeans; you'll run your washer and dryer less, and it will mean expensive jeans will mould to your body and take longer to fade.
- Buy a smaller home. They require less energy to heat and cool.
or live in Copenhagen:
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Food: Organic vs. Genetic Manipulation
"1. 10 Reasons Why Organic Can Feed the World
2. And 10 reasons GM won't
NOTE: The following articles come from the SPECIAL REPORT: 'The death of food as we know it' in the current issue of The Ecologist magazine."
2. And 10 reasons GM won't
NOTE: The following articles come from the SPECIAL REPORT: 'The death of food as we know it' in the current issue of The Ecologist magazine."
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
How Serious People Do Jobs Like Mine
Of course, that takes a lot of effort. And could be seen as a cost-centre.
Linking hands and minds
"My real concern here is not with the economics of skilled manual work, but rather with its intrinsic satisfactions."
"...There is pride in meeting the aesthetic demands of a workmanlike installation. Maybe another electrician will see it someday. Even if not, one feels responsible to one’s better self. Or rather, to the thing itself—craftsmanship might be defined simply as the desire to do something well, for its own sake. If the primary satisfaction is intrinsic and private in this way, there is nonetheless a sort of self-disclosing that takes place. As Alexandre Kojève writes:The man who works recognizes his own product in the World that has actually been transformed by his work: he recognizes himself in it, he sees in it his own human reality, in it he discovers and reveals to others the objective reality of his humanity, of the originally abstract and purely subjective idea he has of himself.
The satisfactions of manifesting oneself concretely in the world through manual competence have been known to make a man quiet and easy. They seem to relieve him of the felt need to offer chattering interpretations of himself to vindicate his worth. He can simply point: the building stands, the car now runs, the lights are on. Boasting is what a boy does, who has no real effect in the world. But craftsmanship must reckon with the infallible judgment of reality, where one’s failures or shortcomings cannot be interpreted away."
"
Skilled manual labor entails a systematic encounter with the material world, precisely the kind of encounter that gives rise to natural science. From its earliest practice, craft knowledge has entailed knowledge of the “ways” of one’s materials—that is, knowledge of their nature, acquired through disciplined perception and a systematic approach to problems. And in fact, in areas of well-developed craft, technological developments typically preceded and gave rise to advances in scientific understanding, not vice versa. The steam engine is a good example. It was developed by mechanics who observed the relations between volume, pressure, and temperature. This at a time when theoretical scientists were tied to the caloric theory of heat, which later turned out to be a conceptual dead end. The success of the steam engine contributed to the development of what we now call classical thermodynamics. This history provides a nice illustration of a point made by Aristotle:
Lack of experience diminishes our power of taking a comprehensive view of the admitted facts. Hence those who dwell in intimate association with nature and its phenomena are more able to lay down principles such as to admit of a wide and coherent development; while those whom devotion to abstract discussions has rendered unobservant of facts are too ready to dogmatize on the basis of a few observations...
"So what advice should one give to a young person? By all means, go to college. In fact, approach college in the spirit of craftsmanship, going deep into liberal arts and sciences. In the summers, learn a manual trade. You’re likely to be less damaged, and quite possibly better paid, as an independent tradesman than as a cubicle-dwelling tender of information systems. To heed such advice would require a certain contrarian streak, as it entails rejecting a life course mapped out by others as obligatory and inevitable."
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Random Links that I was Interested in
Going back to one of the original points of the blog - storekeeping random finds online that interest me, without filling up everyone's inboxes...
Checking out the Personality Profile of Prospective Presidents. This would be fun to do for the next Canadian election. Or for your own personality...
The seven words of eating right guy in town, but sold out. The words? "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." More details here - which is the precis of his book.
Toronto's future. Well, one possibility for Toronto's future that will be partially, and badly implemented.
Toronto's Past. Well, fictional past and how it intersects with the real past. The TPL has done a great job of thinking about the book and how it impacts Toronto. See here for all sorts of cool toys, incl. an annotated chapter, a guided walking tour both by map and speaking tour (via mp3), a map of the old city, etc. Spacing Wire is getting in on this too. The role of cemeteries in the book, riverdale, old buildings, Toronto Islands, etc.
Loss of Toronto's Past in the Present. Bye Bye Duke's.
Cool Art on Ugly Road. Great explanation of the Harbour Commission building as well
Spying on Toronto's Rivers.
Roomie in Europe (and no Interpol calls so far)
Recent Eclipse
Cool talks at TED Conference
Checking out the Personality Profile of Prospective Presidents. This would be fun to do for the next Canadian election. Or for your own personality...
The seven words of eating right guy in town, but sold out. The words? "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." More details here - which is the precis of his book.
Toronto's future. Well, one possibility for Toronto's future that will be partially, and badly implemented.
Toronto's Past. Well, fictional past and how it intersects with the real past. The TPL has done a great job of thinking about the book and how it impacts Toronto. See here for all sorts of cool toys, incl. an annotated chapter, a guided walking tour both by map and speaking tour (via mp3), a map of the old city, etc. Spacing Wire is getting in on this too. The role of cemeteries in the book, riverdale, old buildings, Toronto Islands, etc.
Loss of Toronto's Past in the Present. Bye Bye Duke's.
Cool Art on Ugly Road. Great explanation of the Harbour Commission building as well
Spying on Toronto's Rivers.
Roomie in Europe (and no Interpol calls so far)
Recent Eclipse
Cool talks at TED Conference
CIS Volleyball Live Webcast
What an awesome idea. If TSN, SportsNet and CBC are going to continue to ignore live amateur sports in favour of poker and wrestling, then perhaps this can get the product out to the masses.
Here's the schedule:
Friday, February 29:
1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm: 1st round
Saturday, March 1st:
1 :00 pm – consolation
3 :00 pm – consolation
6 :00 pm – semi-final
8 :00 pm – semi-final
Sunday, March 2nd :
11 :00 am – 5th and 6th position *
1 :00 pm – 3rd position (Bronze) *
4 :30 pm – Final (Gold) *
* TBD : depending of TV broadcast
Here's the schedule:
Friday, February 29:
1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm: 1st round
Saturday, March 1st:
1 :00 pm – consolation
3 :00 pm – consolation
6 :00 pm – semi-final
8 :00 pm – semi-final
Sunday, March 2nd :
11 :00 am – 5th and 6th position *
1 :00 pm – 3rd position (Bronze) *
4 :30 pm – Final (Gold) *
* TBD : depending of TV broadcast
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Google's Data Centres
How they manage the infrastructure behind the searches and ads, and emails and ads, and maps and ads...
Friday, February 22, 2008
Billy Bee flies south
Boo. One of my more famous employers gone. If I can, I'll post a pic of the (in)famous costume for everyone's comedy value.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The True Price of SMS Messages
Between this and Tom Purves' post on Canadian mobile data rates, it's all very depressing.
Soros is gloomy
“The current crisis is not only the bust that follows the housing boom. It’s basically the end of a 60-year period of continuing credit expansion based on the dollar as the reserve currency.” Is the US finally having it's post-Edwardian England moment?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
All of 2007 Lists
The best of's for 2007
Ads / Architecture / Art / Autos / Books / Business / Comics / Design / DVDs / Fashion / Film / Food & Drink / Gadgets / Games / Ideas / Media / Music / People / Sports / Science / Technology / Theatre / Travel / TV / Videos / Words
Ads / Architecture / Art / Autos / Books / Business / Comics / Design / DVDs / Fashion / Film / Food & Drink / Gadgets / Games / Ideas / Media / Music / People / Sports / Science / Technology / Theatre / Travel / TV / Videos / Words
Why I Retired From Telecom
Most of the profitable niches in telecom are now gone. Home phone service, long distance, small business phone service, conference calling, mobile — all have become low-margin commodity markets dominated by established companies. The capital costs of prototyping new phone services have declined, but not nearly as much as retail pricing, and hence, the margins are near zero. The liquidity and exit opportunities for small telecom companies are also not good. You either need massive amounts of capital, or you need to be bought by a phone company (the stereotypes about phone companies exist for a reason). There are exceptions, of course, but they are rare.
Mobile should be a huge opportunity for developers, but unless and until the carriers open their platforms and create something like Ad Sense for developers, it’s a rotten business to be in. The mobile operators micromanage application developers, and they do not share revenue freely. They often charge for network access when they should be rewarding you for stimulating usage.
What’s the message in all of this for entrepreneurs? Telecom seems like a great industry. After all, billions of people use cell phones. The problem is that there is nothing like the web for mobile, and by that I mean the entire set of standards and business practices that have grown around it. It’s hard to see this changing significantly in the near future.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Happy Christmas to you all
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
First Sign of Winter
Is a Ford Explorer in the ditch...
Snow mixed with freezing rain created slippery driving conditions this morning, with the weather causing as many as 200 crashes in the GTA since rush hour Wednesday. Most of the collisions were single vehicles sliding into ditches, hitting guardrails, and spinning off the highways.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
John McCrae
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
John McCrae
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Toronto Airports
[quote="rob in angus"] Another airport in Toronto area is somewhat needed.Are there any neutral studies showing this? The GTAA master proposal is based on forecasted passenger levels from 1999. Given that's pre-9.11, I imagine things have changed (see here).
[quote]would reduce congestion around Pearson. Congestion means increased CO2 emmisions1) Presumably opening a new airport would shift the traffic volume to the new airport.from idling traffic[/quote]
2) people should turn their engines off instead of idling - as the City bylaw requests
3) Congestion around YYZ is not driven by the airport's presence. YYZ is immediately adjacent to the 401/427/27/409/Eglinton interchange as well just west of the 401/400/Black Creek Drive interchange. That particular section of the 401 is among the highest volume arteries in the world, averaging average annual daily traffic of 607,800 cars. Pointing to the airport as the sole cause, or establishing a new airport won't help. Reducing congestion driven by visits to YYZ requires a mass transit link to the airport. One effort to do just that was Blue 22 (about which see here and here, but but it appeared to be killed by the McGuinty's pre-election MoveOntario 2020 announcement. If you're interested in reading about efforts to incorporate mass transit access to YYZ, try Steve Munro's website, especially this post.
[quote]If not Pickering then where? Is there a better spot to build?[/quote]How about improving trains? That might move a high % of the short-haul flights to a different mode of transport, which concomitant environmental benefits. One of the most striking parts of Monbiot's book Heat was on the impact of flying. His blog has some analysis on it here, here and the UK government's Royal Commission here. Short recap for the 99% of people who don't wish to read all of that - aviation is a remarkably awful contributor to global warming, not just from the physics of flying (burning a lot of extremely high octane gas to keep aloft) but also from impact of contrails, etc.
Anyway, I would be extremely curious to find out what % of YYZ and YTZ's flights are w/in the Windsor/Quebec City corridor. I would prefer to use better (read: faster & more reliable) train service as in France to visit my Montreal/Ottawa-based clients - especially b/c it cuts out the commute, boarding & security hassles on both ends.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
When Will the West Run Out of Water
Fascinating article.
Actually, there's a series of Canadian implications that aren't spelled out here (well, duh, it's the NYT, why would they...)
1) Water diversion. The "Great Lakes" looks like a huge pool of fresh water. But it's not actually self-replenishing, meaning that it's not actuall a renewable resource, meaning that any sensible public policy action is to ban water exports. Chicago has already messed with Lake Michigan. the St. Clair river drain hole (explained here) . Water levels are shrinking across the Great Lakes - adding exports will mess with the ecosystems (and boating, cottaging, fishing, the St Mary's River, the Soo Locks, etc.). Martin Mittelstaedt of The Globe had a great series on this... In fact, I'll steal a graphic from it below.
Actually, the CBC has a solid page on this as well.
And here.
2) Western Canada itself. Professor Schindler has written in the past of consequences to the West of the shrinking glaciers. As they continue to retreat, the western rivers become shallower - meaning warmer and lower in volume - and less reliable for drinking water, irrigation, or other industrial uses. This leads into the kinds of issues being confronted by the US states profiled in the NYT article above. In fact, the simple way of putting it is here. More here
2a) Energy patch vs. water. Some of the issue in the oilsands are spelled out in a report by U of A and U of T which can be found here.
Actually, there's a series of Canadian implications that aren't spelled out here (well, duh, it's the NYT, why would they...)
1) Water diversion. The "Great Lakes" looks like a huge pool of fresh water. But it's not actually self-replenishing, meaning that it's not actuall a renewable resource, meaning that any sensible public policy action is to ban water exports. Chicago has already messed with Lake Michigan. the St. Clair river drain hole (explained here) . Water levels are shrinking across the Great Lakes - adding exports will mess with the ecosystems (and boating, cottaging, fishing, the St Mary's River, the Soo Locks, etc.). Martin Mittelstaedt of The Globe had a great series on this... In fact, I'll steal a graphic from it below.
Actually, the CBC has a solid page on this as well.
And here.
2) Western Canada itself. Professor Schindler has written in the past of consequences to the West of the shrinking glaciers. As they continue to retreat, the western rivers become shallower - meaning warmer and lower in volume - and less reliable for drinking water, irrigation, or other industrial uses. This leads into the kinds of issues being confronted by the US states profiled in the NYT article above. In fact, the simple way of putting it is here. More here
2a) Energy patch vs. water. Some of the issue in the oilsands are spelled out in a report by U of A and U of T which can be found here.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Local Farmer's Markets
Basically available every day now.
Thursdays
DUFFERIN GROVE ORGANIC FARMERS' MARKET, 875 Dufferin, south of Bloor, 416-392-0913 Toronto's largest organic market is open from 3 to 7 pm year round in the park.
METRO HALL FARMERS' MARKET, 55 John, at Wellington, 416-338-0338 8 am to 2:30 pm through October 25.
Fridays
BIRCHCLIFF VILLAGE FARMERS' MARKET, 1512 Kingston Road, at Manderlay, 416-686-6528 Next to St. Nicholas Church, from 2 to 7 pm till October 19.
HIGH PARK FARMERS' MARKET, beside Grenadier Restaurant, south of Bloor, 416-882-5140 Noon to 7 pm, plus Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm, till November 25.
Saturdays
BRICK WORKS FARMERS' MARKET, 550 Bayview, south of Pottery, 416-596-1495 In the Don Valley eco centre 8 am to 1 pm till December 1.
FARMERS' ORGANIC MARKET, St. George the Martyr Church, John and Stephanie, 647-226-2418 Toronto's oldest organic gathering takes place from 9 am to 3 pm in south Grange Park year round.
ST. LAWRENCE FARMERS' MARKET, 92 Jarvis, at Front East, 416-392-7219 In the North Market from 5 am to 5 pm year round.
VILLAGE MARKET, 9100 Bathurst, at Rutherford, 905-707-5771 Suburban organics at the Toronto Waldorf School from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm year round.
WITHROW PARK FARMERS' MARKET, 725 Logan, at McConnell 9 am to 1 pm till October 27.
WYCHWOOD BARNS FARMERS' MARKET, Church of St. Michael and All Angels, 611 St. Clair West, at Wychwood, 416-653-8546 2 to 5 pm till October 27.
Sundays
LIBERTY VILLAGE FARMERS' MARKET, 34 Hannah, at East Liberty In the parking lot from 9 am to 2 pm till October 28.
Mondays
SUNSHINE GARDEN ORGANIC MARKET, CAMH Grounds, 1001 Queen West, at Ossington, 416-363-6441 10 to 11:30 am Mondays and Thursdays through October 18 .
Tuesdays
RIVERDALE FARM FARMERS' MARKET , Riverdale Park West, Winchester at Sumach, 416-961-8787 3 to 7 pm till November 27.
TRINITY BELLWOODS FARMERS' MARKET, Dundas at Crawford, 416-350-9694 3 to 7 pm till October 30.
Wednesdays
TORONTO CITY HALL FARMERS' MARKET, Nathan Phillips Square, Bay at Queen, 416-338-0338 Same vendors as Metro Hall's, through October 17, 10 am to 2:30 pm.
COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA)
PLAN B ORGANIC FARM, 905-659-2572, www.planborganicfarms.ca Drop points throughout Toronto; winter and summer shares.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
10 things I learned during this election • Spacing Votes • blogging Ontario’s 2007 provincial election
From John Lorinc on the Election
Modelling MMP in Prior Elections
Sure there's a Big Assumption inherent here, but it's interesting...
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Tories Against MMP
Which makes sense. The most plausible future for the Ontario Tories under a Proportional Representation system would be permanent leader of the opposition, while the Liberals make concessions to either the NDP or Green or other minority/fringe parties (an as-of-yet non-existent Northern Ontario Party comes to mind as a strong possibility) to stay in power more or less consistently, until the inevitable scandal.
So, if you're a Tory, then for purely partisan reasons, I can't think of any reason to endorse any sort of PR system - even the mixed version proposed here.
So, if you're a Tory, then for purely partisan reasons, I can't think of any reason to endorse any sort of PR system - even the mixed version proposed here.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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