Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Insight...

Anyone else sick of hearing the debate on Insite Clinics?

The debate I keep hearing isn't about law, it's about what's best for Canadian citizens. The fact is safe injection sites work. At the very least they're a step in the right direction.

Department of Justice lawyer, Robert Frater, believes that changing drug laws to accommodate addicts is similar to changing arson laws to accommodate pyromaniacs.

Maybe if we treated arsonists by partnering them with demolition crews so they could safely torch a building in a safe, positive and maybe even healthy way. Maybe there would be less property damage and loss of life in this country due to arsonists.

Of course, that would just be a small step in rehabilitation. (I'm not sure how, it's still early and I just thought of it.)

What it comes down to is the safety and freedom of all citizens.

Junkies are going to shoot up no matter what the laws are. Here in Ottawa, cops don't even bother arresting street junkies. There's no point. It's a drain on the system and their jobs. All they do is stomp crack pipes on sidewalks and maybe rough up a junkie every now and then out of frustration.

And I don't blame them.

If Frater's precious laws prevented me from doing my job effectively, I'd be frustrated too.

So it's time to re-think some things. Safe injection sites keep a majority of the drug users off the streets, at least while using. There's less needles and pipes lying around, plus you're not walking your kids by a dingy alley where Crackhead Johnny is junking out with his sharpened screwdriver desperately looking for a fix.

Safe injection sites also help keep track of the using community. And it IS a community. Once you can keep track of users, people who are smarter than Frater can gather information and try to come up with ways to reduce drug consumption altogether.

Most importantly it puts users in easy contact with people who can help them should they want help. Remember, this is their lives, not yours. And last I remember, I'm free to choose whether or not I want to be a junkie, or a criminal, or a politician. So long as I'm not hurting anyone (unlike most politicians and lawyers) than what's the problem?

As it should always be, but rarely is; the question should be put to people on both sides of the front line: beat cops, social workers, community members and yes, even junkies themselves should be asked what works for them. What isn't working? What makes them feel safer and more free? And how can they contribute to help pay for the Insite service?

When's the last time a politician visited East Hastings to do their job?

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Major issue...

In light of recent events involving Major Michelle Mendes, I want to suggest a book by Helen Benedict. As far as I can tell, no bookstore in Ottawa carries it, but you can still order it online.

I'm not trying to imply anything in this situation. I don't know any more than what I read. But there is a level of curiosity around Major Mendes' death and anyone interested in the story might want to know about this book. I just hope we find out what really happened and how it could be prevented in the future.

Canada is finally making great leaps in recognizing soldier-specific issues. Maybe we could all go a step further. Keep the ball rolling, and address some more.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Tonight, tonight...

The weather is finally good enough to let into my apartment.

I don't have a balcony, but I'm lucky enough to have french doors which open up over a major street. Most the time, it's a pain in the ass because the traffic is spitting distance from my living room.

For now though, the weather is perfect. It's warm (warmer than a month ago) and there's a cool breeze. It's dark out and there are people walking everywhere. Cars are driving by with their windows down and I'm actually glad to hear the thump of shitty subs in jacked up purple Honda's.

I'm having a beer and a smoke and watching all the people I've hated all winter and finding myself welcoming them back into my world for another summer.

I'll end up hating them all again for the next long winter, but right now, I like everything just how it is.

Thawing and stretching out. Trying to make the best of these short Ottawa summers.

Welcome back, everyone. It's good to be back.

I feel like I'm part of the city again.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Sold...

This is amazing.



Does it look familiar to anyone?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Medic!...

In the future, ambulances "may have ejector seats to launch paramedics quickly into the thick of the action."

I know doors are a pain in the ass to deal with, but who's going to tend to the poor medics who fail the landing?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Anything you can do...

"If Joaquin can do it, so can I. And I won't even wear sunglasses."



Is this a new trend?

Overkill...

I like where GM's head was when they created their new, bare-bones prototype, the Puma. But I'm a bit concerned that it's just as impractical as the H3.

Their joint venture with Segway is supposed to show the company's dedication to changing it's previous gas-guzzling ways with this fully electric, two-seater... whatever it is.



I understand the concept of a concept. GM wants to show the public their ambitious goals. And boy do they need some.

The Puma's not a bad start, either. But when the GM is one step away from an epic fail, is an expensive concept really what the public (let alone the American and Canadian governments shelling out billions of dollars to save the auto industry) wants to see?

Again, the Puma represents goals. Not reality.

Thankfully though, this runnerless rickshaw will never hit the market, because it was never designed to. With a roughly estimated price tag of around $5,000, it won't have a consumer base. At least not in Canada.

I don't think anyone would pay that. And GM probably doesn't think so either.

It's a good start, GM. But completely impractical. The design isn't great either.

Instead of needlessly creating something completely new, read up on what's worked in the past and still works today.

Just some advice.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Caveat emptor...

BC's wannabe consumer 'informer,' Adbusters has won the right to sue the CBC and CanWest after the two media powerhouses denied the fake anarchist magazine access to the airwaves with anti-consumerist commercials.

Adbusters sums up perfectly how I feel about anarchists. They stand up for what they believe in and will never back down, but they ultimately lead lives of hypocrisy. Adbusters is completely dependent on the system they want to break down.

Back in school, I met a guy who worked for the BC Mag while he was teaching a class on some random Sunday. At first, he believed in the Adbusters messages which is why he really wanted to work there. He also said it was a fun time because their was lots of beer.

Although he saw some of the magazine's bullshit early, he didn't think anything of it until they had to do a photoshoot with a pair of Nike's.

It wasn't the photoshoot that changed his mind about the publication. It wasn't because Nike is one of Adbusters' most powerful nemesis (wearing Nike is the equivalent of holocaust profiteering to Adbusters) or that he was the poor, idealist sap that had to go out shopping for Michael Jordan's favourite kicks himself.

What did this kid in was that he had to bike around Vancouver looking for a specific pair of $160 Nike's in the publishers size. Turns out the publisher of Adbusters has nothing in common with the message of the magazine and really likes sweat-shop sneaks.

Anyone who thinks Adbusters is about anything more than making a profit at the end of the day is buying the hype. Or rather, the anti-hype, counter-hype or any other antonym-hype that piece of shit publication can think of to make you feel bad about yourself and conform to the non-conformists.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Hey Canada...

Just an idea for that beautiful corn soaked land around Windsor. You know, that place where people are dying for some extra income.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Copy!...

So glad I spent thousands getting trained for a dying medium.

IBS...

Harper missed out on his club photo for the yearbook.

But cut the guy some slack. Reports have it that he was in the shitter.

For an hour and a half.

According to NDP finance critic, Thomas Mulcair, he's been missing out on lots of fun things since the last election.

I guess even with a record loss for the Libs, Harper still couldn't get his majority. That sure to losen up anyone's bowels to know that even though people hate your enemies, they still don't like you very much either.

According to the PM's office, he was 'delayed by an advisor.' Must have been John Scotts, Minister of Plumbing. He's always up Harper's ass with last minute important shit.

Seriously, look at the official photo re-take. Does Harper look like he just had an important conversation about political matters? Because to me it looks more like people don't want to get near someone who has irritable bowel syndrome and just got back from a rude poop.