Memory and the cast of being

I am trying to use a new approach to memory and its use. Something about the theory of memory being solely located the brain seems way too simple.

It is entirely possible that memories may be locate exterior to the brain itself. More on this later.

A Whopper

The old adage that bombarded my youth was issued from old geezers. "Hard work doesn't kill you."

After years of observation, participation and research I can honestly say, ...Thats a big fucking lie.

Whiving wit’ liners

Inordinate caché bellows above the line of passable toleration. Ears are smoking with the oft greeting of every Torontonian, “Ohhh its so cold eh!”

No it isn’t. It went down to –17ºC last night and early, early this morning. This is only down to “0” on the old temperature scale of “F”.

To make it really sound good, denizens of this city use something called the wind chill to make it sound even better. The breeze brisked this obscurely calculated number down to –36ºC. This sounds good but to get the full effect one must be standing on a football field, starkers.

To avoid an avalanche, stay out of the mountains. To avoid wind chill, stay out of the wind.

And the complaints were everywhere. Onto the subway cars, which are comfortably warmer than the surface and people sit sweating like stilted sponges. It may be cold to them, so they are all bundled up. Parents nag all their snot monsters in CWT (Canada Without Toronto) to unzip and loosen the winter gear indoors or in warm areas.

Its easy to tell a Torontonian in the winter. They can wear a parka, scarf, toques and mitts in a Tomato hothouse and still complain about the cold outside.

Experienced Canadians from CWT sit with perplexed look and their coats unzipped and toques stowed in pockets. Like its even warm outside to them.

Two weeks past, Prairie Canada experienced minus thirty four Celsius (-34ºC) but that came as a daytime high time temperature unaccompanied by wind chill hyperbole. Of course the Toronto newscast media brains tacked it on.

Worst of all, worst of all is that every news outlet seeks to find a lower exaggeration as a way to promote advertising, gain listeners. CityTV is the worst of the lot, followed by CTV. Of course the CBC advances a full explanation of the meteorological event so while ones body numbs to the cold, the CBC numbs the mind.

And what really hurts is that I can't afford earplugs.

Note to all CWT visitors to Toronto. Please bring your own hearing protection.

Wondering about emails.

Its completely baffling to me. How do all these spammers know I got a small dick?

Hey don't laugh too much. You're on the mailing list too.

Rumblings in Paradise

The measure of all economies is the relationship between the economy and the political. While separate in academia research and news media reportage, in real life they are undeniably linked.

While greeted with cheers by national ideologists and the international traveler, the rise of the Canadian dollar to parity value with that of the American currency describes the advent of economic troubles. The economic health of Canada is inextricably linked to the performance of the US economy.

Worse still it is a one way link. A healthy United States economy can swoon the Canadian economy despite poor political management. A healthy Canadian economy cannot improve the performance of the United States economy.

A rise in the value of the Canadian dollar against the American is the whistling wind of an approaching economic tornado. The value of the Canadian dollar was strongest before the 1974 recession. In 1988, the value of the Canadian dollar had risen. The rise in the value of the Canadian dollar versus the American precedes a downturn.

Kissing the frog

Sometimes proposals take on an air of fiction. A kerfuffle emerged when some black community leaders and school trustees took up the idea of what they called black focused schools. After weeks of rampant and ambling debate the idea was adopted by the rather dysfunctional Toronto Public School Board.

Now examining the merits of such a school at no time did any of the proponents put forward two critical points. They might have proposed that such a school demand a higher academic achievement than general schools. Second they did not advance to the public a list of subjects.

What was lost amongst the arguments is that only public, Catholic and private schools were entitled to exist. No one has suggested that a school maintains itself on the basis of race. Indeed such a creation violates the civil rights codes so hard won and maintained by this nation and its laws.

The TPSB passed the agreement then promptly forwarded it to the government. So in essence, the school board wanted to create a select school based on race, with no marked improvement in academic performance and have the rest of the province pay for it. The TPSB remains notoriously the most inefficiently managed educational entity in North America.

In what was a moment of political clarity, Dalton McGuinty promptly nixed the funding the idea. Indeed funds might be deleted from grants to the board if the idea went ahead. If these proponents want such a school why don't they create, operate and fund it on their own wallets. They are free to do that.

Winter Storm

Winds howl battering the glass of the window and the storm marches on, into Quebec. For once the weather forecasters had this call right. With due warning the denizens of this fumbling burg manage the turn of weather, still complaining.

I turn the page on the calendar into a new month. February comes in like a lion. Global warming also effects old proverbs. March appears to be a loser as its zoology abandons to the house of the Woodchuck. Its good to have all the animals in one short month. Ends total confusion.

April will be glad to get rid of the rainy tag one can be sure. March's rains bring April's flowers.