Deonandia

Streetlight People

2010-04-19T02:54:00.004-04:00

Arnel Pineda (image stolen from rtvchannel.tv)

It's 3:AM Monday morning and I'm procrastinating again. Big consulting contract is several days overdue and I must get it done before the start of the business day. But instead I'm on youtube looking up old classic rock clips. I've been through the entire Queen catalogue and moved on to the Queen covers. Now I'm into the category of music that a a girl I once dated used to call "butt rock".

I'm not sure what "butt rock" is supposed to be. I always failed that particular ex's quizzes on the matter. Apparently, Kansas is "butt rock" but Alice Cooper is not. Neither is Foreigner, but Journey definitely is. I really don't understand her classification system.

Anyway, speaking of Journey, this is probably old news to most of you, but have you heard that they have a new singer? I'm a great fan of powerful stadium voices, and there are few modern rock voices as petrifyingly awesome as that of Steve Perry, the founding singer of Journey.

Here we are, more than 20 years after the reign of Journey atop middle America's "butt rock" charts. Steve Perry left the band a long time ago. They went through a few interim singers, but no one captured the public's imagination. Then the band saw a Youtube clip of a Filipino street kid singing in the Hard Rock Cafe in Manila, and were blown away by his raw power.

Long story short, the new lead singer of Journey is the formerly impoverished, self-trained long-haired Filipino dude named Arnel Pineda. How good is he? Check out this clip from last year:

Eerie, no?

So why do I care? What relevance does Arnel Pineda have to the regular themes and topics of Deonandia? Well, for one thing, I get a kick out of how the media refers to him as "that Filipino kid". Arnel is exactly my age, 42. He's no kid. More to the point, he's a 40-ish, short brown man from the poorer part of the developing world. I gotta say, that's more than enough to get me rooting for him. In fact, his tale is a classic one of beaten-down underdog who aspires to stardom; a classic Americanesque fairy tale that, one would think, would be embraced by anyone still holding to the fading myth of the American Dream.

Arnel, you see, was the eldest of several children. His mother's illness and early death bankrupted the family, forcing all of them out of school and Arnel, literally, onto the streets. It was music, specifically Arnel's otherworldly voice, that lifted him from squalour, and that has allowed him to lift his family and others from dire straits indeed.

The sad part, though, as alluded to in this article, is the degree to which racism has entered the fray, even with respect to something as irrelevant as who fronts a washed up 80s band. When Arnel was announced as the new Journey singer, US fan forums across the Internet lit up with peals of protest, along the lines of "Journey is an 'all American' band" that should not be tainted by a singer of the wrong race and nationality. I wish I'd kept the original links; can't find them right now.

It's interesting and sad that nationalism continues to be conflated with race, particularly in nations, like the USA, that were constructed in the modern era from commercial and philosophical principles rather than ethnic ones. It's further sad that so many people feel the need to conflate their artistic tastes with racial overtones.

I'm reminded of when I lived in the USA, almost a decade ago. I was on a few local dating sites back then and was constantly shocked by how many White women had in their profiles, "I prefer to date all American men, so Caucasians only, please." My objection isn't that someone has or expresses their racial dating preferences --that's a personal choice-- but rather the bewildering conflation of race with "all American". It was a meme I saw and heard a lot, both in dating profiles and in casual conversation.

The same sentiment is repeated in the current "Tea Bag" movement among the American Right, whose verbiage includes the sentiment of wishing to "take back their country from the current President". Is it not his country, too? I wonder how much of that sentiment is informed by racial prejudice, either acknowledged or subconscious; that their country is White and does not belong to a Black man, let alone a Northern, educated, liberal Black President.

So I will continue to watch the reception of Arnel Pineda carefully to see how prevalent this conflation of race with things unrelated to race becomes. Until next time, here's Arnel's first public performance with Journey, in Chile in 2008:

Apparently a big screen biopic about Arnel's life is coming soon to theatres near you. It's title? Don't Stop Believing, of course.

Evidence

2010-04-17T22:36:00.002-04:00

I am sooooo overworked these days. So I'm doubling up on responsibilities. Today's post is actually a preview of my MicroSoft Small Business Forum column:

----

Recently, I attended a scholarly conference on the topic of evidence-based decision making. For those not in the know, "evidence" has been a hot topic in all areas of physical, medical and now social and political science for many years now. The idea is that one should base one's decisions on the best available information, rather than on other, presumably softer, criteria.

It might be surprising to many lay people to learn that Evidence-Based Medicine, or EBM, was fairly revolutionary when first introduced a few years ago. The assumption that most people make is that medical therapies, supposedly rooted in the rigour of Western science, is informed by clinical observations in controlled surroundings. For the most part, they are. But a large part of an individual doctor's decisions about his patient is also based on personal experience, or anecdote, and the personal experiences and hearsay of his teachers and colleagues.

The conference pitted two seemingly opposing viewpoints against one another. On one side was the hard science argument, that good evidence must always be at the core of decisions, especially decisions made by government in response to important phenomena, such as the appropriate policy responses to medical crises. The H1N1 pandemic is a good example.

On the other side was a proponent of the so-called "precautionary principle", which holds that sometimes it is not possible to wait for sufficient evidence to make a fully informed policy decision. Rather, sometimes it is incumbent upon policy makers to act within a milieu of great uncertainty.

Arguments about the degree of evidence required to justify official action are themselves tainted by ideologies. Climate change is a good example. Those convinced that the phenomenon is real (and I count myself among that number) hold that the evidence is sufficiently convincing and the threat is sufficiently dire that the precautionary principle holds: we must act now and not wait until 100% are on side. The deniers would argue that we must wait until every last scientific hold-out is on-side.

But ultimately it is a false dichotomy. First of all, pitting "evidence" against the "precautionary principle" is misleading because the first involves a discussion about the nature of scientific rigour, while the second is a discussion of the nature of decision making.

Second, and most interesting to me, is that the discussion is ultimately a non-starter. Cynics (and again I count myself among them) would argue that decisions are almost never made with evidence prominently in mind. Rather, policies --especially those stated by governmental bodies-- are more likely to be informed by values, ideologies, politics and utility. Only after those avenues have been exhausted do decision-makers turn to the evidence, and then usually it is to justify a decision that has already been made.

I cannot estimate the extent to which this process is also prevalent in the business world, but I would not be surprised to find evidence getting short shrift there, either. But is this really a problem? I hope to explore this in a later segment.

Recent Facebook Profile Pics

2010-04-17T18:09:00.002-04:00

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-04-14T08:53:00.001-04:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-04-8

:Twitter haiku 261 - "Yogi Bear's workout / 'Ranger-Booboo' asana / Picnic basket pose" #fb
Apr 14, 2010 12:39 PM GMT

Just got my bike back from the shop. My mechanic tells me my "nipples have seized". #fb
Apr 13, 2010 09:39 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 260 - "Himalayan king / Overthrown by an upstart / Hail the u-sherpa!" #fb
Apr 13, 2010 08:42 PM GMT

Slept exactly one hour last night and am still wired. What the heck is going on? #fb
Apr 12, 2010 07:35 PM GMT

there's far too much discussion of my moobs going on #fb
Apr 12, 2010 05:57 PM GMT

Today marks the 49th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin... and none of my students know who he is :( #fb
Apr 12, 2010 02:16 PM GMT

one down, one to go... #fb
Apr 12, 2010 02:04 PM GMT

Off to teach the LAST classes of the semester today.... #fb
Apr 12, 2010 11:15 AM GMT

Back in the O-dot. Now for a long night of Stargate, roast beef, and lecture-writing... #fb
Apr 12, 2010 01:45 AM GMT

my elderly father is very concerned that I'm not hiding my bald spot well #fb
Apr 11, 2010 08:10 PM GMT

tequila.... unnnhh #fb
Apr 11, 2010 03:38 AM GMT

Off to judge my undergrad epi students' research posters and presentations. Whoohoo! (Insert evil cackle here.) #fb
Apr 10, 2010 11:37 AM GMT

Indict the bastards already! http://bit.ly/cBktHM
Apr 9, 2010 07:21 PM GMT

#ahsr2010 @nbarrowman upset that "determinants of health" are not in fact deterministic
Apr 9, 2010 07:18 PM GMT

looking for ill-advised graphs with @nbarrowman #ahsr2010
Apr 9, 2010 02:54 PM GMT

looking for ill advised graphs with @nbarrowman # ahsr2010
Apr 9, 2010 02:47 PM GMT

zzzzzzz #ahsr2010
Apr 9, 2010 02:45 PM GMT

Finally happened: bumped into a girl I once dated and couldn't remember her name. Still can't. #fb
Apr 8, 2010 10:56 PM GMT

waiting to see Ramachandran Guha at IDRC. Embarrassed that I haven't finished his book yet #fb
Apr 8, 2010 09:07 PM GMT

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-04-08T12:23:00.003-04:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-03-29

It's before midnight and I've already written tomorrow's lecture! Whoohoo!
Apr 8, 2010 03:56 AM GMT

Going off the quinoa tonight. Burgers, here I come! #fb
Apr 7, 2010 07:59 PM GMT

Sure sign of procrastination: spotless home, gone to gym and back, and a huge breakfast made, eaten and cleaned up. Sigh. Work. #fb
Apr 7, 2010 03:38 PM GMT

A hundred looming deadlines and I'm watching Celebrity Apprentice. Sigh. #fb
Apr 7, 2010 03:45 AM GMT

All right.... Nazi nonsense aside, I totally would have gone for Bombshell McGee. #fb
Apr 6, 2010 08:11 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 259 - "Tired haiku-ist / Unconsciously steals a pun / Damn you, Facebookers!"
Apr 6, 2010 03:30 PM GMT

Oops: haiku 258 might have been a subconcious paraphrasing of someone's stand-up act. My bad! #fb
Apr 6, 2010 03:23 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 258 - "Yoga instructors / With many schedule conflicts / Must be flexible"
Apr 6, 2010 12:58 PM GMT

Woozle wazzle #fb
Apr 2, 2010 04:21 PM GMT

Quinoa is very high in fibre. I found out the hard way. #fb
Wednesday 31st March 2010 04:42

Protein powder as a milk substitute in coffe: FAIL. #fb
Tuesday 30th March 2010 11:15

Uhoh. Maple syrup on the keyboard. #fb
Tuesday 30th March 2010 08:01

Start the day off right with a balanced breakfast of red quinoa and maple syrup. Emphasis on the maple syrup. #fb
Tuesday 30th March 2010 07:57

Jimmy Carter and the Hugos

2010-04-05T00:20:00.003-04:00

I recently posted the following Jimmy Carter speech to my Facebook page:

It's rather prescient, no?At the other end of the spectrum is this oft-linked Ronald Reagan speech warning of the "evils" of socialized medicine:

I don't doubt Reagan's sincerity. But it is instructive to note the Right's philosophical objection to socialized medicine, at least according to Reagan. It's twofold: (1) if you can't afford it, you don't deserve it; and (2) it's the beginning of telling doctors where to work, and that ain't American.

Interestingly, I think few today --other than many doctors themselves-- would object to legislating where and to whom doctors must provide service. In Canada, we are almost there, with an incredibly polarization of services leaving rural and remote regions almost completely unserviced. The market has no solution for such disparities.

But back to Carter. It's not a popular view, but I've always held that Carter was a great man who let his good soul get in the way of being a great President. He did what was right, not what his electorate wanted of him. Some would argue that doing what is right is what makes a great leader; others would argue that serving the needs of the people is what defines greatness. I do know, though, that many of Carter's beliefs and predictions are only now being appreciated. The speech above references a real crisis of energy that is only now being taken seriously. In other speeches, he chastises citizens' greed and wastefulness --a stark contrast to today's leaders who toady to the electorate and insist that we are good and right when we clearly are not.

Carter came two generations too early. His manner and approach are sorely needed today.

I'm a bit worried about ol' Jimmy. I haven't seen him in the news of late, and he is pushing 90, after all. It will be a sad day indeed when President Carter shuffles off this mortal coil. Let's hope it's later rather than sooner.

In Other News

The nominees for the 2010 Hugo Awards were announced this week. If you don't know, the Hugos are the premier science fiction awards, the Pulitzer for the nerd set, if you will. I won't mention the novels or short stories, since few of you have heard of them. Rather, let's look at the dramatic entries, bot long and short form.

Nominees for the long form (i.e., movies) include Avatar, Moon, District 9, Star Trek and Up.

I reviewed Star Trek here. It's a fine action movie. But it's neither science fiction nor clever. If it wins, I am through with the Hugos.

I reviewed Avatar here. It's genuine science fiction, though heavily derivative and hardly worthy of an award that celebrates originality. If it wins, I won't be through with the Hugos, but I will lose a hefty amount of respect for them.

Up is an excellent, moving and entertaining little film. But is it science fiction? I really don't think so.

That leaves Moon and District 9. I must admit to not having seen Moon. I hear it's quite good. But from what little I know of its plot, I question whether it's actually science fiction. An astronaut on the moon is not particularly far-fetched. That leaves the sole option for winner being District 9.

Now, on to the short form, The nominees are an episode of Dollhouse, and episode of FlashForward and three episodes of Doctor Who. All are very good choices, though we can all wonder how Lost or Fringe didn't make the list.

More baffling, however, is how this past year's true masterpiece of TV science fiction failed to make the Hugo short list. I'm talking about Torchwood: Children of Earth, which I reviewed here.

I don't use the word "masterpiece" lightly. It's a difficult accomplishment to manage in a general public prime-time TV format, especially within the confines of an existing TV show with existing characters and relationships. But Children of Earth is that good, it really is. Not only is it pure science fiction --something the actual nominees dance around-- but it's poignant, heartbreaking, terrifying and exhilirating.

A big raspberry to the Hugo people for omitting Children of Earth. As compensation, let's inaugurate the first annual Skiffy.ca TV award for the best science fiction dramatic short form. I hereby award it, without hesitation, to Russell Davies for his --wait for it-- masterpiece in Torchwood: Children of Earth.

Now You Get Mad

2010-03-30T12:48:00.003-04:00

Thanks to DeeMack for sending me this. It's reproduced, supposedly, from Rosie O'Donnell's blog. It's an open letter to the "teabaggers" demonstrating with unrestrained fury against the passing of Obama's health care bill:

Now You Get Mad

You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate
energy policy.

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.

You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.

You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.

You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-03-30T04:15:00.002-04:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-03-21

Back in Toronto airport. What? No tequila samplers? #fb
Mar 29, 2010 12:49 AM GMT

7am and they're already giving me free tequila shots at the Mexican airport!
Mar 28, 2010 06:03 PM GMT

Hmmm, it seems that brown guys can sunburn after all.
Mar 28, 2010 04:04 AM GMT

Note to self: a "tequila toast" is not toast made from tequila
Mar 27, 2010 11:47 PM GMT

Fish tacos + half litre of rum + somersaults in the pool = standard conference in Mexico
Mar 27, 2010 11:46 PM GMT

Off to Playa Progresso
Mar 27, 2010 12:56 PM GMT

Wasn't so much "Montezuma's revenge" as it was "Kukulkan's warning" #fb
Mar 26, 2010 02:52 PM GMT

Off to Chichen Itza
Mar 26, 2010 01:55 PM GMT

Why is Montezuma taking revenge on me? What did I ever do to him?
Mar 26, 2010 04:39 AM GMT

About to give my talk here in Merida. Must... resist... the... tequila... #fb
Mar 25, 2010 10:42 PM GMT

Let the burrito quest begin #fb
Mar 25, 2010 02:20 AM GMT

In gorgeous Merida, but stuck in hotel room writing a paper, teleconferencing with a client, and writing my talk for tomorrow :( #fb
Mar 24, 2010 07:04 PM GMT

downtown merida, mexico: gorgeous public square... and free public wifi!! #fb
Mar 24, 2010 01:04 AM GMT

efficiency, beauty, kindness, tequila: mexico rocks very hard indeed #fb
Mar 23, 2010 10:53 PM GMT

mexicana air rules! bottomless tequila, good food, huge seats...and PEANUTS! #fb
Mar 23, 2010 07:19 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 257 - "An electric eel / Was crossed with a sponge; their child? / A shock absorber" #fb
Mar 23, 2010 02:45 AM GMT

in toronto porter lounge. the biz snobs are using words like "stakeholder" and "blue-skying". ugh. #fb
Mar 22, 2010 10:14 PM GMT

maybe it wasnt a good idea to have the class evaluations the same day that term papers are due? #fb
Mar 22, 2010 03:49 PM GMT

Hey, I think today might be Shatner's bday! #fb
Mar 22, 2010 03:21 PM GMT

holy crap! michael williams from muchmusic ages past is deejaying this birthday parties
Mar 22, 2010 01:41 PM GMT

Discovering the music of Big Star... about 40 years too late. #fb
Mar 22, 2010 11:13 AM GMT

But will the Repubs repeal the bill after the midterm elections? http://bit.ly/9Vs9a1 (expand) #fb
Mar 22, 2010 05:35 AM GMT

ZOMG...barely midnight all lectures for tomorrow are written and uploaded! #fb
Mar 22, 2010 04:17 AM GMT

About to embark on the long, hungover drive to Ottawa... and it's SNOWING ON THE 401? WTF?
21 March at 14:32

The Coulter Affair

2010-03-24T19:50:00.003-04:00

Three important facts to note:

I'm a professor at the University of Ottawa
Politically, I'm liberal on philosophical points, particularly relating to foreign policy, and conservative on fiscal matters. But I'm probably best described as Left of centre, if you really need me to pick a side.
I think Ann Coulter is delusional, hypocritical, possibly narcissistic, dangerously disingenuous, and a seething cauldron of unexamined --nay, proud!-- hate.

And if you strongly disagree with point #3, you will probably cite points #1 and #2 in your inevitable actions to refute what I'm going to say for the rest of this post. I do tire of these games, and have no intention of entering into any kind of debate with anyone over anything to do with Miss Coulter.

As you probably already know, Coulter is on a pan-Canada tour. Why? Who knows. Maybe Americans --flush with purpose and a renewed skepticism of knee-jerk hate after a Democratic and supposedly liberal President gave them all health care-- are no longer in the mood for Coulter's particular brand of idiocy. Maybe she feels that Canada, North America's only nation now with a retrograde conservative leadership, presents better hunting grounds for a niche in which to sell Coulter's smear-jobs-of-the-week that she packages as books.

I don't care why she's coming. Lots of people come here. I don't have a problem with it, especially since I'm presently in Mexico and thus far away from her.

The problem, of course, is that Coulter is known for her so-called "hate speech". In the past, she has publicly called for the invasion of Muslim countries, the murdering of their heads of state and the forced conversion to Christianity of Muslim civilians. In a rehearsed public speech, she called John Edwards a "faggot". These are two examples off the top of my head. To cite more would require me to go back and read her columns again, and I really don't want to put my ageing and addled brain through such torture.

Do her words qualify as hate speech? Sure, why not? I'm on record, though, of being opposed to Canada's hate speech laws and hate crime laws. I think that a crime is not made more criminal simply by being hateful; and I think that hateful speech should not be legally punished until a link can be shown between such speech and an actual criminal act. Otherwise, people should be able to say whatever (non-libelous things) they want to say.

But that's just me.

So where are we? Ann Coulter, known for her hateful speech, is coming to Canada. Of more immediate concern to this blog post, though, is that Ann Coulter was coming to the University of Ottawa.... my generous and gracious employer whom I'd never dream of disparaging :)

Now, I don't know why the following happened. I have some theories. Here's one. The university knows its students, knows that they are mostly a Left-leaning activist lot who would get quite riled up by Coulter's (deliberately) provocative statements. Statements that may dance on the border of hate crime, or maybe even cross over into that realm, would be carefully parsed and legal action would be demanded of the university by these passionate students. So perhaps to save itself such trouble, perhaps to avoid more administrative burden in an institution already known for its overwhelming mass of bureaucracy, the university issued the following letter to Ann Coulter:

"Dear Ms. Coulter,

I understand that you have been invited by University of Ottawa Campus Conservatives to speak at the University of Ottawa this coming Tuesday. We are, of course, always delighted to welcome speakers on our campus and hope that they will contribute positively to the meaningful exchange of ideas that is the hallmark of a great university campus. We have a great respect for freedom of expression in Canada, as well as on our campus, and view it as a fundamental freedom, as recognized by our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I would, however, like to inform you, or perhaps remind you, that our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or "free speech") in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States. I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here.

You will realize that Canadian law puts reasonable limits on the freedom of expression. For example, promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges. Outside of the criminal realm, Canadian defamation laws also limit freedom of expression and may differ somewhat from those to which you are accustomed. I therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind.

There is a strong tradition in Canada, including at this university, of restraint, respect and consideration in expressing even provocative and controversial opinions and urge you to respect that Canadian tradition while on our campus. Hopefully, you will understand and agree that what may, at first glance, seem like unnecessary restrictions to freedom of expression do, in fact, lead not only to a more civilized discussion, but to a more meaningful, reasoned and intelligent one as well.

I hope you will enjoy your stay in our beautiful country, city and campus.

Sincerely,
Francois Houle,
Vice-President Academic and Provost, University of Ottawa"

I don't know if the letter was meant to be public. But it has been reproduced in many Right-leaning forums, the National Post among them. Poor Dr Houle was now on the radar of the vicious, bitter and petty extreme Right-wing blogosphere, for what really is a polite letter.

Now, many Coulter supporters read this letter as a veiled threat of criminal action. There's nothing veiled about it. I think it's quite a reasonable letter, but it is clear in its intent and implications. If some of Coulter's speeches in the USA were spoken in Canada, they might very well constitute hate crime under our current laws. The letter did not discourage her from coming or threaten to ban her if she didn't promise to "play nice". It just suggested that the university would feel compelled to add to its ridiculous administrative burden if Coulter did indeed give her standard US campus presentation on Canadian soil.

So far, so good.... Except that Coulter, seeing a chance to gain some press over what would have otherwise been yet another barely noticed campus tour, saw her opening. She re-printed the letter on her column, with the provocative --and incorrect-- title, "Canadian University Provost Wants To Send Me To Jail... For a Speech I Haven't Given Yet". At that point, what transpired next was fairly predictable for anyone who's observed the shenanigans of the bored and angry far-Right as much as I have.

Now, being in Mexico, I haven't been privy to all the details of what's happening on campus. But essentially, citing fears for Coulter's personal safety, "organizers" cancelled her appearance. The "organizers", as I understand it, were a campus-based student group. This is important: the university never cancelled Coulter's appearance; her own representatives appear to have done so, or at least a campus group in coordination with Coulter's representatives did so. Keep in mind that I have no facts beyond that which are published in the papers, and I'm observing all of this from Mexico. So, really, what do I know?

Okay, now on to the really predictable part. With the appearance cancelled, Coulter retained none other than Ezra Levant to --here it comes-- represent her in a human rights complaint against the University of Ottawa.

Now, I have talked about Ezra Levant many times in the past in this space. There was Ezra's seeming tolerance of hate speech on his own website. There was more of the same. There was Ezra's attacks on former Liberal leader Stephane Dion. There was Ezra's seeming blind love for all things George Bush. Oh, I've talked about him many many times before. One of his supporters even suggested that Ezra would one day track me down and beat me up. (Yeah, I laughed, too. I'm not that hard to find.)

Now the important thing about Levant, at least with respect to the current topic, is that he styles himself as an uncompromising defender of free speech. This, in and of itself, is a great thing. Who doesn't love a defender or liberties? The problem is that his support only seems to extend to people who want to say things that he agrees with.

For example, when George Galloway was banned from speaking in Canada --a true and obvious denial of free speech!-- Levant said of the issue:

"I don't see this as a free speech issue; I see it as a sovereignty issue -- keeping out an undesirable foreigner who has no right to be here, and who boasts about violating our criminal code."

"Undesirable foreigner who has no right to be here"? Sounds like a certain skinny blonde firebrand with a hate-on for Muslims. Someone "who boasts about violating our criminal code"? Again, if Coulter brags in her column that the things she says would get her arrested in Canada, I think that that constitutes "boasting about our criminal code." How about it, Ezra?

(By the way, read my whole take on the Galloway affair here.)

Levant is claiming that his reasons for taking on the Coulter case is to show how duplicitous the human rights tribunal process is, and that it is biased against conservatives. I don't know if that's true. But I think Levant lost pretty much all his credibility with not only his failure to defend Galloway's right of free speech in Canada, but his active support for the denial of those rights. Levant would be more convincing if he were more consistent with his views and appplications of his principles.

What about Coulter? Since I started writing this post about 10 minutes ago, I received an email from her automatic listserv (someone thought it was funny to sign me up; I actually kind of enjoy deleting her emails). You can read her current column here (which is exactly what she wants you to do; so I guess I'm helping her out, as well.) It's interesting how the mighty have fallen. Once a syndicated columnist at leading papers, a promising lawyer, someone who, I think, even worked at the White House briefly, Coulter is now calling out members of the SFUO --the University of Ottawa's student federation! Picking fights with undergrads? Really? Oh Ann.

So Coulter is denouncing someone's decision to "deny" her he opportunity to spread her extreme views on a college campus. Hmmm, this sounds vaguely familiar. Let me see... Columbia University once compared Coulter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Why it this relevant? Because Ahmadinejad once spoke at the Columbia campus, despite conservatives trying really hard to prevent him from doing so.

In fact, prior to the Iranian leader's appearance, conservative forces rallied under the leadership of such Coulter compatriots as Michelle Malkin, who issued this call for supporters to send a message to the university administration that Ahmadinejad was not welcome on campus.

When Coulter herself was asked about Ahmadinejad's Columbia appearance, she said this:

"You know, I give a lot of college speeches, I know how colleges behave, and there is the least free speech on a college campus as any place in America. It is like Iran—so for them to be saying they are allowing this guy to speak because of free speech, you know, your head explodes."

Er... what? Further in the same interview, Coulter suggested that by allowing Ahmadinejad to speak, Columbia was "aiding the other side." At least that's the way I read it. Coulter is a master of dancing around topics so deftly that it's hard to pin her down to any particular viewpoints, except that liberals are sissies and Muslims are evil.

The president of the University of Ottawa, Mr Allan Rock, a seasoned diplomat, issued the following statement to all members of the university community today:

"On Tuesday, March 23, an appearance by Ann Coulter was scheduled on our campus, organized by the International Free Press Society Canada and the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute.

The University of Ottawa has always promoted and defended freedom of expression. For that reason, we did not at any time oppose Ann Coulter's appearance. Whether it is Ann Coulter or any other speaker, diverse views have always been and continue to be welcome on our campus.

Last night, the organizers themselves decided at 7:50 p.m. to cancel the event and so informed the University's Protection Services staff on site. At that time, a crowd of about one thousand people had peacefully gathered at Marion Hall.

"Freedom of expression is a core value that the University of Ottawa has always promoted," said Allan Rock, President of the University. "We have a long history of hosting contentious and controversial speakers on our campus. Last night was no exception, as people gathered here to listen to and debate Ann Coulter's opinions.

I encourage our students, faculty and other members of our community to maintain our University as an open forum for diverse opinions. Ours is a safe and democratic environment for the expression of views, and we will keep it that way."

It doesn't sound to me like anyone's free speech was being curtailed. In fact, all official missives suggest that Coulter was openly welcomed to the university campus. I think what actually happened was that when Professor Roule sent that ill-advised letter, the Coulter-ites and their hypocritical self-styled supporter of "free speech for people I agree with", Ezra Levant, saw this as an opportunity to manufacture an event and make both Levant and Coulter briefly relevant again.

That is all. Nothing more to see here. Ignore the pests and they'll just go back to screaming about Communists and evolutionists in their basement meetings.

Merida Merida

2010-03-24T16:38:00.004-04:00

Greetings from lovely Merida, Mexico, capital of the Yucatan. I'm here for a meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology (oh thank you, Zod!) and will be presenting tomorrow night. But this, my friends, is my first trip to Mexico, and I can't believe it took me this long to get here!

I am, in most standards of measurement, an immensely experienced traveller. I go on several international trips a year. It's only March and I've been abroad at least five times this year, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a trip or two. I've become jaded with the travel thing. I've learned to hate airports, airlines, customs officials, hotels and even unfamiliar food. Travel plays havoc on my weight, my diet, my moods, my overall health, and I think it's even begun to age me bit faster.

So you'll forgive me when I admit that I wasn't entirely looking forward to coming here. I knew it would be nice, but I have a lot of work to do, am still sleeping 2-3 hours per night, and receiving scores (and sometimes hundreds) of emails a day from demanding administrators, itchy clients and whiny students alike. In fact, I've spent all of today in my hotel room catching up on work.

Despite all that, I must say that my time in Mexico has been among most stress-free and pleasurable excursions ever.

It began with Mexicana Airlines, whose flight from Toronto to Mexico City featured a huge modern plane with enormous, comfy seats, friendly service, excellent food, bottomless tequila and --get this-- PEANUTS! When was the last time you got peanuts on a plane? Oh how I missed them.

Here's a picture of Adam enjoying his tequila on the plane:

In the old terminal in Mexico City, we were treated to a civilized immigration line with polite and friendly officials and a very attractive reception area. Everywhere we turned, someone was offering us free tequila samples. (Um... muchos gracias, senor.) The connecting flight to Merida was equally enjoyable and efficient, and --get this-- our bags were unloaded instantly onto the conveyor belt. No ridiculous delays. There was even an official checking to make sure we each collected the correct bag. Why can't Canadian airports run this smoothly?

The town of Merida is wealthy and gorgeous, with old colonial estates transformed into magnificent (yet affordable) hotels. The streets are clean, the people friendly, the architecture fascinating, and even the trees (it's a very green city) are curious, having been clipped into interestng shapes.

I'm told it's one of the safest cities in Mexico, and possibly in all of North America. a late nightwalk finds scores of couples huddled on the multitude of park benches, snogging beneath the Mayan moon. It's a terrific romantic place, with ancient wonder, old world charm and modern comfort.

On our first night, we took a lengthy walk to the Plaza Principal, the meeting square for the townsfolk. It was packed with quiet, happy people. A similar scene in Toronto would have seen loud music blaring from beatboxes, obnoxious teens knocking people over on their skateboards, and a cacophany of impersonal cell phone chatter. Instead, in Merida there were lovers basking in each other's quite company, young people meeting up to go elsewhere, and scores of people with laptops enjoying --wait for it-- free public wifi. That's right: free public wifi.

This is what the digital age had originally promised us: technology that was simultaneously free us fromour offices and link us to the world. Here it was in action: an entire town, gathering peacefully to enjoy the outdoors, the beauty of their community, each other, and yet to continue working. This is certainly the way I had originally envisioned the freedoms that the internet was supposed to offer.

A teenage boy struck up a conversation with us. In any other place, I'd be on guard for a scam, a sob story or some kind of marketing angle to drive me into a shop. Instead, he was just waiting for friends and practicing his English. His name is Jasske (spelling?) and he's studing ethnography to become a tour guide in the Mayan ruins. He taught me a little of the Mayan language and suggested some of the less touristy places to see. He even encouraged us not to shop in most of the stores due to their use of fake Chinese-made "Mayan" art.

Speaking of art, I purchased an (overpriced) handmade wall-hanging that supposedly depicts the Mayan calendar, from an artists' co-op. In the same place they make "living brooches", which are beetles that have been decorated with jewellery and that crawl over your shirt. Perhaps it's cruel, but it's also worthy of a couple of photographs:

I spent the rest of the night working. I have a paper to revise, a presentation to write, a teleconference to prepare and a consulting contract to satisfy. Somewhere along the line, I also managed to imbibe beer, tequila, sangria and rum. No burritos yet, but stay tuned.

Mmmmm.... burritos.

On Friday I'll try to find a few hours to visit Chichen Itza. I hear Elton John will be playing at the ruins. Great. I'm sure that will make all the dead Mayans very happy.

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-03-21T13:58:00.002-04:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-03-08

(With apologies to Michael Williams, who I'm sure is a fine gentleman with a satisfying life, who doesn't need dickheads like me passing judgment on him.)

holy crap! michael williams from muchmusic ages past is dj-ing this birthday party i'm attending. so sad. #fb
Mar 21, 2010 05:07 AM

watching gene kelly movies with the sound off. surreal. #fb
Mar 21, 2010 02:19 AM GMT

Time to advertise my blog on Fox TV http://bit.ly/dbN3N6 (expand) #fb
Mar 20, 2010 11:59 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 256 - "God of Babylon / Proclaimed himself the greatest / That sure took some Baals" #fb
Mar 20, 2010 11:39 PM GMT

there are upside down women in my bedroom! # fb
Mar 20, 2010 01:19 AM GMT

Finally figured out politics: the Right wants less gov't except when it wants more; the Left wants more gov't except when it wants less. #fb
Mar 19, 2010 06:39 PM GMT

How can I be eating less, exercising more, yet getting fatter? #fb
Mar 19, 2010 05:57 PM GMT

Carb embargo broken by attending two receptions today. Damn you, free sandwiches! #fb
Mar 19, 2010 12:35 AM GMT

So, gas scooter or electric scooter? #fb
Mar 18, 2010 05:02 PM GMT

Why must Ontario require a motorocycle licence to drive a little scooter?
Mar 18, 2010 12:17 PM GMT

I'm at health sciences office, university of ottawa
Mar 17, 2010 07:11 PM GMT · from foursquare · Reply · View Tweet

What a surprise: Google calendar has deleted ALL my appointments, past and present. Sigh. #fb
Mar 17, 2010 11:40 AM GMT

Tonight's weird combination of choice: codeine and halibut. #fb
Mar 17, 2010 12:19 AM GMT

Today's lunch: quinoa, yogurt and maple syrup, all mushed together. Hey, I'm a scientist; I'm supposed to experiment! #fb
Mar 16, 2010 04:47 PM GMT

Re-watching old episodes of Stargate SG-1, the 2nd best American SF show EVER. (Okay, maybe 4th best)#fb
Mar 16, 2010 11:30 AM GMT

Making quinoa in a rice cooker. Who knew you could do that? #fb
Mar 15, 2010 11:22 PM GMT

FINALLY back in Ottawa #fb
Mar 15, 2010 02:27 AM GMT

through Canadian immigration in under a minute, line-up included. What a difference! # fb
Mar 14, 2010 11:56 PM GMT

AUUUGH! Flight delayed. Stuck in Jersey another 3 hours! #fb
Mar 14, 2010 07:28 PM GMT

http://bit.ly/aEmYg4 (expand)
Mar 14, 2010 06:56 PM GMT

Irony or hypocrisy? Me complaining about the poor education of others while mispelling words in said complaint #fb
Mar 14, 2010 06:19 PM GMT

US education system in action: juist bought a sandwich for $7.48, gave $10.48 and was offered $1.30 in change #fb
Mar 14, 2010 05:55 PM GMT · from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet

Rushing to Jersey to make flight back to Ottawa... will there be time for a burrito?!! #fb
Mar 14, 2010 04:13 PM GMT

AT&T mobile refuses to give me any Google services. Facebook seems fair game, though. #fb
Mar 13, 2010 11:59 PM GMT

Basement of Paul Smith gallery and store in Manhattan: the coolest place ive seen in months #fb
Mar 13, 2010 09:00 PM GMT

is anyone else not getting any love from gmail right now? #fb
Mar 13, 2010 05:36 AM GMT

My flight to NYC has been delayed FOUR HOURS. But I managed to write and submit an entire grant application from the airport lounge! #fb
Mar 13, 2010 01:35 AM GMT

Notimpressed by new expanded Toronto Porter airport: just another large airport filled with unsmiling faces and self-important biz-snobs.
Mar 12, 2010 10:52 PM GMT

in ottawa porter lounge sitting across Alan Gregg on one side and a hot babe on the other. Which do i stare at rudely? #fb
Mar 12, 2010 09:02 PM GMT

Just ate half a pound of bacon. It's okay, though. I'm a fake doctor.
12 March at 13:06

"Web check-in not available for international flights at this time. Please check-in at the airport." Grrrrr.
12 March at 12:48

And where is the regular Facebook rabble this morning? Hmm.
12 March at 11:20

While the bacon thaws.... to the gym!
12 March at 10:39

Ate a whole loaf of bread today. So much for my low carb lifestyle.
11 March at 17:24

Auugh! My publisher is about to pulp the unsold copies of my books. Guess what everyone will be getting for Christmas this year...
11 March at 12:50

Slept 7.5 hours last night. Oh, so THAT's what that feels like?
11 March at 09:24

Wired after tonight's presentation. Should I write tomorrow's lecture or watch Lost? Hmmm...
10 March at 21:02

Must...give...evening lecture...but am...barely...awake...
10 March at 18:02

in parking lot, snorting caffeine before client meeting. sooo tired.
10 March at 13:54

:Twitter haiku 255 - "Seniors hockey league / Some players refuse groin cups / Crotchety old men"
09 March at 18:14

The wrong thing to have for breakfast today: 3-day old, ultra-spicy channa masala. Yowza!
09 March at 10:32

Blogger is discontinuing FTP access? Why must Google constantly mess with my life?!
09 March at 07:32

Recent Facebook Profile Pics

2010-03-21T13:22:00.003-04:00

Nothing To Do With Skin

2010-03-18T13:18:00.004-04:00

As some of you are aware, I'm the new editor of the national newsletter of the Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CSEB). The first issue with me as editor was just published this morning. The newsletter is only available to paying members, but I am reproducing the first feature article here:

---

Nothing To Do With Skin
By Raywat Deonandan

I remember well the first time I saw an epidemiologist on a movie or TV show. It was the creepy 1995 John Carpenter remake of the classic British horror flick, Village of the Damned. In the film, Christopher Reeve heroically tries to understand why all of his town’s children are blonde and demonic and possibly alien. At one point, the entire town goes unconscious simultaneously, long enough to attract the attention of the CDC (Centres for Disease Control), who send an epidemiologist to investigate.

A sveldt Kirstie Alley plays Dr. Susan Verner, a tough no-nonsense outbreak investigator who arrives –get this—brandishing a badge and a gun and leading a battalion of policemen. Ahhh, thought I, this is the career for me! Aliens, guns, badges, excitement, action... why doesn’t every young person want to be an epidemiologist?

A more serious portrayal of the outbreak investigation aspect of epidemiology was presented in the 1995 film, Outbreak, in which Dustin Hoffman played a military epidemiologist studying a new, weaponized type of haemorrhagic fever. He not only carried a gun, but also had a helicopter! The famous stills from the film include Hoffman in the biocontainment “spacesuit” that so many lay people now falsely associate with epidemiology. I’ve been trying to buy one on eBay ever since.

And, really, this is the crux of society’s misunderstanding of our science: their conflation of epidemiology with virology and other bench sciences. We all have stories of being introduced at parties as an epidemiologist, and being met with uncomfortable silence, or worse, medical questions about skin rashes. For the last time, epidemiology and dermatology are different sciences! (I’ve been toying for some time with the idea of writing an epidemiology-for-the-masses manifesto called, “Nothing To Do With Skin”!)

A former professor of mine was once held at the US border as inspectors searched her luggage for “possible dangerous insects” after she self-identified as an epidemiologist. All the border guard could hear, apparently, was “entomology”. And I’m surprised that people don’t regularly ask me about the origins of words. (That’s an etymology joke, by the way.)

Now, Village of the Damned and Outbreak were both released over a decade ago. In the interim, we’ve seen real epidemiologists all over the mainstream media in the wake of such emergencies as the SARS outbreak, the Walkerton disaster and last Fall’s H1N1 pandemic. Surely, the media has learned some sophistication in the mean time?

Well, one of my favourite current TV shows is Fringe, which is an American science-fiction program about weird science and its intersection with crime. In one episode, someone was systematically murdering “epidemiologists” by infecting them with a virus that that grows to the size of your head. Yes, a single virus the size of your head. Leave aside the fact that such a thing would physically have to be multi-cellular, and therefore not a virus, and we’re left with the disappointing realization that once more the media has confused epidemiology with a bench science; because every murder victim on the list of “epidemiologists” turns out to actually be a virologist or microbiologist.

Yes, I know that some epidemiologists actually are lab scientists, as well. And even more epidemiologists are also physicians. But most are not, at least not in this country. So who is responsible for the failure of society to appreciate the role and contribution of the population epidemiologist? The lowly cubicle jockey with his SAS licence and penchant for odds ratios needs his day in the sun.

Our contributions are profound and dramatic, after all. It was epidemiologists who figured out how to address AIDS at the population level, long before the HIV virus was discovered. It was epidemiologists who eradicated smallpox from the face of the Earth. It’s epidemiologists who regularly figure out where governments should best apply their dwindling health care dollars, and which vaccines to manufacture, and whether something that appears serious really is serious. But you know the drill; I’m preaching to the converted here.

Maybe the responsibility is ours? Maybe we need to engage the world more openly and actively and push for our worth to be acknowledged and our function accurately portrayed? I recall fondly one of my favourite New Yorker cartoons, in which a party hostess is congratulated by her friend, “And it was so typically brilliant of you to have invited an epidemiologist.”

Well, I thought I was doing my part some years ago. I advised a script-writer for the Canadian TV show ReGenesis on some protocols for outbreak investigation and infection control, in order to make the content of the show more reflective of real life. ReGenesis is (supposedly, I’ve never watched it) about bioterrorism and the brave, shiny and young crime fighters and scientists who take on global biological evildoers.

To thank me, the writers created an extremely minor character who would be an epidemiologist and who would be named after me. This new, accurately portrayed Dr. Deonandan would only appear in one or two episodes, but would at last be a fairly representative example of Canadian epidemiology. Better yet, I was promised, she would be female and really quite attractive.

As an enterprising, self-obsessed, heterosexual man, I began to wonder whether I could engineer a new DSM diagnosis, based on me, for someone who is sexually attracted to his own fictional portrayal on television. Some sort of “trans-media narcissism”?

Imagine my disappointment when the Dr. Deonandan of TV turned out to be, not only male, and not only a physician, but a surgeon. Yes, a surgeon-epidemiologist. I’m sure such a thing does exist, and I’m sure they are superstar intellects who do extraordinary niche research. But it’s not exactly the representative portrayal of the population epidemiologist I was hoping for.

Sigh.

So what’s the lesson here? I’m not sure that there is one, except that maybe we should never expect our media to accurately portray any profession and any aspect of science. And that maybe we epidemiologists need to take a more active role in promoting the details of our work, responsibilities, skills and accomplishments to greater society.

Math Is Hard

2010-03-14T14:14:00.005-04:00

Image stolen from www.saltdean.brighton-hove.sch.uk

Greetings from Liberty airport in Newark, New Jersey, where I am about to return to Ottawa after an unexpectedly expensive weekend in New York. Unseen flight change fees, hours-long delays, the need to hire pricey limousines, the destruction of three umbrellas in the rain storm, and now the foolish loss of my hat, scarf and gloves has rendered this particular voyage well into the red.

Anyway, I just bought my "breakfast" (at 2pm), a Caesar wrap, at one of those overpriced kiosks by the departure gates. Total price: $7.48. Wishing to rid myself of US change before returning to Canada, I gave the fellow $10.48. He said, "that didn't really help; you're still getting more change", and tried to give me $1.30 back.

I stared at him for a couple of seconds, then explained. "The bill was $7.48. I gave you $10.48."

"Oh," he said, taking back the $1.30 and giving me two one-dollar bills instead.

At that point, I reasoned that the amusement I experienced was totally worth the $1 still owing to me, not to mention having one's stereotypes of the US education system confirmed. So I smiled to myself and moved on.

Then I walked to the kiosk next door, a Starbucks, and ordered a grande Americano, my standard airport drink of choice. The post-tax price came to $2.51, allowing to get rid of more unwanted coins. I handed over two dollar bills, two quarters and a penny, and waited for my coffee.

The woman examined my money several times, with a puzzled look on her face, before finally returning one dollar to me.

??

At that point, I could not hide the amusement from my face. Bilked of a dollar by one proprietor, and given an extra one by the next, I came out even. But it does make me wonder how ledgers ever manage to add up.

I know that there's a good chance the two service people today might have been having a bad day. It's Sunday, after all, and we're all hung over, myself included. So what I'm going to say next is not necessarily directed at these specific two individuals, but rather at the seemingly growing trend of declining math and langauge skills across all levels of North American (yes, Canada, I'm looking at you, too!) society, and the concordant comfort with said decline.

Frankly, I'm tired of people shrugging off their laxity with a giggle and a coy, self-explanatory, "I'm not good at math." We math types (I trained to be a high school math teacher) are fond of saying that no one would ever say proudly, "I'm not good at language," so we should not tolerate that same attitude with respect to numeracy.

But, sadly, we've indeed reached a point where there is no longer any shame in eschewing basic literacy skills, too. The anti-education, anti-intellectual movement is, in many ways, an epidemic. There is no longer shame in ignorance, yet somehow there is shame in brandishing knowledge. It's cool to be a know-nothing braggart, but uncool to be a well-informed Poindexter.

So now when someone frakks up my change, I feel quite justified in smirking visibly, because I'm quite tired of pretending that "oh, that's okay; it's only math, and math is hard."

I know that my amusement is probably viewed by some of you as elitist snobbery. But when and how did it become snobbery to expect basic math skills on the part of service providers, especially providers who are handling my money? I'm sure I'd get the same response if I were to smirk at an official's brutal mishandling of my beloved English language.

How did we get to a point in society where I am the bad guy for expecting basic literacy and numeracy skills on the part of North Americans who've benefitted from years of state-financed public education? Why do we feel compelled to tolerate --nay, celebrate!-- the intellectual laziness of others?

So if any of my students are reading this --and I know you are!-- keep in mind the mood I will be in when I mark your upcoming papers and exams! Intellectual laziness will no longer be tolerated. It may, in the end, affect your chances of landing that choice Starbucks job at the Newark airport after you finish your degree. And we can't be having that.

Choices

2010-03-11T19:42:00.002-05:00

DeeMack sends us news of the death of Robert McCall, the so-called "Picasso of the Space Age". My fellow space nerds may recognize some of his work:

Last night, I was a proud participant in one of the "Climate Justice Teach-Ins" that are peppering campuses across North America. Thanks to all who came out, and to my fellow professors who represented climate change perspectives in social science and chemical engineering.

I've written about Climate Change issues in this space many times before: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

I laid bare my anti-green lifestyle in my article about mass drivers and power satellites. It's not that I don't believe that ecological responsibility is better and more moral, it's just that I am weak and selfish.

More to the point, there's a common environmentalist attitude that I'd like to take issue with. Very often, the onus is placed on the common citizen to transcend his so-called greed and his innate tendency to make decisions that are immediately and personally beneficial in favour of options that are, presumably, better for society on the whole.

For instance, the choices not to drive, or to turn off more lights, or to eat locally grown foods, are considered ecologically superior choices because they impel lighter carbon footprints. The problem, of course, is that it's hard to walk rather than to drive. It's inconvenient to turn out more lights and to huddle under blankets rather than to turn up the heat. And it's more expensive to buy many local products, rather than to rely on cheaper, foreign-made products. I mean, there's a reason we Ontarians import our salads from California: somehow, they manage to get it to us more cheaply than do the farmers down the road.

The reason they are able to do so cheaper is that many such products and practices are subsidized, eithr directly by government programs, or indirectly through the weirdness of our economic system. For instance, the deleterious ecological impact of the CO2 emissions of the trucks used to transport my salad from California does not show on the price of the actual salad; the so-called "commons" of group environmental ownership absorbs these immense costs which, on most accounting sheets, only shows up as something economists call "externalities".

So environmentalists' call for individuals to make these extraordinary choices is in fact an appeal to the human animal to regularly choose options that are, in the immediate and tangible sense, disadvantageous to said individual. We are not very good at making such decisions. For proof of this, all we have to do is look at the global obesity epidemic. We would rather choose the fatty foods for short term pleasure, than the healthy foods for long term health, even though we all know what we should choose.

I've been trying to think of an historical example of an instance in which a society deliberately chose an option that was immediately economically deleterious because it was more moral to do so. The only one I can think of is Britain's decision to abandon slavery in the 1830s. This was a remarkable moment in world history: the call to dissolve the British slave trade was, to the best of my knowledge, the result of the British people's moral choice to distance themselves from a practice that, while immensely profitable, was nonetheless distasteful. For some decades afterwards, they paid an economic price, as goods such as sugar became harder to produce without paying labourers to replace free slave toil.

So what am I trying to say? I'm saying that environmentalist appeals for voluntary changes in individual behaviour are bound to fail on a large scale, because it is not reasonable to expect the common man to make decisions on a regular basis that are economically disadvatageous to himself and his family.

The solution has to be a governmental one and a macro-economic one. Specifically, governments must decide that products and behaviours must bear the real financial price that they truly represent. My California salad cannot be cheaper than my Ontario salad, because the price of the former must reflect the price of the gas to transport it, and the price of the ecologic damage caused by said gas. In this way, when individuals are compelled to make choices that are not only moral but economically wise, a behavioural change of sufficient magnitude may be effected to result in genuine gains in the battle against Climate Change.

End of sermon.

Meh

2010-03-10T00:02:00.003-05:00

So I was in the elevator of my building the other day when an old lady walked in. We chatted. Then she asked for my profession. "I'm a professor at the University of Ottawa," I said.

"Really?" said she. "My grandson is also a professor!"

"Oh?" I said. "What does he teach?"

"He teaches grade 7 at Nepean public school!"

Tht's great. Just great.

In other news, one of my students (you reading this, Jenny?) recently bought a used copy of my first book off the Internet from a source in the USA. When she gave it to me to sign, I was surporised to discovered that I had already signed it... ten years ago! Not only had I signed it, I had added a personalized note to the ingrate who clearly did not appreciate my efforts.

I have vague recollections of who it was: some British balloonist. Seriously, a balloonist.

Well, I got over my huffiness and have since learned to appreciate the synchronicity that brought my signed book back into my hands ten years later.

In yet more "other" news, last week I woke up with mysterious bloody claw marks on my left shoulder. The obvious explanation is that I did it myself, in my sleep, but I bite my nails and barely have any left! I doubt my stubby little nails could have done this:

The rabble on Facebook thinks these are stretch marks. They are not. They are scabbed over scratches. The mystery persists.

What else? Nuthin'. Oh yeah, apparently I'm speaking at the Climate Justice "Teach-in" tonight at the University of Ottawa campus. Check out my news link for details.

Now, despite what the image suggests, I will not be having underage girls on my lap. Nor will I be dressed as Uncle Sam.

Oh, and apropos of nothing.... today is Osama bin Laden's birthday. Make of it what you will.

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-03-09T07:20:00.002-05:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-03-01

(Note: the new #fb hashtag indicates that that post was selectively reproduced on Facebook)

Gots to find me some international women to celebrate today. #fb
Mar 8, 2010 08:39 PM GMT

I didn't watch the Oscars or most of the films, but I do know that Kathryn Bigelow is full of MILFY goodness. #fb
Mar 8, 2010 03:14 PM GMT

Back to having just 2 hours of sleep. All is normal again. #fb
Mar 8, 2010 12:14 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 254 - "Name of a guide book / On Indian etiquette: / 'Hindus and Hin-don'ts'" #fb
Mar 8, 2010 01:58 AM GMT

3 nights in a row of 6+ hours of sleep. Gotta change that tonight!
Mar 7, 2010 01:07 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 253 - "Scam artist was caught / Spent jail time writing novel / Called it, 'Prose and Cons'" #fb
Mar 7, 2010 02:07 AM GMT

An airline is now following me on Twitter. I don't know how to feel about this #fb
Mar 6, 2010 04:36 AM GMT

Woke up with creepy Freddy Krueger-style scratches on my shoulders. And yes, I slept alone. #fb
Mar 5, 2010 05:12 PM GMT

post-funeral drunk is the worst kind of drunk :( #fb
Mar 5, 2010 06:48 AM GMT

thanks to porter air, i am now used to being in a permanent drunken state while flying #fb
Mar 4, 2010 08:53 PM GMT

Question for Google calendar: why did you delete all my appointments from Aug/09 to Dec/09? Just curious. #fb
Mar 4, 2010 05:30 AM GMT

I've lost 2 inches off my biceps. I found them again, though... on my waist. #fb
Mar 3, 2010 05:03 PM GMT

testing the selective twitter2facbook app #fb
Mar 3, 2010 01:49 AM GMT

:Twitter haiku 252 - "Caucasian parents / Failed to get Chinese baby / Two Whites don't make Wong"
Mar 3, 2010 01:23 AM GMT

do they actively cast the dumbest people for the Amazing Race?
Mar 3, 2010 12:32 AM GMT

Going forward, we need to touch base to incentivise our holistic approach to shifting paradigms. http://bit.ly/bN53K1 (expand)
Mar 2, 2010 09:06 PM GMT

Glad to know it would take 141.82 shots of espresso to kill me. Not quite there yet. http://bit.ly/afpP4p (expand)
Mar 2, 2010 06:20 PM GMT

Watching UFC 110. No nationalism, uniforms or jingoism, just grown men engaged in wholesome homoerotic violence
Mar 2, 2010 02:42 AM GMT

got a freaky craving for canned corned beef
Mar 1, 2010 09:08 PM GMT

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-03-01T07:34:00.002-05:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-02-20

Another brutal all-nighter done... but with two lectures and one complete CIHR application done on time!
Mar 1, 2010 12:33 PM GMT

Tonight's late night snack: ravioli stuffed with broccoli, with red pepper tomato sauce and a snifter of the finest, smuggled Guyanese rum
Mar 1, 2010 03:55 AM GMT

Today's lunch: two peanut butter, jelly & banana sandwiches on ancient bread, quinoa porridge with maple syrup, and SIX espressos.
Feb 28, 2010 07:16 PM GMT

The ultimate productive background music is Buddha Bar vol 21
Feb 28, 2010 04:46 PM GMT

Waiting to give my speech at Guyana Independence event... must... stay... sober...
Feb 28, 2010 01:07 AM GMT

Proud new owner of a murphy bed!
Feb 27, 2010 09:10 PM GMT

5:AM and cleaning my condo to the strains of the Buddha Bar
Feb 27, 2010 11:01 AM GMT

why bother making a medical appointment when they make you wait for an hour anyway?
Feb 26, 2010 03:16 PM GMT

Just spent 20 min karate chopping frozen slabs of bacon in half. Seriously, LOADS of fun!
Feb 25, 2010 09:42 PM GMT

Good morning, epidemiologiy students. It's midterm time! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Feb 25, 2010 02:00 PM GMT

Tonight's midnight snack: peanut butter, banana and maple syrup sandwiches
Feb 25, 2010 04:33 AM GMT

Gawd, how I dislike the Olympics.
Feb 25, 2010 04:24 AM GMT

Jeez... my favourite early Bowie song ("Width Of A Circle") is now 40 years old. I now feel very old.
Feb 25, 2010 01:32 AM GMT

Whatever happened to the "indoor voice"? #FB
Feb 25, 2010 12:37 AM GMT

:Twitter haiku 251 - "Bill Cosby when young / Once couldn't find his way home / He was a lost Coz"
Feb 24, 2010 03:43 AM GMT

My awesomeness knows no bounds.
Feb 24, 2010 01:34 AM GMT

I'm sure I'm not the only one enjoying the fashionable return of ultra-tight pants. (No, not on me. Sigh.)
Feb 23, 2010 03:42 PM GMT

Auuuughhh! My students claim I have noticeably more grey hair than just a week ago!!!!
Feb 22, 2010 07:32 PM GMT

:twitter haiku 250 - "NHL players / Who skip their practice sessions / Playing ice hookey"
Feb 22, 2010 04:10 PM GMT · from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet

WILL THE WORK NEVER END?!!!
Feb 22, 2010 12:58 PM GMT

Was there some sort of hockey thing going on today?
Feb 22, 2010 03:42 AM GMT

Bread And Circuses

2010-02-28T19:10:00.003-05:00

Apparently there was a hockey game tonight, something to do with the Olympics. Judging from the noise on the street outside, I gather the favoured team won.

I don't really care. Seriously, I don't care.

I don't begrudge any of you your joy; that is your right. This post is not about me being a curmudgeon and wanting the noisy people outside to quiet down so I that can finish writing the grant that's due tomorrow. People need to celebrate occasionally; I get that. Rather, this is about something a bit more disturbing.

Last week, back when the Canadian men's hockey team lost to the Americans (or so I'm told; I didn't watch it), the great national soul-searching that resulted was rather sickening. One particular Toronto newspaper had on its cover, in 4 centimetre high red letters, "OUR NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT RISK," or something like that. What followed were 6-10 pages of sports coverage and endless analysis about whether Canada would be able to rise above the shame of having a group of its favoured millionaire adolescents lose at a game.

All right. Fair enough. Whatever. I watch cartoons, German porn and reality TV. I'm in no position to pretend to be more sophisticated or enlightened.

But we are a lucky society indeed if our "national shame" is defined by a game. You know what else happened over the same time period that this "national shame" was getting 'round-the-clock coverage? The public supplement to the Iacobucci Report was released.

The Iaocobucci Inquiry's report is an official study of the complicity of the Canadian government in the illegal detainment and torture of Canadian citizens Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin. You can read it at www.iacobucciinquiry.ca.

Not surprising to any of us familiar with the present government's xenophobic tendencies, the Iacobucci Inquiry found that "Canadian officials likely contributed" to the "mistreatment and torture" of the named individuals. I won't go into the details of how they contributed; you can read that bit yourself.

But here's the thing: In the thorough, brow-wiping analysis of our gripping "national shame" (i.e., hockey game) that the aforementioned newspaper examined with such gravitas, was there a single mention of the Iacobucci report or its findings? None that I could see. In fact, I barely heard tell of it any of the mainstream media outlets that I follow, whereas discussion of the hockey game has been fairly overwhelming.

In this same period, a UN report on the status of women found that Canada had dropped from 10th place to 73rd place worldwide, among nations striving for the equality of women.

In this same period, Canada still has a prorogued Parliament, quite contrary to the overwhelming desire of the populace. Yet, our "hard working" Prime Minister can be seen nightly in the stands of the Olympics in his ridiculous red-and-white sweater, mouthing the national anthem. Get back to work, ya bum!

So you'll forgive me if I'm not filled with "national pride" right now. You'll forgive me if I'm not inspired to wave the Canadian flag and hoot and holler down the street with the rest of the revellers. I have a hard time swallowing the pablum of manufactured patriotism while no one seems to care that the same society that produces millionaire medal-winning hockey players also formally engages in the criminal torture of its own citizens, the degradation of the status of its women, the cynical stymying of its Parliament, and yet suffers no repercussions for this transgression.

Bread and circuses indeed.

Extra Bits of Tid

2010-02-21T20:49:00.003-05:00

Just some housekeeping notes today:

My latest India Currents article, "Advantage India", was picked up and syndicated by New American Media under the title, "Why India Has An Advantage Over China".

The photos from my most recent trip to Guyana --described in this recent blog post-- are now posted over on Flickr.com. Here's a taste:

It's a photo of a government- or NGO-sponsored mural drawn on the famous Georgetown sea wall. The funny part is that they left out the "c" in "choose" and no one seems to have noticed.

And here's a video of the manatees in the botanical gardens:

The sad part is that their waters are polluted, even there in the park, with pop bottles and other trash thrown in. And due to drought, the levels of of their small pond are not being well maintained.

Depressed yet?

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-02-21T08:28:00.002-05:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-02-14

uh oh... emceeing a wedding and I have jungle belly!
Feb 20, 2010 10:31 PM GMT

:Twitter haiku 249 - "Failed boxer turns tricks / Gives sloppy fellatio / Takes it on the chin"
Feb 20, 2010 12:33 PM GMT

Wahhh! I have a cold!
Feb 20, 2010 11:46 AM GMT

Just walked off a plane from the jungle to Ottawa and headed to a formal dinner. I love my life.
Feb 19, 2010 10:39 PM GMT · from mobile web · Reply · View Tweet

Trinidad airport has free wifi. Why can't Canadian airports be so progressive?
Feb 19, 2010 12:14 PM GMT

Weirdness: internet cafe in a Guyanese frontier town, with Bollywood music blaring everywhere.
Feb 15, 2010 07:06 PM GMT

On a 2 hr speedboat ride down the Essequibo river, with the loud engine drowning out my rendition of Journey songs. #fb
Feb 15, 2010 04:09 PM GMT

Today's late night snack: steamed broccoli and cashews. And rum.
Feb 15, 2010 03:33 AM GMT

Missives From Guyana

2010-02-18T17:00:00.000-05:00

Feb 16 - Bethany, Guyana

It is Feb 16 and I've been back in Guyana for almost 4 days. As I write this, I am huddled under a mosquito net, recognizing the keyboard keys by the illumination afforded by my headlamp, and sweltering in heat that feels like 35 degrees or so. It is 9pm in Bethany in region 2, and I am presently visiting a clean, organized medical mission run by 7th Day Adventist missionaries. I expected to be sleeping on an open deck, knife clutched for fear of nocturnal aggressive dogs and other such creatures. Instead, the mission has given me a luxurious private bungalow in which to spend the night.

Luxurious is a relative term, of course. This is still mostly rainforest. My bed is shielded by a mosquito net. But all types of creepy crawlies are being drawn to the glow of the computer screen, and the net is now crawling with life. Oh, and there's a family of frogs living in my toilet bowl. The missionaries call them "surpprise frogs" for the obvious reason. They may regret their choice of abode tomorrow morning when my bean-heavy meal is fully digested. Then they'll be the ones who are surprised.

Yes, my line of work really is stressful. To greet us in Bethany, the college arranged for their top massage students to give us each a one our relaxation massage. Beneath starlight, nestled in the jungle's humid embrace and soothed by the otherworldly tweets and chirps of creatures unseen, we had the knots of our muscles expertly pressed away.

The college, by the way, is a training centre for vegetarian Seventh Day Adventist Bible workers who wish to attach medical skills to their missionary work. I have my hesitancies about mixing religion and medicine, but it's nothing new in the history of humankind, and there is no doubt that these are intelligent, caring people who --religion or no religion-- can provide some much needed health relief for the tens of thousands in Guyana who suffer without regular medical care. And there's also no denying that the college has created a wondrous, peaceful and comfortable home here in the Essequibo region, literally carved out of pure jungle. With all the holiness about, it's a wonder my unclean self doesn't burst into flames.

Their vegetarianism is also a boon. Despite my regular bacon fixations, I am mostly a vegetarian myself (mostly!), and prefer to remain strictly so while traveling. Guyana has proven particularly difficult to maintain such a diet, so it's a fantastic thing to be housed in a compound that produces very creative and healthy vegetarian fare.

This is my umpteenth trek to Guyana, each time with a different mission and purpose, and each time with a different destination. In the morning we travel to the AmerIndian village of Mashabo, where we will explore potential new development projects. Then it's back to Georgetown to await our Friday morning flight home. A medical team attached to the NGO I'm representing on this trip is presently in the deep interior, near the Venezuelan border; they are returning to Georgetown Friday evening and I'm sad that I won't be able to meet up with them before leaving.

Our first stop was the frontier town of Bartica, outpost of boatmen and gold miners straggling in from Brazil, Venezuela and all points within Guyana. Here's an object lesson for those North Americans among you who have never ventured abroad: one night, at dinner with four senior men of Bartica, they turned the conversation, in all seriousness, to the topic of whether one's first love can truly end. It's something I've seen throughout my journeys, but never in the "West": men from all walks of life --builders, miners, politicians, labourers-- gathering together to discuss the nature of love.

The bugs are spooking me now. Got to turn off the computer!

Feb 17 - Bethany, Guyana

Just returned from a visit to the AmerIndian village of Mashabo, which is home to 400-500 Awarak and Carib Indians, cared for by one overworked health care worker, the very charming and experienced Esther. Our job here is to scope out the community's appropriateness for a medical intervention. My personal agenda is to determine whether any smaller, low investment but high income, projects can be initiated here. The answer to both questions is yes.

Mashabo is a gorgeous set of wooden homes nestled above a seemingly pristine lake. Like all waters in Guyana, the lake is brown and muddy, but somehow seems cleaner and almost blue from a distance. Esther informed us that ongoing issues include malaria, maternal health problems, chronic pain management, blood counts and contraception needs, all within the NGO's mandate. Additionally, our visit to the underresourced primary school leads us to conclude that teaching aids, particularly with respect to language and science teaching, are most needed. This, I think, is a potentially cheap and impactive development initiative.

At one point, I went for a walk down one of the trails cut by a tractor (logging is the major industry here). Exotic plants and insects abounded, as well as the ubiquitous rustle in the foliage that was usually a splendid ground-dwelling bird or one of many species of large lizard. This is the jungle, after all.

I spotted another trail, mostly overgrown, that looked to have been cut by machete days earlier. Did I dare? How brave was I? This is, after all, the land of five very prevalent poisonous snake species, killer jaguars, poisonous spiders and a plethora of unnamed biting things that can cause disease, pain and even death. I've been to jungles in Guyana, Guatemala, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Uganda before. I've tracked wild mountain gorillas through the Congo jungle, bivouaced in a hammock on the Brazilian border to hear the jaguars patrolling, piloted a bamboo raft across a jungle river from Thailand into Burma, and have stared down forest foxes on the steps of remote Mayan ruins being overtaken by the forest. I contemplated the snake-proof gaiters in my pack, the mosquito mask in my back pocket and the hunting knife in my front pocket.

Yes, I dared.

And as I bravely set foot onto this path of new dangers, furtively congratulating myself on my masculine courage, I suddenly jumped back! I was surprised by six barefoot AmerIndian schoolboys, the eldest no more than 7, running happily from out of the "dangerous" path. Each turned to me and politely said in turn, "Good afternoon, sir!"

Yeah, I'm an idiot.

It's 7pm now and I'm back at the mission. The blazing stars glare down through crystal clear skies, and the oppressive heat sets in for the night. I must awaken at 5:AM to make the boat back to Georgetown. But I go to sleep now with a strange contentment. We heard tonight the members of the mission singing, broken youth who have come here to mend and to find a new way. Christian songs echoing through the jungle, like something out of a Jeremy Irons movie (you know the one). I am not a Christian, but I understand what they do here, and I appreciate it.

Feb 18, Georgetown, Guyana

I awoke at 4:AM to catch a speedboat to the town of Supenaam, where anotherboat would take us to Parika, followed by a drive to Georgetown. In the wee hours, the jungle is dark and silent, save for the constant buzzing of weird insects and the occasional crash of something unknown against a hard surface. I took the time to examine the stars, so brilliant and skewed than what I'm used to in Canada.

I heard another of those mysterious crashes coming from the thickest part of the snaking treeline, and flipped on my headlamp to have a gander. We are below sea level, in a genuine South American jungle. The air is as thick as soup, coarse with raw oxygen spewed forth by the greenery. In front of my lamp, a line of plankton-like objects swam in the air, reminding me that life is everywhere here, even in the breathable air, fully explaining my endless allergic reactions.

Hours of peaceful boat journey back to the "city" were instructive. Passing children --7 or 8 years old-- clean and lovely in their pressed school outfits, actually rowed their own boats to school. Children in Canada at that age whine about their electronic toys. Children here perform daily manual labour to earn the right to go to school.

We stop to pick up a mother and her three schoolage kids. One of them has been up all night with diarrhea, so they are heading to the hospital. There is a diarrhea epidemic across the country right now, as a mini-drought has gripped the nation, leading to improper use of stagnant waters. One child spends the boat time brushing his teeth with clean water in a cup, spitting into the myserious brownness of the river. It is a weirdly peaceful sight.

In Georgetown we checked into the Hotel Tower, my 5th time staying here in the last 10 years. Ironically, my father had been a waiter and busboy here 60 years ago. He wouldn't recognize the place today, with its contemporary discotheque, free wifi and in-house spa. Don't get me wrong --it's still a Third World inn, so it's no Ramada or Continental. But it certainly has changed since my father's day.

We met briefly with the people who run Food For The Poor, an international NGO that delivers --you guessed it-- food for the poor. Then topped off the day with a bit of tourism: a trip to the zoo.

Now, I'd been to the Georgetown zoo several times before, most recently only four days ago! But there's not much else to do around here. For the equivalent of US$4,two people enjoyed entrance and an alcoholic beverage each. Trust me, booze helps you accept some of the horrors you see in this place. My least favourite is the adult African lion, kept in a concrete cage no bigger than a king-sized bed. The poor beast looked bored and miserable.

Most fiercesome were the harpy eagles and various species of South American owls, each big enough and with talons broad enough to easily pick a human baby from its mother's arms. The harpy eyed me with malicious intent, until I distracted it by indicating a nearby child: much easier pickings.

Interestingly, there's a huge fenced in exhibit featuring.... a cow. Yes, a cow. With the cow was a toucan in a cage. A cow and a toucan. I think there's a Saturday morning cartoon there somewhere.

Further on is the tapir enclosure. A sign above it indicates that this tapir is on loan from the Philadelphia zoo. Why is this interesting? Because I've seen tapirs in Guyana before... wandering about, minding their own business. Tapirs are indigenous to Guyana. Why do they need to get one from Philadelphia, of all places?

Weirdest of all were the monkey enclosures. These are large metal cages holding many spider monkeys, howler monkeys, and other breeds I did not identify. The spider monkeys are huge, elegant and sad, with active prehensile tails and faces of red otherworldly delight. They are so bored that they shake the hand of any passing human, possibly writing on their palms in secret monkey script, "Send help!"

But several of the smaller monkey species have figured out how to get out. They treat the cage like a sort of townhouse, coming and going as they please, occasionally visiting other monkey species in their cages. I was concerned about one of them wandering into the anaconda or jaguar enclosure, so I alerted an employee.

"Oh those aren't our monkeys," she said. "They come from the outside."

Really? If there are so many monkeys just kicking about visiting their monkey friends in prison, why do we bother even having a monkey prison?!!!

Clearly, this is not the most progressive zoo in the world. I think the alcohol might have given it away.

Off to dinner now, then a long night of catching up on overdo work. Then back to the cold winter of Canada.

"Weekly" Twitter Tweets

2010-02-14T00:35:00.001-05:00

Weekly Twitter tweets from deonandan, since:2010-02-04

My Firefox weather app show's that it's -9 in Ottawa right now. BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAA!
Feb 14, 2010 05:28 AM GMT ·

Back in Guyana. Full of rum, Brazilian steak, coconut water and dread for the mountain of work I'm not doing.
Feb 14, 2010 04:34 AM GMT ·

aauuuuughhhhh!!!!
Feb 13, 2010 04:59 AM GMT

6 hours in the middle seat. My travel agent sucks!
Feb 13, 2010 02:40 AM GMT

Heading into the wilds of Guyana's interior. If you DON'T hear from me after the 19th, call Steven Seagal. He'll know what to do
Feb 12, 2010 11:42 PM GMT ·

Heading into the wilds of Guyana's interior. If you hear from me after the 19th, call Steven Seagal. He'll know what to do.
Feb 12, 2010 11:19 PM GMT ·

:Twitter haiku 248 - "An advancing bee / Wears dark colours in Autumn / Sting forward, Fall black"
Feb 12, 2010 03:14 AM GMT ·

There's an airport in Kitchener? Why? #fb
Feb 11, 2010 09:33 PM GMT

To my current and former HSS students: consider submitting your A+ papers to the IJHS. Deadline is Feb 20: http://www.ijhs.ca/
Feb 10, 2010 11:01 PM GMT ·

New experiment: can I write tomorrow's lecture a whole day early and in the MORNING? #FB
Feb 10, 2010 02:01 PM GMT ·

"Damn it, I'm MULATTO!" #4WordsOnObamasHand
Feb 9, 2010 11:05 PM GMT ·

testing.... #fb
Feb 9, 2010 05:32 PM GMT ·

This is a test... using "Selective twitter" to post to FB selectively via Twitter http://bit.ly/wTk0m (expand) #fb
Feb 9, 2010 05:31 PM GMT ·

:Twitter haiku 247 - "Disease transmission / Define 'fecal-oral' route: / 'To eat shit and die'"
Feb 9, 2010 05:18 PM GMT ·

I wish Facebook would stop messing about
Feb 9, 2010 12:07 AM GMT ·

Omigod. It's before midnight and I've already written all my lectures for tomorrow!!!
Feb 8, 2010 04:53 AM GMT ·

I'm a male cougar... a manther.
Feb 7, 2010 04:09 PM GMT ·

:Twitter haiku 246 - "Went to cougar bar / For Philanthropic event / Such milfy goodness"
Feb 7, 2010 05:11 AM GMT ·

A student who's reading one of my books: "Pretty eloquent for a guy who talks about his dick all the time."
Feb 5, 2010 09:12 PM GMT ·

:Twitter haiku 245 - "Geometricians / In old Italian town / Compute Pisa pi"
Feb 5, 2010 06:30 PM GMT ·

About to give a guest lecture in a Women's Studies class. Yes, yes, get the obvious jokes out of your system.
Feb 5, 2010 05:57 PM GMT ·

My latest invention: peanut butter, jelly, banana and BACON sandwich.
Feb 5, 2010 05:06 PM GMT ·

:Twitter haiku 244 - "An iconoclast / Wary of rice-farming ways / Goes against the grain"
Feb 4, 2010 07:39 PM GMT ·

Current Events Quiz #2

2010-02-09T08:26:00.004-05:00

Remember back in November, I gave my 4th year class a quiz on current events. I then shared the quiz online and invited YOU to report your marks. This is how you did:

...which is slightly better than how the students did. But remember that online respondents could have cheated, and perhaps only those who did well took the time to report their results. The two sets of results are therefore not comparable and no conclusions can be made from these observations. It doesn't matter. This is not a contest, merely an educational opportunity.

This week, I gave the students their second current events quiz. This time, I narrowed the parameters significantly. The test would be on the news as reported by BBC World News radio broadcast (or their saved podcasts), within the period from Feb 1 to Feb 5 inclusive.

I haven't marked the quiz yet. But I thought you would like to take your shot, as well. As before, the answers are at the bottom of this blog post. And when you're done and you want to share your results with the rest of the world, click here:

http://doodle.com/6mbwmskkkxsdeph2

Remember: This is not a contest.

-----

1. A handful of Americans face kidnapping charges for trying to "rescue" orphans --who turned out not to be orphans-- from what country? (Broadcast Feb 1)
a. Bangladesh
b. Haiti
c. Croatia
d. Iraq
e. Afghanistan

2. Attempts to move large numbers of people off their land in India is, according to the government, necessary to protect them from underground heat and fires. Critics suggest, though, that the government and industrial interests really want to gain access to what underground resource? (Broadcast Feb 1)
a. Uranium
b. Coal
c. Oil
d. Gold
e. Bauxite

3. The President of Iran made what surprising offer to the international community? (Broadcast Feb 3)
a. He offered to send Iranian uranium abroad to be enriched, rather that developing domestic enrichment capacity
b. He offered to abandon domestic nuclear production in exchange for direct financial aid and debt reduction
c. He offered to step down and institute open elections with direct international oversight
d. He offered to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel
e. He offered to decriminalize homosexuality in exchange for reduction in American and European economic sanctions

4. In Basra, Iraq, a new hospital called the "Sara Center" just opened. What does it focus on? (Broadcast Feb 3)
a. Maternal and reproductive health
b. Mental health
c. Treatment of children injured in the war
d. HIV/AIDS
e. The medical needs of American war veterans

5. A new study showed that in the UK, the cost per person for this disease is greater than that for cancer, heart disease and stroke, and concluded that this is probably also true for the rest of the world. What disease are they talking about? (Broadcast Feb 3)
a. Depression
b. HIV/AIDS
c. Obesity and/or diabetes
d. Dementia
e. Infertility

6. The international criminal court is facing an appeal that may see Omar al-Bashir charged with genocide. Omar al-Bashir is the current leader of what nation? (Broadcast Feb 3)
a. Yemen
b. Serbia
c. Rwanda
d. Sudan
e. Algeria

7. This country recently test-fired a ballistic missile (likely containing test animals), making many surrounding nations quite nervous. (Broadcast Feb 4)
a. Yemen
b. Iraq
c. Iran
d. North Korea
e. Cuba

8. India has offered to resume diplomatic talks with what nation, after relations were suspended due to a terrorist incident in 2008? (Broadcast Feb 4)
a. Afghanistan
b. Iraq
c. Iran
d. Pakistan
e. Sri Lanka

9. Which republic of the former Soviet Union had federal elections scheduled for Feb 7, 2010? (Broadcast Feb 4)
a. Georgia
b. Lithuania
c. Ukraine
d. Romania
e. Uzbekistan

10. What breakthrough at Cambridge University might help millions of people around the world who suffer from diabetes? (Broadcast Feb 5)
a. Genetically engineered insulin
b. A subcutaneous insulin pump
c. A rapid, safe weight-loss drug
d. A carbohydrate digestion blocker
e. An artificial pancreas

-----

Answers:
1. b
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. d
6. d
7. c
8. d
9. c
10. e

In Memory of Bo

2010-02-05T00:27:00.002-05:00

No, not this Boe:

But rather, this Boa:

Boa was the last living speaker of the language Bo, named for the tribe of Bo, of the Great Andaman peoples who once populated the Andaman and Nicobar islands off of India.

If this link works, you'll be able to see a video of Boa singing in her now extinct native language.

Maybe it's hard for a non-academic pointy-head to appreciate the singular tragedy of Boa's passing, but give it a shot. Beyond the sad tale of military decimation by the British, then the effects of paternalistic colonial-style policies by both the British then the Indian governments, leading to the literal extinction of complete races of these aboriginal peoples, there remains the tragedy of our lost links to human pre-history. Yes, as with all things, the passing of Boa is being characterized first and foremost as a loss to the selfish modern world, and not so much as the legacy of a brutal crime committed by the modern world.

Very few anthropological links remain to human prehistory. It's remarkable how little we actually know about how the human animal lived, felt and thought prior to the innovation of writing and thus the recording of history. To examine such times would help answer some of the most fundamental questions of human existence having to do with what is natural and what is constructed. The perhaps thousands of years of human language prior to the advent of civilization a mere 6-10 thousand years ago reflect a sentient mind emerging from the grace of naturalism and into the realm of instrumentalism and exceptionalism.

With the passing of Boa goes one of our last connections to a language that reflected that ethic. In fact, it's believed that the language of Bo predates the Neolithic period, thus pre-dating what we define as civilization.

The continued paternalistic treatment of the surviving Andamanese concerns me greatly, as does modern civilization's treatment of extant tribal Aboriginals globally. In my review of the movie Avatar, some commenter made the annoying and all too common criticism, "I’m wondering why we don’t call Europeans in Europe with family ties dating back centuries aboriginals as well".

Well, fool, we don't call them that because the word "Aboriginal" refers both to a lengthy historical attachment to a place (typically lasting thousands, maybe tens of thousands of years) combined with a modern political, geographical and cultural marginalization of that extant and threatened race. I'll never understand why so many people feel threatened when the plights of such vulnerable peoples so rarely manages to make it onto the public agenda.

Species, peoples, cultures, languages, religions and ideas all go extinct. That's the way of things. But, you know what? It's not necessarily the fact of it that should worry us. It's the how of it. The Andamanese tribals are the victims of centuries of genocidal policies. As far as I can tell, one tribe remains.

You know what the first image I found when I Googled "Andaman"? This one:

Yeah, it's a British tourist ad. Boa is dead. Her race is extinct. And her ancestral land is now the domain of drunken, shagging chavs from England.

In Other News

My latest article is up at India Currents.

And I've begun to archive my haikus!