From the Cabin

A bit of snow. A few hours of skiing (one side of the mountain strangely, or not so strangely deserted). Many VHS films, some better than others – but all without green. A roaring, perpetually burning fire (free heat) (and for us environmentalists, it meets the American emissions regulations, which means you never see smoke out the chimney, has to do with introducing air to both the bottom and top of the combustion chamber). Tommorow – new years. Sarah’s. New A510 – will serve well for New years eve photo taking. Then end of the year is near, but I’ve already been writing 2006 for months. In the new year

- I’m a graduate student, working primarily on Heidegger halfway across the country from my home.
- I have a girlfriend (??!), who is excellent, smart, hot, and whom I love.
- I have 160$ shoes

What I’d really like is a radio controlled car. Well, can’t have it all.

Views requested

The French National assembly is currently considering a bill that has tacted onto it an ammendement that, if passed, would legalize peer to peer file sharing. Downloaders would pay a one time fee that, once paid, would allow them to download peer to peer movies and music without commiting any crime. They say it is simply bringing law up to date with reality. Opponents say it will “bring down the entire creative industry”. They say that France invented private property for artists in 1791 and now they stand to take it away.

Do people buy this? Either side? Is private property absolutely to be abolished, making free use of creative production totally legal? Do we really think that softening on private property at all will “bring down the creative industry”? But, isn’t it really nonsensical to think that we can maintain private property laws as is – I mean, p2p sharing can go underground, encrypted, and users will be undetectable (within reason). I suppose the answer is something in between total illegality and the abolition of property rights, but how would this work?

If anyone was thinking of voting conservative…

You might want to take a look at a speech Stephen Harper gave 8 years ago to a right-wing think-tank in the U.S. The top quote is, “the NDP is kind of proof that the Devil lives and interferes in the affairs of men.” Full text can be found at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051214.wtext1214/BNStory/Front. If anyone thought Stephen Harper was not the kind of scary anti-Canadian politicien liberal adds make him out to be, we know he is now.

Oh, and if anyone wants to defend the views Harper puts forth in this speech, feel free.

I should clarify: what is frightning about this speech is not its direct content, but the manner in which it is presented, the tone, and the fact he would joke about such things.

A few remarks on temperature

I know I’ve been writing a lot of entries lately. Well, suck it up. I feel the need to tell the world how much I like the climate in Toronto – even though it means I have to carry around a million appendages for my body, and even if its so dry that I’m sick all the time – the snow actually stays on the ground! That makes it all worthwhile. I enjoy walking home at 2 am when its -10. I think its great. Also, it’s just not that cold here – I don’t know what they are making such a fuss about. It’s like Vancouver on steroids – the snow still doesn’t stay on the ground for more than a week. Everyday feels like hetero-normative xmas.

My ideal winter “high” is -2.

Graduated? Yes!

Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve set foot there, but now that UBC has been nice enough to graduate me I’ll give them a little round of applause. it only took an extra six months and a couple flurries of emails to get it pushed through, but I am now officially graduated – 1st class, on the dean’s list. If anyone knows if those classifications are in anyway meaningful, pray tell.

P.S. Robarts library won’t let me log onto their wireless because its for U of T students, faculty and staff only. However, on the 9th floor there is a linksys wireless access point – password “admin”. It might not even be on this floor, the signal is quite weak. But it’s enough! God love ibook’s wonderful antennas.

Canucks – Ottawa

Big matchup tonight. Team that is so-so, despite being 12 and 1 in their own building, faces off against the best actual team in the league (with equally impressive home and road records). Feel free to leave your comments before, during, and after the game.

A December Entry

Hello all,

The Christmas season is nearing, and it has been a long while since I last updated my journal. The consistency of other bloggers, (especially Milan and Brie), make me feel inadaquate inasmuch as online expression is concerned.

I have had a good last few weeks. I have spent a lot of time with Kate, sometimes it feels a bit decadent but time with her has truly been time well spent. Less time together in this last week before returning is in order, however, as this paper of mine really does need to be finished before the 15th. The good news is I’m already 2500 words into the 6000 word monster. I would like to have the oppertunity to re-write it, however, before I hand it in, as I have not written a thing since July.

I spoke with Milan and Jessica B on skype today. The 3 way conversation on skype was very enjoyable, it felt like being on a radio show. I very much enjoyed Jessica B’s laughter, and Milan played an excellent host.

I hope you are all planning on attending my Christmas party July 16th. Kate will be there, aswell as Dave (perhaps late), perhaps Josh “A Sandwich? What are you trying to be, healthy?”, Jeremy, Sonny, Rachel, Aleister (or at least I’ve recieved some indication). Also valerie and Emily! (2 cute girls). And I think they are both Single ‘)

In short, you should all RSVP about the gathering. And you should remember that the dress is Semi-formal. And you should bring something – like a desert or an ordeovre, or wine. Yes, wine would be good. (I like BC wines, like Cedar Creek and Gray Monk.) Hey – maybe we can even crack open that bottle of yellow-tail that someone gave me before I left for Toronto.

Furthermore, if anyone has anything they would like me to bring them back from Toronto, pray tell. I don’t think there’s much here which you can’t get on the coast, but there must be some things. For one thing, there are a lot of local micro brew which I’ve never seen in BC. (Maybe I’ll bring some back – on account of needing to bring an empty suitcase and all).

Toodles