Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, B of A, Credit Suisse

Just following up my last post regarding campaign donations. I think contributions to political campaigns are usually self-interested endeavours. We support a political party because we want them to represent us.

That being said, here are the top 5 contributors for Obama and Romney. I wouldn't identify as someone who entirely distrusts big banks, but having 5 big banks as Romney's top campaign donators is not confidence inspiring.

*stats taken from: http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php

Campaign finances

The campaigns of people running for office, whether locally or nationally, are usually funded by their supporters in the form of donations. If a candidate has more money to spend on their campaign, they will have more opportunities to spread their message, become well-known, and increase their proportion of the vote. Political scientist Gary Jacobson has noted that increased campaign financing results in larger and more pervasive campaigns and increases a voter's recognition of a candidate. Greater voter recognition of a candidate allows a voter to more easily present an evaluation of a candidate. More evaluations usually means more positive evaluations in total, and therefore more votes. I made a splendidly diagram:

If you're interested in how the campaign finances of Romney compare against Obama, check out the screen capture below from www.opensecrets.org

The cost of university tuition, opportunity cost, rationalizing university, and cleaning puke.

Hello blog readers,

As a self-loathing university student struggling with the cost/benefit ratio of attending university, I found this video particularly interesting. In the video below a past university graduate rationalizes the positive effects of attending university against the costs; keep in mind, he is located in the United States where tuition costs are much higher than Canada. University is still a worthy pursuit despite the over-commidification of university degree programs and the exceeding commercialization of quickly turning out over educated people with undergraduate degrees :) Yippeeee!

Bring your gun to the Republican National Convention. Why? Because you can!

On August 28th-30th The Republicans are having their National Convention in Tampa Bay, Florida. With such a large collection of political leaders and the Presidential hopeful himself, Mitt Romney, you can bet security will be at a maximum. All the standard potentially hazardous things will be banned from entering the convention; like knives, machetes, aerosol cans, long pieces of rope, mysterious liquids, and dynamite. But don't dismay: if you were planning on bringing your concealed weapon you can still attend. After all, thanks to the second amendment, it is your right to bear arms. The second amendment slowly blurs the line between idiot and ideologue, allowing any sane American to carry a concealed weapon if they have the corresponding permit in the State of Florida.

If you think this is stupid, picture this: the convention is going along cordially when the Queen of England herself comes in and starts bossing everyone around. We must expect, nay demand, Americans to defend themselves against tyranny accordingly... right? 

High-rises in Guelph

How high should buildings in Guelph be? Should we allow high rises (10+ stories) in the downtown core? The answers to these questions are highly contentious, depending on who you ask.

There are many benefits of tall buildings; they house lots of people in a dense space allowing efficient service delivery, they can provide affordable accommodation, they can bring people back into the downtown core and move away from Guelph's "bar driven" downtown economy, and they can offer students housing away from the student-centric neighbourhoods of Scottsdale, Ironwood, and Cole Road.

There are problems associated with high rises in the downtown as well; they disrupt the skyline, they cast foreboding shadows across the landscape, they may become large bland monoliths that fail to integrate with their surroundings. There is no correct answer.

Provincial pressures, such as the Places to Grow Act, mandate that Guelph must provide a certain amount of housing. One way to meet this demand and escape the sprawl of subdivisions (à la the Southend) is to intensify the accommodation of people in high rises.

I can't really say if I agree with the proposed high rise at the corner of Wellington and Macdonell. I don't live nearby, and my interaction with the space is limited to infrequent drive-bys. However, I do feel the scale of a high rise in that location is not keeping with the current trends of downtown. John Galt's original plan for Guelph was low-rise developments, similar to those of liveable European cities. I wonder if it is still possible to maintain that vision, while supporting growth.

Aerial view of Guelph

Aerial view of Paris

learn about Adrienne Clarkson. why? why not.

Adrienne Clarkson, the first visible minority and second female appointed to Governor General. She's totally cool! critics will be critics.

SOPA is DOA

boy: I'm bored. I think i will go on the internet.
     boy: HELLO? INTERNET?!
          boy: I love the internet
          Congressman: Hello Ben,
          boy: Who the hell are you?! How did you get in my computer?
Congressman: My name is Lamar Smith, Texas Congressman. I introduced the SOPA bill. Your version of Beyonce's Single Ladies was pirated. Get off the internet.
     boy: THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF SOPA!

*The push for SOPA has stalled. Now we can all worry about ACTA* acronyms are oppressive.

SOPA and PIPA are two different things.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Do you steal music off the internet? Be honest.

I used to, but then in the summer of 2011 I decided to download Windows Vista and reformatted my computer. I also forgot to back up any files. I lost my entire music collection, slowly stolen off the internet since grade 7.

If you regularly consume media over the internet, chances are you visit websites that host copy-write infringing material. What does this mean? When someone creates something original they have the right to legally protect the their work. Copy-right or "the right to copy", gives the creator control over their work in many forms:

                      -They have the right to control any reproductions of their work

-They have the right to be credited for their work

                                   -They have the right to control who financially benefits from their work

The internet, in it's current form, has so much copy-righted material everywhere. In most cases without the owner's permission. YouTube, Wikipedia, Ebay, Craiglist, etc, all feature content the original owners never granted permission to use. This blog features lots of content I post without asking the owner's permission.
        The Stop Online Piracy Act gives the rightful owner's of intellectual property more power to go after people infringing on their content. It is a complicated bill with lots of implications. Check out the edu-cartoon above; it can explain techno jargon better than myself.

        Blogger, Jason Harvey of Reddit.com, gives a thorough explanation of the Stop Online Piracy Act, and the Protect IP Act here: A technical examination of SOPA and PROTECT IP

slippery slope

sad reality of war

Why is something popular referred to as "viral"? As in, "this internet video has gone viral".
I think it has something to do with the infectious nature of a virus. "Infectious" also confers a negative spread; a spread of sickness and sadness. Rebecca Black's video, "Friday" has all of those characteristics. But I digress...


Recently, a video of US Marines urinating on Afghan corpses has gone "viral". I have not seen the video, as I cannot bring myself to watch it. An event like this has serious repercussions for all stakeholders in the ambiguous War on Terror. The American effort to win the hearts-and-minds of Afghans will suffer. The reputation of the American military will suffer. More people may take up arms against the United States. The international community will shame the war effort because this is a disturbing reality brought into the public's homes via computer screen.


Unlike the Gulf war, which was highly televised, the Afghan and Iraq campaigns have remained sheltered from the public's view. Time magazine recently did a piece on the growing separation between the military and the public, and this video is a jarring reality of being conscious about the war.

I found a lot of the press to shame the soldiers in the video. No doubt, their actions are despicable. But how can I begin to comprehend the circumstances that led to that video? War takes a toll on the mind, and people of differing mental fortitude go off to fight war. I don't mean to apologize for the soldiers in the video, but rather apologize for the circumstances in which their actions were committed. I assume watching scores of people die from bombs and bullets could rework the reality of the brain; make someone crazy. The reality of war could make urinating on your supposed enemy commonplace. This is not the first time something like this has happened. Who am I too say? I can't. We need to rethink how we fight these wars.


National Post - 
Video of Marines urinating on dead insurgents won’t harm peace talks: Taliban


Globe and Mail -
Video of U.S. Marines urinating on Taliban dead causes uproar

republican primary

Triptych of Haywain by Hieronymus Bosch. It's a crazy painting! The tadpole mouse is making a getaway!

Often, it is the loudest voices that carry the day. Popular media can have a way of sensationalizing the loudest voices, however extreme they might be, while the best voices become marginalized. I am referring to America's Republican Primaries, currently taking place. GOP candidates campaign to represent the Republican Party against Obama in November; if you didn't think the GOP was a breeding ground for unqualified leaders during the 2008 election (Palin), you will after the Republican Primaries (Cain, Bachmann, Santorum, Perry, etc).

The "media" (ambiguous, I know), presents us with politically themed stories, that have little bearing on the actual issues at hand. For example: Herman Cain's sexual harassment accusations. Why did this dominate news headlines for as long as it did? Our infatuation with reading about Cain's sordid personal life is pathetic. Headlines were made when he said pizzas with few toppings are for sissy's... I'll admit it, I ate it up. I had a great time laughing about Herman and all his nonsensical junk. The same thing happened with Sarah Palin in 2008. The media needs to do its job and clear its palate of these candidates who clearly do not stand a chance. The void created by the lack of non-pertinent distractions could be filled with stories that actually inform (I'm looking at you FOX NEWS). We need to do our job, and not give the soap-operaesque tabloids credence. 

We have some similar political personas in Canada, although not as extreme. The closest thing Canadians have to the political carnival characters from the States, is Don Cherry. Unfortunately, he garners more respect and attention than many of our top ranking public servants. And he doesn't even practice politics. We laughed along when Peter Kent apparently didn't know what ozone was, but unfortunately that is a much more serious issue than Herman Cain's mistress(es). Peter Kent's issue is  actually rather sad, and not something to laugh about.

It's not about a left-versus-right thing either. I would certainly vote for some of the Republican contenders over the Democrat's Obama. It is about intellectual honesty, and separating fact from drivel.
I encourage you to look into the United States' electoral race, starting with the Primaries right now. The changes taking place across the border are inevitably going to affect Canadians, and we should do our part to get informed and advocate for the change we want.

As of writing this, Cain and Bachmann have dropped out. Below I have posted a video from Rick Perry... scary I know. I have also posted a rebuttal I found on youtube, which sums up my feelings more eloquently than I can express.

i still appreciate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, even though it presented negative enjoyment

I did not enjoy reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I give it a thumbs-down. Also, doesn't the hand on the cover look vaguely erotic?

I recently read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It chronicles a man who escapes the Earth's destruction, and his interstellar voyage. The book forced me to suspended my disbelief to uncomfortable levels, and I had a hard time identifying with the characters (aliens).

This book is a metaphor for political preference. Even though The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy  presented absolutely no value to me whatsoever, I still need to recognize a lot of people absolutely adore this book. 14 million copies have been sold, since it was first published in 1979. Do I begrudge the people that purchased this book? No.

This is a message to people that ardently take a political side, needlessly vilify the opposition, and fail to fully inform themselves. We all know people like this; on occasion we are all guilty of this. We need to constantly remind ourselves that both sides of the political spectrum are needed for healthy democracy and debate.

another chapter in city politics draws to a close

photo courtesy of Dodge Baena

Winter is oddly depressing and comforting. It is the season of emotional senescence, whereby we retreat inside and reflect on the year that passed. At least it is that way for me; I don't ski or snowboard. Snow irritates my ankles.

The winter break has provided me all the free time university siphons away. My casual rejection of being outside in the winter has loosened, since I have discovered pleasurable free outdoor activities, like the Nicholas Lambden rink in front of City Hall.

This rink (hopefully), represents a closing chapter in the City of Guelph, as is naturally expected in the season of Winter. The implementation and construction of the new rink, City Hall building, and Market Square space has been a point of contention between the public, downtown merchants, and city hall, for several years. Anyone who frequents downtown can attest, Carden St. has been in a perpetual state of construction every summer for the past several years. The construction was blamed for driving away customers and putting merchants on the verge of bankruptcy. The situation between merchants and the city was poorly handled; at one point the city threatened to sue business owners over a defamatory comparison made between city councillors and the three stooges.  . 

The negative impacts of Carden's (re)construction have been used as fodder by the anti-Farbridge groups to support the claim that the City of Guelph is anti- business, as was mentioned in a leaked report earlier this year. To truly determine if this is correct, I feel more time is needed to see the change in business on Carden St.

I understand all the arguments against the reconstruction of Carden, but after visiting I find it harder to convince myself it was a bad idea. It's a beautiful space, and attracts a diverse selection of Guelphites. It is endearing to see new Canadians strapping on skates and embracing a Canadian pastime. It is endearing to see wobbly-footed children coached by their grandparents. It is endearing to see young couples hold hands and weave their way around the ice.

Was the cost/benefit of the new space worth it? I don't know, but I am definitely going to be spending more time in that space, and hopefully I will buy a thing or two from the shops there (Hempire, anyone?).

Q: who should be the lamp lighter? A: taxpayers

The City of Guelph is run like a conglomeration of companies all working to provide city services in exchange for tax dollars. If you haven't heard, the city of Guelph is a little short on cash lately and is looking for new ways to fund some capitol projects.

Council has the bright idea to sell off the city's street lights to Guelph Hydro, the electrical provider. Currently, the street lights are owned by the citizens of Guelph, and their upkeep is paid for by tax dollars.  Under the proposed system, the City of Guelph would sell the lights which would free up approximately $10 million dollars in the operating budget. Guelph Hydro would control the street lights, and the cost of maintenance would be included in the electrical bills. So what seems to be the problem?

The City of Guelph owns Guelph Hydro. No new money is actually being created, and tax payers are still forced to bear burden of new capitol projects. This is a complex legal shell game used by city hall to move funds around.

Selling off the street lights would give city hall a big bag of money to put towards things like a new downtown library, the Wilson Street Parkade, a skatepark (maybe), and a south end recreation centre (not likely). In the future, I imagine municipalities selling off most of their infrastructure and utilities to private enterprises (I don't necessarily agree with this, Im just continuing with the trend). This street light issue is the continuation of municipalities slowly selling themselves off to private firms; its a drop in the ocean given the larger context. Toronto sold off its street lights in 2005 for $60 million dollars... Toronto will now pay over $420 million over the next 30 years to rent them back. It doesn't seem wise to echo the same actions taken by Toronto, in Guelph. 

im going to decapitate you. jk, Halloween!

     I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween. I love trick or treating, carving pumpkins, wearing costumes, the festivities, and thinking of spirits. I hate the commercialization of cheap plastic crap adorning people's lawns and the glorification of brutality and violence. The type of society that casually enjoys decapitation, gore, and skeletons, is a society that is far too comfortable. It is a society that has never truly experienced actual hardship or brutality. We need to stop normalizing violence in society, especially in Halloween advertising. You know where they don't have such violent Halloween media? Answer: In places where there is actual violence. In Mexico and the Philippines, where people actually get beheaded, Halloween or All Saints Day, is a celebration of lost spirits. People gather for potlucks in cemeteries and remember the spirits of lost family and friends.


     I hate the proliferation of cheap costume stores popping up around Halloween. I understand everyone has to make a buck, but I certainly won't be spending my dollar there. How many junky costumes, and plastic accessories end up in the trash? All of it. Don't even get me started on those full face plastic makes; I can think of no better way to encapsulate your head in chemicals. Be original; make your costume at home and put some make up on. 

thoughts from last night's council meeting: noise by-laws

 

Last night at council, there were two delegations from concerned citizens regarding excessive noise at night. The concern stemmed mainly from motorcycle engines at night, but eventually extended to all vehicles as the discourse on the subject developed.
During the second citizen's delegation, a well spoken senior lady brought up previous recommendations to the city, from a subcommittee, regarding excessive noise. The woman's area of concern was along the Speed river's walking trails west of Gordon St. Obviously she lived there, and has claimed to walk the trail over 15 000 times since she moved to Guelph. Some of the suggestions for dealing with the noise pollution included:

1) Increased police enforcement of noise violations.
2) Increase police training with "decibel rating" devices.
3) Create the motivation for neighbors to snitch on their nosy nieghbours. When the vehicle in question is parked in a driveway it becomes easier to locate.
4) Create a sound certification system for vehicles that wish to operate within city limits. This requires the cooperation of mechanics to certify automobiles.
5) Reroute truck traffic from Wellington to Stone Road

The current by-law is very vague because it states vehicle exhaust systems must operate in an "effective and working" manner. This leaves much to debated. The factory default settings on a 2011 Yamaha R6, or Harley Davidson Fat Boy are already ultra loud. Although they meet the DOT decibel regulations, they're not something that should be prowling a residential neighbourhood at 2am. To compound the problem, aftermarket exhausts crank the volume up to 11.

The issue of motor vehicle noise is similar to that of the ruckus caused by students. Towns-folk get pissed-off and demand the city do something about it. My main contention with the solutions offered by the citizen delegate and city's sub committee on the issue, is No. 5. When the citizen delegate described the fifth option, rerouting trucks from Wellington to Stone, she said: "the noise of the trucks would drown out the noise of the students". I have a problem with this, and not because it marginalizes students. A statement like this marginalizes the families and communities living amongst students. Rerouting trucks down Stone Road would punish a group of citizens that have already felt the brunt of noise and disturbance that comes from students.

who is responsible for all the shit in downtown Guelph?

Below are some thoughts on Guelph's downtown scene from a letter to the tribune, way back when...

Barkeeps are big part of downtown problems

Re: Dino Busato’s letter to the editor “Nail the core offenders not city bar businesses” (Tribune, Dec. 7).

The onus of destruction and debauchery downtown every weekend cannot be placed solely on poor enforcement issues and lack of bathroom accommodation.

It is very irresponsible to confront only the “customer” side of Guelph’s nightlife.

While I do agree people should be fined for doing bad things, enforcement is more complicated.

It is easier to find people urinating, fighting, throwing up and littering at 2 a.m. in downtown Guelph than it is to find Waldo in his wonderfully illustrated environments.

Are these people being fined? No. For whatever reason (lack of police resources, lack of police diligence, lack of people’s respect, etc), these people are not being fined. It is a fantasy to hold every person accountable for their actions when several thousand people shuffle into downtown every weekend.

That being said, I have spoken to downtown business owners who say the police are scared during the downtown scene. I’ve seen police just stand there while people fight.

I rarely see police walking around; mostly they just sit in their cruisers. That being said, they have an immensely difficult job and I respect what they do, although I think a more “pro-active” stance needs to be adopted by the police.

It is a bone-headed minority that is reeking chaos downtown. It is also a minority of bars responsible for producing the majority of boneheads. I’m a university student. I go to bars, and overserving is rampant.

Several clubs downtown have signs around the bar reading “Two-drink maximum after midnight.” I have never once seen the rule enforced by the servers, who fulfill orders for several drinks to overly drunk individuals – myself included.

People throw up when they drink too much, and if they bought a drink downtown then an irresponsible server contributed to the problem. It does not take an undercover sleuth to determine who is making people drunk downtown.

People pre-drink before they go downtown.

They are already drunk when they get there, and yet several servers will still provide drinks.

This places more trouble in the hands of security, who just throw drunks out into the public.

I feel the city made a terrible call when setting up the pissoirs and made a another terrible call with their subsequent removal. I feel the burden of rampant public urinating falls on the bar owners and the City of Guelph. It is cruel to expect people to drink beers and then lock them out of every washroom downtown when the bars close.

Bar owners and the city must provide a place to relieve oneself if they are profiting from pumping us full of liquid. Ensure adequate washroom facilities after the bars close, and then start fining people for urinating.

Ben Baena Guelph

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/barkeeps-are-big-part-of-downtown-problems/

city councillor’s ‘joke’ gives a bad impression

Re:

At the Sept. 26 city council meeting, there was discussion around the city providing home energy audits. They are going to implement a pilot program that provides these audits, and the debate surrounds the cost of providing the audits. It was also noted the pilot program would take place in a neighbourhood heavily populated with students.

Coun. Bob Bell recommended a price of $20, at which point other councillors weighed in on the issue. When setting the price of the program to homeowners, it is important to consider whether the property is leased to tenants.

When it was Coun. Karl Wettstein’s turn to speak, he jokingly remarked that he “would charge students double,” after which he gave a chuckle and assured looks to other councillors around the horseshoe. I am not offended by his comments. I am both a student and a full-time permanent citizen — probably for several more years after I graduate. My concern is that these comments, jokingly or otherwise, represent underlying tensions between Wettstein and his ward, which has a high population of students.

His “joke” was not very funny, nor in good taste. To suggest that anyone would discriminate in price, and unfairly charge a specific group of people more than normal, is to cast aspersions on that group.

If he brings this attitude forward in council, what does he say in private?

Ben Baena, Guelph

http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion/letters/article/602354--city-councillor-s-joke-gives-a-bad-impression

Guest Post: Paul Wartman on Foodstock

Sarah Harmer at Foodstock, photo by Diogenes Baena

Hello All! Today's post is a thoughtful contribution from Paul Lion Wartman, a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Guelph. Mr. Wartman is engaged with local organic food production, sustainable living, promoting social and environmental justice. Below are his thoughts from Foodstock:

      Last Sunday, October 16th, a counted 30,000 people came together in the forested, agricultural land of Honeywood, ON to celebrate Foodstock. Community members of Guelph jumped on their bikes, hopped in their cars and piled, literally, into buses with family and friends to join the festivities. Everyone was gathering there to support the provincial efforts to stop a local issue - the Mega Quarry… as well as to enjoy the local bounty prepared by 100+ chefs from across Canada, which was complemented by the musical talent of Jim Cuddy, Sarah Harmer and many others!

     Once there, people trekked across farm field paths to the entrance of the forest.  Greeted by friendly volunteers that were collecting registration donations, "pay what you can" with a recommended donation of $10, we chirped with excitement. Upon entering the forest, people stopped and stared. It was as if entering a dream! Amongst the stands of fall coloured trees were pockets of tents that had chefs crafting together their meals to share. Many were cooking the locally produced food over fire pits, which added multiple streams of aromas that pulled you in different directions. With home-brought plates, cups and cutlery in hand we gathered our senses and galloped towards the smells. First table had little tarts filled with goat cheese, produced just 3 km away, mixed with berries it was quite the treat! Next was squash gnocchi! I don't know if you can imagine how it tasted swirled with maple syrup and sage! Ah! Plates moved, pulling their human parts from location to location being settled by the warm pockets of sunshine and acoustic tunes during their short journeys.

    Grazing throughout the art stands and mud-jumping children, eating mouths took time to discuss the issues at hand. Where would all this amazing food come from if this class A farming and ranching land turned into a quarry? We enjoyed our vegetarian poutine, those potatoes grew here. What about the water? Wouldn't digging 200ft below the water table in the headwaters of 5 major river systems affect the flow? These are all important issues to be pondered.

    Overall, it was a fantastic experience, rich with culture, that left you feeling satisfied. We left with new energy and hope that our efforts here today and our continued efforts will help prevent the proposed Mega Quarry and to create new policy to help make the necessary process of aggregate production less destructive to the environment.

For more information on the Mega Quarry and the efforts surrounding it, check out these links:

http://ndact.com/

http://www.highlandcompanies.ca/index.php/companies/melancthonquarry/

-Paul Wartman

Oct 19, 2011

occupy wall street.

I like the Occupy (insert developed world city here) movement. Something in the capitalist system is not working, and it needs to be addressed. I'm not claiming to have any answers about what exactly the problem is, but I know something is wrong. I can feel it my bones.

At the heart of the Occupy Wall St. Movement is the complaint that current financial markets are not regulated properly. Archaic banking practices, high-risk investments, and a bottom line driven solely by profits have combined to create a system vulnerable to exploitation by greedy goblins. Wall street occupiers claim old economic rules no longer apply; for example: rational expectations, which are: "economic situations in which the outcome depends partly on what people expect to happen".

What I don't like about Occupy Wall street, is how other advocacy groups have attached their agendas to the occupation movement. In order to bring about meaningful and effective change to the West's banking systems the message cannot be diluted with things like: climate change, social injustice, and environmental concerns. All of these things are inextricably attached to the impacts of capitalism, they are important and deserve attention; but let's just focus on bad banking practices (hasn't that been the major inconvenience of the past 5 years?). Policy makers will take the movement more seriously and it will be easier for them to affect change, if the priorities are direct and specific.

 I also don't like references in the media relating Occupy Wall St to the Arab revolutions. They are entirely different. Arabs have faced decades of stagnation and oppression, while Wall Street occupiers have only been affected for the past decade (the major shift coming after 9/11).

I have two videos that compare the political media perspective from the left and right. Notice how each media group, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, uses people at rallies to portray their message. The first video is of left-leaning media interviewing stupid people at a Tea-Party rally and the second video is of right-leaning media interviewing stupid people at the Occupy Wall Street movement. Media from across the spectrum are guilty of interviewing a small select sample of individuals and using that to represent the entire movement.

It just occurred to me this video may not play on all computers, try the link:
Ari Horowitz on GBTV

 p.s. I am well aware that 95% of what comes out of Glenn Beck's mouth is garbage.