I am...

DONE MY FIRST SEMESTER OF GRADE 12!!!!!!
No more Bio, no more French, sadly no more Social and no more Spare.
English 30AP, Poli Sci, Spanish 30 and Math 30 this semester. Oh what a semester it'll be...

I am content.

Another awesome day!

I got up around 10 this morning and thought I had to be in at the school for a debate planning session in Poirier's room at 11, so I rushed to get ready and grabbed a stack of those really good salty crackers, a chocolate pudding and a spoon and an apple and gathered together my Social stuff in case we decided at some point to study some of it and threw them in my backpack and rushed to school and felt bad because I thought I would have to slink in and try not to be noticed for being five minutes late. I cursed the bus for pulling in across from the school as I arrived, as I had hoped it would've shaved minutes off my travels, but no.
When I went to Poirier's room, I found it completely empty, devoid of desks and couches, with only the man himself at his computer, and he said "I guess we'll start around 11.30." I wandered away and ran into my friend Melissa and told her why I was at school and after a quick chat we went our separate ways.
When I reached the cafeteria, I ran into Jessica Mosher and we talked about her Physics final being, in her words, "fun" and how much she enjoyed doing the methodical calculations that made sense. We discussed how we had so much time between then and 11.30 and that I had food and how I was going to eat it after I put my jacket in my locker, so I put it away and we sat on the ledge where Will's Till and ate the chocolate pudding with the crackers. It was a good time.
After a while, Sean showed up and we talked with him and he thought the meeting was at 11.15 and was also disappointed that he could've spent another fifteen minutes in bed and not at school, but we were worth it, I'm sure.
Then we went to the Debate room and Kevin was there and we decided to get somewhat started, so we grabbed chairs from outside the room and started some planning and then Eijaz showed up, then Kees, then Trevor, then afterwards Georgeanne and Anne and Jason.
After discussions and photocopying and working briefly on the prepared round for the Wisewood tournament next weekend (yay Anne for being my and Rhiannon's First for it btw), Anne and Sean determined they should go downtown and I joined them and we got food at TD and meandered through the Devonian gardens and through part of the mall, then Sean went to work at the CBE and Anne and I went to the HMV across the street and I got both volumes of the Grey's Anatomy Original Soundtrack. Shortly after my amazing purchase, I talked to Georgeanne on the phone and invited her and Anne over to hang out and we made our ways over to my house.
When we got there, I found that York, U of T and another university I don't remember now, had sent me letters that said "you should send us more information so we can consider your application more seriously".
Then we had tea and Gee arrived and we played the soundtracks while downstairs and chatting then playing foosball and later The Game of Life.
We thought about going out to see a movie but that never ended up happening, so we decided we'd go to Blockbuster, but again, not so much, so we ended up standing in my kitchen eating supper then we sat in my kitchen and ate somewhat freezer-burnt ice cream straight from the tub.
Anne introduced me to an incredible site that gives you the url for other sites that host movies online and different TV series and I have to say, I watched a movie or two after they left.

So that was my day.

Bye for now all,
Me.

Need a demonstration?

Just in case somebody needs to have a demonstration with good looking people attending to get more publicity, and you are in Germany, take a look at this article.

And if you are not, enjoy nevertheless.

SPIEGEL ONLINE - January 18, 2007, 04:21 PM
URL: http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,460449,00.html

GUNS FOR HIRE

Need a Demonstrator? Now You Can Rent Them Online

By David Gordon Smith

A German Web site has come up a novel niche market -- renting out demonstrators for public protests. Good-looking protestors can help an organization get its political message to the public for as little as €145 a day.

REUTERS

Loud public protests accompanied the recent revelation that doctors had hired protesters for a December demonstration in front of Berlin's Reichstag.

For Germans old enough to remember the glory days of 1968, when communes were all the rage and students took to the streets to protest against all kinds of injustices, the country in 2007 is almost a completely foreign place. The welfare state is being rolled back, German troops are now engaged in military operations abroad, and the current generation of young people seems more interested in attending business school than bringing down the military-industrial complex.

Just how much the world has changed since those days can be seen at the Web site Erento.com. What the '68 generation once did out of passion, people now do for money. Berlin-based Erento, a company that pairs renters with potential customers, offers an unusual lineup of products and services for loan. In addition to such rentals as snow machines, horse-drawn carriages for weddings, chicken-plucking machines and private jets, the site also now offers a unique service: protestors for hire.

Judging by their profiles, most of the 300-plus people currently listed in the "rent a demonstrator" category are young and attractive. Potential agitators looking for support for their public protests can choose, for example, Steffen, age 22, 190 cm tall (6 feet 2 inches), "athletic" and with a shoe size of 45. He's available for gigs all over Germany, but says he prefers the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Or Manuela, who has green eyes and "very long" hair and is available within a 100-kilometer range of Berlin. Included in the extensive personal information -- which at times seems more suited to a dating site -- are skin color and "appearance type," which can be for example "European," "African," "South American" or "Asian."

All in a day's work

An Eremto spokesperson told SPIEGEL ONLINE that most of the demonstrators were "students, pensioners, or housewives," adding that the pseudo protestors are free to negotiate their own price with customers. Most seem to have settled for an all-inclusive price of €145 ($188) for six hours' work, although some can also be hired for a mere €10 an hour. Erento takes 4.9 percent of the money as a management fee, the rest goes to the demonstrator.

The business model certainly seems to be working -- publishing congomerate Holtzbrinck, which recently purchased the German equivalent of Facebook, StudiVZ, bought 13 percent of Erento earlier this week for an undisclosed sum in the region of €1 million to €3 million. Erento was founded in 2003 and currently features items and services to rent in 2,200 categories.

But isn't it problematic if an organization decides to rent protestors instead of using their own, politically committed activists? "Each organization has to decide that for itself," the Erento spokesperson said, explaining that the new category was added to the Web site as a result of a series of enquiries by organizations seeking protestors.

However the free market has not entirely overcome political principle. The demonstrators say they are not available for just any kind of protest. Those involving neo-Nazis or promoting discrimination, for example, are out of the question. "The demonstrators have to decide for themselves what kind of protests they are willing to participate in," the spokesperson said. "One person might be in favor of health care reforms, while another might be against them."

Of course, those prickly health care reforms are currently a hot topic in German politics. A national association of doctors recently found itself in hot water after it was revealed that the organization had hired up to 200 "demonstrators" to take part in a protest against proposed health care reforms outside the German parliament in Berlin. Roland Stahl, spokesman for the Association of Statutory Insurance Physicians (KVB) defended the decision to hire students and the unemployed as demonstrators. "That wasn't a demonstration, rather a pure public relations exercise," he told SPIEGEL ONLINE, adding that hiring people for such events is normal.

Whatever form an organization's public relations exercise takes, Erento's multi-talented protestors for hire are apparently able to hold placards and shout slogans, as well as simply make up the needed numbers to create a mass. Other services presumably need to be negotiated directly with the contractor, but it seems safe to assume the rented rebels would be unwilling to throw Molotov cocktails or fight with police officers -- at least not for €10 an hour. This is a new era of demonstrating, after all.

Amazing day! So fantastic!

The debates were soooooooooooooooooo goooooooooood. I'm almost hysterical with glee and delight! The first round was very good, the second was ok and the third was the best round I can remember since Germany and skipping over Germany, many moons before that. Un-fucking-believable. Funny, informative, impromptu discussion between two absolutely brilliant teams.
And then in my last round, one of my fellow judges, who ended up being the coach for Rundell College, asked me if I would consider coming to do seminars and talking with her teams, granted only two grade nine teams for now but who knows. So a semi-job offer, amazing rounds, talking my debaters' ears off with constructive criticism and love for their overwhelming skill, and I come home to see that I received Amlake's gift in the mail and a letter from U of T wanting a transcript, just like U of S sent yesterday.

I am so filled with the milk of human kindness and hope for the future and oh my evolution, such a good day I have not seen in months. Months, excluding Germany. Speaking of which, I also picked up my videos for the rounds in Germany and I'm so excited to watch them too. *bursts with glee!*

Bye for now,
Me.

PS for Kelci, Mr Craig is so great, concise, explains what you need and not more, brilliant.

Done Bio!!!!!!!

I am now done Bio forever and ever! Well, maybe a first year Bio class for easy-ish credits but still, in high school, I am done biology!
And I have Alex and Mr Craig to thank eternally for it. After the written part we wrote in the morning, I met up with Alex and we went to Ms Ng's class and drew a huge concept map over two whiteboards and then we went to Mr Craig's room where he ever so graciously reviewed basic hormones and the gland that produces them and whether they were tropic or non-tropic and target or non-target and what their effects on whatever tissue or gland they worked on were. That was about the first ten questions. Life saving review session.

So now I'm relishing in the joys of being done high school biology forever and ever and I'll be going to judge some random jr high debate tournament and be a mean but constructive judge for the little ones.

That is all for now, folks.

Until later,
Me.

Exams thus far.

So I have written my Social essay, which I enjoyed writing and felt went quite well, and finished Part A of my French essays this morning.
Only Bio tomorrow and the writtens of Social and French left and I'm free of my first semester!

The Terminator on Tackling Terrible Climate Change Challenges.

We're taking advice from Gov. Schwarzenegger on the environment. Am I still in reality or is the through the looking glass?
I was amused by this article and found the multiple alliterations good fun.

Ottawa sends Schwarzenegger invitation to visit

12/01/2007 11:44:03 PM

---

The Prime Minister's Office has sent Arnold Schwarzenegger an invitation to visit, CTV News has learned, at a time when both the California governor and Canada's Conservatives are focusing on the environment.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gestures while speaking at his inaugural in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Jan. 5, 2007. (AP / Rich Pedroncelli)

Schwarzenegger, who drives a hydrogen-powered Hummer, has made the environment a central issue in his state.

"I have also proposed that California be the first in the world to develop a low carbon fuel standard that leads us away from fossil fuels," he recently announced.

The former bodybuilder and Hollywood star wants energy efficient cars, and his goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is higher than what Prime Minister Stephen Harper has proposed.

Opposition parties in Canada say that Schwarzenegger sets an excellent example.

"Certainly 'The Terminator' isn't somebody who is satisfied with half-measures," said NDP Leader Jack Layton. "So I think it's good because we don't need half-measures right now, we need aggressive and strong action."

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said the invitation could be a sign that the Conservatives will step up their environmental plans.

"I hope it means they are serious about taking the kind of actions that Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking in California on climate change," she said.

Oil extracted from the Alberta tar sands might not pass California's new clean-fuel standards.

But John Baird, who recently replaced embattled Rona Ambrose as the environment minister, said the government is increasingly attentive to climate change concerns.

"We're concerned about the huge climate change challenges," said Baird. "The erratic weather we've had this winter is a huge wake-up call."

A spokesperson from Schwarzenegger's office said he's hoping to lead a trade mission to Canada soon, but a date has yet to be finalized.

With a report by CTV's Rosemary Thompson

German Bunny Farmer to feed North Korea

SPIEGEL ONLINE - January 10, 2007, 03:36 PM URL: http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,458863,00.html

FAT GERMAN RABBITS TO FEED POOR
Monster Bunnies For North Korea
By David Crossland

An east German pensioner who breeds rabbits the size of dogs has been asked by North Korea to help set up a big bunny farm to alleviate food shortages in the communist country. Now journalists and rabbit gourmets from around the world are thumping at his door.
It all started when Karl Szmolinsky won a prize for breeding Germany's largest rabbit, a friendly-looking 10.5 kilogram "German Gray Giant" called Robert, in February 2006.
Images of the chubby monster went around the world and reached the reclusive communist state of North Korea, a country of 23 million which according to the United Nations Food Programme suffers widespread food shortages and where many people "struggle to feed themselves on a diet critically deficient in protein, fats and micronutrients."
Photo Gallery: Giant Bunnies to Help Feed North Korea



Click on a picture to launch the image gallery (4 Photos)Szmolinsky, 67, from the eastern town of Eberswalde near Berlin, recalls how the North Korean embassy approached his regional breeding federation and enquired whether it might be willing to sell some rabbits to set up a breeding farm in North Korea. He was the natural choice for the job.
Each of his rabbits produces around seven kilograms of meat, says Szmolinsky, who was so keen to help alleviate hunger in the impoverished country that he made the North Koreans a special price -- €80 per rabbit instead of the usual €200 to €250.
"They'll be used to help feed the population," Szmolinsky told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "I've sent them 12 rabbits so far, they're in a petting zoo for now. I'll be travelling to North Korea in April to advise them on how to set up a breeding farm. A delegation was here and I've already given them a book of tips."
Greedy Rabbits
Szmolinsky knows what he's talking about. He has been breeding rabbits for 47 years. The 12 bunnies he sent can produce 60 babies a year -- if the North Koreans find enough food to feed them properly. "I feed them everything -- grain, carrots, a lot of vegetables. At the moment they're getting kale," said Szmolinsky.
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"One rabbit provides a filling meal for eight people. There are a variety of recipes such as rabbit leg or rabbit roulade. No one buys rabbit fur anymore though, I just throw that in the bin," says Szmolinsky with chilling dispassion.
He breeds between 60 and 80 rabbits per year and manages to stay emotionally detached enough to send the furry, innocent-looking, huge-eared creatures to slaughter. Asked if he has any pet bunnies he could never part with, he said: "You can't hang on to them, if you did you wouldn't be able to breed them."
Szmolinsky's North Korean connection has attracted media attention from around the world, and he seems to be getting tired of it. "I'm getting ambushed by camera crews," he said, adding that he was booked up with interview appointments for days. "There's a Japanese crew flying in from Paris later."
Potential Chinese buyers have also expressed an interest. Szmolinsky doesn't know how many more rabbits he will be sending to North Korea and said he definitely wouldn't be increasing his own production to satisfy growing demand from Asia.
"I'm not increasing production and I'm not taking any more orders after this. They cost a lot to feed," he said.

Not necessarily a meaningful update but a writing update nevertheless.

So, not too much is happening over here.
It's mean to have me get up at a regular time before nine or ten or later in the morning and have myself believe that I can still stay up later. And I'm sure Kate or somebody will say "suck it up" or the like but I'm just sharing I don't like the shock of having to be in school again.
When I got downstairs to leave today, I wasn't going to be on time if I were to walk, it was about nine and school starts at 9.20 so that wouldn't happen. Joseph was on his way out too so we plotted to either take the Train to the University so he could make it to his first History class and I could walk from the station to Abe but when we got outside Joseph decided that we'd just walk. He was not awake at all and I wasn't much more chipper. We walked down 20th, where the 10 Bus drives, just in case it came so we could hitch a ride and cut a lot of time, by which I mean 15 minutes, off my trip and we managed to get the bus in front of my doctor's office, just up from Branton.
We reviewed the characters from the major works of literature we've studied in high school French in FLA today to refresh ourselves for the written part of our diplomas next week.
In Bio today, Andrea and I reviewed how a nerve impulse travels down an axon from the dendrites to the synaptic cleft and onto another neuron. I, of course, thought we were going to continue working on our last unit Population and Communities studies or something like that (featuring the Harvey-Wineberg principle so far) so I didn't take my Bio Key or my review packages in and accidentally forgot my textbook. I was not impressed when we needed exactly what I didn't take.
Then came lunch and we had our debate meeting and Sean, Kees, Jason, Ryland, Sam and Rhiannon did a brief run-through on British Parliamentary because the U of C tournament is BP this year and is on Saturday and most people have never done BP before and the University students will still be hung over from University Worlds so Poirier gave us the major topics he saw for those people who will be going, unlike me.
Then came Social where we looked at our Red Book of Old Provincial Exams and Essay Topics and we grouped together many of the essay topics and wrote a new question for ourselves and wrote up a plan with arguments and examples to be photocopied to be passed out in preparation for the essay next week.

Now I'm sitting here in Spare in the library and I'm thinking I'm going to go home and do a few hours of revision and rewriting and condenscing my notes to get ready for the Bio final on the 18th and the Field Test tomorrow.

Alright, so really I'm going to just read webcomics before I go home, but I'm going to go home now I think.

Bye for now people,
Me.

Random superhero/villain quizzes

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 80% Supergirl 73% Wonder Woman 68% Robin 60% Spider-Man 55% Green Lantern 50% The Flash 50% Catwoman 50% Iron Man 40% Hulk 35% Batman 35%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz


Your results:
You are Apocalypse

Apocalypse 65% Magneto 64% Dr. Doom 63% Mystique 57% Lex Luthor 56% Dark Phoenix 54% Catwoman 54% Juggernaut 53% Poison Ivy 53% The Joker 51% Mr. Freeze 51% Riddler 47% Venom 46% Two-Face 41% Green Goblin 29% Kingpin 26%

You believe in survival of the fittest and you believe that you are the fittest.

Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz

University Applications

I am almost done applying to the following universities:
University of Lethbridge, Queen's University, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto, and York University, just waiting for my father to get home to look over the applications to make sure I didn't screw anything up too badly and to get his credit card number.

Happy New Year to all!

Happy New Year everybody! Just got back from Kate's house for supper and games of foosball and The Bucket Game and stories and general merriment.
Now, sleep some time soon and then work for a while tomorrow for school-related things then I'll hopefully see the people I was going to go out with later on tonight but won't be because we ended up staying chez les Goddard longer than we thought we would.

Hope your 2007 brings you health, love and happiness and just the right amount of stress (as little as is necessary) and hugs all around to you, my friends.

Bonne année! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Happy New Year!