…I’m still harvesting tomatoes on October 10… Picked a half dozen yesterday and may get another two or three!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

So the ozone layer over the Arctic wasn’t really, uh, “there” earlier this year. And that’s a bad thing, boys and girls, because this very thin layer of our atmosphere protects we mere humans from harmful solar radiation. And maybe even aliens. The mean kind. With ray guns.

Of course, the Harper Government is all over this…

The discovery of the “unprecedented” hole comes as the Canadian government is moving to reduce staff in what Environment Minister Peter Kent calls the “streamlining” of its ozone monitoring network.

Environment Canada scientist David Tarasick, whose team played a key role in the report published Sunday in the journal Nature, is not allowed to discuss the discovery with the media.

Environment Canada told Postmedia News that an interview with Tarasick “cannot be granted.” Tarasick is one of several Environment Canada ozone scientists who have received letters warning of possible “discontinuance of job function” as part of the downsizing underway in the department.

This is really big news … just don’t talk about it!

Maybe the Harperites are funnelling the saved money from the discontinued montoring programs to measure the gaping hole between Peter Kent’s ears?

Check out what happpens in March:

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

…man, I love this country…
And the Harperites can’t ruin this part of it at least.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

If so, could someone tell me what kind of cool clouds these be?

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… when looking out at a scene like this.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

1. Elizabeth May’s sudden crusade against Wi-Fi has disappointed me. I had thought she would latch on to an environmental issue that was beyond reproach. The tar sands. GHGs. Volatile organic compounds. Food safety. She had a lot to choose from.

But no. She picks an issue which may or may not actually be an “issue”.  The studies that are out there that associate Wi-Fi electromagnetics and carcinogens are  inconclusive, IMHO.

Writing on her Twitter account (@ElizabethMay), the Green Party Leader said she was glad not to have WiFi at home, and joined ranks with parents who are concerned about the increased access to wireless Internet hookups in schools across Canada.

“It is very disturbing how quickly WiFi has moved into schools as it is children who are the most vulnerable,” said Ms. May.

Faced with critical reactions from some of her 28,700 followers, Ms. May said the World Health Organization lists electromagnetic frequencies as a “possible human carcinogen.”

“I do not act without scientific info,” she said, as she called on Canadian authorities to adopt stronger controls on WiFi that are in place in Europe.

The jury is still out, as far as I am concerned. And Liz should know this rather than playing on the fears of those who have not done their own research into the issue.

2. The Baseline Cowboys are a bunch of guys who haul their couch out to the edge of baseline Road in Ottawa every Wednesday. They drink beer, wave to traffic and generally just have a good ol’ time. This past week, they held a vote on Facebook to determine to which charity they should donate their (and anyone else’s) empty beer bottles. The Christie Lake kids camp won out.

So, on Wednesday collect your empty beer, wine,  and your loose change and pony up at the Beer Store  parking lot of College Square shopping centre (at Baseline and Woodroffe).  The Cowboys will be there all afternoon (2-6) to accept your donations for Christie Lake Kids.

Good guys. And a good cause.

3. Only a couple of weeks until Arsenal’s first fixture against Newcastle! Here’s hoping for some silverware this year! Picking up Gervinho might be a good move, but what we really need is help in the centre backfield. C’mon Wenger! I don’t think we fans can forgive yet another year without a trophy!

4. In case I haven’t been clear enough, Rob Ford, and his brother, are DOOFUSES (sp?)!

5. Off camping this weekend and then back here to do some laundry before heading out to P Sound for the week! Many thanks to my bro and sis-in-law for inviting our motley crew to their cottage! Gonna be a blast! I’ll try to post an entry or two while there (think fishing tales), but no guarantees.

6. Good luck, Mr. Layton…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Industry can police itself, right?

More bold-faced lies from the Cons during the May election campaign…

Sigh… environmental laggards indeed…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

I get the heat and humidity… but I swear I just felt the earth move.

And no. The Resident Love Goddess is out with the kids at Shakespeare in the park!

Pervs…

I mean, if the Christian doomsayers are right… I’m thinkin’ I’ll have THOUSANDS of grasshooper-like insects gnawing at my bald head by dawn!

Holy crap.

I was right!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

This is a map which supposedly tracks nasty shit happening in the world in real-time.

Earthquakes? Yup.

Floods? Oh yeah.

Forest fires? They’re hot on that!

Plane crashes? They’re DOWN!

Haven’t had  chance to verify if it’s everything it’s cracked up to be… but take a peek..

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

And, at face value, it shows quite vividly what fine company Canada keeps on this file.

But, do use a bit of caution when interpreting this map literally. I haven’t been able to track down the report from whence this came so am unable to assess the robustness of the methodology used to reach these conclusions.

But they do seem to be in line with my thinking on the subject.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario