The Ballad of Chronic Pain

Though not a subject I speak about very much--if at all--recent conversations with friends and family have gotten me thinking about the role chronic pain plays in my life.

Hi, my name is Sean, and I experience chronic pain.

(Hi Sean!)

Notice I said experience, rather than suffer. To me, this is an important distinction that makes dealing with the pain far easier than it might be otherwise. I guess in my mind, experience is something that happens to you--something you have little control over and something that life has bequeathed to you. Suffering on the other hand, is optional.

First, some background: in late 2000 I was in a rather serious car accident. A mini-van t-boned me as I was turning left. The collision snapped my car around, smashed my head into the steering wheel and pinched my knee and ankle between the door and steering column. Most of this I know only from after-action reports, as I remember nothing of the accident save the mini-van's headlights in my left window--I saw those out of the corner of my eye the instant before being struck, and had nightmares about them for years.

I was lucky. If my car had been struck six inches further back, I'd not be here writing about it. Eating mini-van grill at 60 km/h isn't something most people survive.

I ended up with two blown disks, one in my back and one in my neck. The accident also left me with nerve damage in my lower back. It's this nerve damage that continues to haunt me even after most of the other injuries have healed. Because of it my body is constantly telling me that something's wrong with my left side--sometimes it whispers, and sometimes it screams, but it's never quiet.

It took me some time to recognize this, as there were a variety of other aches and pains I had to heal from, and that too was for the best. I was laid up for a month, and spent another two in physio learning to walk again after the damage to my left ankle and tendons. By the time I realized that the 'phantom pain' was lingering, I'd begun to accept some of the limitations resulting from the accident.

Even more than my own recognition of the lingering after-effects though were two examples of perseverance regardless of physical pain and discomfort. The first was a friend from high school, who despite her youth overcame the pain of her leukemia treatments to experience life more fully than I ever could. Even though she eventually lost her battle, it was an amazing testament for what a zest for life can accomplish, regardless of what your body tells you.

My second example is my aunt. Despite her lupus she has been a blazing beacon of optimism in my family's lives. My father especially is in awe with her selflessness and perseverance, and indeed optimism in the face of some incredible physical challenges. I can't say that she'd necessarily agree to the distinction between experiencing and suffering, but I can only thank her for the inspiration and example she has provided me in my own journey.

Because in the end that's what life is. On every road there are hills to climb and valley's to ford, and every one of them has meaning and value and lessons to be learned. Each experience is one more piece to the puzzle that life is, and if you spent that journey lamenting about the life you live, how can you ever be happy? No body knows how many days we have on this earth, and I for one have little interest in suffering through the rest of them.

Pain is a part of my life, and though I don't relish it, neither do I suffer it. I accept it as an experience, and savor it as proof that life can be fragile, but is always valuable. I can't say that I wouldn't be a little sad if I woke up tomorrow pain free--for that reminder would be gone, and with it, perhaps something that brings the value of my life into sharp relief would be gone too.

For all of that however, I could never have grown to accept, and continue to experience my life with pain without the love and understanding of my family and friends. Many thanks are owed to my aunt for her example and inspiration, but many more to my daughter, who is always understanding of her father's occasional failure to stave off grouchiness. Thanks also to my parents, who have been supportive in every way possible. And also to one of my oldest and dearest friends, who never takes my pain as an excuse when he drags my fat ass off the couch to go bike riding.

If my life as it is today were a song, it would be a ballad of pain, but not a sad one. There is triumph in not letting it stop me from living.

For those of you out there who also experience chronic pain, I can't say if my worldview is right, or even right for you, but I can say there is hope, because there is still life. And if you take one thing from my ramblings, it would be this:

Suffering is optional.


Cheers,

Sean

Thoughts on the US Bailout

I was crunching some numbers last night regarding the massive Wall Street bailout being suggested by Treasury Secretary Paulson. The suggestion is for Paulson to have discression to use a rolling $700 Billion to purchase bad (read toxic) commercial paper.

Some quick work on the calculator leaves me with this thought:

$700 Billion could buy 100,000,000 American citizens a $700,000 home. That's One Hundred Million Americans who could have their mortgage paid for (mostly) free and clear.

As for me, this Canadian would love to get even 0.000000001% of that bailout. Maybe I can claim to be a foreign bank with my own toxic paper to dump--apparently non-US institutions would qualify for the bailout too.

Which is only fair I guess, since Obama's suggested foreign banks help bail out the US economy.

Me, I could use $700,000 free and clear.

Sean

The World is Going to Hell in a Hand-basket

But then again, hasn't it always been?

Lots of people are complaining that things are bad right now--from the economy to the environment to the state (or lack there of) of world peace. I agree, things are bad. The rich are getting richer, we're busy shitting where we sleep, and people are killing each other for natural resources, or the color of their skin/God they worship.

Was it any different 20 years ago? 200 years ago? 2000 years ago? During Jesus' time the rich were getting richer, arable land and water were being destroyed, and empires were busy waging wars on other lands (not to mention crucifying the occasional miscreant).

Twenty years ago, we were still locked in a cold war, people were still killing each other and acid rain was dissolving fish-stocks while kleptocrats were busy robbing the poor blind.

Nothing changes.

That doesn't mean we can't work towards building a better, more progressive, more socially just world for our children. I just think we shouldn't allow how bad things seem, and how dire the situation appears to keep us from continuing to work towards that goal.

So, Canadians, kick out the Conservatives and elect a progressive party. Americans, elect more and better Democrats, starting with Obama. The rest of the world, work towards social justice by pushing your governments to the left--steering clear of totalitarianism all the while (Stalin was no Liberal Progressive).

Yes we can.


Cheers,

Sean

Five Years? Wow.

My daughter turned five this morning. I sometimes have a hard time believing it's been five years already. When I look back at all that's happened in my life since she was born--changing jobs, moving houses, getting divorced, finally taking some positive financial and personal steps--well, lets just say its been a pretty full five years.

Nonetheless, I've been happy, and productive and as always, don't regret a damned thing.

And best of all, I've had the opportunity to spend five years watching my darling baby grow into a smart and well-adjusted kindergartner.

It's been worth it.

Happy birthday sweetheart!

Love,

Dad

More Deep Thoughts from a Kossack...

By Philoguy commenting on right wing violent rhetoric as related to the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church shooting:

[It's not so much their hatred] (though that's a big part of it) as their authoritarianism. I'm reminded of this passage from the opening of Plato's Republic, where Socrates is on his way home from the festivities:

...Polemarches said, Socrates, you appear to have turned your faces townward and to be going to leave us.

Not a bad guess, said I.

But you see how many we are? He said.

Surely.

You must either then prove yourselves the better men or stay here.

Why, is there not left, said I, the alternative of our persuading you that you ought to let us go?

But could you persuade us, said he, if we refused to listen?

Plato here presents the alternative of persuasion or violence, yet those accosting Socrates will hear nothing of it. Socrates is told that he must either best them in a fight or be forced to come with them. They will not listen to any reasons he might give for departing. Here, in a nutshell, is the difference between philosophy and authority. Philosophy (and I use the term very broadly here) is the way of peace, resolving disputes through a reasoned engagement with facts, whereas authority baldly asserts its positions as unconditional truths, basic these positions either on the unconditional authority of a sacred text, the unconditional authority of a leader, or the unconditional superiority of a particular gender, nationality, ethnicity, etc. Democracy is founded on the philosophical path in that it is founded on preserving the possibility of civil discourse where everyone participates to find the truth, the most just way of living, or the most ethical ways of living. It is premised on the belief that reasoned discourse and persuasion are possible.

The problem with authoritarian discourses is that they must inevitably resort to violence because they are not grounded in any sort of reasoned demonstration, but rather blind obedience to the authority in question. If you and I disagree about whether or not eggs get hard when boiled, we can throw an egg in boiling water and see for ourselves. We don't need to pull out knives to resolve the dispute. By contrast, if you and I disagree over a literalist interpretation of the Bible there's ultimately no way we can resolve the dispute through a use of reason or observation. You are firmly committed to the literal meaning of the word without being able to provide any ground for that belief, while I am committed to the position that the word is allegorical, historical, and a result of its sociological conditions rather than a record of events that actually took place. You are convinced you have The Truth, without being able to provide a ground for that truth beyond your fervent conviction. Because you are convinced you have The Truth you also believe that it is your duty to act on that Truth and bend everyone else to it.

The only outcome of this can be violence. Unable to provide a ground that another person might share for your fervent commitment to the authority of a particular sacred text, the sacredness of a particular leader, the superiority of a particular gender, nation, or ethnicity, you are necessarily pushed towards bullying and threats to cow those who do not share your conviction. How could it be otherwise in the absence of being able to provide reasons? Democracy is at its core anti-authoritarian because it gives us the duty to collectively debate and seek reasons in the public space. All of this is corroded if the public space is contaminated by belief based on authority. Democracy is committed to this way because it saw, during the Enlightenment period, how Europe was torn to shreds over dogmatic religious differences between the Protestants, Calvinists, and Catholics, where bloody wars, inquisitions, and the burning of men and women for witchcraft ruled the land. It also saw the great hope of scientific inquiry, the manner in which it was able to improve life through medicine and technology, while also freeing us from superstition through understanding the true causes of unnatural events such as the movement of comets that would have previously struck terror in the heart of an ignorant populace. It saw that this process of scientific inquiry was philosophical and democratic at its core, gregarious in nature, the work of collectives of thinkers working together to understand the world and conducting themselves in a way where reason and observation decided issues (i.e., a willingness to relinquish a position or claim with respect to natural phenomena when the evidence conflicts with it). It is absolutely vital that we preserve this tradition and push back against the onslaught of irrationalist authoritarianism.

Something to ponder.

Sean

Sean's Word of the Day

c·p·u·i·cide /siːpiːˈyuːisaid/ noun, -cid·ed, -cid·ing.
–noun
1. the intentional destruction of one's own computer equiptment: They beat the printer with a baseball bat; it was cpuicide.
2. the self-destruction of one's computer: First the fan went, then the whole thing committed cpuicide.

Cheers,

Sean

I am Canadian

Hey, I'm not a fisherman or work the rigs, but I served in the Canadian Forces. I live in a townhouse and own a car, but I'd like to reduce my carbon footprint.

My parents were married when I was born, but one's from Sri Lanka and the other from Price Edward Island. I'm a divorced, second-generation immigrant with bad credit.

My daughter is Albertan, but I'm still and Islander. The mountains are nice, but the ocean's cooler.

I believe in peacekeeping, not policing Afghanistan.

I prefer Canadian beer, but will drink an Australian red in a pinch.

Canada is the second largest land mass, the first nation of hockey, and the best part of North America.

It's July first, and I AM CANADIAN!

(Where's my beer?)

Sean

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

– John 3:16 (KJV)

I am by no means a ravening fanatical Catholic--I go to church a couple of times a year, and use my own Zen Buddhist study and meditation as a replacement for prayer. I'm sure most other Catholics would consider me a heretic for combining Zen with my Catholic faith, but it works for me, and I think that's what's important.

I've been meditating on John 3:16 lately, treating it as something of a koan. No true enlightenment yet (I'm afraid I have many more years of work before I become a good Christian, OR Zen Buddhist) but something struck me today.

One of the big issues I have in trying to find common ground amongst my spiritual influences is the idea that one must believe in Christ to be saved. Is it not enough to be a good person, and live as Christ taught us? Must we also believe he is the son of God, risen to the Lord's right hand to wash away the sins of the world? (point of fact, I do believe this, but I question if I should have to.)

But today it struck me--John 3:16 says only that we must believe in 'Him' (one would assume to be Jesus), not what we must believe about him. I wonder if the belief and faith in Christ's teachings (see the Beatitude for those teachings in a nutshell) would not also be a belief in 'Him', and would lead one to conclude that following the teachings of Christ (so similar in many ways to Buddha and other enlightened persons) and living as Christ lived might also count as belief in him. And that would see one with everlasting life.

I have a hard time believing that if God loved us so much he would send his only son to be crucified, he'd toss us away over not 'believing' enough even if we lived humble and righteous and 'Christian' lives.

Then again, I also wonder what is everlasting life, truly? But that's a meditation, and a post, for another day.

Cheers,

Sean

More Poetry

Just for a lark, I entered the CBC Calgary Cowboy Poetry Contest with this haiku:

Dusty chaps
worn like the rough varmint
Sunburned rattler

Not one of my best granted, but when it's got to be three lines, and you have to include three specific words, you don't have much to work with. Still, I'm pleased. Not that I have a hope in hell of winning ;)

Cheers,

Sean

UPDATE: Well I wasn't even picked as one of the top three, but there was another haiku (better than mine) see it (and vote for it) here.

A Distant Sadness

A distant and familiar sadness calls to us
As if carried on the wind, like burning sand
Brothers and Sisters, away, you endure
Stranded on our own land
A memory etched into soul and skin
Leaves a scar that never heals
Our family is strong, but scattered
Across the stars and fields
We will not abandon you
We will not forget you
We will return for you

by Bear McCreary.

These lyrics made an appearance in Battlestar Galactica's episode Occupation and on the Season 3 Soundtrack, sung by Raya Yarbrough in Armenian.

I've not been able to stop listening for the last several hours--there's something intensely moving about this song and it's lyrics.

Sean

Best Political Blog Post Ever

From BenGoshi at Daily Kos; "Read The Beatitudes Before You Vote":

I would suggest firstly that it wouldn't hurt any of us (whether Christian, agnostic, atheist, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, James Dobsonite . . .) to read these sublime words from "The Sermon on the Mount". Second, such a thing doesn't endorse any candidate or party. Third, it would likely drive people like James Dobson nuts: they'd know that this cornerstone of Jesus' teachings cuts against, actually refutes, all the nasty and hateful teachings, preachings and admonishments of their rather sad and craven ilk.

It's a must read, as regardless of your religious leanings, it outlines how the beatitudes really convey the type of society and social justice we should want to build--something I've always believed in myself.

{insert Deity here} Bless,

Sean

A Blast from the Past

Thanks to the Wayback Machine, I found some post-election thoughts I once had from 2000:

It's My Country Too (or We All Have Our Crosses to Bear):

My fellow Canadians, it seems to me that our country has come to a cross-roads. With the recent Federal Election having turned into a historic third Cretien majority government, it is becoming more and more apparent the fractured state of politics in this country.

Let me be clear: I blame Brian Mulroney.

He was the man who tried to do what Trudeau had been unable to: get Quebec to sign the constitution. The problem is he went about it all wrong. In his zeal to make a whole country, he was willing to make compromises that instead shattered the country. The West, already feeling alienated by the NEP from the late 70s thought the concessions to Quebec were outrageous, meanwhile Quebec separatists got a taste of power and refused to let go. In the yelling, the Maritimes seemed to be lost and Ontario just resolutely rode things out.

Now we have a country where each region seems represented by a separate political party. Frankly, this stinks. This situation is breeding dis-content within each region, not to mention a contempt for others and a growing insularity. Canada is broken my friends, and something needs to change before it can be whole again.

There's some hope though. The defeat of the Bloc in Quebec by the Liberals says that the sovereignty debate is nearly dead (or at least Quebecois understand how it's damaged their provincial economy), and maybe, just maybe The Canadian Alliance will see their defeat as a chance to work together unifying Canada rather than simply holding the fort west of Thunder Bay. There's also Joe Clark. If he can make the PCs a national party again, he might well unite the country.

But before that will come to pass, a couple of things need to happen. First, Alberta and the west need to get over it. They have a booming economy, and it wouldn't kill them to be a bit less bitter about 'how rotten the East is.' Be gracious, and other's will be nicer to you. It's time to stop bitching and complaining and start supporting an idea of a united Canada.

Secondly, Ontario needs to stop thinking of the rest of the country as the poor country mice. Toronto isn't everything, and I hope the politicians in Ottawa can understand the West, and Atlantic Canada (not to mention Quebec) all need to feel like they contribute, and not just ride on Ontario's coattails.

Finally, the Atlantic provinces need to come into the 21st century. Yes, there's much work to be done in the Maritimes, and no, it won't be easy to build a new economy without destroying our way of life, but it's time to stop being a welfare state and begin building towards a better future.

But you know what? For all our problems here in this country, at least we can elect a new government without suing everyone in sight.

Oh Canada!

S.D. Campbell
whytwolf@spots.ab.ca
12/04/00

Looking back, it seems not much has changed. So much for a post-9/11 world.

Cheers,

Sean

Ignore the mUtterz

Moblogging is a great way to get severe thumb cramps.



Sean

Mobile post sent by whytwolf using Utterz.  Replies.

Priceless...

Some BSG humor for you via Trinity15's sig on the SciFi Forums:



Good times, good times...

Sean

MOSPEADA/Cyclone coming to a curbside near you?

Now anyone who's ever been a fan of Robotech would remember the VR-052 Battler Cyclone ride armour from the Invid War. Anyone who knows Robotech and Anime would now that this same unit was called the M.O.S.P.E.A.D.A from the original anime of the same name.

How many of us have dreamed of having a Cyclone in real life?

If you're like me, then you'd get a kick out of this.

Sure, it's not as elegant, and doesn't carry any cool weapons--but when was the last time the Invid/Inbit invaded Earth?

Baby steps, baby steps.

Sean

Thoughts on the Second Law of Thermodyamics

Theodore Sturgeon, the famous sci-fi author, said in a 1970 interview that "...ninety percent of SF is crud." This was later termed Sturgeon's Revelation (aka Sturgeons's Law), and slightly modified to the axiom "Ninety percent of everything is crap."

I myself have come to the conclusion after many years of dealing with people in general, and with the insight provided by Sturgeon's Revelation that "Ninety percent of people are stupid." I like to call this Campbell's Corollary to Sturgeon's Revelation. Further to that, I've pondered the implications of the corollary. Are individuals 90% stupid? Are people in general 90% stupid? Are 90% of the population simply stupid people? I tend to think it's all of the above, although, I'm also a believer that individuals themselves can be quite intelligent, but once you get past a critical mass of people they become monumentally stupid. Or to quote Agent K from Men In Black: "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it."

Now how does this relate to the Second Law of Thermodynamics? I'm glad you asked.

The Second Law states: "The entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium." More simply, entropy--or the state of disorder within an enclosed system--increases over time to the maximum amount possible. This is a natural process, and without adding energy to a system to decrease disorder, it is irreversible.

I think there's a certain implication when you take the Second Law of Thermodynamics and Campbell's Corollary to Sturgeon's Revelation together: "The stupidity of an isolated population not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium". That is, unless effort is put into educating and enlightening a population, that population will continue to grow more and more stupid over time, until it becomes too stupid to live. Call it the "Law of Entropic Intelligence" if you will.

I wonder if that's not just another way at looking at how we as a race are dealing with global warming and climate change.

Cheers,

Sean

More ARC Funnies

Again, from those whacky d00ds at ARC:

A few truths in aviation

The difference between a duck and a co-pilot?
The duck can fly.

A checkride ought to be like a skirt--short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover everything

Speed is life. Altitude is life insurance.

It only takes two things to fly: airspeed, and money.

The three most dangerous things in aviation:
A doctor in a Bonanza.
Two captains in a DC-9.
A flight attendant with a chipped tooth.

Aircraft Identification:
If it's ugly, it's British.
If it's weird, it's French.
If it's ugly and weird, it's Russian.

Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another very expensive flying club.

The three best things in life are a good landing, a good orgasm, and a good bowel movement. The night carrier landing is one of the few opportunities to experience all three at the same time.

(A DC-9 captain trainee attempting to check out on the 'glass cockpit' of an A-320.) "Now I know what a dog feels like watching TV."

The similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots?
If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies.
If ATC screws up, the pilot dies.

It's better to break ground and head into the wind than to break wind and head into the ground.

The difference between flight attendants and jet engines is that the engines usually quit whining when they get to the gate.

New FAA motto: "We're not happy, til you're not happy."

A copilot is a knothead until he spots opposite direction traffic at 12 o'clock, after which he's a goof-off for not seeing it sooner.

If something hasn't broken on your helicopter--it's about to.

I give that landing a 9 . . . on the Richter scale.

Basic Flying Rules:
1. Try to stay in the middle of the air.
2. Do not go near the edges of it.
3. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there.

Unknown landing signal officer to carrier pilot after his 6th unsuccessful landing attempt: "You've got to land here son. This is where the food is."

Cheers,

Sean

The Islander in me loved this....

see more crazy cat pics

Cheers,

Sean

Embracing your Inner Cylon

I had a heart-to-heart with my inner cylon, and apparently:

Which Battlestar Galactica Cylon Are You?

More on Battlestar Galactica. Created by BuddyTV

Now I don't know if this explains my sudden interest in wearing heels and a red dress, but it could explain how come I keep seeing some weird English dude hanging around these parts....

Sean

More blogging uselessly

Feeling the need to continue blogging uselessly, I present, via ARC, some deep thoughts:







More to come, depending on how useless I feel....

Sean

Life's Little Disappointments

Well, it may not be over yet, but I'm calling tonight's NHL Western Quarterfinal for San Jose's Sharks, since my Flame can't seem to hold it together and going into the 3rd period they've given up 5 goals to scoring 2. What a disappointment. Pathetic. Go play golf.

As for the Democratic Primary, it looks like Clinton took PA, but then again, that was expected. I'm disappointed Obama couldn't pull out a win, but then again Hillary's gotta be disappointed that she's only up by a few delegates--not enough for her to win the nomination.

Disappointment breeds the blues, so here are some for you on a late Tuesday night:



Cheers,

Sean

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day:

moar funny pictures

Sean

My first LOLDaggit

moar funny pictures

Sean

Oh PETA, you're so Funny

From the New York Times:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants to pay a million dollars for fake meat — even if it has caused a “near civil war” within the organization.

I guess not all meat is unethical, it just depends on if its been vat-grown from a cloned sample of bovine muscle tissue (ethical), or if it was milk-fed prior to having a nail shot through its skull (unethical).

Seriously though, despite being a blood-thirsty carnivore, I would welcome vat-grown steaks, and would even give up 'live' meat for the cloned sort, so long as it's safe and healthy-ish.

Besides, cloned food would solve this particular issue:


see more crazy cat pics

Cheers,

Sean

AHHHH!

So it's bitterly cold here in Calgary, and it's been snowing for two, maybe three days. Sometimes I feel like the weather in this city matches my mood-swings, with all of its ups and downs. On the other hand, cyclical matching or not, the rapid weather cycles aggravate my migraine, so even the ups suck some times :P

Good news though, the Flames won 2-0 versus the Sharks tonight, so we're going to game seven. Mind you, if we win that, it means a series against Detroit that we're very likely to lose.

Nothing seems to be making me happy tonight.

Well, except this:


see more crazy cat pics

Sure Cavan may not think much of the LOLcat phenomena, but II still get a kick out of the occasional LOLnimal. Besides, who listens to their little brother's anyway?

God, I hate winter in April.


Sean

Coming out in the Wash

From this post by Boston to Salem @ DailyKos, how to make your own laundry detergent:

All you need is one bar of soap, 1 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup of Borax and a 5 gallon bucket.

1. chop up the soap and melt in a quart of water on the stove.

2. Pour soap/water into bucket and add 4.5 gallons of very hot tap water.

3. Stir in Borax until dissolved.

4. Stir in washing soda until dissolved.

This will gel overnight. Use 1 cup per load. We wash 6 loads a week, so one batch of this will last us 2-3 months. The cost is less than 2 cents a load, and you will be able to make dozens of batches from just one box of the Borax and washing soda. Plus you are helping the environment by not purchasing and disoposing of large plastic detergent containers, etc...

Enjoy!

I'm going to try this the next time I get a chance to buy borax and washing soda--my next attemt to go a little more green :)

Cheers,

Sean

Teh Stupid, it Burns!

It's been a week since the Alberta 2008 provincial election, and I'm still shaking my head.

Somehow I think its going to be a looooong four years, waiting for Stelmach's mandate to run out. I fear for the damage to the environment, the social safety net, and frankly the Albertan people considering they gave a mandate for more corporate rape and pillage during the next four years.

But what do I know--I'm 'from away.'

Sean

CW Fails us Again

Well, it seems that the conventional wisdom was wrong--again. Voter turnout for the election was down to an estimated 41%. I don't know what to make of this other than the Conservative GOTV was more successful, and that there are a lot of disengaged and disenfranchised people in this province.

Cheers,

Sean

My comment to CBC on the election

Posted to Alberta Votes 2008:

Sean Campbell (Calgary) wrote:

Tonight I once again experienced the sinking feeling I had in the pit of my stomach on November 11 2004 when George W Bush was re-elected by the American people.

The results show a failure both in the opposition parties in Alberta, and a failure of vision in the Albertan people--who seem more interested in pulling the ladder up behind them as they find their own personal success.

What of the working poor in the province? What of the missing royalties, and arrogance of the governing Conservatives?

Apparently being able to say 'We're Number 1' and rub the rest of the country's face in our wealth is more important--and the order of the day.

I had hoped for better from the people of this province.

Sean

Voting Rights, Responsibilities and the Bitter Taste of Victory

Would this count as live-blogging? Considering it's been 45 minutes since the polls closed here in Alberta and every major news outlet has called the election for Ed Stelmach's Conservatives, I have a hard time considering what I'm doing now as anything more than a post-mortem.

Twenty-eight days have passed since the writ was dropped here in Alberta. Twenty-eight days of campaigning, and of talk of change. The Conservatives spoke of 'Change that Works'--not sure how 30+ years of single party rule can be considered 'Change that Works', but then again, no one ever said Alberta politics wasn't whack-a-doodle at times.

Over the last four weeks the Liberals have put on a strong show of the sort of change and government they would provide Alberta--the change that I truly believe works. Kevin Taft, the Liberal leader actually seemed like Premier material at times in this campaign. Compared to Steady-Eddie Stelmach--who's only hope in front of a camera is to continue to parrot his talking points--Brian Mason of the NDP looks Premier-like. Mason however, was like his mirror-image of the right--Paul Hinman of the Wild Rose Alliance, the Mitt Romney of Alberta--nothing but a spoiler, more apt to split votes than gain any traction.

Yet for all the platform and policy, and yes, even charisma of Taft and the Liberals, they had one fatal flaw--they were Liberals. Here in Alberta you'd make more political hay calling yourself the Sheep-Shagging Party--you might get a small sympathy vote from sheep-shaggers. Liberals? Aren't they the high-falutin' fellers from Toronto trying to steal our oil?

Sadly, the only hope Taft ever really had was to have a vast swath of Conservative voters stay home tonight. It's sad and ironic to think that to finally get a sane and just government in Alberta, you have to root for voter apathy, or voter suppression.

In my case, I rather ignored the rooting and got more to the thinking--which is something I'm better at anyway (every time I cheer for the Flames they loose, so rooting just doesn't seem to work for me).

Last election in Alberta (2004) voter turnout was 44% (or there-abouts). I'm a strong believer that democracy requires participation (and education) and I began wondering how could you increase voter turnout in general? Australia fines people $20 if they fail to vote--but as a single Dad my philosophy is more carrot than stick, and I figured maybe if you provide an incentive to get people out to vote, they might actually take their responsibilities seriously.

Now buying votes is bad (and quite illegal in most civilized jurisdictions), but I thought that maybe if government provided a tax rebate--and a significant one--to people if they voted, it might actually work (and not count as vote buying any more than Stelmach throwing money at the electorate prior to the election). Sure if you gave everyone who votes a 5% rebate on their income tax, the more people vote the more it costs the taxman (receipts go down)--but isn't that a small price to pay? Besides, in Alberta, it may just cause the governing Conservatives some grief--they'd be torn between collecting more money to pad their salaries, versus getting their supporters out to elect them so as to allow them to collect said salary in the first place.

Heck, if this idea ever got off the ground, I say let the rebate count for every year in between elections--you vote in 2008, then you get a rebate in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. You'd have to vote again in 2012 to keep getting your rebate cheque. Lets even name it after Stelmach--we had Ralph Bucks, why not Eddie Pennies?

Sadly though, it seems that the Conservatives got their supporters out--the Liberals are in retreat from 16 seats to a projected 8. The victory of voter participation has ensured another four years of Conservative stupidity--no affordable housing, skyrocketing prices, and oil patch royalty rip-offs.

Aye, that's democracy. Don't you just love it?

Cheers,

Sean

Groundhog Day

Thanks to not a cent @ Daily Kos:

This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day.

It is an interesting juxtaposition: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a Groundhog

Cheers,

Sean

My New Business Plan...

I've been thinking of how to make it ahead in this dog-eat-dog world, and my advisors and I have developed a new business plan:

1. Drink Beer


2. ???


3. Profit

The money should start rolling in...

Cheers,

Sean

Frak Me...

I can't wait until Season 4 starts (March/April), I just hope that the Writer's Strike is over soon enough to finish the Season and the Series:

Looking Good.

Sean

This is just wrong...

Via smintheus @ DailyKos:

Boss in an IT company fired three non-smokers because they'd requested a smoke-free workplace.

"I can't be bothered with trouble-makers... Everyone picks on smokers these days. It's time for revenge. I'm only going to hire smokers from now on."

Hello? Rights? Sheesh.

Sean

Updated 01-11-08 12:59 ~ Well, I beat least year's number of entries. Yayy me!

I Should've added this LAST Year....

I got my first submission to the Aircraft Resource Center posted on November 27, 2007:

Sean Campbell has been busy wandering down memory lane as he built his award winning 1/48 Academy Mirage IIIR. Sean scratchbuilt the cockpit and other areas of his Mirage with very good effect. He also tells the very heart warming and amusing tale of building this kit as a young lad with his Dad. Nice one Sean.....thanks for the memory.

I was pretty jazzed about that--doesn't hurt that the model was a fine piece of work if I do say so myself ;)

Cheers,

Sean

Old Engines Never Die... (They Just Blow a Gasket)

Hrmm .... looking back on my blog, I realize I made exactly two entries last year. Not good. Sure I have excuses (My old ecto didn't work with Blogger's new API; I was busy; I was uninspired), but I don't believe in excuses, so here's my New Years Resolution for 2008: write more.

I'm starting the year with some babble about a subject I have a fondness for: engines.

Now the real irony is that although I've always had a love for the mechanical--engines in particular--I've never actually worked on a real one (my mother thought advanced math was a better waste of my time in high school than motor vehicle repair). Instead I work on miniature model engines--usually 72 times smaller than the real ones.

While doing some research on WW2 armoured vehicles several years ago I learned a neat fact: the first versions of the Sherman tank were powered by an aircraft engine.

The Wright J-6 (also known as a R-975; a Radial engine with 975 cubic inches displacement) was a radial engine first designed for use with early aircraft. IKt first flew in the R-975, 9-Cylinder configuration in 1930. The J-6 was in fact used by the Curtis F9C Sparrowhawk, a biplane used with US Navy's rigid airships USS Macon and USS Akron. The J-6 and the aircraft is was designed to be used with were all inter-war types, most of which had disappeared by the time Europe exploded again in the late 30's.

During that second conflict--around 1942--Wright licensed Continental Motors to build a version of the R-975 as a power plant for medium tanks and tank destroyers. The M3 Grant/Lee, M4 and M4A1 Sherman and the M18 Hellcat were all powered by the Continental R-975, which proved fairly reliable and easy to maintain in field conditions. It produced some 400 horsepower, which could power a 30 ton tank up to 24 mph for brief periods. Though the Shermans were hardly the best tank in the war, their shear numbers and ease of deployment made them arguably one of the key factors to the Allies victory.

Post-war, the R-975 found itself in another niche--helicopters. Although the world of short/vertical takeoff wasn't new to this Continental engine (the J-6 had powered the Pitcairn-Cierva PCA-2 autogyro years before) the use of the helicopter as a naval and army asset had entered its own in the mid-to-late 1940s. The Piasecki HUP Retriever and H-25 Army Mule helicopters were used by the US, Canadian and French navies as well as the US Army for search and rescue work as well as moving men and material. The HUP-2 was used in the Canadian Arctic during the navigation of the North-West Passage by the HMCS Labrador in the 50's. The last HUP/H-25 was retired in 1964, over thirty years since the J-6 first flew on a biplane.

Fascinated by this tale of engine history, I decided to do more than just write about it--I'm currently building a collection of F9C, M4A1 and HUP-2 all in 1/72 scale. Each model will show it's J-6/R-975 in some way and in addition I'll have a 1/72 scale R-975 mounted on a test stand. I hope to have this done for the Western Canadian Regionals in May. I'm already well on in the construction of the HUP-2 and Sherman.

In other modeling news, I just received the Alliance Models 1/9600 Battlestar Galactica model--and it's one sweet chunk of resin. It's worth every penny (even if I did get it on sale before Christmas).

Well, I guess that's it for now--I hope to keep some sort of regular bloggin schedule this year, but as the old saying goes: hoping is like farting--everyone does it, and most times the results stink.

Cheers,

Sean