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Friday, October 23, 2015

Drabbles - Lives

Drabbles - Lives

Sometimes people ask me how many lives I've lived.

I just smirk and ask them how many they have.

But on the inside, I fall to my knees.

And cry.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Politics - Voting Day

Politics - Voting Day

I have returned from voting. I have no selfie picture to show you, instead: I received my ballot and went behind the screen, then took a moment to observe it, and realized that it had been marked already. Concerned I took the ballot back to my polling volunteer and showed him. He immediately agreed and provided me a new ballot, destroying the old one. I took that one behind the screen and again observed the same markings. Both ballots had been marked under the Conservative candidate's name, Alice Wong.

I was suspicious and returned, a number of us checked through the unmarked ballots and discovered that every ballot in their small book (Perhaps a dozen ballots) had been similarly marked. His partner noted that the markings were not exactly in the bubble, and thusly should not count.

I said to him then: "Let us not be lazy in the defence of democracy. The books cost nothing. Get another one, and there will be no confusion."

They produced a new book of ballots, I received an unmarked one, and exercised my civic duty.

It's raining in Richmond right now, but I feel good.

Get out there and vote friends. And be vigilant. Don't let your voice be taken from you.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Politics - Budget

Politics - Budget

Let's talk about the budget. So there's been a lot of people, myself included talking at length about how the Conservative government is running deficits and running up public debt. In the face of that, the common rebuttal is "But he's running a balanced budget projection for 2015!"

So let's look closely at that, because it deserves attention.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Politics - Statistics

Politics - Statistics

Yesterday I wrote a lengthy blog article that was closely researched for the purposes of discussion and dissecting the current Canadian government (namely the Harper government). Stats 24 hours later:

There have been 243 unique visitors to the article.
46% of which are Canadian
22% of which are German
17% of which are American
The remaining percentage are from a combination of France, the UK, Russia, Portugal, Brazil, China, New Zealand, South Africa, Bulgaria and Argentina.

The average visit length is 2:45. The shortest is just under 1 minute (which I think is probably too short to fully read the article), the longest is just over 8:00.

15% of readers bounce down to the prior article, a piece of writing.

73% of visitors come from some sort of facebook redirection or linkage.
26% of visitors come from twitter
1% of visitors (2 people) came from somewhere else, most likely a bookmark.

The article has been shared 6 times on Facebook.
Retweeted once on twitter.

There have been no comments on the blog itself.

About two dozen comments on facebook. (None on my own original posting, only a few likes. Comments are on subsequent shares.)

No comments on twitter.

Interesting.


Thursday, October 8, 2015

Politics - Reasons

Politics - Reasons

So about two weeks ago or so now, my father and I had a pretty angry discussion about who to vote for in the upcoming election. In general, I have been somewhat dis associative of the election, I have a fairly clear view personally of who I am voting for and ultimately as long as people vote, I've been taking the viewpoint that people can make their own informed choices and don't need me airing negativity one way or the other.

That changed about a week ago, at least personally, because of the Conservative campaign of racism against the Middle East, the Niqab debate (which is ridiculous), and the ongoing campaign of attacking, rather than of valuing. There's a weird moment because you look on social media, you look on facebook, you look all over and Conservative supporters seem to be few and far between. But they have a majority right now. And they're projected to possibly win again. So who is voting for them? And why?

And then I had that debate with my father, and everything became clear. My father doesn't actually care that much who is in power. He cares in so far that he isn't taxed more. He cares in so far that he isn't paying for excessive public services. He believes in less government intervention where possible, and the Conservatives have positioned themselves in their propaganda as that...even though research has proven otherwise.

So here, I am compiling a list. These are the reasons to not vote Conservative, because it's not about name calling, but here are the fiscal reasons that you shouldn't vote Conservative. With appropriate citation.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Thoughts - Neon City

Thoughts - Neon City

I like exploring places I shouldn't go. In the neon glow of Richmond and accompanied by the sounds of falling rain on concrete, I climb up steel barricades and hop down the other side. Wandering the darkness of iron and sleek chrome cars that pass me by unerring on their journey to meaningless destinations.

Usually I have music, but tonight the silence is company well enough. She's the best kind, the kind that doesn't ask me if I'm alright, or if I feel okay. She stays true her namesake, and dances around me, mirthless. Save the wind, the rain, and far away some other voices in another language.

I think that the nighttime glow of Richmond reminds me of the Ninsei City. Of Chrome and grime, the smells of humans and the feeling of dying dreams. I think it reminds me of a time and a place I'll never see, but long for as though it were home.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Memory - Was

I was in love with you. We were children once beneath a forlorn sky, separated by distance we didn't understand. It was a long time ago. Dreamers set to rewrite the world... When did we ever grow up?

I was in love with you. Once. A long time ago. The stories we told each other and the tales we wove... It seems so far off.

You are getting married, and I wish you every joy and happiness. I wish I could be there for you that day in the ways I always and never were. I gift you a star, a silence, and all in my power to give you. Save that one thing.

I was in love with you once.