I know I’ve been neglecting you, but I’ve been involved in a passionate romance with my good pal, School. I’m going to be honest though, School doesn’t love me like you do, so I’m probably going to use him at least until December, then dump his ass and forever return to the loving embrace of the arms you don’t actually possess…since you’re a blog. But for now, I need you to do me a favour and remind me of what I need to talk to you about eventually:

(1) Ontario Driver’s License – Why in the future I shouldn’t take a driving course to attain my G2 without first predicting that the DriveTest union would go on strike so that I may avoid the strike appropriately. My lack of psychic ability has entered me into a seemingly infinite loop into the big bad world of exam rescheduling.

(2) Cartoon Strip (Project I) – I’ve begun a new project back in September where I’ve created mounds and mounds of incredibly cheap cartoons, with equally tacky jokes. I look forward to expanding these and sharing them across the internet in January. Disclaimer: if you are not a science nerd, you will likely not appreciate them. Well, come to think of it, if you are a science nerd, you’ll probably still wonder what I was smoking while creating these.

(3) Unknown (Project II) – Another project, eh? This one was started in late June, but I haven’t quite been able to focus on this one much. For now it’ll be known to you as ‘unknown’–at least until I can figure whether to continue pursuing it. I mostly likely will, since it’s based on something I strongly believe in. Wish me luck finding time to continue it.

(4) LHIA – Oh god, do I even have to talk to you about this, Blog? Blatant example of my a lack of dedication to you. But I’m not someone who just gives up, so since I’ve started this LHIA series, I most certainly will finish it. And then, knowing me, I will of course start a new series of blog posts in 2010 where I’ll this time stick to the goal.

*dusts off hands and walks away from this mess*

Much Love,
Loo

Bird	Species	Sex	Date	Picture
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	Unknown	Summer 2008	–
American Goldfinch	Carduelis tristis	male, female	Summer 2008
American Robin	Turdus migratorius	male, female	Spring 2008
American Tree Sparrow	Spizella arborea	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Black-Capped Chickadee	Parus atricapillus	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	male, female	Fall 2008	–
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	male, female	Spring 2008
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	male, female	Spring 2008
Common Grackle	Quiscalus quiscula	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Dark-Eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus	male, female	Spring 2008	–
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	male, female	Summer 2008
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	male, female	Spring 2008
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor	male, female	Spring 2008
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	male, female	Spring 2008
Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus	male, female	Spring 2009	–
Northern Oriole	Icterus galbula	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Red-Winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	male	Spring 2008	–
Ring-Billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	male, female	Spring 2008	–
Rock Dove	Columba livia	unknown	Spring 2008
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris	immature male (?), female	Summer 2008	–
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	female	March 2009	–
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Summer 2008

(All species spotted in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Last Updated: September 5th, 2009)
Edit (April 24th, 2010):
New Updates: http://loona.wordpress.com/birds

Similarly, some may feel they have a target on their back for believing it’s okay to kill an embryo, but it’s not okay to kill someone who has murdered. Why should they feel targeted? One may consider an embryo to be something other than a person, therefore justifying the death of an embryo but not of an adult human. One may have reasoning that is rooted practically (judicial system) than ethically, allowing them to oppose the death penalty without ever valuing the life of the criminal.

As with abortion, I’ve stayed away from the discussion of the death penalty because I’ve always questioned it. I don’t support the death penalty at this point in my life. With our current system, which is already filled with problems (ie. providing material-excess to prisoners, providing documents to the public before court proceedings, a society that treats the accused as guilty before innocent, etc.) we don’t always have the guarantee that we are convicting the correct person. Sometimes anecdotal evidence must take the place of solid physical evidence. But even if the physical evidence is there, I would rather see the killer in prison. This is enough justice for me; seeing someone pay through this eye-for-an-eye tactic gives me no satisfaction, particularly when I don’t believe they’ll go to hell.

• We can never define a point of consciousness because I’m sure there are many layers to the development of such a complex feature.

• You are officially insane to not acknowledge that an embryo is a human.

• It is appropriate to quiver to the terms “pro-life” “pro-choice” “pro-abortion” “pro-death.” So misleading.

• I’m disturbed when someone calls the embryo “just a mass of cells.” Right, as though it is equivalent to the skin on your arm. Oi.

Now for story time. A necessary story to tell? Not really, although it does put this whole issue into perspective for me.

Before my birth, my mother had experiences several miscarriages (spontaneous abortions) and she always felt great emotional distress through each one. Recently, on a trip to the hospital to visit a family friend, I asked her about her experiences during those miscarriages. She described to me a story about her having to check into the hospital so that doctors could monitor her in the case that another problem arises with the pregnancy. During a moment of illness, my mom headed to the hospital bathroom and in an unfortunate event, the fetus that was once living within her had slipped out and into the toilet. Nurses rushed in, pulled it out and allowed her to hold the lifeless body. Although not fully developed (and really, who is, even post-birth?), it’s fingers were distinguishable. I think it is the witness of human features that promotes our connection to a preborn; even if it is only a few weeks old, there is this strong desire that we are doing something terrible by tampering with it’s development. Needless to say, this was a traumatic experience by description alone.

I don’t believe that those who induce an abortion aren’t also psychologically traumatized by such an incident. It should not be associated with an everyday outing.

Jack: Hey, Jill! Just wondering if you want to do anything tomorrow.

Jill: Yeah, I’d love to!

Jack: When do you want to meet up?

Jill: Well, I have a dentist appointment at 10am, then I’ve got to go shopping for my mom’s birthday, then at about 1:30 I’ve got to abort the parasite that’s living inside of me, then after that whole jazz I’m going to pick up some booze for the party tomorrow—but after that we should go to the movies!

I’m pretty sure only a fraction of a percent of people (lunatics, really) have that mentality. Now, I don’t have the statistics on that, but…

I don’t believe everyone among us is heartless and willing to use abortion as a contraceptive. I do believe that in the time that this underdeveloped, unviable child is within a woman, she should have the right to dictate what is best for her. Later stages of development remove this right because of the very real possibility that the fetus is highly perceptive, viable, and as a result more entitled to the status of ‘person.’ This is what many ‘pro-lifers’ are missing. Many are unable to detach themselves from a mere idea that this being is entitled to rights simply because it is labelled a human. This is tough for some to understand. Most of the conceptions of what an embryo/fetus is stems from labels. It’s a human so it must attain equivalent rights to an adult human. But this is perhaps a whole other issue.

For now, I will say that I do believe providing women the opportunity to rectify mistakes or choose their fate is far safer for themselves, as well as the unborn, than restricting it. Nobody really vehemently supports abortions (well some do, but again..the crazies), but the point is providing options. Those who are against the option would find themselves in a far more advancing situation if they actually educated young women on why they don’t need to abort, why there are other opportunities, and in the least educate them about the mental/physical reprucussions they will probably endure by carrying out the act. I almost see opposition against this choice as a lost cause, though I can surely respect why people will stand that position.
(Continued tomorrow with Human Life II)

Recently someone brought to my attention that love is chosen. We choose to love our parents, our dog, our friends, our lover (or in my case, lovers–rawr…oh dear god, who am I kidding ). We don’t actually trip, stumble and fall into the lap of Love, but choose to love or become infatuated with our significant other. I hadn’t really considered this action of choosing too much before, but I understand the concept has some validity. We may choose to love a lot of things, but I think most of where choice plays a role, at least in social love, is in choosing not to love someone. We may not initially love with direct intention (those in desperation illustrate this well), but I can understand that maintaining that love is where we make the most direct impact.

Part of my issue with love and choice stems from my inability to internalize that people can control their emotions. This is something I have great difficulty doing. I have indirectly controlled my emotions by altering past opinions or learning through experiences, but the concept of direct immediate control of an emotion is something I have difficulty grasping. Is it even attainable? Perhaps but I am certain it requires magnificent mental control–beyond what I currently possess. Even if we do possess great control, I feel as though much of this ‘choice’ to love is an illusion. Sure, we may have some choices there, but most of why we love is a product of circumstances. These circumstances dictate our choices, and so is there really as much choice as we think? Probably not.

Much of the problem with even discussing love comes from the problem of defining it. A great part of how we ‘choose’ to love can be confused with us just choosing ways to express our love. Love still exists whether it is expressed or not, wouldn’t you say? The choice isn’t seen be actions because actions aren’t always the definers of existence. Actions may speak louder than words, but words aren’t mute.
Part of the trouble with defining love comes from it’s broad use. We use one word to describe several meanings, many of which are incomparable to one another. Can we ever say that loving one’s family is a more important kind of love than loving one’s friends? I often wonder why there is so much weight on familial love. Even when a relative has done nothing right in our lives, we must love them unconditionally. But we are truly fooling ourselves if we love these people so much because they are family. We need real reasons to love. Never have I heard people care so much about DNA.

I remember the days when stores would actually put on their little facade and pretend to care about their customers. Now it seems they can no longer afford the illusion. Recall those days when Zellers used to give out free milk and cookies to kids every time their parents came to the store. Hell, parents didn’t even have to buy anything to have their child’s face shoved with sugary sugary goodness. Perhaps we’ve evolved into a society where people have attempted to exploit the goodness of others, or perhaps corporations are just becoming cheap mothers. Maybe a little bit of both? If not the first, most certainly the last. Here’s how I know:

On said trip to IKEA I was shocked to enter, noting that they had converted most cashier stations into self-serve checkouts and only one cashier was open at the time. I mean, great, woohoo for technology, but…at the same time, that’s a loss in jobs in an already hurting economy. I saw the same things happening at Home Depot two weeks ago: more self-serve, less jobs. Now, perhaps it’s wrong for me to just assume that there are less jobs–do I really know if employees aren’t just working elsewhere in the store? No, but I doubt it. Here’s to make another assumption: the purpose of these machines is to save money for the company. In no way do these grotesque hunks of metal help the customer (unless the customer is antisocial). Rather, I’ve seen many customers struggle with them. So I think I’m safe to assume they’re money-hungry. But what smart company isn’t? Unfortunately smart in corporate eyes isn’t always great in others. However, through decline in greatness and all, if there is one thing that IKEA has done right, it’s the fact they’ve kept their hot dogs at the same price…ooo and the meatballs…mmm, the lingonberry juice…swedish cookies *drools* —wait, what? I haven’t, nope, never said anything bad about IKEA in this blog. Nope, what *drools* are you talking about? not a clue *drools* about what you’re saying.ddal.,,,,,g/d.agfd.///////

I find it incredibly depressing that the media that sucked the life from this man is the same media attempting to pump it back with their commentary. What makes it even more disheartening is that their intentions have remained the same throughout. I am of the camp that at one point didn’t care enough to think critically about the accusations against Michael Jackson. I had drank from the wrong well and let the fluid poison my judgment. What can seem like an incapacity for myself to think critically was merely an unwillingness. “Michael Jackson is a pedophile” — Okay. “Michael Jackson wants to be white.” — Hmm, okay. “Michael Jackson is a freak.” — Sure, why not? I really hadn’t thought much about these things since the time of the 2005 trial, but I feel guilty now for not being quickly critical at the time. Moreover, it is not until now that it really hits me that I’m not currently thinking nearly as critically as I should be. It is not until now that it really hits me that many of us aren’t, even when we desire to be. It is the readiness to soak up information like a sponge without ever checking facts that permits us to feel content with not caring. Passive acceptance of any information is what will continue to fuel the fires.

We teach people to feel ugly. We teach people to hate. We’re not critical. We’re not skeptical. We’re pathetic fucking sheep. The very thing I’ve despised in other areas of my life, I’ve failed in this aspect through simple unwillingness. I am sorry for falling. June 25th marks something more than the loss of a humanitarian.

From my perspective (a perspective that is laced with disposition to follow a certain Western moral code), it would be appealing to enforce many of the things the United Nations was founded upon. We may not have universal morality, but we should have worldly consistency…to a very slight degree. If nothing else, everyone should have the right to life. Unless one is suicidal, nobody wants to be dead or physically abused. And if we take this to the biology classroom (as I have the great tendency to gravitate towards ), the basis of evolution is that an organism must survive (well, survive and then reproduce, but that’s another story ). Not everyone will believe that it is wrong to kill others, but in the least societies should uphold and live by this single rule, if none other. When it comes to other issues like equality, for one, is it a Westerner’s business to want to impose their codes on others? Not really. We don’t really have the business saying what’s right and what’s wrong for others. That’s arrogant.

Everyone claims to be or want to be this wholesome, moral, individual with all the right beliefs. Is it not interesting then that the morals of the religious often alienate so many? Perhaps this alienation is a product of foolish interpretations, but there is still no denying they exist. Morality is strongly associated with religion, yet could an atheist technically be more moral than God’s child? This again brings up the issue of what is more moral and what is ideally moral. I’m not so sure anyone is in the position to make a judgment of moral ideals; we can’t dictate one foot infront of us. This sounds odd to say, but I feel that the moral code of a non-religious fellow holds more power than that of the religious follower. As a religious man, you follow guidelines you have not set for yourself, unless your beliefs are independent of any denomination. Even when you are controlling what religion you follow, the guidelines set are ones limited to boundaries. The non-religous creates his own moral code. What empowers him is the ability to distinguish right from wrong by his own confidence.

Of course, no blog is complete without a reference to xkcd, just for the hell of it:

I really wonder how this was at first determined to not equal torture. That conclusion is torture in itself. You know what else is torture in itself? Watching this video. If I recall correctly, I was squirming the first time I watched this. Not pleasant. I’ll admit now, I’m curious to feel what waterboarding is like. It almost seems not enough to just say it’s torture based on third-party accounts alone. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not actually going to waterboard myself. That just sounds sadistic.

At times I feel like I can read people like I would if I had picked up their diary. But through mere actions, I extract information, pulling against a fierce resistance. This man that I know is sad as he witnesses the power he once had deflated before him. He tries to regain this power in the most maladaptive way: by pushing others down and climbing on top. It’s almost as though he feeds off of others demise, but I know this isn’t true—he is a good person deep down. But perhaps we all have a negative aspect to our personalities that will ensure that two individuals cannot be compatible. Or perhaps life changes us in a way for the worse and we don’t realize the hurt that we cause as a result. I don’t want this to happen to me. Yet sometimes I feel I pick up his negative behaviours and use them against him. I don’t want that negativity to escape to anyone beyond him—this would be detrimental to my own well-being. I want to confine it to a box, lock it, and discard it in the nearest ocean.

Among the many problems that arise, this man’s a hypocrite—but aren’t we all? Is he more hypocritical than most or am I just finding problems because I’m in search for problems? Do I desire a confrontation? In part, yes. As stated, I’m worn. I try to trust him but lies surface. Lies with no purpose other than to hurt the person I care the most about. Somehow he doesn’t realize that those lies affect more than just one person. And so this is why I become so involved and have knocked on the doors I never should have knocked. I have knocked, entered, but don’t have the power to go further. Hopefully that time will come, but I fear that when it does, it’ll permanently isolate me from this miserable man. Strange I’d say that, ain’t it?