WoW Today.

I was sad today. I had to remove the credit card from my WoW account, and that involved the crying peon. I felt guilty, even though I wasn't even cancelling my account. It's a pretty effective guilt trip if you are a huge nerd. (I am a huge nerd) I think I'd have changed my mind if I were actually cancelling my account, but I just didn't want it to conflict with the credit card. In my explanation for why I was cancelling I chose that I just didn't want the credit card on the account, but I made sure to mention in the comments that that was all, and to tell the peon not to be sad. That said, it was a productive afternoon. I levelled the Druid to 20, the Paladin to 33, the Warrior to 13, and got 3 bars on the Rogue's way to 66. My name is Vithras, and I'm an altoholic.

Rehearsals, not meals.

Every night now, it seems that I'm attending rehearsals with various orchestras instead of eating proper supper. I'll eat whatever snacks are there on the fly, but never anything proper. I guess that'll be my life, but I like eating good meals. Perhaps I'll be famous someday. I'll be that Tuba player who got hungry and ate a violin. 

Unfortunately long political rant.

Finals are coming up, and that's why it's so bad that I wrote 1029 words for no real reason. Just because I felt strongly. Here they follow: 

This recent bluster about the potential coalition is just another example of Conservative hypocrisy. When Paul Martin's Liberals had a mild scandal on their hands, a Conservative coalition with the Bloc is OK, but now, when the Conservatives are flushing the economy down the toilet, and ignoring ordinary Canadians in favour of keeping Harper's job, it's "so bad", "undemocratic" and the Liberals are "making a deal with separatists, and trying to ruin the country". Look at who we're talking about... Stéphane Dion? Author of the Clarity Act and one of the most fierce federalists around? Somehow I doubt he's trying to ruin the country. I understand that Harper never studied politics, but as Prime Minister, he should know as much about the system as a 19 year old music student. Canada runs on a first-past-the-post system. Whoever wins the most votes in their riding wins their riding and is the MP for that riding. A true majority is not necessary in the riding, it's winner take all. You have to be just vaguely more supported than other individuals in your riding to win the seat. That is how the Conservatives got a government with 37% of the popular vote. What the Cons seem to be ignoring is that we do not vote for a leader, and we do not vote for a party. The MPs identify with a party as a means of fast-tracking the issues. How the government is organized after the MPs are chosen is not up to the electorate, it's up to parliament. It is merely tradition that the leader of the party with the most seats is Prime Minister. If the opposition parties are willing to work together, it's perfectly reasonable for them to be the government. Also, though separation is an important ideal of the Bloc, it is not their only ideal. They want what's best for Québec, and in these times of economic unrest, it is in the best interests of Québec to get Harper out of government and deal with the current issue before they worry about separating. The Conservatives, in their right-wing beliefs realize that in free-market capitalism, a recession is a good thing, because it weeds out poor product and incompetent workers. The thing that they ignore is that these are real people. People with jobs, and families, and lives. If the economy tanks, and bounces back with resilience, it looks great on paper, but the amount of fallout that will come of it is too much. The recession is bad for all people, even Harper's precious oil workers. That industry is tanking just as much as anything else. (Hehe... Tanking... Oil... anyway) Ordinary Canadians need jobs and food, and an economy that won't restrict those things. (They don't need arts cuts, but that's a matter for another day) I understand it's social darwinism, and only the strong succeed, but that doesn't mean the little guy should die. Harper, who is so good at keeping promises like fixed election dates has the gall to act like the opposition is doing something undemocratic by wanting to work together and actually get something done. I know that conservatives don't believe in progress, but progress is what is necessary. Their strategy of pretending it doesn't exist and hoping it'll go away hasn't worked for the environment, and it's not going to work for the economy. You know why we had a coalition last time? It was World War I. It was time to quit playing politics and actually get something done. This concept of the Left-wing coalition is the closest thing I've heard of to a government that's good for all Canadians in a long time. Harper's reformatories only exist because of a coalition, it was just more formalized. I'm glad that the dog is finally biting back after Harper poking it with a stick for so long. He's simply running to his mommy and spouting weak reasons for why he thinks he should stay in power. Because average Canadians are too apathetic to understand our political system, he's trying to get away with the "undemocratic" angle. People are forgetting what he's done in the past, and ignoring the function of our government. They'll try to say that Stéphane Dion is a weak leader. Really? When has he had the opportunity to lead? How would you know? Besides, the propaganda machine has ruined his chances to the extent that he is being switched out for another Liberal leader. I can't see how Harper is a strong leader... Breaking promises, (actually laws he put in place) making fabrications based on his own lack of understanding for the system to try and preserve his own meager power. He's treating his minority like it's a majority, bullying and throwing his weight around, and it's time he gets ousted. There's a reason only 37% of voters voted conservative. It's because his ideals are too radical and inappropriate for Canada. Some people have been tricked with promise of "change" and irrational fears stemming from all the way back at Trudeau. Some people think that "right" is synonymous with "correct". Some people legitimately think that there's nothing wrong with the environment, and that straight up capitalism where everyone but the biggest guy gets stomped is the way to go. The rest of us, the majority of us, don't believe these things, and would rather the government was progressive and good for people. The tactic that will bring the coalition to fruition is unifying the left wing that was so divided at election time, allowing Harper and his backward views to come to power again. With the progressive coalition in place, the views of the majority of Canadians will be represented. Let's see... The views of the majority of Canadians being represented by a functional government that works together for a common good? Wait... Is that... Democracy at its finest? Yes it is, and the conservatives are only looking to hinder that. And while only Michaëlle Jean can make the decision, it's important that the average Canadian is informed about this. So don't worry, Canada, embrace the coalition. It's the best idea anyone's had in quite a while.

The Cleaning Ladies Stole my Mop

This is truly the internet. Here I am, sitting at 2:30 in the morning, eating oreos and drinking coke, to inform my loyal following of ABSOLUTELY NO ONE (feel free to prove me wrong, but I doubt there's anyone) that the reason that my mop and broom are missing on cleaning inspection night is that the cleaning ladies stole them. Last year they troubled Trent while he moved himself and Jason out; they harassed him until he left in a huff, forgetting my mop and broom. They of course took them. They didn't take the drywall mud, no. Lazy cleaning ladies had no use for that, but the mop and broom? They were quality, and red. They wanted them, and they took them. Tomorrow, or rather, later today, they will fail us for having a dirty floor. Why is it dirty? Because the damn cleaning ladies have my mop and broom! They will charge us, or rather, Jason, through the nose so they can use MY mop and broom to clean the floor. That sounds like a conspiracy to me. 

Review - One Red Paperclip

Kyle Macdonald wrote the book One Red Paperclip: Or How An Ordinary Man Achieved His Dream With The Help Of A Simple Office Supply. I liked it quite a bit. It kept up a steady pace, and offered a good explanation of his grand story. Not simply a story of cheating the monetary value of items, it's very social in nature, and shows the journey of his trade experience, and not just the outcome. Yes, he got a house for a paper clip. How did he get there? It's very interesting to find out. I recommend it highly. Perhaps one of these days I'll have a good idea like that...

Time to throw it down the tubes.

Though this is not my first foray into the blagosphere, this is my personal attempt. The interblag has been a useful tool for exposition of my opinionated nature at work, but I think that it's about time that everyone is entitled to my personal opinions. If I have a thought or review or something, I'll toss it up on the blagoblag. I suspect as many people will read this as read my work blags, (id est, no one) but it never hurts to throw it up anyway. Unless of course you're throwing up blood.