15. Liam Kearney and Stina Dios:

Liam and Stina are like Bonnie and Clyde. They’re criminals, sociopaths, sexual deviants and they’ve robbed me of my ability to appreciate just how sexy a couple can be, because lets face it folks, they’ve topped it (sorry couples to follow). I once witnessed Liam brandish a tommy gun, firing several rounds into the roof of a local TD Waterhouse Branch, just so he could be first in line to cash his paycheck, while Stina looked brazenly out the tinted windows into the bright afternoon sky, as her golden, Swedish locks rippled in the cool exhaust from the wall mounted air conditioner beside the branch manager’s office…. Stina and Liam are so much fun, and I thank them for brightening any house party, bar romp, or wedding I attend. They provide me with food and shelter when I’m in Toronto, and of course, provide me with something to aspire to, a badass, loving relationship. Take a bow, comrades.

14. Tyler Young:

I met this cat by coincidence, while editing a documentary film for an English class last year near the end of school. Little did I know, we shared some mutual friends, and to my surprise I discovered quite a talented man. Tyler Young is a photographer, film editor and all around multi media expert. He also moonlights as a private detective on weekends (he once helped recover a signed copy of Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man from the clutches of a evil vinyl collector, downtown. What can I say? I just love Uptown Girl, its a classic). On the very few occasions I’ve seen him since we’ve met, he always has a smile on his face, and in no time at all spreads the delight onto everyone else’s face. Ty heads up a multi-media company, Full Affect, you can check out the work here, its pretty excellent and of course a motivator for yours truly. I hope in the next few months we can kick back at the Albion with some beers and an exchange of our photographic know-how. A Guelph resident, and by proxy, a wonderful human being and father, this man lands #14, a tip of the cap to you, sir.

13. Dave Heidebrecht:

Dave Heidebrecht is super human, like I mean he could be a fucking android, built in a retired, top-secret soviet missile silo outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. Sent to Canada to spy on just how righteously awesome Canadians are. I’ve had suspicions…  I once saw the bastard toss 14 perfect strikes in a softball game this summer. To boot, in one game, Dave sacrificed his beautiful face for the betterment of the team by barreling headfirst into a chain-linked fence, ultimately saving a run, but unfortunately we lost the game. I could swear I saw a metallic interior skeletal frame protruding from the gash on his face, it might have been the Hamilton air in my lungs, but I could have sworn…. This talented human being leaves me reeling anytime I catch a glimpse of his work. Dave is one of the most gifted and worldly photographers I know. To match, he’s generous in lending out equipment and humble when it comes to compliments on his work. He specializes in landscapes, culture and images that capture the essence of the here and now, of anywhere he’s been, and he’s been far and wide. You can check his work out here, please be seated as you do so. #13 is reserved for such greatness.

12. Brett McClean and Christy Duncan:

I can’t say enough about this next couple. Christy an Brett are full of laughs, love, good food, good company and good music, all the trimmings of what a great pair should have. Missed terribly from here in Ontario, Christy and Brett now reside in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They also celebrated their marriage this summer, and holy fucking moly, what a hum-dinger that was. I’ve been to weddings in the past, but this one included so many close friends and colleagues that it made the event all the more intimate, and all the more a smash up. A first for me at the wedding was the concept that instead of tapping your glass or plate for a kiss from the bride and groom, you had to earn it, by writing a poem and then taking to the mic, and delivering it to the crowd. Only then would Brett and Christy share a smooch. That concept is of course, epic wedding history. They seem perfect for each other, and I don’t know when I’ll see them next, but I sure hope its soon. Come to Ontario for gosh sakes!

11. Duncan Martin:

Duncan Martin is another well-rounded chap I must pay homage to. If you’re unable to grasp the concepts of this world, from a geographical perspective, I highly recommend speaking with this guy. He’s a pretty decent photographer and by golly he’s an excellent musician too. Duncan once climbed to the peak of Mount Everest, BY HIMSELF. NAKED. He told me he took a disposable Kodak camera and that he has photos of his journey, but when I asked to see them, the look in his eyes said ‘don’t you fucking dare question my Everest summit, you unworthy man-child.’ Well, at least that’s what I thought his eyes said, so I backed off and continued on with a sip from my coffee and a slow downward glance at my study notes…. Duncan is a staple study partner, and for that reason, I hold him dear to my heart…. Even though he doesn’t make the top ten. Rock on, my good sir.

10. Jason Donovan:

Jason Donovan always puts a twinkle in my eye. He’s just full of it. Twinkling. The twinkling of a bright, shining star… I once saw Jason wrestle a fully grown Great White Shark in a lake in Peterborough. What boggled my mind about this sight was not the visceral power of his adrenalin filled body striking blow, after forceful blow at the bulbous, sensory nerve center located on the sharks head, no, it was the shear improbability of an actual shark, or any salt water predator for that matter, making its way up the Trent-Severn waterway to wrestle the likes of such a man. Donovan is a man of many talents, one being improvisation. I have a lot of respect for improv artists, I’ll even argue that its a tougher gig than stand up comedy. How the heck can a guy get up in front of a crowd of hundreds of people and consistently entertain them, let alone hold their attention, with nothing but mere suggestions of material and subject matter? TALENT, that’s what! I respect that, and I love what Jason, Jeff Higgins, Evan Moir and the whole Van46 crew have done with themselves in the last year. Check out their comedy skits here and give praise. To Jason I say, keep on keep’n on, and let me know when that taxidermist finishes stuffing the shark. Man, that thing was like a 14 footer, jeepers!

9. Rebecca Spring and Darryl Johnston:

Rebecca and Darryl have been good friends of mine since first year university at Guelph. For some reason they’ve been together since then, I can’t figure it out really…. Maybe its because of Darryl’s world famous clam chowder, or his award winning spicy sausage gumbo, or even his tantalizing roasted corn on the cob, all these things, mixed with a chiseled figure, rapier wit and of course a Dodge Mini-Van equipped for toting they’re future offspring. Of course Rebecca’s radiant beauty, kindness, incredible patience, great taste in photography and of course, those legs….. help the situation as well. I guess I just figured it out. Another amazing thing about Darryl and Rebecca, is this one time during World War Two, Darryl and Rebecca rode onto the battlefield at Normandy on the back of a giant mutated squirrel. Somehow Darryl was able to fashion a mount for this brutish, forest dwelling, nut forager, and as Rebecca brandished a high powered machine rifle, Darryl guided his trusty steed directly into the path of some of the most fearsome National Socialists the war had ever seen. They won the battle, yes indeed they did, after delivering a high-powered explosive device to the enemies headquarters, while galloping past at an incredible rate, and detonating it as they both gazed passionately into each other eyes. Then, they made out, squirrel-back, as the dust and brick and stone of the explosion whizzed past them at high speed. James Cameron, eat your fucking heart out. I love you guys, congratulations on getting hitched, may 2011 be a splendid year for you both. #9 is reserved for you.

8. Polina Bam:

Polina Bam. In this patriarchal society, one weeps at the possibility of such a fantastic last name being folded away into the realm of history. With great namesakes come with them greatness by association, and #8 goes to Polina. I’ve never met a more kindhearted individual, and it’s thanks to her that I was able to find one of the most horrible course loads of my post secondary career, bearable. Hey Polina, remember that time we were in a group of like, 8 people and then like, only 3 people like, did any work and then the rest of the group probably got decent marks because like, we worked so hard? That was the best! If ever there were a woman who could traverse the entire globe with a backpack and a walking stick, I would most definitely slot her in as the top pick. Travel success includes smiles, kindness and knowledge of food and wine. Polina embodies each, and as this was her last semester at Guelph, I wish thee prosperity and wonder as you travel the globe spreading Bam cheer and delight as you go, like a beautiful flowering vine, that smells of honeysuckle and watermelons. Yaaay!

7. Liam Quinn:

Tiny Liam Quinn is but the apple of my eye, and the eye of Rob and Meghan, his makers. He can barely form perfect sentences, but the way this guy constructs and maintains a whole train yard full of the complete cast of Thomas the Tank Engine, is nothing short of extraordinary. As well, Liam’s coloring skills have ripened, as his ability to color inside the lines improves everyday. Liam also excels at impressions, and in particular of his doggy, Poppy. For some unknown reason, Poppy has the tendency to gargle and ‘cack,’ if you will, when confronted with a situation not to her liking. Think of it as the sound your Uncle Tim makes when he’s smoked too much from his tobacco pipe, and needs to clear the nasal cavity, that’s the sound. Well, Liam captures it perfectly, and the facial expressions to match, a man after my own heart. May your year be filled with toilet training success, new pre-school friends and an even more careful and detailed stroke of the Crayola. Hi Liam! Sorry for yelling.

6. Eric Fallon:

If you’ve been to a party wherein Eric Fallon has attended, you’ve probably encountered the fucking ringer. Nudity and coarse language abound the atmosphere when Fallon attends what was once a mild mannered dinner party, strong parental discretion is recommended to attend such get-togethers. Eric is not a model for 1980’s Chatelaine Limited Edition couples photo-shoots, nor an accredited Zoologist, no; he is a professional Michael Bolton look-alike. I once saw Eric bring the house down at a local retirement community, as his rendition of ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ soared forth, proving that even a cover of a cover can be even more breathtaking than the original. Eric has brought much joy to my life in the past year, he seems to attract the fun, and the people I meet through him bring equal joy. Fallon is a well-dressed cat too, and while he looks like a million bucks, the guy has an academic and eclectic taste in literature, something you may not assume from the ‘enthusiastic’ that Eric embodies. I reserve #6 for this man, as he truly is one of the most intriguing of 2010.

5. Mandeep Flora:

Dipp, or officially known as Mandeep Flora. I love his photography, I mean, that shit just makes me jealous. #5 goes to this man, a fine man at that. I don’t know if anyone saw, but recently in the Globe and Mail, there was a story about a guy who saw two old ladies being robbed on Dovercourt, in Toronto. Well, that was Dipp. The guy ran 8 blocks up the street; only realizing the petty thug he was after, had lured Dipp onto his turf, as when he finally ran around the corner at Dovercourt Park, there were six other dark, shadowy figures. Little did this posse of seven strong realize, Dipp is a 9^th degree black belt, and has been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the fastest human being to wield a collapsible Billy club. Before those despicable thieving bastards knew it, two of them needed reconstructive face surgery, one required a synthetic knee cap, another two died from shear terror, and the other two broke their OWN arms upon realizing the immense pain and suffering they would have undergone if Dipp had gotten hold of them. Jeepers. He gathered the purses, and then returned them to their rightful, senior citizen owners. The top five of the most intriguing must be kept for such greatness, but for fuck sakes, maybe ease up on the stellar photographics, it hurts my feelings. I love you.

4. Jamie Morren:

Jamie Morren is yet again another impeccable photographer. He’s been taking a photograph, or several, everyday for the past year, in fact he’s at 354, today. That is no small feat, and it’s a respectable one. I find it hard to get motivated and pick up the camera; let alone find composable material that compliments my style and lens, and mood for that matter. Jamie is able to do all of these things, everyday. My God. He’s also excellent with a guitar and to boot, holds a mean garage party every Christmas Eve. A party that leaves me smelling like a synthetic campfire made of cigarettes, but filled with the killer energy that a solid group of people generates, stoking the real fires for the rest of the year. Parties like these truly embody the expression that it’s not where you are, it’s who your with.  Jamie recently moved to Toronto to pursue a career in photography and advertising, a creative like myself. To you my good man, I bestow the wishes of success and good health and may every year from this one forth, may I find myself in your garage, spouting prose like a beer-crazed banshee. Ahoy!

3. Julian Pinder:

Julian is someone I hold in very high esteem. His accomplishments in the last year are undeniably something we should all strive for. He released his documentary film, LAND, a piece he had been working on since late 2005. Its quite a film, and I say so sincerely, as it came from a rookie director, and from a budget that was self financed, and built upon a schedule that involved quite a lot of world travel, and of course hard work. Julian also co-owns Toronto’s first urban winery, V1 Wines, and was kind enough to entrust me with shooting V1’s annual grape stomping in Etobicoke. Julian is a Dundas boy like myself, and is an all around talented fellow, sporting skills with the guitar on top of his skills with the camera. I look forward to his next project, through his production company, Deliberate Films, a story following the ever-spreading oil and fuel industry in the Northwest of Canada. For the first of the top 3, I reserve this spot of Mr. Pinder. May your year be as prosperous as 2010.

2. The Guelph Harem:

Number 2 is reserved for a group of ladies that could combine to form a super power zord, even the Power Rangers themselves could not defeat. How exactly they would combine is completely up for interpretation by everyone reading this. I don’t know, some kind of surgery or something? Anyway, I owe a whole two semesters of fantastic partying, laughs, and all around tomfoolery to this bunch. Cody seems to know how to uncontrollably laugh at almost anything, and I mean anything, don’t take her to a funeral; a comedy show of some sort would suit her much more. Sarah, in her glory, can outdrink me. How this relatively tiny girl can do so, is up for scientific review, and if there are any scientists reading, I’m sure you’d be eager to study the inner workings of Sarah’s alcoholic digestive system, wink! Maddie can speak to animals. Yep, she once had a full on conversation with a Black Grouse, and discussed the troublesome nature of migration and the difficult task of culling his young grouse chicks out of the nest, to fly. His name was Harold, and he was hatched on the shores of the Mississippi. Finally, Vanessa is like the glue that holds the group together, perhaps butcher’s glue, the kind that really gets you going after you fill a zip lock bag half full and haul a lungful. Somehow she seemed to be able to make it through the semester this year, even with crutches and without a cellphone.  To this fine group of young ladies I say, may the force be with you, and may the next year bring you joy, success and may your hangovers and sicknesses last but a few moments and may your hair not have bad days and may you not break any bones and may you find happiness and joy and love. God bless.

1. Momma and Poppa Dalgleish:

Finally, we come to number one, and for such an honor I reserve for my parents, Momma and Poppa Dalgleish. For if it were not for them, this list would not be made possible, in fact, a heck of a lot would not be possible and I must here take my place as a humble son, and give thanks for this miracle of a marriage. I don’t say miracle lightly. I’m not privy to the exact statistics, but to have parents still in love and holding a strong marriage after some 30 years, is quite something, and it does wonders for the rest of the facets of their lives. Like me, my brother, our pets, our home and all the security, love, companionship and trust that comes out of something like that. Marriage aside, these two individuals are pretty damn interesting. Patricia, or as I’ve deemed, Trish the Dish, is a hard working Educational Assistant. I’d say its one of the most thankless jobs in the education industry, or for any industry at that. A great deal of humility, patience and heart is required to work with disabled and troubled kids, and from what I’ve seen and heard, she does more than her share of a fantastic job. Doug, or Douggles if you will, is a prison superintendent. Until this year, I’d really no idea just how big the scale was for the guy, in his position. He runs Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ontario. Its a high security prison with a staff of around 500 and a budget reaching into the 8 figure category. How this man goes to work and deals with the conundrums of a giant government facility, holding some of the worst assholes Canada has to offer, and then comes home with the bright demeanor I encounter everyday, is nothing short of intriguing. Let’s face it ladies and gentlemen, if it weren’t for the love, wisdom and grace that my (as you can see) quite attractive parents, bestowed upon yours truly, I’d be simply a worthless bum. No ifs, ands, or buts…. And so, with my most fervent and exclusive endearments, I present the number one spot, reserved for my makers. Thank you for everything, and may the next year bring you joy, happiness and maybe a little less of your son’s personal indiscretions (taps the nose). I love you both.

To all who read this in full, I thank you kindly. For further reading, check out last years list. Also, to those who know me and know me well, and to those who didn’t make this list, its a little arbitrary, and if I had all the time in the world, I’d write a blurb and a homage to each and everyone of my friends and acquaintances. Try to take the love and kindness I show here and pay it forward, the Earth could always use a little more of both. Happy New Year!

I always wondered what it would be like, and how much merit there would be in gathering some caring folks, some do-gooders, some decent heart felt people like myself together, to form a roaming band of Roadkill Funeralists. Y’know? Hit up the rural roads, the local city streets and hold vigils, roadside respects, paying our two cents of dignity to these wayward animal souls that gave their lives in the name of human progress (more like interference and encroachment). We’d fashion a little altar, maybe even a tiny little podium and we’d all gather ’round, long faced and grim, but noble and stiff upper lipped. Real British like, I guess….

“Today we gather here, to mourn the loss and celebrate the memory of Chip. Chip the chipmunk. He was a great chipmunk, a swift and graceful chipmunk. A chipmunk who if challenged, could probably have filled his tiny chipmunk mouth with so many nuts and berries, not even the great chipmunks of the ancient chipmunk times could have comprehended such a mouthful. Chip most likey left behind a lovely wife, and of course some tiny little chipmunk whipper snappers. Well, our words spoken here today are to acknowledge and respect Chip’s life, that was so quickly taken on this day, perhaps from a Mazda 3, or even a Subaru……. Well, here’s to Chip, the chippiest little chipmunk in the whole gosh darned forest….”

Then, we’d pick him up and give him a proper burial, something nice, like near an oak tree, or a babbling brook. Something worthy of his chipmunk greatness. A far cry from the shovel or spade of a disheveled, unshaven, smoke mouthed city worker with a hankerin’ for break time…..

Yep, roadkill funerals, I could see it, maybe you could too. I guess the real moral here is, be sure to take a few seconds as you speed by a flattened toad, a squished turtle, or the ever elusive battered crow (crows almost never get hit, those wily bastards…) to think about and appreciate just how secret, yet how most probably wicked awesome that little guy’s life must have been. Amen brothers and sisters.

Just what exactly are the tenants of the movement, and how does it seek to solve the problems we all see and experience in the present? It can be separated into a few ways of thinking.

Affluenza:

Affluenza is a term that deals with the concepts of materialism, debt, anxiety, waste and the problems that can stem from a deluded view of pursuing a lifestyle that cannot be reached. This idea also comes with the proponents of working overtime, adding stress and long commutes in pursuit of a job that pays a large salary or to even make ends meat. This comes after statistics show that the average GTA citizen spends 80 minutes on just one way to work. Affluenza focusses on the idea that wealth and material possessions do not add any value, happiness or core improvement in one’s life, and that the emptiness found in wealth leaves the individual searching for more and more, perpetuating the guilt and sacrifice that comes from the process of this greed. In Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic, the stated fact that $11 trillion in the U.S. economy is spent on consumer goods, and Americans spend 6 hours a week shopping and only 40 minutes a week playing with their children, is something that needs to be addressed immediately. Also, for instance, more recently online shopping has become a lucrative Affluenza “carrier.” The book also discusses the downfalls of credit and loans, the high expectations of “image” and the obsession with “stuff.” Voluntary Simplicity seeks to break down these concepts, bury them and empty them from our heads.

Downshifting:

“Downshifting” is a concept that parallels voluntary simplicity closely. Downshifting consumers are indeed less materialistic and brand-conscious; they also tend to practice political consumption, like boycotts or “buycotts.”  It is estimated that 19 percent of the U.S. population are simplifying their lifestyle, these are people who emphasize regaining balance in life (more leisure time, less work) by reducing clutter and emphasizing personal fulfillment and connections to others over economic success. As a result of reduced incomes or a desire for a less materialistic life, downshifters try to repair, reuse, share, and make goods rather than buy them. Instead of “getting and spending” to give lives order and meaning, downshifters may focus on civic reengagement. Downshifting is basically the core of the voluntary simplicity movement and combines with a few other ideas to hammer home how it all fits together as a viable option for sustainable living on earth.

Organic and Sustainable Lifestyles:

Voluntary simplicity is very difficult to sum up, and in combination with the idea of Affluenza, Downshifting, and a myriad of tendencies towards better living, the concept is quite complex. Lowered consumption, awareness toward natural foods and organically grown meats and vegetables, reduced clutter, recycling, cooperative enterprises, human sized living and working environments, compassionate living, closer human contact, changes towards sustainable transportation and the movement towards holistic health care, and the development of the full potential of the human mind and body are some of the many ideas that formulate how voluntary simplicity works in the eyes of its creators. This idea is not particularly a new one and has been relevant to the human consciousness for hundreds of years, the idea of living simply and the misdirection of life spent in the pursuit of material good and social status have been heavily debated. Voluntary simplicity involves limiting material consumption and seeking satisfaction through the noncommercial and nonmaterial aspects of life. Those who participate in voluntary simplicity question how modern society defines “the good life” and advocate for less materialistic lifestyles that are more “fulfilling, spiritually enlightening, socially beneficial, and environmentally sustainable.”

Why do we need Voluntary Simplicity? Will it Work?

The core problems of our global economy and the global environment all stem from the ways in which voluntary simplicity works. Over consumption is the crux of the major problems, and stemming form that; pollution, oil agendas, war, social injustice and habitat encroachment. There is also the influence of the mass media, which can influence people to “want” and consume goods that make no difference to their lives other than to clutter and make waste or clog laundry washers, closets, garages and landfills, and the environment itself. In the eyes of many observers, the problems of human environment relations are based solely around human beings, and voluntary simplicity seeks to begin to solve these problems from those roots. The burning question is; does the concept work?

One of the first aspects to look at when assessing the viability of VS is politics. Voluntary simplicity is not a typical left/right political position, and is seen for the most part as something like nonviolent activism, libertarianism, or leftist anarchism. These connotations do not do the movement justice in terms of how it is viewed by the general public of North America, and it is in North America where the movement must begin its branching out into the rest of the global society. This hurdle can also be viewed as a benefit though, as the idea of a lifestyle movement not being categorized politically, could in the future, help to bridge the gap between both sides. Economically speaking, how is it that an individual, or a family of individuals can go from an abundance of wealth that has spanned generations, to a less affluent and simple lifestyle? It is next to impossible. But it is very important to consider where the earth is headed. Elgin speaks of this situation and depicts it as the inevitable stage in human history where our economies and governments will fall, or end up in some sort of collapse. The Earth’s commodities and resources are running out and some will inevitably be depleted, and the most important commodity that we use and depend on most is oil. In the coming centuries, the human race will be without it and quite a lot of important supportive items when it’s gone. In addition, VS does not state that getting rid of everything all at once is the key; it is a movement towards a more balanced and conscious lifestyle.

Voluntary simplicity as a middle-class based idea is also a problem, as the rich or the wealthy can easily reach the milder goals of the idea. As one observer wrote: “It would not go over well to walk around the slums of Mumbai and tell people that they should practice the virtue of simplicity to help them free up time to pursue self-actualized states and activities.”   It goes without saying that the poor face different consumer decisions than the rich, and it seems clear that compared to rich people, poor people will more often be rationally justified, on moral grounds, to increase their consumption. Consuming less may allow the poor to stretch their limited resources further, to better support the flourishing of their families, BUT, consuming too much, in the absence of the safety nets safeguarding wealthier classes, may lead to disaster. So, simplicity arguably remains a virtue for the poor and the very poor.

Yet another problem might be the view that might claim materialism and high levels of consumption are necessary to the proper functioning of society, because they keep the economy growing. This argument lends itself back to the political side, and mostly an economical side of things. While most observers are not likely to raise this bold objection, it finds voice soon enough on those rare occasions when members of society debate the idea of limits to growth. But this is the inherent idea behind that of VS. Growth basically has nothing to do with material good and commodities in the movement, and to place this argument towards the movement problematizes how it works and makes it a complex and difficult issue to discuss, incorporating ideas about “steady-state economy” and “endless growth economy.”

Sustainable consumption requires not just consuming differently but also consuming less. The factors that most strongly facilitate the taking on of more frugal ways of living seem to be a decrease in personal materialism and in household income, whether voluntarily (downshifting) or involuntarily (a recession). This lends to a final point, voluntary simplicity is voluntary, and it is the inherent fact that people will not willingly decide to make these choices that have some disagreeing with the idea. Anyone can see it on the television, hear it on the radio or see it everyday when we walk past the people we share the sidewalk with or glance at the billboards and ads that fill up the available space, literally telling the average human being to move away and conform to the ideals and the norms of the majority of society. How can a grass roots movement like voluntary simplicity overcome this massive force? It is something that ultimately can’t be answered, but can only be seen as something that will develop over time as the world shifts and changes.

Conclusion:

For over 40 years the voluntary simplicity movement has been active and the trend is growing, although it is still small in terms of the most devoted and determined members of the ideal. We can see the concepts leaching into society everyday and they do make a difference. David Suzuki helped Canada along last year, promoting a huge movement towards better and more efficient light bulbs, plumbing and insulation in homes. Loblaws, Metro and other grocers have now pushed forward the simple idea of using reusable grocery bags and charge 5 cents per bag, an unseemingly huge externality that was unheard of until just 2008. Even the movement in the automotive industry to yield to the constant demand of fuel efficiency and economically sustainable workplaces, better conditions for the average worker and documentaries like Food Inc., Capitalism: A Love Story and Roger and Me, all lend to a global idea that what is going on in the world is wrong and something needs to be done about it. At the core of it all is at least one facet of the VS movement and that is a flourishing, a flourishing of betterment towards the environment, towards animals and towards people and their families. It is arguable to say that voluntary simplicity will solve all of the world’s problems, but it is clear that the tenants and doctrines of it are a huge step in the right direction and have everything to do with something that everyone longs for, fulfillment and peace in a world filled with chaos.

On the other hand, you elected a black dude, proved the Internet as an incredibly powerful tool for freedom and democracy, birthed the private spaceflight industry, gave us the Large Hadron Collider, the Mars rovers, iPhones, Avatar*, and you killed Robert Novak.

What are the high and low moments for the naughts, in your opinion?

* I mention Avatar only because I expect it will get the credit for moving 3D into the mainstream.

This one was put together by the American Museum of Natural History. Awesome.

Another year has come and gone, and as always, we’re taking a moment to look back at the happenings of 2009—the people, events and memories that made this year unique. Each year, we examine the billions of queries that people around the world have typed into Google search to discover the zeitgeist—the spirit of the times. As we welcome the new year, we hope you enjoy this glimpse at the past.

Lots of great list and chart porn inside.

The pace was intense, and I loved it. Finally, someone was challenging me – keeping me in over my head – encouraging and expecting me to pull myself up, quickly.  I was learning so fast, it had the adrenaline of sports or a video game.  A two-way game of catch, he tossed every fact back at me and made me prove I got it.

In our three-hour lesson that morning, he taught me a full semester of Berklee’s harmony courses.  In our next four lessons, he taught me the next four semesters of harmony and arranging requirements.

[...]

Kimo’s high expectations set a new pace for me.  He taught me “the standard pace is for chumps” – that the system is designed so anyone can keep up.  If you’re more driven than “just anyone” – you can do so much more than anyone expects.  And this applies to ALL of life – not just school.

(Via Hacker News.)

“It still really disturbs me. We lost our humanity. We let one of our classmates just get trampled on. And they weren’t even real cameras.”

A short clip from the always-excellent and never-not-excellent This American Life. (Via a tangentially related TechCrunch article.)

So last week I had H1N1. It was terrible, and that’s pretty much the last word on that I’ll say in this post. What’s interesting is what happened after. I go to a school where the journalism school is pretty prominent. We also have two campus newspapers and a student-run TV channel; two of these outlets havealready interviewed me because well, I was sick.

I’ve said the same things to both outlets and essentially I told them what they might not have wanted to hear: H1N1 is no big deal. That’s all well and dandy, but now that my friends want me to sit in front of their broadcast class cameras, I’m starting to get a bit frustrated.

A couple weeks ago I wrote an article for one of the campus papers (who coincidentally interviewed me yesterday) about how some H1N1 prevention methods are over the top.

Ironically, I then got H1N1.

I figure, hey, I want to write columns for a living, and this is the perfect opportunity to get my foot in the door! My editor contacts me and tells me to write a 250 word column about my time with the sickness. She ended the e-mail with the words “you are going to be a celebrity!”

This irked me a little bit.

I realized that I was becoming “famous” (and I used that in the loosest sense of the word) just because I was sick. I was “that guy with that disease”. I wasn’t getting a spot because my writing was good; I was getting it because I happened to have the flu for about a week, and the timing just happened to be within a pandemic. Great.

I’m very tempted to turn down the column position because frankly, if they publish the article that they interviewed me for yesterday (which they will), people will get sick of seeing my name attached to H1N1; I’m by no means a medical expert and I only know as much as I’ve read about.

While I’m typing this article I got a text message (update: and a Facebook message!) asking for another interview from one of my friends in class. I’m very tempted to just say “No, I’m tired of talking about it.”

Part of me doesn’t really feel right talking about myself this much; I don’t want people getting tired of me. As a guy who wants to write columns for a living, people not wanting to hear me talk is essentially the worst thing I could hope for.

I was stopped abruptly by a girl on the street after the bar, I was coming out of an ally after I took a leak behind a dumpster. She asked me why I peed… I told her the obvious reason, to which she replied that I was a “fuck” for doing so and asked where I was from. I told her Dundas, to which she replied “the street?” I said “No, Hamilton.” Ugh.

She pointed across the street and said, “Yep, that’s why you’re a fuck, you’re from Hamilton, go over there.”

I said “What? Because I’m from Hamilton and I had to pee you’re segregating me to the other side of the street?” She said “Yep!”. Now, this chick was serious, she was pretty sober and the other thing was, her friend was standing beside her laughing and smoking the whole time…

I asked her if she knew how stupid and ignorant she was being and also asked where she was from and if she had ever peed in an inappropriate place, she said “no way!” to that and said she was from Timmins… I told her I didn’t believe her when she said she had never peed in a place not deemed for doing so. I also asked her to think critically about what she was saying and how baseless her argument was.

Then she accused me of being the “ignorant bastard” for not thinking critically myself, peeing in public…

Then she asked me if I was a student at Guelph, to which I said “yes”. Then she asked me what my major was, to which I replied “English”. She cried, “Well that’s a fucking waste! I’m Bachelor of Science, at least I’m useful!”

Furious, I asked her why she was being so rude. She laughed and then she pointed at my beard and said, and I quote: “I knew you were a fuck from the moment I saw that stupid chinstrap on your face. It’s the beard man, you should shave it.” She laughed when I had nothing to say in amazement.

This girl was strait faced and serious, I mean, I’ve been a dick before to someone’s face, but not to this degree and not without letting them know that I was just joking, completely. Her friend said nothing and stared at me with a smile.

So there it is, I was pretty spooked out by this girl, who eventually was grabbed by a douche bag wearing an Ed Hardy shirt with a basket of Sun Sun’s Chinese food, who said, and I quote “Don’t waste your time with these guys, come on we’re leaving this shit hole!”……

The scariest thing is, I have never witnessed first hand something so ugly. I feel like somehow I was placed in the body of another person, someone who experiences racism or prejudice first hand and can’t really do anything about it, just being humiliated for no reason… Wow. I thought Guelph students where better than that at least.

Moral of the story? Fuck intolerance and ignorance and thank the Universe I’m nothing like them… As for beards, THEY RULE! I don’t even have a chin strap anyway!