This is a shorty mockumentary about plastic bags, shot in the style of a natural history documentary. It covers the life of a plastic bag from its birth in a grocery store, to its resting place in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. While the movie is satirical, the fact that this garbage patch exists is very serious. If you missed the publicity that it was getting a few years ago, I would recommend informing or re-informing yourself about it.
Rob Reid gives a brief overview of his new field: copyright math.
Last week, former vice-chairman of GM Bob Lutz was on Real Time with Bill Maher and claimed that global warming was a "total crock of shit." It saddens me opinions like this, which are obviously just funded by the oil and car industries, actually get airtime. Global warming is one of the greatest challenges to face the human race, and many people do not even realize it. Currently, there should be a debate on what strategies to take, rather than a debate on the existence of a problem. Global warming deniers, funded by the oil industry, could actually mean the end of the human race in 100 years. Two of my favourite intellectuals, Bertrand Russell and John Stuart Mill, have quotes that relate to this kind of debate. The first, by Russell, is about others' opinions making the opponent angry. Bob Lutz should read this:
If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes you own contrary conviction. The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. so whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinions, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants. -Bertrand Russell
Another major thing that right wingers like Bob Lutz don't do is adjust their opinions when confronted with facts. In the video below, Bob Lutz is obviously arguing against the facts. Here is the relevant Mill quote:
The steady habit of correcting and complementing his own opinion by collating it with those of others, so far from causing doubt and hesitation in carrying it into practice, is the only stable foundation for a just reliance on it: for, being cognizant of all that can, at least obviously, be said against him, and having taken up his position against all gainsayers--knowing that he has sought for objections and difficulties, instead of avoiding them, and has shut out no light which can be thrown upon the subject from any quarter--he has a right to think his judgement better than that of any person, of any multitude, who have not gone through a similar process. -John Stuart Mill
Here is Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks commentating on Bob Lutz's appearance:
This is the last chance to speak up against Canada's SOPA-style bill. American big media wrote this legislation. Its purpose is to boost their profits and criminalize Canadians. Michael Geist stated:
The net effect of the music industry demands represents more than a stunning overhaul of Bill C-11 as it is effectively calling for a radical reform of the Internet in Canada. Taken together, the proposals would require Internet providers to block access to foreign sites, take down content without court oversight, and disclose subscriber information without a warrant. On top of those demands, the industry also wants individuals to face unlimited statutory damages and pay a new iPod tax. If that were not enough, it also wants an expanded enabler provision that is so broadly defined as potentially capture social networking sites and search engines. [michaelgeist.ca]
Final hearings are scheduled for monday. OpenMedia has a petition that you can sign. 55,000 people have already signed it. Public outrage is about the only weapon we have against the Harper dictatorship.
Here's an infographic showing what the bill will do:
[image credit Canadian Coalition for Electronic Rights]
PS please stop watching TV...it rots your brain
