This morning, I read a story in the editorial section of the Toronto Star. Not being fully awake, I couldn't figure out if it was a spoof or a true story. Apparently it's true.
The town of Herouxville in Québec, population 1,300, published some controversial rules on its website regarding new immigrants. Here's a translated excerpt:
"We wish to inform these new arrivals that the way of life which they abandoned when they left their countries of origin cannot be recreated here,"
"We consider it completely outside norms to... kill women by stoning them in public, burning them alive, burning them with acid, circumcising them etc."
For more juicy tidbits, read the BBC News version of the story.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Hooked
Growing up in India, the only stimulant I developed a taste for is tea. Rich, dense black tea smothered in liberal quantities of whole milk and sugar. Occassionally we indulged in a little "Madras coffee", a percolated coffee decoction, once again smothered in liberal quantities of whole milk and sugar. Of course, upon moving to the US into a dinky little grad-school pad, preparing tea the traditional way was too much of a chore. Cautious doses from the school coffee maker yielded a dark, bitter drink that required way too much sugar to make palatable. The dusty dregs of a Lipton tea bag were no better. I thus resorted to Coca Cola for the ultimate sugar-caffeine kick. Of course, when you're 21 your body can take it.
Slowly, over time, I concluded that I just was not a coffee person. It was an acquired taste and I just wasn't going to bother acquiring it. I scanned various supermarkets, ethnic and gourmet stores for good teas. If you've lived in the US, you know they don't really understand tea - they try to make it taste like coffee - yuck! However, things slowly began to change. Loose leaf teas started showing up at gourmet stores. With a few tips from the web, and a classic, white English teapot, I was soon brewing rich, full bodies black teas in my kitchen. With a touch of milk and sugar, they were little cups of heaven - my revenge at all the coffee & cream addicts around me.
A year and a half ago, I moved to Toronto where - surprise, surprise - I found wonderful, full-bodied, bagged teas at supermarkets all over. Here's an easy test for a good tea. Flip the carton over and see where it's been packed. England? Yes. US? No. I finally settled for Tetley Orange Pekoe. It's cheap and available everywhere. That's my daily breakfast tea now.
By now you're probably wondering where I'm going with all this. Well, paitience has it's virtues :-)
About a year ago, I was introduced to the fabled Tim Horton's double double. To the uninitiated, it's a cup of regular coffee with two shots each of milk & sugar. Yes, milk, not cream. That makes all the difference in taste. Also, you can get a regular sized cup of this stuff for just over a buck. It was cheap enough to experiment with, and experiment I did. Slowly I fell under the spell of coffee and acquired the taste I found so alien just a few years ago. However, the real deal-closer was Rio. The Sheraton in Barra de Tijuca serves some excellent cafe com leite. I probably downed at least 4 cups of this stuff every day during my week there.
Of course, like any crack ... err .... caffeine addict, I wanted more. Since November, I've been experimenting with various brands, styles and flavors of coffee all around Toronto (and Barcelona). I've realized the secret is good coffee + warm milk. So far, it's a close race between Starbucks and Timothy's World lattés. Timmy's carries an excellent Ethiopian coffee sometimes. I like the way their lattés still have some crema floating on top. Starbucks meanwhile really jolts you awake. They probably have the highest caffeine levels. I've been going through at least a cup of this stuff every day, if not more. I really should stop. Oh but it's SO good! Sigh.
Slowly, over time, I concluded that I just was not a coffee person. It was an acquired taste and I just wasn't going to bother acquiring it. I scanned various supermarkets, ethnic and gourmet stores for good teas. If you've lived in the US, you know they don't really understand tea - they try to make it taste like coffee - yuck! However, things slowly began to change. Loose leaf teas started showing up at gourmet stores. With a few tips from the web, and a classic, white English teapot, I was soon brewing rich, full bodies black teas in my kitchen. With a touch of milk and sugar, they were little cups of heaven - my revenge at all the coffee & cream addicts around me.
A year and a half ago, I moved to Toronto where - surprise, surprise - I found wonderful, full-bodied, bagged teas at supermarkets all over. Here's an easy test for a good tea. Flip the carton over and see where it's been packed. England? Yes. US? No. I finally settled for Tetley Orange Pekoe. It's cheap and available everywhere. That's my daily breakfast tea now.
By now you're probably wondering where I'm going with all this. Well, paitience has it's virtues :-)
About a year ago, I was introduced to the fabled Tim Horton's double double. To the uninitiated, it's a cup of regular coffee with two shots each of milk & sugar. Yes, milk, not cream. That makes all the difference in taste. Also, you can get a regular sized cup of this stuff for just over a buck. It was cheap enough to experiment with, and experiment I did. Slowly I fell under the spell of coffee and acquired the taste I found so alien just a few years ago. However, the real deal-closer was Rio. The Sheraton in Barra de Tijuca serves some excellent cafe com leite. I probably downed at least 4 cups of this stuff every day during my week there.
Of course, like any crack ... err .... caffeine addict, I wanted more. Since November, I've been experimenting with various brands, styles and flavors of coffee all around Toronto (and Barcelona). I've realized the secret is good coffee + warm milk. So far, it's a close race between Starbucks and Timothy's World lattés. Timmy's carries an excellent Ethiopian coffee sometimes. I like the way their lattés still have some crema floating on top. Starbucks meanwhile really jolts you awake. They probably have the highest caffeine levels. I've been going through at least a cup of this stuff every day, if not more. I really should stop. Oh but it's SO good! Sigh.
Compact Fluorescent Liability?
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), more commonly known as energy efficient bulbs hit the market about 20 years ago as THE solution to the world's energy problems. A 11W bulb delivered the same light as a 60W old-fashioned Edison-era bulb. That's almost an 80% reduction in energy use. Sounds like a no-brainer - right?
Over time, these clunky, mini-tubes were shrunk & packaged to look more like household bulbs and could fit into a standard lamp. Adoption rates increased, volumes increased and prices dropped. These days you can buy a CFL bulb for not much more than a glass bulb. Problem solved - right?
It's not quite that simple. There's a fly in the soup. First, let's look at the energy efficiency argument. Edison found a way to turn electricity into light and heat. A household tungsten bulb typically converts 40% of the energy consumed into light and the remaining 60% into heat. Unfortunately, in most cases, we're only interested in the light. The heat goes to waste. Or does it? Not if it's freezing outside and you have the heating on. The heat from the bulb simply offsets the heat that would otherwise be generated by the furnace.
Secondly, let's look at the environmental impact of making CFLs. These are not simple devices by any means. The light-emitting piece is a thick glass coated on the inside with toxic chemicals and filled with a trace amount of mercury. The base consists of complex electronics that charge the tube. Some CFLs are then encased in special plastics. Overall, each CFL is a complex piece of technology that draws heavily from the petrochemical industry. Compare this with a simple glass bulb that's nothing but tungsten, glass and tin. I'm betting that the environmental cost of the former is much greater than the latter. And this is only at the manufacturing stage. After the CFLs fade away, there's a huge disposal cost as illustrated here.
Yes, CFLs do make sense in hot places. Yes, they do help shift heating loads from the electricity grid to other fuel sources like gas and oil. However, we must move forward cautiously while looking at the overall environmental impact of this technology.
Over time, these clunky, mini-tubes were shrunk & packaged to look more like household bulbs and could fit into a standard lamp. Adoption rates increased, volumes increased and prices dropped. These days you can buy a CFL bulb for not much more than a glass bulb. Problem solved - right?
It's not quite that simple. There's a fly in the soup. First, let's look at the energy efficiency argument. Edison found a way to turn electricity into light and heat. A household tungsten bulb typically converts 40% of the energy consumed into light and the remaining 60% into heat. Unfortunately, in most cases, we're only interested in the light. The heat goes to waste. Or does it? Not if it's freezing outside and you have the heating on. The heat from the bulb simply offsets the heat that would otherwise be generated by the furnace.
Secondly, let's look at the environmental impact of making CFLs. These are not simple devices by any means. The light-emitting piece is a thick glass coated on the inside with toxic chemicals and filled with a trace amount of mercury. The base consists of complex electronics that charge the tube. Some CFLs are then encased in special plastics. Overall, each CFL is a complex piece of technology that draws heavily from the petrochemical industry. Compare this with a simple glass bulb that's nothing but tungsten, glass and tin. I'm betting that the environmental cost of the former is much greater than the latter. And this is only at the manufacturing stage. After the CFLs fade away, there's a huge disposal cost as illustrated here.
Yes, CFLs do make sense in hot places. Yes, they do help shift heating loads from the electricity grid to other fuel sources like gas and oil. However, we must move forward cautiously while looking at the overall environmental impact of this technology.
Bigger & Better
To those who had the misfortune of arriving in Toronto from the US on Air Canada or United, I offer sincere apologies on behalf of all of Canada. I am sorry for the 20 mins of sensory deprivation you experienced as you got off the plane and made your way to customs down a cold, dimly lit hallway. I'm sorry for that sudden twinge of panic as you wondered if your plane had entered a wormhole and landed in the former Soviet Union - in the 1960s. I'm sorry for the detention cell ... er .. customs hall where you waited and watched your hair turn gray. Please accept my sincerest apologies.
Yes, Terminal 2 at Toronto's Pearson airport was that bad. A relic from the 60s (probably designed by cruel British architects - probably the same ones who built Heathrow T3), it was a national disgrace that sent American tourists scurrying back home on the next flight. I can finally talk about it freely because two days ago, it saw its last flight. Yes folks, T2 is history. The nightmare is over. We are safe to fly again.
To mark this occassion, Peason airport held a "wake" of sorts for T2 this Sunday. I was half tempted to go, considering that T2 is where I officially became a Canadian resident. Of course, other priorities prevailed.
So what happens to the building now? In true Canadian fashion, there will be no bulldozers & earth movers. Instead, over the next two years, the terminal will be carefully recycled - down to the last block of concrete.
To make up for past indignities, we now give you this ultra-modern, bright, spacious masterpiece. I've flown through it a few times now and it's a sheer joy. Makes you feel good about being home. Designed by Moshe Safdie, who also gave us the National Gallery in Ottawa, the airport is the epitome of good planning, design & engineering. Everything's exactly where it should be. Everything works. It's also future-proof - the structure can be easily expanded to accomodate two more piers larger than the current ones.
Pearson T1 has another claim to fame. Pier F, which opened Monday, is the only North American airport to offer airside transit facilities to international passengers. While European airports have offered this for ages, the concept is new to North America. Given the increasing US security/visa/customs regulations, Pearson hopes this will make it the stopover of choice for non-US flights.
Yes, Terminal 2 at Toronto's Pearson airport was that bad. A relic from the 60s (probably designed by cruel British architects - probably the same ones who built Heathrow T3), it was a national disgrace that sent American tourists scurrying back home on the next flight. I can finally talk about it freely because two days ago, it saw its last flight. Yes folks, T2 is history. The nightmare is over. We are safe to fly again.To mark this occassion, Peason airport held a "wake" of sorts for T2 this Sunday. I was half tempted to go, considering that T2 is where I officially became a Canadian resident. Of course, other priorities prevailed.
So what happens to the building now? In true Canadian fashion, there will be no bulldozers & earth movers. Instead, over the next two years, the terminal will be carefully recycled - down to the last block of concrete.
To make up for past indignities, we now give you this ultra-modern, bright, spacious masterpiece. I've flown through it a few times now and it's a sheer joy. Makes you feel good about being home. Designed by Moshe Safdie, who also gave us the National Gallery in Ottawa, the airport is the epitome of good planning, design & engineering. Everything's exactly where it should be. Everything works. It's also future-proof - the structure can be easily expanded to accomodate two more piers larger than the current ones.
Pearson T1 has another claim to fame. Pier F, which opened Monday, is the only North American airport to offer airside transit facilities to international passengers. While European airports have offered this for ages, the concept is new to North America. Given the increasing US security/visa/customs regulations, Pearson hopes this will make it the stopover of choice for non-US flights.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Poor Nina spent a little too much time in boarding in the past few months. The end result? A bad case of matted fur. The groomer had to crop it all down. She now looks like a miniature sheared lamb.
She hated the whole experience - the clippers, the vacuum, the bath and the dryer. She came home really, really pissed off. To make matters worse, it's winter and the poor thing is cold. I tried a jacket on her yesterday and she detested it like "the Donald" hates Rosie. She refused to move in it.
Neither of us slept well last night. She was probably too cold in her usual sleeping spot, and I had to wipe pee off the floor at 3am. Today's been hell trying to clean up the frequent mess at home. During my much needed evening nap, I finally caved in and took her up on the bed with me. That's been my one hygiene rule so far - no Nina on the bed. Well, she just seemed so cold & miserable today, I couldn't leave her out.
Tonight, I've once again put the jacket on her, hoping she gets used to it. It's been an ordeal. Aside from a few steps to fetch a treat, she's refusing to move. She's been in the same spot for the past 15 minutes, giving me the "how could you?" look and emitting heart-wrenching whimpers once in a while. I'll take the jacket off now and resign myself to one more day of cleaning crap off the floor.
Days like this make me wonder if I made a mistake.
She hated the whole experience - the clippers, the vacuum, the bath and the dryer. She came home really, really pissed off. To make matters worse, it's winter and the poor thing is cold. I tried a jacket on her yesterday and she detested it like "the Donald" hates Rosie. She refused to move in it.
Neither of us slept well last night. She was probably too cold in her usual sleeping spot, and I had to wipe pee off the floor at 3am. Today's been hell trying to clean up the frequent mess at home. During my much needed evening nap, I finally caved in and took her up on the bed with me. That's been my one hygiene rule so far - no Nina on the bed. Well, she just seemed so cold & miserable today, I couldn't leave her out.
Tonight, I've once again put the jacket on her, hoping she gets used to it. It's been an ordeal. Aside from a few steps to fetch a treat, she's refusing to move. She's been in the same spot for the past 15 minutes, giving me the "how could you?" look and emitting heart-wrenching whimpers once in a while. I'll take the jacket off now and resign myself to one more day of cleaning crap off the floor.
Days like this make me wonder if I made a mistake.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
Thursday, January 04, 2007
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