random rants in brief

• Bush, in his infinite wisdom, has vetoed the stem cell bill. I think this was a really stupid move. Stem cells have incredible potential to cure disease, and limiting research capabilities into this potential will, I think, ultimately limit the potential itself. I’m all for stem cells.
• Bush has also made a big fat gaffe by groping Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel. I mean, come on. He snuck up behind her and started massaging her shoulders. How on earth did he think this was in any way appropriate? Really, go check out the pictures.
• There is nothing good on TV. I miss Grey’s Anatomy. I miss Alias. I am thinking about Lost all the time. All these reality TV shows are making me thirsty. Very thirsty.
• I am loving being vegetarian. I feel great, and I love cooking, so I’m enjoying making new recipes. I’ll post a couple of my favourite recipes soon.
• Why isn’t anyone doing anything about the Middle East? Israel’s invasion of Lebanon is just really saddening me. How long is Israel going to get away with shit because of the Holocaust? christian guilt is pretty strong, I guess.
• Sunday shopping is back on the agenda here in Nova Scotia. In case some of you aren’t aware – as most people who live outside this province aren’t – large stores are not permitted to be open on Sunday here. Yes, really. Mind you, stores that sell books, tourist crap, and maple syrup are allowed to be open, along with gas stations, casinos, restaurants and bars, strip clubs, movie theatres, and stores under a certain square footage. Two grocery chains are challenging the laws by opening up on Sundays and rearranging their businesses so that the store is divided into smaller sections that are registered as separate businesses – something one clever independent grocer has been doing for several years now. The province decided this was not okay, and enacted new legislation preventing them from doing this. So, they are suing the province. Now people are all talking about employees having the “right” to refuse to work on Sunday! And the debate has been going on for YEARS – people in the city generally want convenience, and people outside the city and the conservative religious right want to prevent Sunday shopping. There was even a plebiscite held on it a couple years back, and the con side won. What the hell is going on with that? Insanity!
• I miss my friend who just went back to Australia. I wish we lived closer to one another.
• French is going alright. So far, so good. I’m remembering verb conjugations and weird vocabulary, and I can construct a relatively good 8-10 sentence composition. It’s funny, when I was in  French before, I didn’t really understand why things were the way they were, but now I’m starting to understand things a bit more clearly. I think I’ll try and learn a bit of Spanish next. Then Italian! Who knows, maybe I’ll become some sort of language suvante.
• I might start knitting again. I used to really love it, it was a great way to pass the time and feel productive. I could use a new throw in some ultra-soft yarn.
• Can’t find a bike I like on sale. I’ll have to wait till fall when they all go on sale. I might join the gym instead. I miss the weight machines.
• I have a week off from work this week. Forced vacation. But, now I’m kind of glad, because I could use a bit of a break.
• I miss reading academic stuff. French is using a different part of my brain, but I am kind of itching to get back to other stuff. Maybe I should just do a master’s degree and then a PhD and keep on the academic life. Hmm.

well, that’s about it I guess! Time to study for my French quiz tomorrow. Bon soir, a demain!

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