Out My Window

Out My Window is an interactive web documentary from the National Film Board (oh they do do good stuff :P). It even got recognised at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival. So nice :)

Abu Dhabi - Host to the 2011 Global City

Did I miss something here? Tell me then 2012 will be in Las Vegas.  On this year's programme is Visionary Values for Sustainable Cities. High and mighty title for a city that has few public transit infrastructure and heavy vehicle traffic.
There are developments.  The government has the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 - a vision for a large integrated public transit system. If you build it, they will come. Or in this case, they will come anyways - in there petrol-guzzling cars.

Hidden cost of food just got a bit heftier

According to the FAO food index, the price of food (an average of 6 commodity group price indices including sugar and cereals) for December 2010 surpassed the previous highest in June 2008.  And, from what Abdolreza Abbassian, an economist at the UN FAO reports,

There is still room for prices to go up much higher, if, for example, the dry conditions in Argentina tend to become a drought and if we start having problems with winterkill in the northern hemisphere for the wheat crops.

With a rise in the rate of urbanisation in many countries, the imminence of food inflation, if not already present, will become reality.  There are many factors already that could send those in the red past the tipping point.  But will it be the confluence of several factors or the domino effect created by one single incident? Well, Id say the combination of many factors.  And although, the flooding in Australia makes climate change the most visible factor - there are many other factors, maybe more discreet, lurking behind the main stage. What are they? I don't know but here are my top 5 guesses (with some help from this report).

No. 5: Biofuels. I'm making a wild leap here but is there any association with the increasing cost of sugar and cereals and biofuels? No not to be the perpetual pessimist to poo poo biofuels as it is an alternative to using petrol. And you know - using too much petrol can't be good for you.

No 4: Energy and input costs. It takes a lot to keep a farm running. I should know. When Canadians don't live in igloos, we like to stay in our farm.

No. 3: Subsidies/trade policies. Now now, there is no reason to cry over spilled milk. Oh wait. There is.

No. 2: Water scarcity. Virtual water. Consumption of water is increasing. Thank you long, hot, shower (or nix that and become a smelly, dirty environmentalist saving on water use :P joking). We are also shipping off alot of our water in the form of water-demanding crops, meats etc etc
....
and the No. 1 reason belongs to...
...
CLIMATE CHANGE!!
I remember a friend read this book on the food crisis and how the author predicted that this could happen in our lifetime. OUR lifetime. But fear not, the report from the Climate Change and Global Public Goods program also says that Canada is among one of the potential winners from higher food prices. Hurrah to developed countries (sarcasm). China and India already face other hurdles. Food prices will now be another one.

Guilty Pleasure No. 1 - Bollywood Movies

So then, instead of making a New Year's resolution (come on how many people really do keep it?), I have come up with the brilliant plan to outst myself with a list of guilty pleasures. Maybe a hidden attempt to actually stop myself from doing these things or just to say that really these habits aren't THAT bad. Guilty pleasure No. 1 belongs to Bollywood Movies. Just imagine the movie Mamma Mia on steroids :) its love, romance, a little bromance (for the guys :P), and more romance. Its enough sentimental crap to keep you sugared up until the next Christmas. BUT all that aside, they aren't that horrible. I mean if your looking for a movie that has a moral to the story AND throws this in your face - you have it in a Bollywood Movie. Well if your ready to get off that horse that is Disney.

I just watched 3 idiots. Its a journey of self-discovery for three young men bonding over friendship, family, and career. The original language is Hindi. Alright so I teared abit in the end. Ohhh those 3 idiots!

TTC - the full sensory experience

The TTC, or Toronto Transit Commission (sorry could not come up with some witty acronym for it), is Toronto's most fabulous public transit system. Right. Well, for $3 one way (ONE WAY!!) its my ride from and to home. Mind you, New York's MTA is only $2.50 USD while London's Tube is 1.90 GBP (which is VERY close to what TTC charges). Actually, it wasn't that long ago that Torontonians could take the subway (TWO ways) for $3.

BUT then again, we are paying for better service? No not really.

So now fresh with the awesome feeling of taking the TTC all over again - I approach ticket booth man and politely ask for TTC subway map. Man doesn't even get off his chair but just cranes his neck - more likely for show then really looking - before he gruffily responds that there are none. THEN once on the train, Im, well my computer bag but really thats just another extension of myself, is almost squashed when some guy decides to start BACKING up (yah imagine how a truck backs up...thats your visual) onto my computer bag - without even a word that he would like to sit down. Just starts backing up. Mind you there was an empty seat just opposite where he was standing. I just managed to pull my bag away. phew relax. NO! Then I feel this big gush of wind down my forehead. I realise its someone who has decided then to take a particularly big exhale out of their nose. SPLENDID. Now Im being squashed from both sides because two more generous people have decided to sit next to me. No matter.  Ill just distract myself by looking elsewhere. NO! Some man is making strange eyes at me. Ok look somewhere else. OH just great another person looking rather busy on his iPhone (playing tetris really).

Ah...TTC how I have missed you.