I spend a lot of time looking up. I'm not looking for answers, or trying to contact a divine creator or deity of any sort. I'm just an average sized guy and so there are plenty of things above my head... I was thinking the other day about signs. The random things that we read every day, usually without really giving any of them much thought. There are so many signs in the world that give us useless information. It's not the sign's fault, nor is it really the sign itself that's the issue... just the application.
Take this sign for example... 
I don't think many people would ride this bus, sans the sign, and fall down the one step that leads to the back seats. I don't think this sign is really all that necessary, but imagine it in a different location. What if this sign wasn't on random buses, but in a useful place like a dictator's mirror. It would have to be written in another language I'm sure, but how nice you it have been if Mumbarak had subconsciously registered the message.
Alas, the sign clings so casually to the ceiling of the bus... so uselessly warning riders of the step in a round-about way. 
Cheers sign.

-D-

I was sitting at the bus station the other day, in a daze. Just staring straight forward and I couldn't help but think to myself, "What the hell are those?" Strange and enormous boxes hung from the wall into which people stick a couple quarters and rub a questionable hard-plastic device against their head. Was there really once a time when these were the portals that linked far away places? Were these onces reliable and trust-worthy methods of communication in public places?
These thoughts didn't last long though. It was only about another 30-40 seconds of staring before I looked around. Everyone in the bus station was doing the same thing...staring blankly at their smartphones... so I followed suit. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was a bit nutty, sitting there, blankly staring at these phones.

-D-

So I can't be entirely sure alcohol was involved in the making of this sidewalk, but we can be sure it hasn't gone entirely as planned. It looks like a wide sidewalk with mud pilled on it, but if you look closely you'll notice that is the sidewalk's shape.
 I suppose there's probably an explanation for its wonky appeal... maybe this is a take at post-modern art?

-D-

I can't be too sure... but I think all cats hate me. I mean, all I was trying to do was catch him with dramatic lighting. His grey silhouette in the window, typical cat-stance, but no. He turns around and sticks his tongue out right at the lens. I know you might be thinking "but Dennis, cats don't know about the implications of sticking tongues out in human body-language!" Well you're wrong. I'm not exactly sure how, but I promise you that you are!

-D-

What a coincidence... I mean how often do you see a Hummer take on a Smart car. Now for the obvious stuff, no one was injured and the damage was clearly suffered worse by the Smart Fortwo. I should also make it clear that neither of these drivers were at fault and there were two other vehicles involved. Let's just look at the pictures and enjoy the improbably collision!

-D-

While on one of our random outings this weekend, we stumbled upon a homemade contraption that... blew us away! Okay, that was lame, but check this craft out.
Aluminium construction,m cambered wheels for maximum turning stability, and a top speed of about 25km/h... this just looks fun! I've rode many interesting things in my time, but this would be a new one for sure. Maybe someday I'll look into one...when I'm no longer a broke student. *Sigh*

Thanks to the friendly stranger who let us watch him scoot around the parking lot.
-D-

So I came across this in my school's library the other day... our school seems to enjoy redundant warnings and signs.
 [019; Really Niagara; Really?] This time the signs warn us about the dangers of steps!
Now I can understand a warning for a raised platform, a bump, or even a step. The problem I have with this particular warning isn't so much the message as the delivery. In order for anyone to read the "Watch Your Step" warning they must already be staring at the steps that they are warning you about. It's sort of like a "wet paint" warning scribbled on a wall under the paint...so that if you might rub off the wet paint, you'll be made very clearly aware that the paint was, indeed, wet. 

Thanks Niagara College... We appreciate the thought.
-D-

It's not every day that the world takes an hour off to chill out. Every March, people from around the globe take a moment, (granted that means 31 different "times" because of time-zones). Among other ways to celebrate, like stories and boardgames, many of us resorted to the company of good friends and cold beer.

I honestly believe that this should be a monthly affair and we should have mandatory kick-back times. In lieu of that, here's how we did on the yearly event:

-134 Countries took part in this year's event
-422 Canadian Cities too part
-CN Tower, Parliament Buildings, Niagara Falls and the Lions Gate Bridge, took part
-In St.Catharines alone, a 5.5Megawatt decrease was seen. (That's 4.4%) , enough to power 241 houses for 24 hours in Niagara.

I hope you enjoyed your EarthHour and I hope you've given more thought as to the kinds of entertainment you can conjure up without relying on electricity. Conservation is all about moderation. We can all do our part to use a little less.

-D-

I'm not too big on warning labels in the first place; most of them make me laugh. There is a whole word on unbelievable warnings that worry me out there. From Tupperware that warns against putting babies in it, to labels on soap that suggest you "use as regular soap"... There is a slew of unimaginably specific and oddly suggestive cautionary tales in our society, but those are usually the result of legal matters. You now at some point someone lost a child to a horrible Rubermaid accident and suddenly every plastic box needed a "Do not store your children in here" label. You know that lawsuits and litigious junkies drive these labels and probably get odd on their esoteric suggestions. This is all good and innocent, but let me tell you whey these images bug me...
My school has recently posted on our fireplaces "Caution Hot Surface". Now the rest of the sign is acceptable. It goes on to tell you not to fiddle with the knobs and such, which is probably good advice, but "hot" ? It's a fireplace! Frankly I'd be a little disappointed to touch this and it not be hot!

So this is a school to further people's education. To train the future workforce and to drive innovation and design. Everything from engineering to medical aids wander these halls and still, for some reason, we seem to need an indicator to remind us. So here's my public-service-announcement of the day: "Warning! Caution! Beware! Citizens of the world, 'Fire Hot'!"

-D- 

I don't mean to bad-mouth the LCBO, per se. I mean, they are only a legally instated monopoly that denies the average Canadian access to affordable alcohol even when it's wine that grows in our own backyards. They are a bureaucracy of overpaid executives that limit the flow of booze to a nation renown for its consumption.
All of that aside, I just want to remind the LCBO customers who read this blog (not that I'm saying a lot of you enjoy the drink, but...) the LCBO is ours. So never be afraid to hold them to the standards you expect of them. Our tax money keeps this business from having competitions and from having to answer to the market. When you see things like this image above, don't be afraid to talk to the manager.
It's illegal in Ontario to sell a bottle of "Ice Wine 08", or any other wine, with a masking tape label. This is rude and insulting to the standards customers of the LCBO should have set for our government mandated option. 

There is no excuse for companies without competition to have low standards. We as customers can't let the market decide; there is no capitalism involved. So remember that in most cases, when dealing with the government, bitch! and ye shall receive.

-D-