So I was over at the grocery store and I ran into my neighbour.
He said, "how's it going?"
I said, "howdy."
He said, "Fine."
Then he looked a little bit embarrassed because he said the wrong thing, so he said, "oh yeah, you're from Alberta." He was laughing a little bit and kind of uncomfortable about our exchange. As was I. Sorry Alberta, I hate to spread the myth to the east that it's all cowboys west of Thunder Bay. Nobody says howdy.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
Friday, September 08, 2006
Top 3 Bathroom Technologys I can do without:
1) Automatic flush toilets (and sinks). Every time I go into a bathroom and use one of those fancy urinals it greets me by flushing and then it does the same again when I leave. This is apparently to stop the spread of germs because I don't have to touch the plumbing and to conserve water. I can flush the toilet more accurately than the little sensor. Don't get me started on the 'sit-down' toilet because every time I go into a bathroom that has one of those I'm greeted with... You guessed it, somebody's mis-flush or no flush. Then what am I doing? Waving my hand in front of the little sensor trying to get it to flush before I carry on with my business. Hello! Could somebody please leave the manual flush on these stupid things - just in case?!?
2) Automatic Air Freshener Dispenser. You didn't ask but I've got another one. Have you been in the bathroom lately and it smells like potpourri? It's not because you're in the flower garden. Somebody along the way has decided that it is in your best interest to be ingesting chemicals that are intended to disguise our foul smells and trick you into thinking that the bathroom is actually a garden. This is the same place that we have the germ-o-phobic sinks and now they're putting something in to try and entice me to stay longer. Good grief. I haven't even touched on the toxicity level that is coming out of these things. I'm no expert but a quick look at the MSDS sheet tells me that this stuff contains hazardous materials. I wonder what hexylene glycol, ethanol, and propanone do to one's body over a series of years inhaling this stuff? Is it worse than the regular smelly bathroom? I also notice that "deliberate excessive inhalation of concentrated vapours can cause respitory tract irritation and central nervous system effects, including death" (http://www.airdelights.com/msds.html - Metered Aerosol Products 30% VOC - All Fragrances). My question that naturally follows is: isn't that exactly what these things will do to me over a lifetime? If I'm 25 years old now, and these things are in a bathroom shooting down on me for the next X number of years, is that not deliberate, excessive inhalation of concentrated vapours; that is what is in the can after all. To be fair, they specify that this is for acute exposure - well, we all remember what a few CFC's did to the ozone, or how about a little DDT for the birds of prey. Good idea folks. Lets see how the shareholders respond when they start paying out the medical bills on that one. Can't somebody just light a match or something?
3) There's one that I really want, but think that I'll be able to do without anyhow.
2) Automatic Air Freshener Dispenser. You didn't ask but I've got another one. Have you been in the bathroom lately and it smells like potpourri? It's not because you're in the flower garden. Somebody along the way has decided that it is in your best interest to be ingesting chemicals that are intended to disguise our foul smells and trick you into thinking that the bathroom is actually a garden. This is the same place that we have the germ-o-phobic sinks and now they're putting something in to try and entice me to stay longer. Good grief. I haven't even touched on the toxicity level that is coming out of these things. I'm no expert but a quick look at the MSDS sheet tells me that this stuff contains hazardous materials. I wonder what hexylene glycol, ethanol, and propanone do to one's body over a series of years inhaling this stuff? Is it worse than the regular smelly bathroom? I also notice that "deliberate excessive inhalation of concentrated vapours can cause respitory tract irritation and central nervous system effects, including death" (http://www.airdelights.com/msds.html - Metered Aerosol Products 30% VOC - All Fragrances). My question that naturally follows is: isn't that exactly what these things will do to me over a lifetime? If I'm 25 years old now, and these things are in a bathroom shooting down on me for the next X number of years, is that not deliberate, excessive inhalation of concentrated vapours; that is what is in the can after all. To be fair, they specify that this is for acute exposure - well, we all remember what a few CFC's did to the ozone, or how about a little DDT for the birds of prey. Good idea folks. Lets see how the shareholders respond when they start paying out the medical bills on that one. Can't somebody just light a match or something?
3) There's one that I really want, but think that I'll be able to do without anyhow.
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