(no subject)

Life

This is a nice day. My work schedule got rearranged this week, so I have today off -- which is night because a foot of snow fell last night and the city is beautiful. I love snow. For a moment it makes the world look brand new.

I reached 110,000 words today, meaning that I've written 50,000 words this month (my deadline is Saturday). This is the second month I'll have exceeded NaNoWriMo levels, which has become the standard I set for myself each month.

seal7 was right. Setting deadlines for myself has really helped.

Politics

All three opposition parties forced a bill through yesterday requiring the government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. The bill uses fines and jail time to ensure that businesses actually do what they're supposed to.

Now the bill just needs Senate approval and Royal Assent -- that is, rubber-stamping -- before it becomes law. Then the government has 60 days to implement the changes.

Now comes the constitutional quagmire. See, the leading party controls the bureaucracy, who implement and enforce new laws. The people's elected representatives may have made this law, but the Prime Minister and the cabinet can simply tell the bureaucracy to ignore it.

I don't think this has ever happened -- there's generally been a certain kind of honour on Parliament Hill when it comes to this sort of thing -- but Harper is an evil bastard who'd do anything, and he says he'll ignore it. His environment minister simply said the legislation was "toothless" because the Conservatives couldn't be forced to comply. The Liberals have correctly pointed out that this amounts, morally, to a coup d'état.

What the other parties can do is bring down the government and force an election, which they've promised to do once the 60 days are up. Since the Conservatives are now moving into election mode, that's probably their answer.

Expect another election before Summer, people.

At least there are sufficient Logans, Atreyux, and Neos out there to battle the Raistlins and Anakin

On a lighter note, my roommate montrealais made two posts yesterday about awful baby names in Alberta. I've been scouring the lists since then, at least for the provinces I could find, and I noticed some recurring pop-culture themes.

Logan is one of the most popular names for boys in Canada right now, and I don't think it's because of Mt. Logan. As long as the parents don't try to replace their sons' skeletons with mythological metals, it's probably not the worst name they could have.

Xander and Zander aren't making any of the top lists yet, but it's creeping up there.

Other names given in Alberta in 2006 included 5 Anakins, 2 each of Neo and Atreyu, and 1 Riddick.

And just for rougemacabre, you'll be pleased to know that there are two little boys named Raistlin in 2006 -- and no Caramons. Sadly, no Dalamars, either.

EDIT: However, there was a little boy named Dalamar born in 2003! That same year, there was a Remus, a Prospero, and a Chaos.

EDIT 2: It just goes on and on. I found a third Raistlin and a Stryder in 2002, and a Dagon in 2000. I knew if I looked hard enough, I'd find a Galadriel among the girls, and there's one in 2000. So far no Frodos or Aragorns. I did find a Samwise in 2000, however.

EDIT 3: Another Raistlin in 2005 -- it's becoming common. So's Draco. I've only found one Dragon however. No Voldemorts yet (yes, I checked).