http://www.sindark.com dispatches from Canada's capital Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:02:31 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en While thinking idly about ways to tactfully pass money to people, I had an idea. A company could sell lottery tickets (probably of the scratch-and-win sort) that are guaranteed to pay out specific amounts. You would buy them for the face value plus a service fee. They could be issued ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/24/product-idea-guaranteed-win-lottery-tickets/ There is a catch-22 involved in some forms of resource planning. Take, for example, helium (as discussed recently). As of now, we only know of one place from which to get it - certain natural gas deposits. We have no idea where, or if, it might be found elsewhere. One perspective ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/24/scarce-resource-conservation-optimization/ Emily Paddon, one of my friends and classmates from Oxford, is involved in a scheme to create green bonds in Canada. The initiative, which is part of the Action Canada Fellowship, aims to create a "government-backed financial instrument designed to engage the public by raising capital to accelerate renewable energy ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/23/green-bonds-in-canada/ The Wall-E trailer did not impress me. It made the film look cute and trite. Nonetheless, I was convinced to see the film by strong recommendations in various news sources and ongoing debates about its environmental messages. The film is definitely well done: engaging and entertaining, emotive without being sappy. ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/23/wall-e/ Unfortunately, I had to shut down my open wireless network experiment. That is because I found three people within the span of two days who were both (a) criminal and (b) very stupid. One thing to remember: if you are going to use open wireless networks to download illegal things, make ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/22/re-encrypting-wifi/ All the helium on Earth arose from natural fission of uranium and thorium in the planet's crust and mantle. We can access it only through certain natural gas deposits - many of them in Texas - which contain enough of the gas to make it possible to isolate. This is ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/22/consider-helium-conservation/ The people who memorize thousands of digits of pi generally strike me as more inhuman than impressive - not at such tasks does the normal human mind excel. Nonetheless, being able to recall ten digits or so might allow you to win bets at geekier parties and, if that can ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/21/mnemonics-for-pi/ Ordinarily, comic book movies are an exercise in the aggressive non-suspension of disbelief, for me. Whether internally criticizing absurd physics or ludicrous plot points, I generally entertain myself more despite them than through them. The Dark Knight was an exception. I posit two major reasons for this. Firstly, it is a ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/21/the-dark-knight/ Al Gore recently gave a highly interesting speech on the future of energy in the United States. None of the points made in it are especially new, but he does a good job of tying together a great many important themes. Here are some key points: Because of climate change, "the ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/20/al-gores-solutions/ I must admit, I find the ongoing debate about knives in the UK somewhat perplexing. The leader of the Conservative Party wants mandatory jail time for anyone caught carrying one. Editors at the BBC argue that the problem may be overblown. To me, it seems like what people are missing ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/20/knives-and-britain/ The comic in the July 12th issue of The Economist is quite a good one. It shows an American eagle, mouth crammed with cigarettes and a cigarette package labelled 'Greenhouse' in its talon, telling a tiger labelled 'India' and a dragon labelled 'China' that it is: "Time to cut back." ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/19/carbon-junkies-and-nicotine-addicts/ This morning, Emily, my mother, and I all woke to what sounded like somebody upstairs using a jackhammer on a hardwood floor. The whole house was vibrating, saturated with squealing and rattling noises. A few minutes of pyjama-clad inquiries led me to the neighbour involved with the noise: "Oh, we're just ... http://www.sindark.com/2008/07/19/cacophony/