I was disappointed with my National Post last week (well, technically, since I cancelled my home delivery because of the terrible service I was getting, that line should read 'my company's National Post that I feel entitled to hog because I'm the only one who gives a damn to pick it up from the front lobby and take it out of the plastic bag') with the story 'Global Warming Cited in Feline 'Heat' Wave'.
The second paragraph: "While climate change is frequently cited as the cause for hurricanes, tornadoes and droughts, not all of its alleged effects are Biblical in proportion. The Toronto Humane Society recently announced its shelter is filled to capacity and cited global warming as a possible cause of the overcrowding." The story doesn't appear to me tongue-in-cheek (though, I have to think that there were a few guffaws) but it waits until far down into the story (over on the next page in the paper version) before it bothers to drag out any 'facts' to support these claims. (And do notice the weasel word 'possible' in there, just to deflect any criticism)
"The Humane Society last year had to find homes for roughly 6,000 cats, compared with 3,000 five years ago." The main problem I have with this statistic is that there is no context to anchor it to. A doubling in the homeless cat population over 5 years doesn't seem that out of place to me. How about the last ten years? It's true that Toronto's population has been somewhat stagnate compared to the 905 area, but if there had been an increase in the homeless cat population from 1997 to 2005, then perhaps the increase cited is in pace with this growth.
Though we'll never know because the reporter didn't do his homework. Convenient, isn't it, that the growth stats for the 5 years before are left out because if there had been an increase, it would be difficult to blame that on global warming. (Because, as we all know, global warming didn't exist until the public became aware of it sometime last year). And if you can't blame the increase 10 years ago on global warming, then it would be hard the blame the increase in the last 5 years on global warming without providing some evidence.
Yes. Well. Right.
As I say, never let the facts get in the way of a good argument.
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A good chuckle from a story last week in the Post: Biblical Icons to Fight For Sales at Wal-Mart.
Best line I've read in a while: "What's nice is that they're real, as opposed to other superheroes that are out there. Kids can relate to people who didn't have superhuman powers, but relied on God's strength."
Yes. Well. Right.
2007-08-07
Hot Cats, Hot Hos and Jesus Loves Me Action Figures
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8/07/2007
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