I'll say this as simply as I possibly can.

If you litter, you're an asshole.

No excuses, no exemptions. Carry your trash to the nearest bin and toss it in.

This isn't about the environment; after all, the trash is going to end up somewhere. It's about social responsibility and everyone doing their part to not make anyone's day to day life more unpleasant than it has to be.

If you disagree, please respond with your address and I'll start using your front lawn as my personal landfill site.

You are not helping me.

I love it when "nutrition experts" - self appointed, mostly - pass on the ole' chestnut of wisdom to "avoid too much of x."

How is this helpful in any way?

"Too much" of something is, by definition, too much. You can have too much of anything - water, salt, skittles, physical activity, in-laws - anything! I've never once heard anyone say, "I'm going to try to have too much of this," or, better yet, "I'd like a little bit more than too much, please."

By saying, "Avoid having too much fruit in your diet," a nutritionist is simply using a vague description of a non-quantifiable amount to sound like they know what they're talking about.

Why is that?

Maybe it's because they were educated in a barn.

It's not as implausible as it sounds. Up here in the Great White North, there is no federal standard for the title of 'Nutritionist'. According to the Dietitians of Canada (seems like a good source): "The term Nutritionist is not protected by law in all provinces..." And, in fact, the Ontario College of Dietitians clarifies the issue (for Ontarians) further, saying: "...people do not require any training to call themselves a nutritionist." Consider the number of nutritionists out there spewing forth advice on what you should and shouldn't put in your body.

That is to say that there's nothing stopping me from opening a "Nutrition College," spending all the course time teaching students to horse-back ride, and then issuing one hundred percent authentic pieces of paper saying "Certified Nutritionist."

I'm sure that most nutrition institutions aren't so malicious and disingenuous. But the point is - they could be. And you'd never know.

The problem here is that nutritionists then go out in to the world and tell other people what's healthy and unhealthy for people without, necessarily, having the slightest clue what that science behind their advice is. I've heard nutritionists say things that are blatantly contradictory to peer-reviewed research papers, and people believe them. It's frightening.

So next time someone tells you what to eat, or not eat under the authoritative guise of being a 'nutritionist' - be wary. Especially if they're using vaguely ambiguous terms that could mean anything. Or nothing.

Draw Muhammad Day

Here's my contribution.For anyone who misunderstands the point of 'Everyone Draw Muhammad Day':

This is not about islamophobia. This is not about repressing anyone, or their ideas. This is about standing up to those who would attempt to wield such repression against others. I heartily acknowledge that there are many Muslims whom are peaceful, loving, social people and may be offended by today. They are unfortunate victims caught in the crossfire of universal rights and religious bigotry. I, nor anyone else participating in today, should feel cause to apologize. There is no more need to apologize for causing offense to religious ideals than there is to apologize for causing offense to any other brand of fiction. Similarly, no religious adherent should ever apologize for their personal belief.

Free speech is for everyone.

Censorship is bull$#&!.

Lars Vilks was just attacking during a speaking engagement in Uppsala.

Over a cartoon he draw portraying Muhammad with the body of a dog.

In 2007.

Two points to make here to Muslim extremists: 1) No one but you cares what your bronze age story book says - learn to deal with it. (Note: 'Dealing with it' does not include killing/intimidating everyone who disagrees with you.) 2) The cartoon was drawn three years ago, get over it!

Here's the cartoon:
And here's a video of the attack:



He drew the cartoon as an editorial on freedom of expression and had a bounty of up to $150,000 placed on his head by more than one source. Does anyone else see the irony here? Couldn't that money be put towards, oh, I don't know, feeding starving Muslim children?

I really didn't want to have to hate you.

I run.

I enjoy running. I find it therapeutic, and apparently, it's good for you.

Running Room felt like a good find. They promoted running, provided education about running and had a good, inexpensive in-house line of clothing.

That was before.

I didn't mind so much when their popularity increased and they jacked up the price of all their clothing so it was as expensive as the name brands. It's a business; if they want to market to the boutique running crowd, so be it. I was a bit disappointed to once again being relegated back to the sale bins at Winners, but that's my problem.

I also didn't mind when, being on Running Room's email list, I received 'Tips for Training', which were essentially running swag ads. Again, it's a business.

What pissed the holy hell out of me was this latest ad.


I draw the line when a company bastardizes a scientific claim to support whatever product they feel they need to move off the shelves. Even if this was a ad for plain milk I wouldn't be so pissed off. But it's not. It's for chocolate milk, aka milk with added sugar. There's no nutritional benefit to drinking chocolate milk over regular milk, and the writers of this ad know it. That's why the text is carefully worded to including science-y sounding phrases and then astoundingly vague claims as to how chocolate milk actually accomplishes any of these benefits.

Try this: go through the ad and replace "chocolate milk" with "cat feces." The ad is still 100% true! Amazing.

Why chocolate milk? It costs more than regular milk, so it increases profits and the added sugar is satiating, so consumers are more likely to drink more of it.

So, in conclusion, Running Room - bite me. I will not be visiting your corporate sell-out stores anymore.

It's a shame too, because I'd like some new runners.