The Mental Tome

Casual/Formal Dress

2011-08-04T00:08:00.000-04:00

I saw this diagram on the internet, found it to be pretty hilarious. Napoleon!

OP

2011-07-04T17:27:00.001-04:00

I just saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon today and I was quite disappointed by the way it ended. Not that I was really expecting anything in the way of plot and meaning, I watched this movie for the special effects and explosions. Yet there's something about the movie that bugged me very much. Warning: Spoilers Ahead In the end of the film, the villain Sentinel Prime engages in a duel with

The Immigrant Experience

2011-06-12T13:41:00.002-04:00

The immigrant experience is a tough road to follow, filled with its own unique challenges and dilemmas. I have experienced many of these and found that the most important aspect of facing these obstacles is perseverance. It is the will to never stop trying that will push one past the difficulties of living as an immigrant. When encountering the language barrier, I committed myself to speak in

Canada & Immigration: Effects in Education, Urban Planning, and the Workforce

2011-06-08T20:09:00.000-04:00

Canada is one of the truly multicultural societies in the world. In a nation founded by immigration, it is obvious that immigration would greatly influence education, urban planning, and the workforce. Governments and businesses are faced with a highly diversified population and must cater to many demographics. Today's student demographic is highly varied one can witness the impact of immigration

The Problem with Biological Weapons

2011-05-15T12:40:00.002-04:00

Research can be justified if it may yield future economic benefits, create positive social change, or increases public security. Arguments against a particular area of research arise if it holds negligible benefit, is dangerous, or creates ethical dilemmas. The area of research that should not be funded is offensive biological weapons research, which yields no economic benefits, creates no

Arg.

2011-05-04T19:40:00.000-04:00

Really busy lately and a general lack of inspiration plagues me. Wrote a lot of essays for competitions, and such. Going to Chicago this week. No post for the next week. Sorry for the temporary hiatus. If I have any regular readers, expect a post within a week.

#4 Immigrants

2011-04-25T12:35:00.001-04:00

The advance polls have opened and less than two weeks are left in the 2011 Canadian Federal Election. This will be the last of my Canadian Government Policy posts, and it will be centered on Immigration. Canada is a nation of immigrants, it was created by immigrants, it was built by immigrants. Immigration is a key aspect of our cultural make-up and history. Canada takes in hundreds of

#3 - Taxes

2011-04-17T23:27:00.001-04:00

Continuing on my Canadian Election Feature: Things I would change to better Canada If I was Prime Minister continues. This week's special, Taxes! A general rule in economics is that if you tax something, there will be less of it. Less taxes tend to foster more growth in the economy and the right kind of taxes can help foster faster growth. Taxes in Canada fall into: Income taxes, Sales Taxes

#2 - Canadian Universal Health Care

2011-04-10T18:03:00.002-04:00

One cannot discuss Canadian politics without mentioning the Public Heathcare Debate. Why? Because the Canadian healthcare system is a subject of pride for many Canadian citizens. Many maintain that it is the jewel of Canada, and the envy of the world. Which is quite a misinformed statement. The Canadian Healthcare system is loaded with inefficiencies. Wait times are ridiculous, and for

Ways to Better the Canadian Economy #1

2011-04-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Election day is coming up on May 2nd here in Canada and of course no political party supports my economic agenda, so I'm going to end up voting for the party I disagree with the least. So if I became Prime Minister (which I will), here's what I would do. 1. Social Security Reform: There's always a stigma attached to any policy associated with Communism, even if it works. One great trait in a

Audiobooks

2011-03-28T22:31:00.000-04:00

Why? I cannot comprehend this concept. Listening to a book is just boring. The same old voice going on for 8 hours gets tiring - extremely tiring. Moreover, it's hard to enjoy the story because books require a certain amount of focus to comprehend. Who has the time to sit through several hours of reading out loud anymore? I read usually at a pace of 100 pages an hour, and in the time it takes

Libyan No Fly Zone

2011-03-19T21:54:00.000-04:00

So, the U.N. has finally decided to create a no-fly zone in Libya. It's all done with good intentions, but one must realize that this holds limited benefits for the rebel forces. In fact, it may even be counter-productive. Previously I was a supporter of the idea, but in upon some thought, its becoming to appear more and more as a terrible option. The Libyan air force is not exactly a

The Danger of Heroes

2011-03-13T16:25:00.003-04:00

Heroes are noble, brave, and inspirational. They save us from trouble and deliver us to greatness. Heroes excel in ways that some may never reach. For these reasons, we rely on them. Yet, that is where the danger lies. Humanity should not depend on heroes and instead beware of them, for we must make our own judgment and be responsible for our own mistakes. Heroes have great influence and

Power Corrupts

2011-03-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

"The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution" - Hannah Arendt It is disheartening how even some of the greatest heroes can fail their followers. In fiction, after the hero is victorious, he sometimes dies or fades into obscurity. If he remains important, we are cut off from the remainder of his story - leaving us with only his legend. However, in

Freedom

2011-02-27T18:34:00.000-05:00

What is freedom? The dictionary defines freedom as "the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints". Yet within those line, no one is truly free. Sure, we may all think however we wish, but our acts and words have consequences - whether through the force of law or not. There is no true status of being free, and it is certainly not what is

Prologue

2011-02-16T18:32:00.000-05:00

I began writing a space-adventure novel. I wrote the following as a prologue a while back, I'm interested in hearing any opinions and constructive criticisms that you may have to offer. January 2487, Centurion “We've done it! We’ve surpassed even god in our creation! A man whom time cannot touch, a man with infinite potential!” shouted a scientist. “After 400 years genetic manipulations, chemical

Beauty

2011-02-01T13:31:00.001-05:00

What are the words to describe it?The morning dew, the smell of rain,That waft of fresh air in the morning,All the feelings indescribable. The birds fly and sing,The sun shines through the clouds.The skies a window of heaven,Light perforating through to us. Simple wonders of a morning,A brisk wake-up call. The soothing calm scent,It moves you away from sleep. Nothing finer than everyday,The

Economic Entitlement

2011-01-26T22:58:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of respect for farmers and fishermen, I really do. Just not the ones in Canada. Well, that's not exactly fair, I don't respect the ones in Canada that are lazy, uncompetitive, entitled. So by that, I mean the ones that are complaining about having to compete in a global market. Hard-working Canadians working in agriculture who are attempting to succeed in this ever-changing economy

Currency Wars? - Not really.

2011-01-19T22:52:00.002-05:00

President Hu Jin Tao of China will be making a state visit to the U.S. this week. Among the key topics of discussion will be the Chinese Yuan, and no doubt the American government will pressure China to float its currency, so that its value may rise. The American government believes China is determined to keep its currency at a under-valued level in order to maintain their export superiority.

Amy Chua, Bad Parenting, Racial Prejudice, and Bullshit

2011-01-14T01:27:00.001-05:00

I've concluded that God hate Chinese Immigrants: http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/01/13/amy-chua-on-high-stakes-parenting/ And as I link, my head bashes into my keyboard. Why? Don't we suffer enough from false stereotypes without someone perpetuating sweeping generalizations? Amy Chua, Yale Law Professor, wrote a book on the style of "Chinese Parenting" vs "Western Parenting". This woman,

2011

2011-01-04T21:29:00.000-05:00

It's a new year and I feel like everything will be fantastic! I'm excited, although I don't know particularly why. I have a hunch that this year will be magnificent. I'll be journeying from this part of my life to another. The leap towards adulthood is in the horizon, coming closer and closer. Yet, it is not only for this I am jacked-up on anticipation. It's just one of those feelings that

Defendor

2010-12-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

Haha, funny trailer isn't it? Don't believe it! They've got you fooled! Defendor, starring Woody Harrelson as the titular deluded superhero, is not a dark comedy as the trailer would have you believe. Sure it may be funny, downright hilarious at times, but it is not as this deceptive trailer have you believe, a dark comedy. I'll tell you that this movie though, is indeed dark. However, as

Horror Romance

2010-12-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

I personally am not a big fan of horror movies. Although some of them can be scary and terrifying, it seems they sacrifice everything for that one single purpose. Plot, character development, setting, truly meaningful messages all seem to get tossed out the window for the creepy atmosphere or the shocking scares. There is a lot of lost opportunity in there. Horror movies tend to feature a

100 Best Ways and Worst Ways to Die - Part 1

2010-12-05T13:42:00.002-05:00

If you were to die, how would you like to do it? Here's some awesome ways to go! 1. Dying After Dying Having Lived a Long and Fulfilling Life 2. Dying in a Duel to the Death 3. Dying because of sex 4. Dying through Euthanasia by Morphine 5. Dying in Battle for a Righteous Cause 6. Dying after saying your goodbyes with loved ones 7. Dying after 7 straight days and nights of uninhibited

Worst Day Ever

2010-11-27T23:23:00.002-05:00

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