Adam Clare

TXT MSG not :( for ppl

A Canadian research team have concluded that text messaging does not negatively impact the grammar of Canadian teens. It looks like people are just getting more creative with their use of language, which ultimately proves a better understanding of words as a whole.

“New research from linguists at the University of Toronto suggests that instant messaging doesn’t deserve its reputation for spoiling syntax. In a study of 71 teenagers, researchers found that the teens showed a strong command of the language.
When chatting with friends, the teens cleverly fused different features of the language: written and spoken, formal and informal.”

Now, if only I can fix my use of the English language…

The Green Menace

ice The BBC is reporting that the media is shilling ‘climate porn‘ and that this new kind of fetish is actually making people feel bad. People feeling bad for their actions? Whoa! Well, they feel so bad that they aren’t doing anything to change it: they feel powerless.

“The style of climate change discourse is that we maximise the problem and minimise the solution,” she said.

Apparently not enough people are reading ThingsAreGood.com, because readers here know that people can – and are – making a difference. Here are some more examples of change in action:

California and British PM Tony Blair signed an agreement to address climate change and to promote new fuel technologies.
Even the United States military is fighting wars, er, their energy use. The Defense Energy Working Group has been created to tackle energy consumption in their armed forces.
And you can make diffence if you need a car, you can get a green one. What’s more is while you wait you can offset your carbon emissions thanks to Honda.

Nutrition Facts & Calorie Counter

apple Ever wondered what you are putting in your mouth? I know I have and now I can find out using NutritionData. At the site you can find out what foods are best for your health or for weight loss.

It presents the information in very visual manner making it easy to understand how much fat something really has.

This is one place you can compare apples and oranges

More Parks, Less Parking

Smog kills and that isn’t good, what is good is when people try to stop smog. I’m assuming that you can figure out what this post is about. In Toronto yesterday I joined an intrepid group of people who used a car to protest the lack of green space in the city.

A dead car was given new life as a petition at Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market in Toronto. Tons of people signed it to show their support for the simple idea of more parks and less parking. On Monday the car was towed away.

We met at 8am to push the car-turned-petition to cIty hall about 2.5 km away. We were quite a fun parade since we had drummers and a great attitude! At city hall a representative from the mayor’s office accepted our petition. Check out the pictures on flickr.

Good Voting

A basic democracy needs people to vote at the very least. Recently two democracies that have been under question have actually defended the basic tenet of democracy. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), people were able to vote for the first time in forty years!

‘”I voted for the first time in my life!” shouted one man with excitement as he left the voting station’

In the United States, civil rights groups are celebrating the renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The act protect minorities from racial discrimination in elections.

“The bipartisan support for the legislation underscores the recognition of and importance of equality for all citizens’ right to use the voting booth to elect officials who reflect their concerns. For, if liberty and equality are found chiefly in a democracy, as Aristotle said, then it is best attained when everyone shares in the government to the utmost.”