For all of those of us interested in climate change and sustainable transportation, something very interesting happened in 1944. No it wasn't the liberation of Paris from the Nazis, it was the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The product of this important meeting was the International Civil Aviation Organization, based in Montreal, ironically the site of a recent international conference on climate change. That 52 states signed the Convention on December 7, 1944 makes me assume that the Axis powers were invited too. War never gets in the way of business it seems.

The Convention is important because it laid the groundwork for the explosion of the most polluting and climate change fuelling form of transportation: air travel. How did it do it? It made aircraft fuel tax exempt for all international flights and this has remained the case ever since, reinforced in countless treaties. So we (and I include myself in this) have had a realtively free ride ever since. Airlines have received a free subsidy against other more sustainable forms of transportation such as passenger rail.

Applying the same level of taxation to air fuel as to automobile gasoline or diesel would doom this tenuous industry but restore some balance and sanity to our affluent lives. There would be no annual trips to Mexico or Cuba for lucky gringos and gringas. We would be forced to develop other forms of travel such as rail to get around. Having lived in Britain, how does it make sense that it's cheaper to fly to another country than to take the train from the Leeds to London?

Shockingly air travel not only releases dramatically high levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants but when travelling at 35,000 feet, burning jet fuel releases water vapour which turns into ice crystals in the upper troposphere and traps the earth's heat (source). So there's a double whammy when it comes to climate change.

But what the hell right? It's my right to take that vacation down south. I worked hard enough and deserve it and it'll shut those kids up. Imagine how much they'll complain when climate change gets done with their futures. No more cheap flights will be the least of their worries.

Some thoughts on the David Emerson affair. For some reason it’s not obvious to him or our robotic new prime minister that what he has done is wrong. You can’t just run for one party and then win the seat and then join another party literally the next day. This is illogical, insulting to voters and morally repugnant (ironic for Conservatives) but it is exactly what Emerson has done. Tells you a lot about the values of both Liberals and Conservatives—Emerson’s former and current parties.

What’s interesting about this situation is that this debacle may indirectly slide the NDP into the position of kingmaker in this new government. After the January 23 election the NDP were one seat away from being able to safely prop up a Conservative government. The same situation reigned in the summer of 2005 when Jack Layton wrung those much needed concessions from Paul Martin’s Liberals by propping up his government against a vote of no confidence. As then, a politician crossing the floor saved the day and made the NDP support work.

But this time David Emerson’s crossing may infuriate enough voters to abandon both the Liberals and the Conservative and choose the NDP; arguably he has effectively tainted both parties. This would give the NDP enough seats to appeal to the Conservatives. This situation of course depends on the tenacity of the active citizens in Vancouver Kingsway to force a by-election in the near future. And from where I stand they’re doing a pretty good job getting organized, backed up by the corporate media to some degree.

In a potential by-election, the NDP has a good shot to win. In the last election in Vancouver Kingsway, the Liberals polled 20,062 votes, the NDP 15,470 and the Conservatives a distant third with 8,679. Five thousand votes may seem a lot but there will be a lot of defections to the Conservatives and Emerson and many Liberal voters will probably jump ship for the relative security and calmness of the NDP.

Is it any wonder that the NDP are running with this issue and keeping it simmering under the voters? Good for them. There should be a law against party defections. The Bloc Quebecois are a ridiculous choice to prop up the Conservatives given their goal of separation though I do support more powers given to the provinces (and therefore the cities). The NDP maintaining Harper in power would be a great result for Canada. This would prevent passage of moronic policies like the $1,200 per year child care subsidy and ensure passage of progressive Conservative policies like the transit tax credit. Keep up the good work Jack!

You won't hear this very often but for once I have to agree with George W Bush. What a joke this whole furore is over the administration of several ports by a foreign company. You've probably heard that Dubai Ports World has been selected to run the ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore and Miami amongst others. Now mayors, governors and senators are up in arms to prevent this routine transaction and Bush is threatening to veto any legislation coming out of the legislative branch on the issue. But why, isn't this just business as usual?

Seems that having a bunch of Arabs running American ports is tantamount to surrendering in the (groan) "War on Terror" (or whatever the hell they are calling it this week). Yes, Hilary Clinton is claiming to champion security over rationality; I guess if you can't beat Bush you should exceed him. Do you really think that Dubai Ports World is going to truck in workers (AKA terrorists) from the Middle East to work at the Port of New York? Why would they? America is rotting and they'll be able to get all the cheap labour they can handle. They'll probably have some foreign senior management but which vice president of operations plans terrorist attacks in his or her spare time? More likely they'll be doing lines off a mirror in their wood-panelled office.

This is all about subtle racism. Essentially all Arabs are potential and presumed terrorists so they shouldn't have any degree of control over WASPs and other true Americans. Corner stores and cabs are enough for them.

What these hypocrites don't realize is that Dubai is more American than America. Free enterprise, industry, progress, excess: these used to synonymous with the stars and stripes but no longer. The people of Dubai and most of the emirates on the Arabian peninsula aren't interested in fanaticism. It's the almighty dollar that reigns supreme in the sands. Haven't we taught them well; but remember Dubai, oil doesn't last forever.

Some thoughts on ill birds. Now we've all been told how we stand on the edge of oblivion; like an old Hitchcock movie, H5N1 is coming. Thankfully this time the birds aren't evil and thus far there hasn't bee a declaration of war against all the free fowl of the world.

My choice of words is deliberate. These are free animals (as much as any of us are free); they go where they please, mate with who they want, die from predation and rot. Their caged cousins on the other hand are not free and are actually the problem. You see humans will never catch H5N1 from a random duck or flamingo flying around covering huge continental distances. These birds don't like spending time with humans and are, for the most part, scared of us; unless we're stupid enough to poke at their corpses we're in the clear. Let the worms do their jobs.

But these free fowl are the carriers of H5N1 which particularly likes our farmed fowl. And we humans like to keep large numbers of birds like chickens and turkeys in close quarters, medicated and mutilated where possible against diseases and self-destructive behaviour but always close to the dinner table. H5N1, like tuberculosis, loves bodies in close quarters because it can be easily transmitted between hosts. And when the infection spreads the chances of mutation are greatly increased including the chance of jumping species to the planets first urban (read highly concentrated) species: homo sapiens.

So in fact it's our love affair with Thanksgiving turkey, chicken wings and chicken nuggets that's going to do us in in the end. More and more everyone on earth is entitled to meat; meat consumption is the sign of an advanced developed society. Greater demand requires greater production in huge industrial farms targeted like smart bombs by H5N1.

So blame our lack of self control and the Canada Food Guide for our predicament. One of those four food groups has a dark side called disease--can you guess which one? Are you ever going to die from bread, broccoli or beans? I doubt it.

As far as I can tell, the argument outlined here is not being made. The potential for bird flu killing millions is our fault. What can you do? Plenty. Tone down the meat consumption and reduce the demand fuelling concentrated bird farming. Don't cut it out entirely if you don't want to but realize that meat is murder (your murder by tiny microbes).

I should also wish my lovely sister a happy birthday today. I still have 30 minutes to post this one. When she was born my life became infinitely richer and though we have our differences, she's still the best sister a guy could ask for. Interesting that the day my sister was born years ago is the birthday of my new blog. Perhaps this blog will have as momentous an impact on my life as she has had--somehow I doubt it. But we can dream.

This is my first post of my new blog. I'm so hip aren't I? I really know how to be a follower just like everyone else. Nike shoes, gap jeans and a personal blog courtesy of Google.

What do I have planned for this space? I guess this will be the place that I write down thoughts and comments about things going on around the world. Looking out the bus window every day, I also have interesting thoughts and questions that I think I should record in some fashion. Maybe I'll throw in some poetry and short stories if I get really ambitious. This is the most expedient medium available.

Another inane blog that no one will ever read is born today. Rejoice!