I'm gonna tell mom.....

Four short words that can bring an aggressor to heel, be used to taunt, or incite a wrath beyond belief. For those of us whose parents felt that one child wasn't enough, or just plain forgot how to use birth control, we all know that this short statement can mean.

In fact, if you look on this blog you'll see that I've recently had this said to me, and I'm in my late twenties. I'd venture to say that within every blood brood, it takes on different meanings.

It's interesting really, but you don't hear in many families (and certainly not mine) "I'm gonna tell dad." Maybe it's because dad isn't around, or isn't interested, but I think (not being a father myself) that it has more to do with the male mentality of letting people (mostly guys) sort it out for themselves. It's the 'don't cry to me attitude'. Don't get me wrong, I think fathers are compassionate, caring and willing to correct a wrong or settle a dispute, but I also think (at least in my experience, that you're also more likely to get in trouble yourself if you go to dad.

It's our instinctual nature as children that we know we're going to get more support, and sympathy from good old mom by telling on big sister for disturbing our calm. I know in my family, whenever my brothers and I get into arguments or "discussions" and mother is around, (and it seems more true now that we've all moved out of her house), that she steps in to settle the dispute.

Invoking the I'm gonna tell mom card requires some very careful consideration. The fact of the matter is that at some point in our lives our siblings with get some dirt on us that can be used against us. Really, when it gets down to it, you're giving up your rights to a cleaner. What incentive does big brother have not to blow your cover or reveal your secrets to the 'rents when you're willing to sell them out on a moments notice?

Now I know, that in my family I'm holding all the cards. Sure I have eight years on my next brother, which gives me a significantly longer time to start collecting dirt to put in my back pocket, but it also means I'm way ahead of the game with them on deception. They'd be working our tricks I had figured out eight years ago, and only sometimes would I be willing to share trade secrets. They were after all hard earned, and it seems I was so easily sold out.

That's not to say that older siblings are always ahead, in fact I'd bet that in most families the cards are more evenly dealt. Parents are routine, they go to bed at certain times, but little brothers and sisters could be roaming the house or trying to watch a little more TV late at night, and catch you in the act. I'd say that being younger they're all the more happy to have caught big brother out on a limb, and often a high, irrational price must be paid for their silence.

I'm actually reminded of the series finale for Malcolm in the Middle, where the three brothers, Malcolm, Reese and Dewey, stand around and prepare to destroy "the nuclear option". should its existence be revealed, the consequences visited upon them by their mother, Lois, would destroy them all.

So to those siblings who are still willing to lay it all on the line. Just remember who knows where all the skeletons are buried.

oh, and this:

is my brother.

I didn't have to "tell mom" about this one.
It made national news.

Inconvenient Reality Update:

Scientific reviews on "An Inconvenient Truth" - point and counterpoint.

Neo-Green

In response to articles in last months Wired Magazine one featuring Al Gore and another discussing the next green revolution, I sent in the following to Rants and Raves. Alas, it was not published.

• In the recent issue on Climate Crisis it was invigorating and inspiring to see social leaders in Al Gore’s position addressing what is a very real, persistent and often ignored crisis. As a member of the green (or should it be neo-green?) building industry it was refreshing to hear that there are world leaders out there who get it. That said, the articles could have discuss how some of our environmental woes can be solved with present day technologies, but companies, organizations and people are hesitant to embrace change, even when the economic benefits, let alone the sustainable benefits are obvious (Technologies, methods and materials exist to reduce building energy consumption, but are often overlooked or ignored; residential and commercial buildings account for nearly 40% of the annual energy consumption in the US, ref. DOE 2004 Annual Energy Report). The Climate Crisis is about more than technology it is about sustainable living and involves a different way of thinking, finding new ways to conduct business, measure value and develop economic growth; we’ll need a lot more Al Gores and a few paradigm shifts to get us all the way there.

The End of an Era: a Canadian Icon Turns 30

It's been deleted from movies to turn Toronto into Detroit, it sways 6 m side to side in high winds, and considers getting struck by lighting as part of the job.

On June 26th, 2006 the CN Tower in Toronto celebrated what will like be it's last major anniversary as the world's Tallest free standing structure on land. (a complete listing of structures broken down by category can be found here.)

For the last three decades at 553 m (1814 ft) the CN Tower on Front street has reigned supreme over the competition. But f all goes according to plan, in 2008 the CN Tower will be dwarfed by the Burj Dubai Tower in Dubai, UAE designed to stretch to reach a lofty 705 m (2312 ft). The Burj Dubai tower will not only claim the mantle as the world's tallest freestanding structure, but also the tallest skyscraper, and the all round tallest structure ever constructed by humans, on land or in the water, free standing or not.

The age of the skyscraper was thought to have come and gone, with the September 11th terrorist attacks being the last nail in the coffin. Born in the US, the love of skyscrapers has since found a new home in the likes of Dubai, Tai Pei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and China. Improved materials and a better understanding of structural performance have allowed for buildings to reach for the stars. There are no less than six buildings underconstruction slated to beat out the CN tower before the end of the decade. In the short span of 4 years, the tower stands to see its 30 year 1st place ranking slip to 7th.

Of the top 10 tallest skyscrapers in the world, only 2 are in the United States and the tallest of those was constructed in 1974 (Sears Towers). The youngest major US skyscrapers in the top 30 were completed in 1989. China comparison has seen a considerable boom in skyscrapers over the last decade containing 30% of the 30 tallest.

Some of the towers are landmark achievements driven by a desire for recognition and a shot a the title (the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur come to mind.) Other's develop out of necessity of space, such as to deal with the burgeoning urban population in China.

From a sustainable point of view, towers can have considerably lower environmental impact given the relatively small footprint required for a high population density, or so the theory goes. By combining building systems into a larger system sustainable systems start to make sense, from cogeneration plants on the more conservative spectrum to living machines on the more ambitous.

The CN tower wasn't sustainable, in truth it doesn't even look very nice sitting as it is next to the white elephant. It was and still is used as a vital link the communications network across southern Ontario. For an entire summer I walked past the base of this giant needle without giving it a second thought. I haven't been up since before I can really remember. Maybe I'll make one last trek to the base of the tower and ride the lifts up to enjoy the view before this giant is dethroned.

Inconvenient Reality Update

US Supreme Court to hear EPA CO Emissions Case:
Read the article at cbc.ca
Read the article at reuters.com