I saw some videos today of some pretty saddening environmental issues that have popped up in the gulf because of the BP oil spill. One shows Pensacola beach which is known for it’s white sands having washed up black gooey oil marring it as well as what appears to be boiling/bubbling water where the water and oil are mixing. Another was a video in Louisiana after a rain storm and you can see that the storm was able to pick up not just water but oil in it’s rain clouds and rained it on down.

I wonder how BP plans to make this better. The seem to be all about the capping and capturing the oil but what about the oil that escaped? When will clean up start?

The videos are here:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e64_1277415116
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1f2_1277343220

My renewal visa card came and it has one of those chips in it. Supposedly I don’t have to sign for anything if I use my card at a store that is using a chip terminal. Unfortunately it seems that every store seems to use POS systems so I’ve yet to not have to sign for anything.

My debit card also has a chip and since only some stores have the chip terminals I never know if I am to insert or swipe.

Technology can sure been a pain the ass sometimes!

A friend of mine is heavily into cycling. Training is starting again and he generally goes over the border to pick up his muscle supplements as they are way too expensive over here.

Considering that our Canadian dollar is pretty much on par with that of the United States many of us are confused as to why some products are still at least 1.5 times the cost here in Canada.

There is even an individual on a board I belong to thinking of setting up a postal box account in the US and driving over and picking up his items that way. If he can get past customs then he will save big time. If not, even with the duties we would pay…he would still save a bit.

I love being a Canadian, but Canadian pricing sucks, LOL.

The amount of crap we get in our condo mailboxes is freaking unbelievable. Considering that I don’t get flyers, which I wish I did – the amount of pizza ads, singleton invite letters, phone/cable company ‘switch to us’ please is unreal.

It has gotten so bad that our condo management company has placed a recycle bin right by our mailboxes. Just prior to checking my mail, I peer over to the bin, if it is full – I know what is awaiting me as I open the door. And then I ad my crap to the other.

Currently, I get less email spam than real spam – how pathetic is that?

So because the US has a supposed gas shortage, our prices are expected to rise to about $1.10/L (I’m Canadian by the way just in case you aren’t aware).  A month or so ago we were at $.80/L but then one of refineries had a fire and then there was a train strike iminent and well, prices rose to about $1.01/L.  The refinery reopened, the strike never happened and guess what prices did NOT come down.

I had been getting used to paying $1.0/L but I am getting really pissed at events that really have nothing to do with us rising our prices.  About events that have fixed themselves but the prices never lowering back down to their rates prior to the event. 

They are talking about $1.25/L for the summer.  I swear, all this talk of gas prices makes the prices increase.  Like the gas companies think they can because it is being talked about.  This is another reason for me to move to Mississauga.  I currently go through $50 of gas a week that is at $1.00 (or so) a litre…$1.25/L just makes me want to faint.   The sooner I move, the healthier my pocketbook will be!