If It Were My Home

“The lottery of birth is responsible for much of who we are. If you were not born in the country you were, what would your life be like? Would you be the same person?”

“IfItWereMyHome.com is your gateway to understanding life outside your home. Use our country comparison tool to compare living conditions in your own country to those of another. Start by selecting a region to compare on the map to the right, and begin your exploration.

You can also use our visualization tool to help understand the impact of a disaster. The Pakistan Flood and BP Oil Spill are currently featured. Check out the individual pages to gain some perspective on these awful tragedies.

If you’re not sure where to begin, try this week’s featured country, Canada”

Have you ever wondered whether life was better on the other side of the fence? Very few of us are fortunate enough to lead lives that have us taking flight to a new destination, to travel the world and call various countries our home. Therefore it’s not uncommon to find yourself fantasizing about living somewhere else, perhaps more tropical, more rural or even picturing yourself in one of the world’s biggest cities. While I will always love my home and the city I grew up in, as a young adult with very little ties to my present location, I often wonder where would be the next best place to settle in. Perhaps there’s even a better place to live than where I am now that would be more beneficial for the family or lifestyle I hope to have someday.

Well wonder no more. A site called If It Were My Home allows you to size up countries based on several general facts regarding lifestyle, well-being and overall quality of life. These categories include possible employment, earning potential, potential to have children, life expectancy, free time and the likelihood of contracting HIV/AIDS. While all of the comparisons should be taken with a word of caution and added investigation, it allows the general person insight on what light might be like elsewhere.

While the site takes a more closer look at the comparison of the United States and other countries, there is the option of comparing other countries against each other. This is certainly what I did first and compared my home of Canada with my future prospects for homes in the future. Each comparison gives a brief description of the country that you’ve stacked it up against, readings on the country and allows user to make their comments and weigh their opinion on which country really reigns supreme.

It is easy to use the site for other reasons than its original purpose; making it a battleground on which country is better than others but this shouldn’t be the case. It’s merely a tool to help bring our world a little closer and should be seen as such. When you compare wealthier developed countries to those in the third world, it becomes quite clear what many of us should be grateful for.

Have a try and see for yourself what you find out.

Do you see any similarities?

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters. Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. Both wives lost their children while living in the White House. Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both were shot in the head. Now this is interesting… Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln. Both were assassinated by Southerners. Both were succeeded by Southerners. Both successors were named Johnson. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln was born in 1839. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy was born in 1939. Both assassins were known by their three names. Both names comprise fifteen letters. Booth ran from a theater and was caught in a warehouse. Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater. Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials. And here’s the kicker, A week before Lincoln was shot he was in Monroe, Maryland. A week before Kennedy was shot he was with Marilyn Monroe.

waaaaay weird right? :S

TTC fare increase

TTC fare hike article

Remember the good old days when bus fare was a mere $2/$2.25 at best? Man, I miss those days. I understanding their reasoning but it seems like the increments are never ending. With the new fare increase, it means that a round trip could cost a person $6. $6?!?!?! You could buy some decent food for just about $6. Their idea of extending the student discount to university and college students is long overdue. I’m fortunate in kingston that the bus fares are part of the student fees that we pay and therefore, we ride any where, any time for free. I certainly make good use of the transit system here and couldn’t imagine life without it. Even still, if in the unfortunate event that this were to change, luckily everything needed is in walking distance. Unlike Toronto where students come from all directions, its a wonder how students have managed to survive without the discount, not like they really had a choice I guess. Bus fares in Kingston are $2.25 adult, $2 seniors/students and I forget children’s fare. I understand Kingston is a smaller city than Toronto but its nice that fares are at an affordable price. I’ve even encountered the occasional bus driver who couldn’t care less if you were a little short unlike the sometimes rude bus drivers in Toronto who get on your case the second you step on the bus. We’ll see how this fare increase works out.

Columbine Shooter’s Mother’s Story

Columbine Mother’s Article

It’s hard to imagine that anyone would be unaware of the tragedy of the Columbine Shooting all those fateful years ago. It’s tragedy still resonates in the many similar events that have happened since. Whenever tragedy strikes and the fault is easily pinpointed on an individual, media scrutiny immediately directs its attention towards the parents, family and loved ones of the criminal at hand. Questions such how could they have let this happened? Didn’t they see the warning signs? How did they raise their children to end up like this? Personally I believe that each person is responsible for their own actions and that even sometimes, regardless of how many alternatives there were, they would have still chosen the same every time.

Anyways, I read this not sure of what she’d have to say, how she would explain herself to the world. Her story is heartbreaking and I was left in numerous tears at the end of the article. She’s obviously very broken as a result of what her son and although he’s left this world, I don’t think it ever occurred to him for a second the consequences of his actions would remain with all those he left behind. I think out of everything, what hurt her the most was that he took his life in the end, that in doing so, his family has now had to take on the difficult task of undertaking the burden of the blame. She’s left questioning her methods of motherhood when it really might have just been something internal with him.

The best deterrent in my opinion from committing a crime is not only the implications and distraught it places on the victims but on the countless people related it will affect both present and future.

Obama Deception

I came across this through a friend’s page and being the political student that I am, was intrigued by the title of the video. Now I don’t have any sort of political agenda that I want to portray on here and I haven’t yet finished watching the whole video so I can’t and won’t be making too many comments, however I do believe that its important to see all the sides of a topic/issue however extreme or biased it may seem to people. I bring this to attention only to show that its out there and give political buffs such as myself another piece of info to maybe later use. From what I’ve seen so far, its an interesting documentary that is sure to raise an eyebrow or two.