Anthropomorphism

Steve blogged on this earlier today. What I want to know now is why we insist on attributing human characteristics/impulses to objects that, unlike us, are inanimate; or in the case of less advanced lifeforms, cognitively incapable of the actions that we ascribe to them. Gigantic suicidal planet. (MSN) Really? It's a catchy hook, I suppose. But it's misleading as hell from a scientific perspective.

New Dog!

Cover photo by Carey Shaw. Model: Billy.

The new prairie dog is out and it's pretty good. This is the last issue we're publishing in an internationally-recognized summer month in 2009--next time a new paper comes out, it will be September. Which is great for those of us who like autumn, perhaps somewhat less great for people who wanted to have a summer this year (hey, you got a few weeks here and there, quit complaining.) Speaking of fall, as I look out my window and soak in my glamorous view of the Scarth Street pedestrian mall, I see that we have a few trees with leaves beginning to turn. You probably don't want to hear that. Oh well. Even prairie dog's mighty purple editor cannot stop the march of the seasons. Anyway, this issue:

LATE SUMMER READING GUIDE Cover model Billy the Bunny stands in for Lewis Carol's well-known white rabbit, who was famously late for an important date. The feature covers six or seven books that, while not particularly new, should make a nice, end-of-the-season read.

WHY DOES EVERYONE HATE UNIONS? No doubt there are a lot of reasons ranging from the "okay fair enough I can see that" variety to the "dude, are you psycho?" category of ideological rationalizations. Anyway, various prairie dogs weigh in with a Labour Day look at union-bashing.

BYE-BYE PLAINS HOTEL The Regina landmark is facing a showdown with the wrecking ball. Some people are sad. Some people are glad. Will this be good? Or will it be bad? LaRose reports.

Free Passes: Inglourious Basterds

Attention Dog Bloggers: we’ve got five free double passes to give away for Tarantino's hit flick Inglourious Basterds--another exclusive for Dog Blog fans.

First five readers to e-mail contests@prairiedogmag.com with “BASTERDS” in the title will get them. We’ll have them ready for pick-up tomorrow morning and they're good for as long as the movie plays in Regina. Winners will be notified by e-mail.

Now go, ya basterds!


Inglourious Basterds Trailer - Click here for funny video clips

Downtown Plan: A Date is Set

Word on the street is the highly-anticipated, much-delayed, Downtown Neighbourhood Plan will be going before the Regina Planning Commission on September 18 and then before Council on September 21. (You can look back at some Dog Blog coverage of the plan and its delays here and here.)

The plan will be going forward at the same time as the proposal to replace the Plains Hotel with a hotel/condo highrise -- presumably as a showcase for what the plan can achieve.

More details as we hear 'em.

Superman Supports Public Health Care

Of course he does. Superman at his best is a compassionate, generous hero. And he's a rational-minded realist--Supes knows that communities need to work together to solve problems that are too big for individuals and families and neighbours to tackle. Superman also knows that a strong government sector doesn't automatically threaten indivuality and freedom--it promotes it by protecting individuals against amoral market forces like the profit motive.

The full comic is here, and there's some sharp commentary too. (Comic Mix)

Six In The Morning

1 OUR BUSINESS, OUR PROFITS Saskatchewan First Nations want to keep all of the profits from their casinos. Cue White hysteria in five, four, three, two, one... (CBC, Leader Post comments)

2 CAR INSURANCE PROBABLY GOING UP If you have a car, I guess you'd care about this. (StarPhoenix)

3 CANADIAN RESEARCH HELPED CIA TORTURERS "REASSURE QUEASY BUREACRATS Yeah, well, ugh. (Globe and Mail) Here's a thought: every single person involved in the U.S. torture regime brought in by Bush and Cheney should be arrested and prosecuted. Starting with Bush and Cheney.

4 FIXING FACEBOOK Social media giant says it will comply with Canada's privacy laws. (Toronto Star)

5 BUT NOT TO CANADA The National Hockey League has filed a bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes. The NHL's bent over backwards to keep the former Jets in Arizona, but if their bid is accepted by a judge and things don't work out, they would look at moving the team. (Toronto Star)

6 IT'S SUN-POSSIBLE An exoplanet (a planet outside of our solar system) has a crazy orbit and should have been fried by its star. But it hasn't. Oh, the mysteries of the universe! (LA Times)