.

No, what's weird is when you realize that there isn't a directing, malevolent will behind it. It's a conspiracy of low-level malfeasance from many actors, and it's so much worse. A single directing intelligence might commit acts of terrible evil, but they aren't going to salt the goddamn earth. But hundreds of people, each thinking that a little corruption, just their corruption, won't bring down the entire system... working together, they're capable of doing anything.

Like people want to blame some great conspiracy to destroy knowledge here. And it's a really comforting thought, but that's not what's happening.

What really happened is something like this:

- Some MP's son-in-law wants to digitize Canada's libraries, thinking a little OCR magic is going to do the trick.
- Son-in-law meets with IMTS senior appointees. Nobody really likes the idea, but they sure "like" the MP.
- A fake RFP was drawn up with a tight distribution, describing the son-in-law's product and process in exact terms so nobody else can bid on it.
- The son-in-law's bid is accepted. He is subcontracted through IMTS.
- IMTS aggressively pursues other departments for buy-in. Because accepting would mean sticking your neck out for IMTS, it takes a hilariously long time.
- IMTS lucks out and finds their moron manager in DFO, who agrees to practically any reasonable-sounding deadline without asking a lot of questions.
- The son-in-law massively underestimates the amount of time it will take to digitize DFO's records. A little OCR work turns into years of hand-entry.
- DFO managers thought they'd be able to close 7 libraries next year, so they didn't ask for enough money in their next budget.
- DFO managers aren't going to risk their goddamn careers just to keep 7 libraries open.
- DFO managers close the libraries and liquidate the inventory.


So there we go, that's how you get irreparable harm to Canadian science. No malevolence, no conspiracy. Just a half dozen people who don't care about anything past keeping their jobs, an MP who wants grandkids, and some college drop-out trying to make an easy buck.

Canada, you are your own problem.

.

Well, there's definite malice, but it's directionless.

.

.

"Everybody who has ever worked for a corporation knows that corporations conspire all the time. Politicians conspire all the time, pot-dealers conspire not to get caught by the narcs, the world is full of conspiracies. Conspiracy is natural primate behavior."

capitalism

Of course "average" rent means the average of all rents, not the average rent of vacancies. As someone who had to find a place to rent in Calgary, AB recently, the average rent of a vacant one-person apartment is more like 180 hours at minimum wage.

(It also doesn't include taxes.)

.

This is probably the best thing you have ever posted.

You're Canada.

Not that 66 hours is anything amazing to which to aspire, but what causes the large discrepancy between Quebec and the other provinces?

Probably a combination of: a European-inspired renting culture that guarantees the supply of rental housing approaches a price-quantity equilibrium, and large tracts of nothing.

.

As I started reading the latest xkcd ( http://xkcd.com/1311/ ), I first started to think it was a dig at this specific Canadian library foul-up because the first two quotes are about preserving literature and the greatness of the Canadian people.