A coalition of environmental groups in France is asking world citizens to turn off their appliances on February 1 between 1:55 and 2:00 pm EST (18:55-19:00 GMT) to commemorate the meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This simple, co-ordinated action is to send a message to government leaders that citizens are serious about global warming. Of course, it is only symbolic. Five minutes of power-hunger strike does not constitute "serious." And even doing what Horst advocates -- keeping your house at uncomfortable heat levels -- is only a molecule in a drop in a bucket. Still, every little bit helps, and minor energy savings at a local level can add up to a lot if everybody does it. I'd be interested to find out if the power companies notice a five-minute dip today. I'll set my computer to turn itself off.

Welcome Edmonton readers! Today marks the debut of this comic strip in See Magazine, Edmonton's weekly source for news, arts and entertainment (and now Weltschmerz). So if you're in Edmonton, please try to pick one up -- and let the editor know what you think.

Feel free to look around this site. Click on the characters at the top for descriptions. The archives have hilarious back story and can be viewed by theme, politician or character (Ralph Klein did a rant on Al-Kyoto airists some years ago).

I'm happy that See has taken the plunge and introduced Weltschmerz to its readers.

10 Years Ago This Week: February 6, 1997
A cabbage patch snacktime doll made the news when it devoured a little girl's hair. And in lighter news, Ontario Premier Mike Harris ignored the results of a referendum in which Toronto residents voted against amalgamation. Greater Serburbia was in the works. OK, I admit the satire was pretty heavy handed. But a city's future was at stake. We see the results now: An unwieldy, large city without the necessary legal tools to get much done.

Retailers for Attack of the Same-Sex Sleeper Cells:

Toronto:
Pages, 256 Queen Street West (at John).
The Beguiling, 601 Markham Street (near Bloor and Bathurst)
Book City, three locations - 501 Bloor St. West, 348 Danforth Ave., 663 Yonge St.
Hairy Tarantula, 354 Yonge Street (near Dundas).

Guelph:
The Bookshelf, 41 Quebec Street.
Macondo Books, 18 Wilson Street

Waterloo: Words Worth Books, 100 King Street South

Kitchener: KW Bookstore, 308 King Street West

Hamilton: Bryan Prince Bookseller, 1060 King Street West