Oil Sands
So, to add to this years distinguished list of unlikely places to spend a week I find myself in Fort McMurray at Canada's somewhat controversial oil sands.
Controversial of course only because you can see what is going on above the surface, people prefer for it to be hidden below a desert in the middle east or the seas off the coast of Scotland that we happily swam in as kids in woollen swimming trunks. Controversial because the 1000's of people and families supported by the industry would of course be better off supported by the social services, much like those greenpeace warriors who would rather camp out on city hall steps under synthetic fabrics that are a likely by-product of the very industries they despise. But seriously, it is an impressive industrial machine that is running up here and I am not going to join the argument as to whether it is right or wrong...at least not until people can offer up a real alternative. Oh, and if asked to choose between FtM or Weifang I think i'll go with the Fort everytime.
Controversial of course only because you can see what is going on above the surface, people prefer for it to be hidden below a desert in the middle east or the seas off the coast of Scotland that we happily swam in as kids in woollen swimming trunks. Controversial because the 1000's of people and families supported by the industry would of course be better off supported by the social services, much like those greenpeace warriors who would rather camp out on city hall steps under synthetic fabrics that are a likely by-product of the very industries they despise. But seriously, it is an impressive industrial machine that is running up here and I am not going to join the argument as to whether it is right or wrong...at least not until people can offer up a real alternative. Oh, and if asked to choose between FtM or Weifang I think i'll go with the Fort everytime.