The Search for Spork, Part III

I arrived early last Wednesday morning — about 06:00 — to follow up a lead from Marketing. According to local legend, their kitchen is haunted by a spoon-like object that, in the words of the locals, “has the amazing ability to pick up food like a fork. It’s a revolution in kitchenware. It’s two utensils in one!”

I would normally ignore such tales as myth or, at best, a cheesy sales pitch. No stone, however, must be left unturned and no market-speak left untranslated. Damn those evil marketing copy writers, forever obfuscating and hyperbolating. I’d cut through that like a … a cutting thing through something that’s all soft and… cuttable. Like chocolate cake. Or pizza. I’d cut through it like a spatula through an omelette. Like pinking shears through a dill pickle. Like bolt-cutters through a Nerf football. Like a chainsaw through Jell-O. Ooh, that’s a good one. Just like that.

Anyway, after setting up a cubicle dweller blind, I observed the locals arriving for work. Typically, they’d enter the kitchen, fill a mug at the vending machine, then leave. Was that in itself a suspicious pattern? Every time it was the same. Enter, fill the mug, leave. Like a ritual. Was this the infamous Cult of the Coffee Bean founded by Juan Valdez back in the seventies?

By 11:00, I wondered if I was approaching this correctly. I still had no solid leads. Also, all that coffee really made me have to pee.

I struck camp and retreated to my cubicle.

The Search for Spork, Part II

My investigation into the missing utensils began with the obvious.

From: Stephen Cavers, Cubicle Investigations

To: Fred O’Donnell, Jr. Software Developer

Subject: Just a couple of questions

Hello Fred. The word around the department is that you’re from Newfoundland. Is this true?

And is it also true that while you lived in Newfoundland, you played in a band? Not only that, but you played the spoons, didn’t you? DIDN’T YOU?!

Please get back to me whenever you can.

-Stephen

Only minutes later, Mr. O’Donnell wrote back.

From: Fred O’Donnell, Jr. Software Developer

To: Stephen Cavers, Cubicle Investigations

Subject: Re: Just a couple of questions

I’m from Saskatoon, you moron.

Well, that seemed pretty conclusive. He couldn’t have done it — Saskatoonians have no sense of rhythm.

My search would have to press on in new directions.

The Search for Spork, Part I

Some days ago, fear and suspicion gripped the dwellers at the cube farm. The e-mail memo said it all:

From: Tina Shrewberries

To: Everyone

Subject: ATTN: Spoons missing from 6th floor kitchen!!

There are no spoons left in the kitchen drawer! Could the person or persons responsible please replace the spoons? If you know of their whereabouts, we urge you to come forward and report what you know! This matter is of the utmost importance, as it threatens our ability to consume our lunches!!

Thank you for you attention!!!

Our kitchen was without spoons of any kind. Even the giant stirring spoons went missing, which was baffling because without a hotplate, there are no pots to stir. As well, the precious spork — that miracle of nature that is neither spoon nor fork, yet both — was also absent.

Some claim that it never existed at all, but I know better.

What nefarious purpose could be behind the disappearance of the spoons? I decided to take the case. So began The Search for Spork.

Fish farming and mainstream media propaganda

Want to read a clever bit of pro-business, anti-environmental propaganda? This article was published today on Canada.com: B.C. salmon farms spawn passionate debate about future of wild fish.

Here’s some background: the debate about fish farms is a heated one here in BC. Evidence clearly shows that pollution, escaped Atlantic salmon, disease, and parasites from fish farms threaten the existence of wild salmon. Regardless, the provincial government gives its full support to these industries.

This article marginalizes opposition as being over-emotional and ignorant of the facts. Reading this article, you’d think that fish farm companies are not only clean, but also vital to the economy. Notice that all quotes seem to favour the industry and negate environmental arguments. Should I ask who paid this guy to write the article?

I’m not surprised. Fish farmers would love it if wild salmon disappeared from the earth forever — then they’d have a monopoly on the salmon market.