Canary in a Coalmine

November, 2006 :

I’ve learned a new word today: Allegory.

I’ll present an example of this, pertaining to my own existence:

In school I was taught that one of the earliest systems for warning coal miners of the presence of methane gas was the canary.

These little yellow prisoners were used as a low-tech equivalent of a carbon monoxide detector, helping to save countless lives for a little seed and water each day, unaware that at any moment, their little lives could be snuffed out.

Chirp, Chirp, Chirp, Thunk!