The adventure at big C ( 2 days ago ) was not overwhelming financially. I am guilty of tossing 3# of almonds into the buggy , right at the end. Total damage, 156 dollars. In my defence though, the bedsheets were $60 by themselves and we needed laundry liquid. I couldn't decide which was bigger the toilet paper bundle ( 50 rolls ) or M. I decided either answer was trouble so let it slide.
At checkout the ' bagger lady ' or item sorter which is really what she does, no bags at big C, remember, replied she spends $ 4- 5 hundred when she is a customer at big C.
We bought the Executive package, which costs more, than regular membership. Sympatico news did an article on ' exec cards ' at big C.
To justify using the Ex-card, $ 400 / month was the breakeven point. But with ' Ex-card ' benefits for travel and discounts, you could get by with less groceries. You noticed that ' bagger lady 'wouldn't have any trouble justifying the 'Ex-card.
The article did note that b/c big C still offers the 'Ex-card ' w/ the money back guarantee ( if your rebates don't equal the difference between 'reg' and 'Ex-card, they refund that difference ), so right now its probably a no - brainer.
Sadly, I missed out on perogies at the ' we will feed you stand ' at big C. the perogies were not brown enough and I hovered around that stand for a good 5 minutes. Readily available though was extra fibre cereal, nope, slipped right past that puppy.
I watched a buggy roll up to the checkout by itself at big C. Surprise there was a person pushing the buggy. Holey - kamoley, Batman, that was $ 400 , no sweat .
Our Mayor , goes to court, next week. the charge is improper campaign financing. If guilty, he could be removed from office. in the Torstar to-day, a headline reads " Integrity commissioner warned Ford about contributions from lobby groups ". Good old Rob is chuckling this one off. Rumour has it he couldn't get re-elected at this time.
Now, if you're American, you'd chuckle at the amount b/c I think its $ 3 K, total. Yep, we are criminals are on a much lower budget up here.
( are you back from Jellystone Park ?? )
Friday, 31 August 2012
Thursday, 30 August 2012
The perfect name
You've seen boats that are named ' Sunset Years ' , ' the West Wind ' etc. My basboat is grey and white. I thought I'd pick ' Grey Lady ' - sounds like some old broad owns it.
How about an agressive name ' Bass Hunter '
but you want it to be accurate and reflect something about the boat or owner. I've imagined " Bass Ackwards " but I think I saw this already.
To reflect my fishing style, the name needs to be ' Stumbled Upon It ' or ' S.U.I. ' but the acronym looks like a Chinese name and I look Oriental enough.
We don't want to encourge ' nipper tipping '
NT occurs when a group of white people or whitish people get irritated at Asian fishermen and throw the Asians or their gear into the water.
Last year, after such an incident, a chase occurred involving two vehicles. One vehicle hit a tree and the ejected passenger died.
The chasing driver was charged and sentenced for careless driving. If the prosecution could have proved that this was a hate crime, the sentence might have been doubled.
The charged driver appealed and lost and will serve the year and a 1/2.
Whats left is ' Dumb Luck ' but this could sound pretty Oriental , too !
Now as I'm flying down the 'bee, I'm thinking ' Go girl or something like that '
No, I'm not naming the boat ' Go Girl '.
I'll probably settle for ' Fisherman's Folly '. Or ' Stratos At-us ' or "XTreme "
You see the model is a Stratos 176 XT.
Suggestions are welcome, keep it clean and non- Oriental,please.
Fishing to-day, started very slow. I went mostly light gear and for the first hour - mainly nibbles. On the light set-up, I began to get rock bass ( bless their little plastic eating hearts ), the dependables. RBs will always hit. I managed 2 lmbass which were really fun. So, on an outfit not particularly designed for bass, the bass still hit.
However, thrill of the morning, was a sighting of a walleye that made a pass at the minnow.
Last night was pretty but 1 lmbass and 1 crappie, was all. Friends are eager to find these crappie and get a bunch. I saved the crappie and hoped for 2 more to make a meal. In the end, Mr. C went back to eat more plastic.
Greased the trolley wheels this morning after fishing. The trolley was balking a bit so I figured - lesson learned - grease the sucker. I'm getting much better at the whole procedure. I shaved 15 minutes off the last time. But there is less cleaning to do.
BTW - while greasing, talked to two boats of people fishing - you guessed it - right in front of QMH.
One boat was a Stratos 186 XT but this is a 28 - 30 K $ rig. Its got a 175 Merc on the back or in my terms, 1 - 3 miles per gallon if he throttles back - fat chance. They run the big boys, WOT - always, Wide Open Throttle.
Of course, I throttle back at 3800 - 4000 RPM and 30 MPH which is cruising range for ' XTreme ' or 5 - 6 MPG. Yes, I'm really that cheap.
hey, sounds pretty good, huh - 'XTreme '
( somebody in the house will readily agree b/c I get called that already.)
How about an agressive name ' Bass Hunter '
but you want it to be accurate and reflect something about the boat or owner. I've imagined " Bass Ackwards " but I think I saw this already.
To reflect my fishing style, the name needs to be ' Stumbled Upon It ' or ' S.U.I. ' but the acronym looks like a Chinese name and I look Oriental enough.
We don't want to encourge ' nipper tipping '
NT occurs when a group of white people or whitish people get irritated at Asian fishermen and throw the Asians or their gear into the water.
Last year, after such an incident, a chase occurred involving two vehicles. One vehicle hit a tree and the ejected passenger died.
The chasing driver was charged and sentenced for careless driving. If the prosecution could have proved that this was a hate crime, the sentence might have been doubled.
The charged driver appealed and lost and will serve the year and a 1/2.
Whats left is ' Dumb Luck ' but this could sound pretty Oriental , too !
Now as I'm flying down the 'bee, I'm thinking ' Go girl or something like that '
No, I'm not naming the boat ' Go Girl '.
I'll probably settle for ' Fisherman's Folly '. Or ' Stratos At-us ' or "XTreme "
You see the model is a Stratos 176 XT.
Suggestions are welcome, keep it clean and non- Oriental,please.
Fishing to-day, started very slow. I went mostly light gear and for the first hour - mainly nibbles. On the light set-up, I began to get rock bass ( bless their little plastic eating hearts ), the dependables. RBs will always hit. I managed 2 lmbass which were really fun. So, on an outfit not particularly designed for bass, the bass still hit.
However, thrill of the morning, was a sighting of a walleye that made a pass at the minnow.
Last night was pretty but 1 lmbass and 1 crappie, was all. Friends are eager to find these crappie and get a bunch. I saved the crappie and hoped for 2 more to make a meal. In the end, Mr. C went back to eat more plastic.
Greased the trolley wheels this morning after fishing. The trolley was balking a bit so I figured - lesson learned - grease the sucker. I'm getting much better at the whole procedure. I shaved 15 minutes off the last time. But there is less cleaning to do.
BTW - while greasing, talked to two boats of people fishing - you guessed it - right in front of QMH.
One boat was a Stratos 186 XT but this is a 28 - 30 K $ rig. Its got a 175 Merc on the back or in my terms, 1 - 3 miles per gallon if he throttles back - fat chance. They run the big boys, WOT - always, Wide Open Throttle.
Of course, I throttle back at 3800 - 4000 RPM and 30 MPH which is cruising range for ' XTreme ' or 5 - 6 MPG. Yes, I'm really that cheap.
hey, sounds pretty good, huh - 'XTreme '
( somebody in the house will readily agree b/c I get called that already.)
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Post -menopauasal women...
Tell me that I got your attn w/ this title.
On the caption bar for City Pulse news, the headline note was " post-menopausal women who cut out fried food for weight loss need to avoid dessert as well. " This tidbit did not go over well for the distaff side of our home.
" Its not fair " , I quote.
The wind blew itself out yesterday. Weather is cool but tres sunny. The wind is out of the N or NE. Its hard to tell b/c I'm not exactly sure what direction the river is, on our part of the 'bee here. I'm betting something close to NNE. Forecast was wind 10 - 15 KMH out of the W.
Fishing produced 4 bass and a mixed bag at that. All the lmbass were 1# or less. The smbass was 2# and caught on my lightest rod/ reel combo. This outfit is super lightweight and fun if a fish like the smallie hits.
Of course, the smbass hit right in front of the QMH, 20 yds out.
There is a back eddy in front of the two properties. Our part is the widest. I wanted to try on the edge of the back eddy and main flow. Yep, bingo-bango, the smbass was there.
trust me a 75 HP is not needed to get there.
Part of the reason that I wanted to try that spot was that this morning in a 1 hr span two boats came up the river ( from parts unknown ) and stopped in front of QMH and started fishing. I'm not sure they got anything but.... right in front. I don't care if they catch fish but I want my share, too !
It is very common to see boats troll or float by, fishing at QMH. This behaviour encourges me to promote the ' fish local ' strategy.
As well, quite often as a break from chores, I'll pick up a rod and try a few casts. This year, dock fishing has produced 3 lmbass and 1 walleye.
Strategy. I've been drop shotting to get deep. Results have been fair. This morning, I switched and put on a straight jig w/ a minnow ( plastique, au naturel ) and this change produced the most fish. And lots of hits.
After flogging 40 # line its refreshing to lighten up.
Part of the reason for changing tactics was that I've seen a lot of minnows jumping or scurrying on the surface as though they're being chased which is probably what is happening.
In fly fishing this tactic is called ' matching the hatch ' in my kind of fishing we don't get real fancy terminology like that. Our motto is ' Give 'em what they want '. M. really likes that kind of thinking applied to her. The old " happy wife, happy life " routine.
To-day is ' go to Costco ' . the big C adventure. Our goal is to get out under $ 300.
You'd think that this can't be that hard. guess again. The betting line is 30 - 70 that we can do it. Apparently, I'm the problem.
The slogan that fits is " If your not part of the solution your part of the problem "
Guilty. Well, sometimes I can't help it, the big C sometimes has real neat stuff. And besides, I don't get out much. I know, you can tell.
So, in Ptrbro, fantasy land includes TSC and the big C.
On the caption bar for City Pulse news, the headline note was " post-menopausal women who cut out fried food for weight loss need to avoid dessert as well. " This tidbit did not go over well for the distaff side of our home.
" Its not fair " , I quote.
The wind blew itself out yesterday. Weather is cool but tres sunny. The wind is out of the N or NE. Its hard to tell b/c I'm not exactly sure what direction the river is, on our part of the 'bee here. I'm betting something close to NNE. Forecast was wind 10 - 15 KMH out of the W.
Fishing produced 4 bass and a mixed bag at that. All the lmbass were 1# or less. The smbass was 2# and caught on my lightest rod/ reel combo. This outfit is super lightweight and fun if a fish like the smallie hits.
Of course, the smbass hit right in front of the QMH, 20 yds out.
There is a back eddy in front of the two properties. Our part is the widest. I wanted to try on the edge of the back eddy and main flow. Yep, bingo-bango, the smbass was there.
trust me a 75 HP is not needed to get there.
Part of the reason that I wanted to try that spot was that this morning in a 1 hr span two boats came up the river ( from parts unknown ) and stopped in front of QMH and started fishing. I'm not sure they got anything but.... right in front. I don't care if they catch fish but I want my share, too !
It is very common to see boats troll or float by, fishing at QMH. This behaviour encourges me to promote the ' fish local ' strategy.
As well, quite often as a break from chores, I'll pick up a rod and try a few casts. This year, dock fishing has produced 3 lmbass and 1 walleye.
Strategy. I've been drop shotting to get deep. Results have been fair. This morning, I switched and put on a straight jig w/ a minnow ( plastique, au naturel ) and this change produced the most fish. And lots of hits.
After flogging 40 # line its refreshing to lighten up.
Part of the reason for changing tactics was that I've seen a lot of minnows jumping or scurrying on the surface as though they're being chased which is probably what is happening.
In fly fishing this tactic is called ' matching the hatch ' in my kind of fishing we don't get real fancy terminology like that. Our motto is ' Give 'em what they want '. M. really likes that kind of thinking applied to her. The old " happy wife, happy life " routine.
To-day is ' go to Costco ' . the big C adventure. Our goal is to get out under $ 300.
You'd think that this can't be that hard. guess again. The betting line is 30 - 70 that we can do it. Apparently, I'm the problem.
The slogan that fits is " If your not part of the solution your part of the problem "
Guilty. Well, sometimes I can't help it, the big C sometimes has real neat stuff. And besides, I don't get out much. I know, you can tell.
So, in Ptrbro, fantasy land includes TSC and the big C.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Isaac touches down on the Otonabee....
Not really, but the wind was out of the south, maybe SW, and gusting. This is my excuse , of course. 1 lmbass and not big.
I didn't even put down the 75 this morn.
Trolling motor all the way, Harvey's and the weeds and back.
Apparently, I'm a ' trolling motor down' fisherman. This title from a fishing friend who has a lot experience.
In the news : Holmes Gets Nothing in the Settlement - the Church of Scientology doesn't seem to be that generous. Well Tom"cat" Cruise, needs the money.
Re-watching " Captain America " while I do dishes and type. It grows on you. Yesterday, was " Green Lantern " day. On a loop, while I was in and out.
On the deck, getting lightning quick response, from the dial-up-stick. Its still costing $37 a month but we get internet.
The background noise is CA beating up Nazis and in the lull a dove is cooing away. The doves made a nest in the eavestrough this year. The robin builds a nest under the deck and the swift family has a nest over the spotlight. It appears we have tenants.
I'm off to tidy up. there is always something waiting.
Temperature is a balmy 70 something and dry but the humidity is picking up.
I didn't even put down the 75 this morn.
Trolling motor all the way, Harvey's and the weeds and back.
Apparently, I'm a ' trolling motor down' fisherman. This title from a fishing friend who has a lot experience.
In the news : Holmes Gets Nothing in the Settlement - the Church of Scientology doesn't seem to be that generous. Well Tom"cat" Cruise, needs the money.
Re-watching " Captain America " while I do dishes and type. It grows on you. Yesterday, was " Green Lantern " day. On a loop, while I was in and out.
On the deck, getting lightning quick response, from the dial-up-stick. Its still costing $37 a month but we get internet.
The background noise is CA beating up Nazis and in the lull a dove is cooing away. The doves made a nest in the eavestrough this year. The robin builds a nest under the deck and the swift family has a nest over the spotlight. It appears we have tenants.
I'm off to tidy up. there is always something waiting.
Temperature is a balmy 70 something and dry but the humidity is picking up.
Monday, 27 August 2012
Post #263
I know you can't believe it either, 263.
I mean 21 or 88 would have been not bad.
I'm hoping # 300 will be possible. this blog could be cancelled due to lack of fan interest or sponsorship, giggle, giggle.
The bass are feeling hungry. I changed line on my main reel ( a 2000 series Stradic, of 1988 vintage and a GLX Loomis 7 ft, med-light rod ). the 40 # braid is still very stiff and casting poorly.
However, the bass don't recognize such fine nuances I guess. They're smacking away. Maybe its the approaching front that came in last night ( 5 lmbass - one small, and one that was trying real hard to reach 4 # ).
This AM, 3 lmbass hit and one was close to 3#.
My casts aren't accurate. For the most part I'm getting within a foot or two of cover but the bass are coming out to feed. Good for me - not good for them.
I seldom use 40 # test ( 12 # line diameter ) b/c of the stiffness. It takes about two weeks for the line to soften and not much either.
I couldn't find 20 # braid anywhere, 20# is much easier to cast - way more supple.
I use a leader of fluorocarbon. Fluorcarbon is very clear ( low vis ) and sinks much faster than braid.
For me the advantage of a leader is that I don't need a weight to sink my plastic. further if I snag then I can break off the leader and get back the braid instead of leaving 20 ft of line stuck to a tree ( my favourite item to snag on - trust me I'm world class at snagging trees and branches.
Drizzle - off and on, damp and coolish.
Clean up day.
I mean 21 or 88 would have been not bad.
I'm hoping # 300 will be possible. this blog could be cancelled due to lack of fan interest or sponsorship, giggle, giggle.
The bass are feeling hungry. I changed line on my main reel ( a 2000 series Stradic, of 1988 vintage and a GLX Loomis 7 ft, med-light rod ). the 40 # braid is still very stiff and casting poorly.
However, the bass don't recognize such fine nuances I guess. They're smacking away. Maybe its the approaching front that came in last night ( 5 lmbass - one small, and one that was trying real hard to reach 4 # ).
This AM, 3 lmbass hit and one was close to 3#.
My casts aren't accurate. For the most part I'm getting within a foot or two of cover but the bass are coming out to feed. Good for me - not good for them.
I seldom use 40 # test ( 12 # line diameter ) b/c of the stiffness. It takes about two weeks for the line to soften and not much either.
I couldn't find 20 # braid anywhere, 20# is much easier to cast - way more supple.
I use a leader of fluorocarbon. Fluorcarbon is very clear ( low vis ) and sinks much faster than braid.
For me the advantage of a leader is that I don't need a weight to sink my plastic. further if I snag then I can break off the leader and get back the braid instead of leaving 20 ft of line stuck to a tree ( my favourite item to snag on - trust me I'm world class at snagging trees and branches.
Drizzle - off and on, damp and coolish.
Clean up day.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Take a Chance on me....
( is the 'ABBA line ) or it could be plain, serendipity.
Last night on CBC, the evening program is ' Saturday Night Blues ' w/ Holger Peterson. I've tried to listen and learn but its not my cup of tea. But I keep going back, in case, you now recognize this compulsive behaviour. Talk about sporadic rewards. Holger had an interview w/ Bill Medley of the 'Righteous Bros ' - blues ??? RBros ? , - I give.
I didn't know that the RBros fronted for the Beatles and hated it. " 12 minutes of fans yelling - BEATLES, BEATLES ". RBros asked to leave the tour early.
The boys opened for the Rolling Stones , too, they liked that.
great story - the RBros are with Phil Spector ( recording giant ) and PS is fighting w/ Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Weil and Mann have started writing " Love and Inspiration " and won't let PS have the song.
RBros leave PS and contact Weil/Mann about 'Inspiration .. '. The W/M team send a demo tape w/ 'Inspiration 'almost finished and 5 other songs. The RBros start to work w/ 'Inspiration 'and quickly listen to the other songs and decide , No , they'll stay w/ ' Inspiration ' - phenomenal hit for RBros.
The 5 songs they turned down ? - all top ten hits for other groups.
So, I'll give Holger another chance, who knows - sporadic rewards.
" Addictions " is the name of a Robert Palmer album. " Addicted to Love " is on the CD.
My addiction is coffee. Once, ten cups of Joe was fairly normal. Now, i've got it down to 5, maybe.
While teaching, some public awareness campaign had the kids wearing ribbons w/ " My choice Drug Free ". I altered my ribbon to read " My choice Drug 'caffeine ' ". i received criticism for tampering w/ the message. When the kids asked about the change in slogan, they started to see that caffeine was a drug like any other w/ side effects.
yeah, it keeps me so even tempered and calm.
I put a little water in the cup and ' zap ' the water in the m/w. then I add coffee and ' drip Equality from the can '.
I travel w/ coffee in the car. The usual rule is no coffee after lunch.
My Mom used to say about my Dad " that man never says no, to a cup of coffee ".
Ah, genetics, I come by my addiction honestly. BTW, mom has always put water into her coffee. Egads, folks, destined to be like my parents.
I had a ' Rocky Road ' addiction. In my bachelor days, I kept a 1/2 gallon of RckyRd in the freezer. Baskin and Robbins was on the way home. At the 'Farm Store ' Kawartha Dairies ' sells Moose Droppings - chocolate swirls, chocolate chips and nuts. Yes, its in the freezer at QMH.
Acu - stimualtion. I'm still stimulating the knee but the ice is the best. Those Orientals
sure can flog medical stuff - where is Dr. Ho selling his crap.
Last night on CBC, the evening program is ' Saturday Night Blues ' w/ Holger Peterson. I've tried to listen and learn but its not my cup of tea. But I keep going back, in case, you now recognize this compulsive behaviour. Talk about sporadic rewards. Holger had an interview w/ Bill Medley of the 'Righteous Bros ' - blues ??? RBros ? , - I give.
I didn't know that the RBros fronted for the Beatles and hated it. " 12 minutes of fans yelling - BEATLES, BEATLES ". RBros asked to leave the tour early.
The boys opened for the Rolling Stones , too, they liked that.
great story - the RBros are with Phil Spector ( recording giant ) and PS is fighting w/ Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Weil and Mann have started writing " Love and Inspiration " and won't let PS have the song.
RBros leave PS and contact Weil/Mann about 'Inspiration .. '. The W/M team send a demo tape w/ 'Inspiration 'almost finished and 5 other songs. The RBros start to work w/ 'Inspiration 'and quickly listen to the other songs and decide , No , they'll stay w/ ' Inspiration ' - phenomenal hit for RBros.
The 5 songs they turned down ? - all top ten hits for other groups.
So, I'll give Holger another chance, who knows - sporadic rewards.
" Addictions " is the name of a Robert Palmer album. " Addicted to Love " is on the CD.
My addiction is coffee. Once, ten cups of Joe was fairly normal. Now, i've got it down to 5, maybe.
While teaching, some public awareness campaign had the kids wearing ribbons w/ " My choice Drug Free ". I altered my ribbon to read " My choice Drug 'caffeine ' ". i received criticism for tampering w/ the message. When the kids asked about the change in slogan, they started to see that caffeine was a drug like any other w/ side effects.
yeah, it keeps me so even tempered and calm.
I put a little water in the cup and ' zap ' the water in the m/w. then I add coffee and ' drip Equality from the can '.
I travel w/ coffee in the car. The usual rule is no coffee after lunch.
My Mom used to say about my Dad " that man never says no, to a cup of coffee ".
Ah, genetics, I come by my addiction honestly. BTW, mom has always put water into her coffee. Egads, folks, destined to be like my parents.
I had a ' Rocky Road ' addiction. In my bachelor days, I kept a 1/2 gallon of RckyRd in the freezer. Baskin and Robbins was on the way home. At the 'Farm Store ' Kawartha Dairies ' sells Moose Droppings - chocolate swirls, chocolate chips and nuts. Yes, its in the freezer at QMH.
Acu - stimualtion. I'm still stimulating the knee but the ice is the best. Those Orientals
sure can flog medical stuff - where is Dr. Ho selling his crap.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
sequitors......
" a River Runs Through It " was mentioned yesterday. As a metaphor for life, ' aRRTI ' is iconic. As a parallel to my life, amazing.
A fishing family, check. Brother dies, check ( Brad Pitt gets beaten to death, near the end of the movie ). Surviving Bro goes on and fishes primarily by himself, check. The movie bros ran a Stratos, NO. Oh well, close but no ceegar, as they say.
Lance the Glance, will no longer contend versus the Anti-doping charges. Likely, he will be stripped of 7 Tour titles and others I guess.
In interviews, on CBC radio, experts said " one of the most cryptic results will be, who gets the Tour title lost by Armstrong ". In many year's results, anyone next in line has already been sanctioned w/ bans and strippings. There was some, perhaps , facetious musings that someone outside the top ten in a given year, would be awarded # 1.
An editor from l'Equipe, a Fr newspaper w/ a well-known sports department stated, Fr. and European writers have been saying since '98 that something was fishy in the Armstrong saga, e.g. win after win. Well the Fr know wine and doping ?, they sure don't do well in wars.
TV shows that I watch and am ridiculed for.
Rumour says that I am mesmerized by " Swamp People " , a series that follows 'hunters ' that trap or shoot alligators in La. A definite lie, I have watched but not religiously.
" Duck Dynasty " follows a clan of duck call makers that have made it big. Their custom made duck calls have made them millionaires. I have seen episodes but I am not a fan, so scotch those untruths now !
" Pawn Stars " situated in Las Vegas " documents the ecletic mix of items that are brought in for pawn or sale. Guilty, but its not a show that I wait for. Its on all the time.
"Pawnathon, Canada " . , guilty. I'm in love w/ Alison Ross , one of the pawn masters. The show is along the lines of ' Roadshow Antiques '
w/ potential items being evaluated / bought by experts.
" Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" has host Guy Fieri, travelling N.A. seeking out unusual, typically on-site preparation, low cost eating places. We have been to at least 5 DDD places.
1. Primanti bros, Balto
2. Chaps, Real Pit BBQ, Balto
3. Ruth and Chicks deli, Annapolis , Md
4. Harrigans fish House, Redington Bch, Fla.
5
More to come, no doubt.
" Canadian Pickers " and " American Pickers " both centre on partners that scour the land for saleable items found in garages, attics and people's homes. Guilty, as charged. I believe that I am a picker at heart, and this is not a good thing, just ask the sane one in our family.
My latest pick - a wooden lighthouse decorated w/ seagulls and marine related things. I received compliments for good taste
- Wow, a big wow - however, the lighthouse was 50 cents.
I picked up a candle lantern, bigger than a breadbox, free !. downside, it was left on the porch and melted wax ( sun exposure ) got all over the wooden deck, my fault.
Many picks have not been so well received. Picking as metaphor for life, you bet.
You may not know it but Natalie Portman poses nude for Dior fragrances. There are two campaigns where she doffed her clothes to tastefully ( what else , come on ) sell some scent ( I am in the dark, on this topic ).
A fishing family, check. Brother dies, check ( Brad Pitt gets beaten to death, near the end of the movie ). Surviving Bro goes on and fishes primarily by himself, check. The movie bros ran a Stratos, NO. Oh well, close but no ceegar, as they say.
Lance the Glance, will no longer contend versus the Anti-doping charges. Likely, he will be stripped of 7 Tour titles and others I guess.
In interviews, on CBC radio, experts said " one of the most cryptic results will be, who gets the Tour title lost by Armstrong ". In many year's results, anyone next in line has already been sanctioned w/ bans and strippings. There was some, perhaps , facetious musings that someone outside the top ten in a given year, would be awarded # 1.
An editor from l'Equipe, a Fr newspaper w/ a well-known sports department stated, Fr. and European writers have been saying since '98 that something was fishy in the Armstrong saga, e.g. win after win. Well the Fr know wine and doping ?, they sure don't do well in wars.
TV shows that I watch and am ridiculed for.
Rumour says that I am mesmerized by " Swamp People " , a series that follows 'hunters ' that trap or shoot alligators in La. A definite lie, I have watched but not religiously.
" Duck Dynasty " follows a clan of duck call makers that have made it big. Their custom made duck calls have made them millionaires. I have seen episodes but I am not a fan, so scotch those untruths now !
" Pawn Stars " situated in Las Vegas " documents the ecletic mix of items that are brought in for pawn or sale. Guilty, but its not a show that I wait for. Its on all the time.
"Pawnathon, Canada " . , guilty. I'm in love w/ Alison Ross , one of the pawn masters. The show is along the lines of ' Roadshow Antiques '
w/ potential items being evaluated / bought by experts.
" Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" has host Guy Fieri, travelling N.A. seeking out unusual, typically on-site preparation, low cost eating places. We have been to at least 5 DDD places.
1. Primanti bros, Balto
2. Chaps, Real Pit BBQ, Balto
3. Ruth and Chicks deli, Annapolis , Md
4. Harrigans fish House, Redington Bch, Fla.
5
More to come, no doubt.
" Canadian Pickers " and " American Pickers " both centre on partners that scour the land for saleable items found in garages, attics and people's homes. Guilty, as charged. I believe that I am a picker at heart, and this is not a good thing, just ask the sane one in our family.
My latest pick - a wooden lighthouse decorated w/ seagulls and marine related things. I received compliments for good taste
- Wow, a big wow - however, the lighthouse was 50 cents.
I picked up a candle lantern, bigger than a breadbox, free !. downside, it was left on the porch and melted wax ( sun exposure ) got all over the wooden deck, my fault.
Many picks have not been so well received. Picking as metaphor for life, you bet.
You may not know it but Natalie Portman poses nude for Dior fragrances. There are two campaigns where she doffed her clothes to tastefully ( what else , come on ) sell some scent ( I am in the dark, on this topic ).
Friday, 24 August 2012
The Price We Pay
Be it resolved there is a price to pay for what we enjoy and do.
We lead a slightly self-indulgent lifestyle b/c we can. No children and my mom is living in a nursing home.
We know people who are contemplating, assuming a mortgage for their son and family.
This, as the two were retired or semi-retired.
Another couple is switching a holiday for mortgage payments for their daughter and family.
We will not face such problems but will have others - no doubt.
Apparently, Lance Armstrong may lose his Tour de France titles. Our heroes are frail, it seems.
Movies to see : ' Robot and Frank '. The trailers are out and look interesting. The movie received 3 1/2 * in the Torstar newspaper.
I watched ( while ellipticking ) " the Legend of Bagger Vance " directed by Robert Redford, starring Matt Damon, Charlize Theron ( nee South African ) and Will Smith as ' Bagger '.
Redford says that sport is a good metaphor for life. Golf is a great example b/c you play against yourself and no one else. Trials and tribulations and some success.
At the ' Porch ' , our bar and lunch place, I mentioned the allure of sporadic reward as a driving force for compulsive behaviour. One of the bar inhabitants said ' try golf, a nestful of bogeys and 1 birdie '.
I, of course , think of fishing as the ideal metaphor. Robert Redford can say ' been there , done that ' b/c I'm pretty sure he directed, Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt in the amazing ' a River Runs Through It '. The movie focusses on the lives of two brothers growing up in Montana w/ fly-fishing as a passion from childhood. Their father ( Tom Skerrit ) is a reverend who fishes.
My dad took us fishing from 6 and 7 yrs of age. Dad bought some land nr Ptrbro on L. Chemong. We fished on Chemong for 15 or 16 yrs.
That cottage got sold ( for a humungous profit, of course, my father would do it no other way ). My brother and I were fishing vagbonds ( read, the way most people fish )
for 2 years.
Brothers bought a small cottage of fair vintage ( read here, fishing hut ) on the Nottawasaga R. The ' Notty ' was once called Ontario's rainbow highway. The rainbow trout were plentiful and reknowned throughout N.A.
as the finest strain of rainbow trout.
The eggs from Nottawasaga trout were used in hatcheries all over in On.
The fishing hut got used from 1984 to 2006. Those last years were fitfully good b/c I used the cottage by myself. Brother died in '96. Finally, I took the plunge and put the cottage up for sale. No easy decision that.
The next buy was the trailer, yick.
So, I've had the luxury of fishing from a cottage , my whole life.
As I've said, most guys travel to and from a fishing place. I'm there, for good or bad.
In Fla. the condos next door came w/ the option of purchasing a boat dock. We marvelled at the price of the condos, the units started at $ 440 K and reputedly got as high as $ 800 K. Reputed b/c we heard rumours of rising and falling prices.
This was the equivalent of fairy stories.
However, I remember, laughing at the man who said the price was not the point, the owners got docking facilities.
Be careful who you laugh at. Many times, on the 'bee, I've come home from fishing and while coming to dock or raising the Stratos, I've thought " this is one expensive boat dock ( meaning the whole cottage thing )"
We lead a slightly self-indulgent lifestyle b/c we can. No children and my mom is living in a nursing home.
We know people who are contemplating, assuming a mortgage for their son and family.
This, as the two were retired or semi-retired.
Another couple is switching a holiday for mortgage payments for their daughter and family.
We will not face such problems but will have others - no doubt.
Apparently, Lance Armstrong may lose his Tour de France titles. Our heroes are frail, it seems.
Movies to see : ' Robot and Frank '. The trailers are out and look interesting. The movie received 3 1/2 * in the Torstar newspaper.
I watched ( while ellipticking ) " the Legend of Bagger Vance " directed by Robert Redford, starring Matt Damon, Charlize Theron ( nee South African ) and Will Smith as ' Bagger '.
Redford says that sport is a good metaphor for life. Golf is a great example b/c you play against yourself and no one else. Trials and tribulations and some success.
At the ' Porch ' , our bar and lunch place, I mentioned the allure of sporadic reward as a driving force for compulsive behaviour. One of the bar inhabitants said ' try golf, a nestful of bogeys and 1 birdie '.
I, of course , think of fishing as the ideal metaphor. Robert Redford can say ' been there , done that ' b/c I'm pretty sure he directed, Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt in the amazing ' a River Runs Through It '. The movie focusses on the lives of two brothers growing up in Montana w/ fly-fishing as a passion from childhood. Their father ( Tom Skerrit ) is a reverend who fishes.
My dad took us fishing from 6 and 7 yrs of age. Dad bought some land nr Ptrbro on L. Chemong. We fished on Chemong for 15 or 16 yrs.
That cottage got sold ( for a humungous profit, of course, my father would do it no other way ). My brother and I were fishing vagbonds ( read, the way most people fish )
for 2 years.
Brothers bought a small cottage of fair vintage ( read here, fishing hut ) on the Nottawasaga R. The ' Notty ' was once called Ontario's rainbow highway. The rainbow trout were plentiful and reknowned throughout N.A.
as the finest strain of rainbow trout.
The eggs from Nottawasaga trout were used in hatcheries all over in On.
The fishing hut got used from 1984 to 2006. Those last years were fitfully good b/c I used the cottage by myself. Brother died in '96. Finally, I took the plunge and put the cottage up for sale. No easy decision that.
The next buy was the trailer, yick.
So, I've had the luxury of fishing from a cottage , my whole life.
As I've said, most guys travel to and from a fishing place. I'm there, for good or bad.
In Fla. the condos next door came w/ the option of purchasing a boat dock. We marvelled at the price of the condos, the units started at $ 440 K and reputedly got as high as $ 800 K. Reputed b/c we heard rumours of rising and falling prices.
This was the equivalent of fairy stories.
However, I remember, laughing at the man who said the price was not the point, the owners got docking facilities.
Be careful who you laugh at. Many times, on the 'bee, I've come home from fishing and while coming to dock or raising the Stratos, I've thought " this is one expensive boat dock ( meaning the whole cottage thing )"
Thursday, 23 August 2012
the Bees Knees...
There is an expression " the bees knees " connoting delight or desirability. My knees, not. After several days away, my knees need icing badly. I now have plans to ice at QMH, aussi.
A TV station ( ABC affiliate, I believe ) used to have ' Acu-weather '. I have an ' Acu-Pen '. This AP is an electronic stimulator for acu-points as in acupuncture w/out blood or needles.
The AP can sense appropriate acu-points and then send out a pulsing field to stimulate that acu-point.
The AP starts by beeping and flashing, as the AP nears an acu-point,the rate of beeping intensifies rapidly.then the user activates the stimulator pulse and your healed.
Well not quite. Remember some rank amateur is guesstimating where the proper acu-point is and guessing length of stimulation etc.
A friend uses the AP for migraines and predicting the Superbowl.
I've tried AP for neck and shoulder pain. You'll be asking ' Does it work ? ' Dunno.
Its cheap, painless and Oriental - come on - it has to work. Those Orientals know things.
To-day was Ex day. As in lets go to the Canadian National Exhibition and get fat and sweaty walking around. Nope. Its too H/H for that. We stay home. Yellowstone will have nice weather tho'.
A tangent to the above AP story is batteries.Those disk shaped ones. At the ' Dollarama ' coin batteries were 3 for a dollar. I saw the model # and guessing bought a pack. Surprise - the right ones. The AP has been misplaced for a month. Well new batteries and we found the AP hiding in the tools and take-out menus drawer.
Thats the ' bees knees '.
I'll keep you up-to-date on accupuncure 101.
A TV station ( ABC affiliate, I believe ) used to have ' Acu-weather '. I have an ' Acu-Pen '. This AP is an electronic stimulator for acu-points as in acupuncture w/out blood or needles.
The AP can sense appropriate acu-points and then send out a pulsing field to stimulate that acu-point.
The AP starts by beeping and flashing, as the AP nears an acu-point,the rate of beeping intensifies rapidly.then the user activates the stimulator pulse and your healed.
Well not quite. Remember some rank amateur is guesstimating where the proper acu-point is and guessing length of stimulation etc.
A friend uses the AP for migraines and predicting the Superbowl.
I've tried AP for neck and shoulder pain. You'll be asking ' Does it work ? ' Dunno.
Its cheap, painless and Oriental - come on - it has to work. Those Orientals know things.
To-day was Ex day. As in lets go to the Canadian National Exhibition and get fat and sweaty walking around. Nope. Its too H/H for that. We stay home. Yellowstone will have nice weather tho'.
A tangent to the above AP story is batteries.Those disk shaped ones. At the ' Dollarama ' coin batteries were 3 for a dollar. I saw the model # and guessing bought a pack. Surprise - the right ones. The AP has been misplaced for a month. Well new batteries and we found the AP hiding in the tools and take-out menus drawer.
Thats the ' bees knees '.
I'll keep you up-to-date on accupuncure 101.
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Week-end Wed ....
' Our ' weekend ends to-day. Yes, were headed home. the fish are safe for another 5 days.
On the deck typing away at QMH.
The AM was cool but that sun is warm. Humidity is building.
This AM, the fish were not chasing. Casts, right into the wood were required. Since I missed 70 % of the time, the finny guys were in no danger.
Lets see, whole lot of cursing out there. The fishing line and wind and sun in the eyes all received equal blame. Hey, its not my fault the worm went eveywhere. After all its a worm.
We had corn on the cob for 2 days. We are in corn country ( and stones ) but corn is the crop.
At the famous Franz's Meat store, we bought rib eye steaks and BBQd last night w/ corn on the side. Ecologically, we should have ate the corn and not the beef b/c the beef already got some corn and other stuff.
Oh well, fatten the beef, fatten us , same thing.
On the deck typing away at QMH.
The AM was cool but that sun is warm. Humidity is building.
This AM, the fish were not chasing. Casts, right into the wood were required. Since I missed 70 % of the time, the finny guys were in no danger.
Lets see, whole lot of cursing out there. The fishing line and wind and sun in the eyes all received equal blame. Hey, its not my fault the worm went eveywhere. After all its a worm.
We had corn on the cob for 2 days. We are in corn country ( and stones ) but corn is the crop.
At the famous Franz's Meat store, we bought rib eye steaks and BBQd last night w/ corn on the side. Ecologically, we should have ate the corn and not the beef b/c the beef already got some corn and other stuff.
Oh well, fatten the beef, fatten us , same thing.
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Sporadic events....
The ritual is that I go to Deja Vu, bring home 3 DVDs and someone says ' those are typical, only you could like them '.
Came home w/ " Journey to Promethea " - alright it sucked. however, came w/ " Closing the Ring " directed by Richard Attenborough.
Starring, everybody. Shirley McLaine, Pete Postelwaithe, Christopher Plummer and Neve Campbell are the big names. There are 3 or 4 others who are marvelous co-stars or supporting cast.
' CtR ' is a romance that spans better than 60 years. Two young lovers are separated by the war ( forever, he dies ) and linked forever, by a house.
3 friends in Michigan, USA, built a house for Teddy's girl and Teddy. Teddy wants someone to guard Ethel if anything happens to him.
Teddy dies. The friend stays w/ Ethel and marries her.
In Belfast where Teddy's plane has hit a mountain, years later , a historical hunter is searching for war remains, plane pieces etc
The young Irish assistant finds a ring, engraved - Teddy and Ethel.
In all of this the IRA are actively, trying to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
Through twists and turns we reach the end.
I received compliments on my choice. Talk about sporadic rewards - jeesh.
Well, nothing died this morning. Last night a smallmouth bass smashed my plastic worm. But he swallowed the hook and croaked. Slam bang thank-you ma'am - filleted and frozen.
The bass are active and chasing food and plastic, TG.
Wb ( oh there's one at QMH, too ) is wearing clothes. Cool and windy, patches of sun.
"Its going to rain " is the comment that I just heard.
Came home w/ " Journey to Promethea " - alright it sucked. however, came w/ " Closing the Ring " directed by Richard Attenborough.
Starring, everybody. Shirley McLaine, Pete Postelwaithe, Christopher Plummer and Neve Campbell are the big names. There are 3 or 4 others who are marvelous co-stars or supporting cast.
' CtR ' is a romance that spans better than 60 years. Two young lovers are separated by the war ( forever, he dies ) and linked forever, by a house.
3 friends in Michigan, USA, built a house for Teddy's girl and Teddy. Teddy wants someone to guard Ethel if anything happens to him.
Teddy dies. The friend stays w/ Ethel and marries her.
In Belfast where Teddy's plane has hit a mountain, years later , a historical hunter is searching for war remains, plane pieces etc
The young Irish assistant finds a ring, engraved - Teddy and Ethel.
In all of this the IRA are actively, trying to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
Through twists and turns we reach the end.
I received compliments on my choice. Talk about sporadic rewards - jeesh.
Well, nothing died this morning. Last night a smallmouth bass smashed my plastic worm. But he swallowed the hook and croaked. Slam bang thank-you ma'am - filleted and frozen.
The bass are active and chasing food and plastic, TG.
Wb ( oh there's one at QMH, too ) is wearing clothes. Cool and windy, patches of sun.
"Its going to rain " is the comment that I just heard.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
You know when ......
.. you're having a bad day if you put evaporated milk in your lemon water.
Every morning I have warm water and lemon. This tissane ( it sounds so cool when you describe it like that ) is supposed to balance your body pH. Actually I forget exactly why its good for you. The lemon tissane does cleanse your mouth - the morning leftovers from night-mouth.
This morning, I wasn't sure if the evap milk was still fresh. I put some evap milk in a spoon and tasted and dropped it right into the tissane and not the coffee, yick !. OK - OK I may not have been totally awake.
In reading, Sympatico news ( Symp is our server ) I realized, no, this mornings troubles were not important.
You know ' you're having a bad day when ... '
You swerve to avoid hitting a moose and nail a brown bear instead.
In Norway, on a rural road, a driver had this happen.
Back to the top. I use evaporated milk in my coffee. The Chinese restaurants here also use
evaporated milk for coffee. I think the evaporated milk is cheaper than cream or creamer.
The most famous brand in Canada is ' Carnation ' evaporated milk. Its one of those names that is synonomous with the product.
Stan Rogers, a Canadian folk singer, now deceased, wrote of ' dripping Carnation from the can ' and everyone knew what it meant.
I buy the house brand evaporated milk, so I guess I ' drip Equality from the can ' into my lemon tissane, yick, again.
Last night's BD do, turned out fantastic. Warm and convivial. The guest list is comprised of three groups more or less.
1. Relatives
2. Ex- high school friends and those who went to Bloor Collegiate, our alma mater.
3. Members of the ' Hockey Research Group '
who gather to reminisce and investigate hockey related info.
The Bloor crowd spans something like 10 yrs in age difference. Some of us played football to-gether in Dufferin Park. And there are stories and stories of what happened there.
The hockey group is actually famous and counts our Prime Minister as an honorary member. The PM is writing a book on hockey.
He wasn't there last night.
Wb is wearing pants and T-shirt on the monitor, so its cool but bright, great start to the day.
Every morning I have warm water and lemon. This tissane ( it sounds so cool when you describe it like that ) is supposed to balance your body pH. Actually I forget exactly why its good for you. The lemon tissane does cleanse your mouth - the morning leftovers from night-mouth.
This morning, I wasn't sure if the evap milk was still fresh. I put some evap milk in a spoon and tasted and dropped it right into the tissane and not the coffee, yick !. OK - OK I may not have been totally awake.
In reading, Sympatico news ( Symp is our server ) I realized, no, this mornings troubles were not important.
You know ' you're having a bad day when ... '
You swerve to avoid hitting a moose and nail a brown bear instead.
In Norway, on a rural road, a driver had this happen.
Back to the top. I use evaporated milk in my coffee. The Chinese restaurants here also use
evaporated milk for coffee. I think the evaporated milk is cheaper than cream or creamer.
The most famous brand in Canada is ' Carnation ' evaporated milk. Its one of those names that is synonomous with the product.
Stan Rogers, a Canadian folk singer, now deceased, wrote of ' dripping Carnation from the can ' and everyone knew what it meant.
I buy the house brand evaporated milk, so I guess I ' drip Equality from the can ' into my lemon tissane, yick, again.
Last night's BD do, turned out fantastic. Warm and convivial. The guest list is comprised of three groups more or less.
1. Relatives
2. Ex- high school friends and those who went to Bloor Collegiate, our alma mater.
3. Members of the ' Hockey Research Group '
who gather to reminisce and investigate hockey related info.
The Bloor crowd spans something like 10 yrs in age difference. Some of us played football to-gether in Dufferin Park. And there are stories and stories of what happened there.
The hockey group is actually famous and counts our Prime Minister as an honorary member. The PM is writing a book on hockey.
He wasn't there last night.
Wb is wearing pants and T-shirt on the monitor, so its cool but bright, great start to the day.
Watcha doing Sat....
Up early and off to return DVDs. ' John Carter of Mars ' went home to Barsoom ( Mars in some Martian language ), the Red Box DVD machine at Walmart, not the red planet.
' JCoM ' got negative reviews and low returns from the box office. The scuttlebutt in the press say Disney Productions may not back another venture such as ' JCoM '. The losses from ' JCoM ' were staggering to the bottom line at DPs.
Positive comments, production values were high, not pretentious and w/ humour. There was plenty of action and interesting twists.
I read Edgar Rice Burroughs ( author of the ' John Carter ' books ( also Tarzan ) and this was a faithful interpretation of what I remember. Jazzed up w/ CG and modern dialogue , of course, ' JCoM ' was worth buying but I didn't. So, I'll be looking for an used copy.
' Uncle ' wasn't at the Italian store at least not out front. However, the same cashier was. The total came to $ 20.96 for the taralli. She said " That'll be $ 20 " so I paid no tax actually. I guess she remembered that I'm 'uncle's ' buddy '.
Later, we attend a 62 BD do. I know b/c birthday boy and I are the same age. Len and I know each other from Gr 9. We had a common friend back then. I don't see Bobby any more but somehow Len and I still get to-gether.
Family dynamics dictate that Len hold this summer do, almost every year. The family only gets to-gether at times such as this. You see no other family member will hold a family affair b/c its too much trouble. Not Xmas but if someone dies they get to-gether.
' Weather boy ' is our nickname for the inside / outside weather monitor that sits on our living room table. The weather is bright and blue, cool - a stunner of a day.' Wb ' has been wearing clothes lately ( no, he's not naked in summer , he has swim trunks )
Further to the ' Pussy Riot ' trial in Russia, they got 3 yrs hard labour. Kabonga dudes, thats forever over there.
' JCoM ' got negative reviews and low returns from the box office. The scuttlebutt in the press say Disney Productions may not back another venture such as ' JCoM '. The losses from ' JCoM ' were staggering to the bottom line at DPs.
Positive comments, production values were high, not pretentious and w/ humour. There was plenty of action and interesting twists.
I read Edgar Rice Burroughs ( author of the ' John Carter ' books ( also Tarzan ) and this was a faithful interpretation of what I remember. Jazzed up w/ CG and modern dialogue , of course, ' JCoM ' was worth buying but I didn't. So, I'll be looking for an used copy.
' Uncle ' wasn't at the Italian store at least not out front. However, the same cashier was. The total came to $ 20.96 for the taralli. She said " That'll be $ 20 " so I paid no tax actually. I guess she remembered that I'm 'uncle's ' buddy '.
Later, we attend a 62 BD do. I know b/c birthday boy and I are the same age. Len and I know each other from Gr 9. We had a common friend back then. I don't see Bobby any more but somehow Len and I still get to-gether.
Family dynamics dictate that Len hold this summer do, almost every year. The family only gets to-gether at times such as this. You see no other family member will hold a family affair b/c its too much trouble. Not Xmas but if someone dies they get to-gether.
' Weather boy ' is our nickname for the inside / outside weather monitor that sits on our living room table. The weather is bright and blue, cool - a stunner of a day.' Wb ' has been wearing clothes lately ( no, he's not naked in summer , he has swim trunks )
Further to the ' Pussy Riot ' trial in Russia, they got 3 yrs hard labour. Kabonga dudes, thats forever over there.
Friday, 17 August 2012
Punk me, why not
Pussy Riot, the name of a punk rock band, has been found guilty of blasphemy in Russia. Thats not the real charges ( about 4 of them ), but guess what - thats what they got charged with. Blasphemy against society and the church ( performance was in a church ) and V. Putin.
Putin appparently, has some pull w/ the courts.
Plans for to-day, include Deja Vu ( used DVD store ) to try for ' John Carter of Mars '.
A detour to Dacon Int'l ( Italian food store ) to stock up on taralli. Taralli are pretzels w/ different flavours. The taralli are twisted or looped, baked but not usually salted. My favs , as of now, are fennel flavoured and rosemary and black olive. I sort of stand out b/c everyone else is Italian, and they buy olives and cheese and deli meats ( salami, proscuitti etc).
The 'uncle ' guy there, has been talking to me since I started going to Dacon. I have moved w/ them from store to store. Lately, ' uncle ' has been following me to the cashier. Once, he asked about chocolate covered almonds and cranberries. " Do you like chocolate ? "
I said " Yes ", ' uncle ' starts tossing bags of treats into my plastic bag.
I suppose that I must have looked shocked or unsure. The cashier winks at me and says " He means it ".
Last time, I separated the taralli to give them to two families and the different flavours. ' Uncle ' grabs one bag and says to the cashier " my buddy won't be charged for this bag, OK ? " Again, the cashier nods and says " Its alright, I understand ". I keep waiting to be arrested as I leave.
Weather is cool w/ blue sky. I think it will be described as unsettled and sub normal in temperature.
The Canadian National Exhibition starts to-day. The highlights , are foods , esp. deep fried bacon wrapped Mars bars and 2 hamburger patties in a Krispy Kreme donut.
What is that expression ' gag me w/ a spoon '
or gag me w/ a hamburger bun ?.
Yesterday, I went to the barber. my hair was making me feel uncomfortable. H/H is my bane.
The problem is, when I go to Tony, I never know if I'm going to ask for a thin and trim or a toupee. My bald spot is the size of a yarmulka. Give me a brown robe and I could pass for a cousin of Friar Tuck ( Asian branch ).
Putin appparently, has some pull w/ the courts.
Plans for to-day, include Deja Vu ( used DVD store ) to try for ' John Carter of Mars '.
A detour to Dacon Int'l ( Italian food store ) to stock up on taralli. Taralli are pretzels w/ different flavours. The taralli are twisted or looped, baked but not usually salted. My favs , as of now, are fennel flavoured and rosemary and black olive. I sort of stand out b/c everyone else is Italian, and they buy olives and cheese and deli meats ( salami, proscuitti etc).
The 'uncle ' guy there, has been talking to me since I started going to Dacon. I have moved w/ them from store to store. Lately, ' uncle ' has been following me to the cashier. Once, he asked about chocolate covered almonds and cranberries. " Do you like chocolate ? "
I said " Yes ", ' uncle ' starts tossing bags of treats into my plastic bag.
I suppose that I must have looked shocked or unsure. The cashier winks at me and says " He means it ".
Last time, I separated the taralli to give them to two families and the different flavours. ' Uncle ' grabs one bag and says to the cashier " my buddy won't be charged for this bag, OK ? " Again, the cashier nods and says " Its alright, I understand ". I keep waiting to be arrested as I leave.
Weather is cool w/ blue sky. I think it will be described as unsettled and sub normal in temperature.
The Canadian National Exhibition starts to-day. The highlights , are foods , esp. deep fried bacon wrapped Mars bars and 2 hamburger patties in a Krispy Kreme donut.
What is that expression ' gag me w/ a spoon '
or gag me w/ a hamburger bun ?.
Yesterday, I went to the barber. my hair was making me feel uncomfortable. H/H is my bane.
The problem is, when I go to Tony, I never know if I'm going to ask for a thin and trim or a toupee. My bald spot is the size of a yarmulka. Give me a brown robe and I could pass for a cousin of Friar Tuck ( Asian branch ).
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Be careful who you laugh at...
There is a commercial for Hanes, underwear. Michael Jordan goes along and cuts the tag from someone's t-shirt. Ah, thanks. I thought what a useless commercial who cares !
At the Tractor Store ( think of Wonderland for supposed grown up men ) the clearance table had long sleeve thermal T s ( kinda dimpled finish ) on sale 1/2 off. The tag has been itching me since I put the shirt on. I've cut the tag 3 times to make it smaller. Now its a coloured strip on the collar. Should have bought Hanes.
The Tractor Store is ' TSC ' on the sign( modernized, anagram from Tractor Store Company ). I mentioned the Tractor store and some of my cottage neighbours didn't recognize the name, they know it as TSC ( right again, sometimes ).
Once while waiting at the cashier counter, the lady picked up the phone ( I only heard one end of the conversation ) " No, we don't sell cookware. I'm sure, we never have "
One of the employees said " Ask her if she bought it on TV " . Cashier says " Yes " The other employee says " Tell her, we are not The Shopping Channel "
Mitt the Schmitt Romney has stated that he would not re-new Baranke as the Fed Chair, if Mitt gets elected. Great, finding out your job is gone if you vote the wrong way.
Vote Democratic, Ed.
Republicans in Pa. voted to change election law. you must present photo I.D. to register to vote. Therefore, people such as Nancy .... who have voted before will be ineligible, this time. Nancy was the cover girl for this story on PRI last night.
Analysis showed 1 million people will be unable to vote. The largest percentage are poor to lower middle class. This segment would vote predominately, Democrat.
I've always felt the poor, coloured and disadvantaged should vote Democrat. They don't, see what I know about politics.
They found body parts, west of the city in Mississauga. The foot was sent to Forensics in T.O.. The foot belongs to a woman. Why ? The toe nails were painted yellowy orange. Now guys, this is sexist, we like yellow on our nails, right.
Weather warming up and humid. Lawn looks like the jungle. I raised the lawn mower four weeks ago, to try and save the grass from being too short. Now, it needs cutting twice a week. I figure tho', the longer grass will re-cover faster from the drought. Send out roots etc. Thats the theory anyway.
At the Tractor Store ( think of Wonderland for supposed grown up men ) the clearance table had long sleeve thermal T s ( kinda dimpled finish ) on sale 1/2 off. The tag has been itching me since I put the shirt on. I've cut the tag 3 times to make it smaller. Now its a coloured strip on the collar. Should have bought Hanes.
The Tractor Store is ' TSC ' on the sign( modernized, anagram from Tractor Store Company ). I mentioned the Tractor store and some of my cottage neighbours didn't recognize the name, they know it as TSC ( right again, sometimes ).
Once while waiting at the cashier counter, the lady picked up the phone ( I only heard one end of the conversation ) " No, we don't sell cookware. I'm sure, we never have "
One of the employees said " Ask her if she bought it on TV " . Cashier says " Yes " The other employee says " Tell her, we are not The Shopping Channel "
Mitt the Schmitt Romney has stated that he would not re-new Baranke as the Fed Chair, if Mitt gets elected. Great, finding out your job is gone if you vote the wrong way.
Vote Democratic, Ed.
Republicans in Pa. voted to change election law. you must present photo I.D. to register to vote. Therefore, people such as Nancy .... who have voted before will be ineligible, this time. Nancy was the cover girl for this story on PRI last night.
Analysis showed 1 million people will be unable to vote. The largest percentage are poor to lower middle class. This segment would vote predominately, Democrat.
I've always felt the poor, coloured and disadvantaged should vote Democrat. They don't, see what I know about politics.
They found body parts, west of the city in Mississauga. The foot was sent to Forensics in T.O.. The foot belongs to a woman. Why ? The toe nails were painted yellowy orange. Now guys, this is sexist, we like yellow on our nails, right.
Weather warming up and humid. Lawn looks like the jungle. I raised the lawn mower four weeks ago, to try and save the grass from being too short. Now, it needs cutting twice a week. I figure tho', the longer grass will re-cover faster from the drought. Send out roots etc. Thats the theory anyway.
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Changing Underwear...
The expression goes " as often as changing underwear ". Well, daily of course, however, I don't recall throwing out a pair of underwear in 41 days. Forty-one , you say, the length of time Evelyn Lozada was married to Brad Johnson ( ex- Dolphin ),never heard of either ( recall I'm not on Facebook, not linked in, as they say).
Hard-wired, I'm sure its my new nickname, went out again and 1 fish, yep just enough to get me to come back. Pleasant morning.
I fish close to home. I'm usually, within three minutes of home port. The reasoning goes like this.
I watch as boats come to fish our stretch of the river. They generally come from the south, meaning the lake. These guys are running ten to twenty minutes to get to us.
Now, should I run 10 to 20 minutes to get to their place. Nope.
As in the buy local movement, I fish local.
The foreigners probably catch more fish than I do ( this is a common refrain in many countries, the other guy is depleting the fish stocks ).
My neighbour who wholesales boats to dealers, most likely sold mine to the fishing store where I bought my Stratos.
He figures my boat is overkill, 75 HP and 18 ft able to run at 40MPH. The Stratos can cruise at 34 MPH and this is gas efficient speed ( probably, 5-6 miles per gallon ).
He figures that I could get by with a lot less. Tough, love my boat. The greatest fishing platform you could ask for.
When buying the Stratos, I priced the boat I wanted w/ upgrades. 16 ft and 40 HP 4-stroke, live well, trolling motor. The price came within $ 1000 of the Stratos.
We're talking aluminum boat - bare bones.
no contest. But its overkill.
So Stratos stays close to home. Now where are all those fish the foreigners seem to find.
My neighbour here in Scarberia, knows Rice L very well. He had never fished the river. He was amazed at how comfortable it was fishing the Otonabee. You're almost always able to hide from the wind ( fisherman's greatest bugaboo, wind ) and the assortment of fish in a small area convinced him its the place to fish.
Nice, being right occasionally. Sort of a sporadic reward, huh.
Weather is warming up and is humid. rain is threatening. Everything here is growing again, maybe too much. Whine, moan, whine.
Hard-wired, I'm sure its my new nickname, went out again and 1 fish, yep just enough to get me to come back. Pleasant morning.
I fish close to home. I'm usually, within three minutes of home port. The reasoning goes like this.
I watch as boats come to fish our stretch of the river. They generally come from the south, meaning the lake. These guys are running ten to twenty minutes to get to us.
Now, should I run 10 to 20 minutes to get to their place. Nope.
As in the buy local movement, I fish local.
The foreigners probably catch more fish than I do ( this is a common refrain in many countries, the other guy is depleting the fish stocks ).
My neighbour who wholesales boats to dealers, most likely sold mine to the fishing store where I bought my Stratos.
He figures my boat is overkill, 75 HP and 18 ft able to run at 40MPH. The Stratos can cruise at 34 MPH and this is gas efficient speed ( probably, 5-6 miles per gallon ).
He figures that I could get by with a lot less. Tough, love my boat. The greatest fishing platform you could ask for.
When buying the Stratos, I priced the boat I wanted w/ upgrades. 16 ft and 40 HP 4-stroke, live well, trolling motor. The price came within $ 1000 of the Stratos.
We're talking aluminum boat - bare bones.
no contest. But its overkill.
So Stratos stays close to home. Now where are all those fish the foreigners seem to find.
My neighbour here in Scarberia, knows Rice L very well. He had never fished the river. He was amazed at how comfortable it was fishing the Otonabee. You're almost always able to hide from the wind ( fisherman's greatest bugaboo, wind ) and the assortment of fish in a small area convinced him its the place to fish.
Nice, being right occasionally. Sort of a sporadic reward, huh.
Weather is warming up and is humid. rain is threatening. Everything here is growing again, maybe too much. Whine, moan, whine.
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
from the Deck of QMH
Out on the deck again, trying to connect to the internet. I'm using a 3.5 g dial up thumb drive, from Rogers ( think of robber barons and thats Rogers and Bell, these two run the internet in Canada ).
Double-double : a Canadian expression meaning 2 sugars and 2 creams. this expression appeared on a quiz between 2 broadcasters, one from Canada and one from CBS. The American didn't get the expression.
Now, there is a separate meaning for double - double. Our major purveyor of coffee and donuts, the ubiquitous Tim Hortons Donuts has experimented w/ improved customer wait times at the drive through. At most Tims, it is the norm for line ups at drive-thru to be around the block.
In an effort to deal w/ this, Tims is creating two lines ' coffee only ' and ' coffee plus '. Apparently, this will give the illusion of faster drive-thru. Experts say that this system cannot speed up wait times.
But customers value their time at drive thru differently than if standing in line. Random surveys show that customers rate their time at $ 40 an hour.
America beat us at gold medals by a whopping amount ( Canada got 1 ). And the whopping continues. In 13 American states, 30 % of the population is obese ( up from 9, 4 yrs ago ).
In Vancouver, B.C. Canada, a questionnaire showed that teens could find a drug dealer in ten minutes. This is of course, about the wait time at Tim Hortons drive-thru.
A Muslim mosque was was blown up somewhere in Africa, I think, by Hindus, for the second time. Now, if the Hindus go to war can the Buddhists be far behind. the Christians had the Crusades, the Muslims have Jihad and now the Hindus. There are Buddhist martial arts sects that often fight amongst themselves. The problem is that that Buddhist symbol, the chubby guy looks so roly-poly, how do you envision him going after the enemy. Kinda squash him to death ?
Weather is cloudy, cool and a little damp but comfortable.
Oh yeah 1 fish and one jumped off. hard wired for sure
Double-double : a Canadian expression meaning 2 sugars and 2 creams. this expression appeared on a quiz between 2 broadcasters, one from Canada and one from CBS. The American didn't get the expression.
Now, there is a separate meaning for double - double. Our major purveyor of coffee and donuts, the ubiquitous Tim Hortons Donuts has experimented w/ improved customer wait times at the drive through. At most Tims, it is the norm for line ups at drive-thru to be around the block.
In an effort to deal w/ this, Tims is creating two lines ' coffee only ' and ' coffee plus '. Apparently, this will give the illusion of faster drive-thru. Experts say that this system cannot speed up wait times.
But customers value their time at drive thru differently than if standing in line. Random surveys show that customers rate their time at $ 40 an hour.
America beat us at gold medals by a whopping amount ( Canada got 1 ). And the whopping continues. In 13 American states, 30 % of the population is obese ( up from 9, 4 yrs ago ).
In Vancouver, B.C. Canada, a questionnaire showed that teens could find a drug dealer in ten minutes. This is of course, about the wait time at Tim Hortons drive-thru.
A Muslim mosque was was blown up somewhere in Africa, I think, by Hindus, for the second time. Now, if the Hindus go to war can the Buddhists be far behind. the Christians had the Crusades, the Muslims have Jihad and now the Hindus. There are Buddhist martial arts sects that often fight amongst themselves. The problem is that that Buddhist symbol, the chubby guy looks so roly-poly, how do you envision him going after the enemy. Kinda squash him to death ?
Weather is cloudy, cool and a little damp but comfortable.
Oh yeah 1 fish and one jumped off. hard wired for sure
Monday, 13 August 2012
On Sleeping in
A slow day going on here. got out late to the squid jigging ground ( Newfie expression ).
Sunday, the Arts and Entertainment segment on CBC had a Willpower theme. What is the origin of willpower biologically and genetically. This topic also included the internet and tech devices.
Apparently, we are hard wired to keep trying.
Your survival might have depended on that next attempt.
Even though, computers and their ilk are frustrating ( internet too ! ) we are mesmerized by the electronics as we keep trying. The carrot so to speak is a well known phenomena in psychology. to promote organisms to keep trying, a sporadic reward system is always the best lure. You occasionally, get a real wow, that next text, that life changing message or a wonderful find on Google.
Now, I'm thinking while listening, occasional reward, eh. Sounds like my fishing. Keep tossing and retrieving .. and of course, sporadically, a fish. This AM, 2 h and one fish... am I going out again, yes, I'm hard wired genetically.
Others could read this behaviour as stupidity or bull-headedness, a mania.
But I am buoyed by Prof McGonagle and her assertion that my fishing is biologically normal, well she didn't actually use fishing in her explanation , but hey, if the shoe fits.
I'm starting to worry, the marine railway is so smooth, I mean it glides, it goes so easily, the Scrotting principle of life is just waiting.
What is the Scrotting principle ? As explained to me by a life long friend. Your crossing the street, you get hit by a vehicle,
the Volkswagon beetle takes you out at the knees instead of the dump truck that would have killed you instantly. Things are going well and you're just waiting for for the next shoe to fall.
This kind of thinking is pretty bleak but boy does it apply. To wit, which bolt is the one that won't turn ? The last one, and the others came out so nice. See. Everyone knows this phenomena.
back to willpower. your willpower is weakest if you're tired or your thoughts are scattered. Prof. McGonagle suggested being well rested or napping even. I really like this prof. She also suggested that ten minutes of meditation can re-focus your day.
Sunday, the Arts and Entertainment segment on CBC had a Willpower theme. What is the origin of willpower biologically and genetically. This topic also included the internet and tech devices.
Apparently, we are hard wired to keep trying.
Your survival might have depended on that next attempt.
Even though, computers and their ilk are frustrating ( internet too ! ) we are mesmerized by the electronics as we keep trying. The carrot so to speak is a well known phenomena in psychology. to promote organisms to keep trying, a sporadic reward system is always the best lure. You occasionally, get a real wow, that next text, that life changing message or a wonderful find on Google.
Now, I'm thinking while listening, occasional reward, eh. Sounds like my fishing. Keep tossing and retrieving .. and of course, sporadically, a fish. This AM, 2 h and one fish... am I going out again, yes, I'm hard wired genetically.
Others could read this behaviour as stupidity or bull-headedness, a mania.
But I am buoyed by Prof McGonagle and her assertion that my fishing is biologically normal, well she didn't actually use fishing in her explanation , but hey, if the shoe fits.
I'm starting to worry, the marine railway is so smooth, I mean it glides, it goes so easily, the Scrotting principle of life is just waiting.
What is the Scrotting principle ? As explained to me by a life long friend. Your crossing the street, you get hit by a vehicle,
the Volkswagon beetle takes you out at the knees instead of the dump truck that would have killed you instantly. Things are going well and you're just waiting for for the next shoe to fall.
This kind of thinking is pretty bleak but boy does it apply. To wit, which bolt is the one that won't turn ? The last one, and the others came out so nice. See. Everyone knows this phenomena.
back to willpower. your willpower is weakest if you're tired or your thoughts are scattered. Prof. McGonagle suggested being well rested or napping even. I really like this prof. She also suggested that ten minutes of meditation can re-focus your day.
Sunday, 12 August 2012
have you seen the muffin man...
... and other mixed items.
To-day is a muffin day. Raisin bran muffins. the recipe comes off the bag for Rogers Whole Bran. slightly modified by moi. To wit, the oil is canola and the flour is whole wheat ( this might make the muffins denser v. white flour, good or bad ) and Splenda brown sugar v. reg. brown sugar. I insist on real vanilla not the artificial kind ( alcohol and some ester + brown dye #2 ).
This baking day, is my proof that I'm retired and can do anything I want. This ritual has been dwarfed by the QMH runs which REALLY prove that I have time to burn, oh well this tasted much better.
In Fla, last year, I couldn't find whole bran. Bran cereal which I've used before, bran muffin mix ( read artificial everything ) and flax meal ( its not even close ). I wonder what the penalty for smuggling bran across the border is ?
Back to muffin day. Two muffins are plain, b/c someone doesn't eat raisins. The rest are the real thing. Warm muffins is definitely proof of something.
Olympic foofor-rah. Canada had a bronze ,then it didn't have a bronze in the mens 4 x 100.
We stepped on the lane line, foul.
I've been noticing Google, my home page has had an Olympic theme picture for two weeks.
Each day a different venue or sport is shown. None have the Olympic flame which is fitting b/c apparently unless you're in the Olympic stadium you can't see the flame.
movie reviews. I goofed. I Borrowed ' Lions for Lambs ' again. This is a tri- focus story circa 2006, concerning the Mid-East conflict ( in the movie they can't even agree what to call it )esp. Afghanistan.
A political science prof ( Robert Redford )is having a heart to heart repurposing session w/ a disgruntled student.
A senator( Tom Cruise, ideal role for him, slick, over-blown smile etc. ) has arranged a face to face , very open interview w/ a veteran reporter ( Meryl Streep ). Interlaced w/ these shots are real shots as two former students of the prof are in Afghanistan and in a world of hurt.
You watch LfL and go ,creepers, this is deja vu - all over again. They could let the senator give the same talk to-day and except for his tie, you'd hardly noticed the difference.
We have a cool day here, dampish but bluer sky. This is late spring type weather for us.
OK Muffin time
To-day is a muffin day. Raisin bran muffins. the recipe comes off the bag for Rogers Whole Bran. slightly modified by moi. To wit, the oil is canola and the flour is whole wheat ( this might make the muffins denser v. white flour, good or bad ) and Splenda brown sugar v. reg. brown sugar. I insist on real vanilla not the artificial kind ( alcohol and some ester + brown dye #2 ).
This baking day, is my proof that I'm retired and can do anything I want. This ritual has been dwarfed by the QMH runs which REALLY prove that I have time to burn, oh well this tasted much better.
In Fla, last year, I couldn't find whole bran. Bran cereal which I've used before, bran muffin mix ( read artificial everything ) and flax meal ( its not even close ). I wonder what the penalty for smuggling bran across the border is ?
Back to muffin day. Two muffins are plain, b/c someone doesn't eat raisins. The rest are the real thing. Warm muffins is definitely proof of something.
Olympic foofor-rah. Canada had a bronze ,then it didn't have a bronze in the mens 4 x 100.
We stepped on the lane line, foul.
I've been noticing Google, my home page has had an Olympic theme picture for two weeks.
Each day a different venue or sport is shown. None have the Olympic flame which is fitting b/c apparently unless you're in the Olympic stadium you can't see the flame.
movie reviews. I goofed. I Borrowed ' Lions for Lambs ' again. This is a tri- focus story circa 2006, concerning the Mid-East conflict ( in the movie they can't even agree what to call it )esp. Afghanistan.
A political science prof ( Robert Redford )is having a heart to heart repurposing session w/ a disgruntled student.
A senator( Tom Cruise, ideal role for him, slick, over-blown smile etc. ) has arranged a face to face , very open interview w/ a veteran reporter ( Meryl Streep ). Interlaced w/ these shots are real shots as two former students of the prof are in Afghanistan and in a world of hurt.
You watch LfL and go ,creepers, this is deja vu - all over again. They could let the senator give the same talk to-day and except for his tie, you'd hardly noticed the difference.
We have a cool day here, dampish but bluer sky. This is late spring type weather for us.
OK Muffin time
Saturday, 11 August 2012
moaning and groaning , cont'd
The Olympics are drawing to a close. Thus, you're hoping, so is my complaining about the 'judging' events, I loathe.
Yesterday, at the end of synchro swimming, the commentator, noting the gold for Russia, said this was pretty much decided before the Olympics. What a fiasco - Thank goodness, I don't know any synchro swimmers who need to defend their sport. They shouldn't have to
, its not their fault the sport is pre-determined before they compete.
The inital offering of Manchester United Soccer club stock is not going as planned.
The Glazer family of the U.S., bought the storied club and now need to raise capital to cover debt. They initial price was to be 16 - 20 $. The shares pretty much hovered around $12 but managed to close at 14 and change.
The experts feel that the market or people don't have any appetite for a flyer after Facebook and others have tanked over the last few months.
I'm a huge Arsenal fan and couldn't even conceive of buying anything ManU associated.
The rain is spotty, often bursting down w/ a smattering of lightning. QMH will have rain possiblity for three days, off and on. I'll still go fishing. I have the luxury of slipping out for short little trips.
In the local news , they're shooting poeple around us, not on our street but in Scarberia. As we don't sell drugs or walk the streets at 3 AM we're OK for now.
It seems if you need to get shot your best chance is around all-night dance clubs and drug dealers early in the morning.
Movie reiviews: ' Solomon Kane ' written by Robert E. Howard who is best known for ' Conan ' ( not O'Brien, the other one ). Sword and sorcery, where the hero says ' the devil made me do it ', and devil says ' no, I didn't '. This ' copy ' is illegal. Next door buys them at the Chinese mall for 3 for $ 10. You walk up to the stall, and if you don't look like a cop - they send to the back storage area for your DVD.
This copy doesn't have a menu, the movie starts and thats it.
So far, there's been stabbings and mayhem and the devil's reaper. The hero is trying to be a pacifist - its not going well - everyone seems to delight in beating him up. Seems you can't win. Reminds me of, a saying in biology when you're discussing energy for the cell - input vs output. I told the class the rules are simple ' You can't win and you can't break even '.
Yesterday, at the end of synchro swimming, the commentator, noting the gold for Russia, said this was pretty much decided before the Olympics. What a fiasco - Thank goodness, I don't know any synchro swimmers who need to defend their sport. They shouldn't have to
, its not their fault the sport is pre-determined before they compete.
The inital offering of Manchester United Soccer club stock is not going as planned.
The Glazer family of the U.S., bought the storied club and now need to raise capital to cover debt. They initial price was to be 16 - 20 $. The shares pretty much hovered around $12 but managed to close at 14 and change.
The experts feel that the market or people don't have any appetite for a flyer after Facebook and others have tanked over the last few months.
I'm a huge Arsenal fan and couldn't even conceive of buying anything ManU associated.
The rain is spotty, often bursting down w/ a smattering of lightning. QMH will have rain possiblity for three days, off and on. I'll still go fishing. I have the luxury of slipping out for short little trips.
In the local news , they're shooting poeple around us, not on our street but in Scarberia. As we don't sell drugs or walk the streets at 3 AM we're OK for now.
It seems if you need to get shot your best chance is around all-night dance clubs and drug dealers early in the morning.
Movie reiviews: ' Solomon Kane ' written by Robert E. Howard who is best known for ' Conan ' ( not O'Brien, the other one ). Sword and sorcery, where the hero says ' the devil made me do it ', and devil says ' no, I didn't '. This ' copy ' is illegal. Next door buys them at the Chinese mall for 3 for $ 10. You walk up to the stall, and if you don't look like a cop - they send to the back storage area for your DVD.
This copy doesn't have a menu, the movie starts and thats it.
So far, there's been stabbings and mayhem and the devil's reaper. The hero is trying to be a pacifist - its not going well - everyone seems to delight in beating him up. Seems you can't win. Reminds me of, a saying in biology when you're discussing energy for the cell - input vs output. I told the class the rules are simple ' You can't win and you can't break even '.
Friday, 10 August 2012
Potpourri
The ' potpourri ' en anglais as compared to the francais, should mean mixed or varied.
I meant to imply to-day would be a mix of topics, like this blog isn't anyway.
We're watching the Olympics, highlighting BMX and Synchronized swimming. BMX, in a sport where I envision 14 yr olds racing around and falling down - they're going to give gold medals to these adults. 8 competitors fling themselves around a 500 m course, with bumps and jumps. There is no make-up or pointed toes for points. See, you can make any event, an olympic event.
VISA reports that spending is up in London both in strictly tourist categories but also regular business such as restaurants etc. So ,I was wrong. It appears that businesses are having generally, a financially rewarding olympic span. However, this breakdown didn't mention specific areas e.g. downtown vs the east end.
Greasing the wheels. There is a marine railway at the QMH. I've been fighting the railway for about a month. There is a downslope to the water but I have been pushing the trolley and boat almost 1/2 way.
Where is the gravity.
Wednesday afternoon, I re-jigged the rails to even out the rails and support them. I removed the wheels on the trolley and applied a lithium based grease. As well,I kept telling everyone that there are no grease nipples and there aren't but I found oiling holes. I mean grease would never go down these openings but oil sure could.
Let down the winch, and the trolley sans boat, slid down the ramp rails like a kite gliding on ice sheet ( I know mixed metaphors, but it was so neat ). I load up the boat and it comes up the ramp easily. One of the problems, I thought was that the wheels didn't turn while the trolley was coming up. Well, the wheels all turned. I figured this had to be good.
Went to launch the boat that night. engaged the winch, turned to push the boat and the trolley and the boat was already 4 ft down the ramp and still going. Wheels turning, all the way to the water.
This was obviously a DUH moment, as in - you could have done this before. Oh well, lesson learned.
Didn't I do something like this before, I mean its so fundemental. Yes, except the last 2 years , I greased the rails and the wheels, worked like a charm. This time I figured if the wheels at least slid more it would be easier. And I did grease the rails 4 weeks ago.
However, now that I found oiling holes, maybe that is all thats needed, oil in the holes that lead to the axle.
I know who cares. well, I'm reporting, it doesn't need to be earth shattering ( although, the angels sang on Wed night )
I meant to imply to-day would be a mix of topics, like this blog isn't anyway.
We're watching the Olympics, highlighting BMX and Synchronized swimming. BMX, in a sport where I envision 14 yr olds racing around and falling down - they're going to give gold medals to these adults. 8 competitors fling themselves around a 500 m course, with bumps and jumps. There is no make-up or pointed toes for points. See, you can make any event, an olympic event.
VISA reports that spending is up in London both in strictly tourist categories but also regular business such as restaurants etc. So ,I was wrong. It appears that businesses are having generally, a financially rewarding olympic span. However, this breakdown didn't mention specific areas e.g. downtown vs the east end.
Greasing the wheels. There is a marine railway at the QMH. I've been fighting the railway for about a month. There is a downslope to the water but I have been pushing the trolley and boat almost 1/2 way.
Where is the gravity.
Wednesday afternoon, I re-jigged the rails to even out the rails and support them. I removed the wheels on the trolley and applied a lithium based grease. As well,I kept telling everyone that there are no grease nipples and there aren't but I found oiling holes. I mean grease would never go down these openings but oil sure could.
Let down the winch, and the trolley sans boat, slid down the ramp rails like a kite gliding on ice sheet ( I know mixed metaphors, but it was so neat ). I load up the boat and it comes up the ramp easily. One of the problems, I thought was that the wheels didn't turn while the trolley was coming up. Well, the wheels all turned. I figured this had to be good.
Went to launch the boat that night. engaged the winch, turned to push the boat and the trolley and the boat was already 4 ft down the ramp and still going. Wheels turning, all the way to the water.
This was obviously a DUH moment, as in - you could have done this before. Oh well, lesson learned.
Didn't I do something like this before, I mean its so fundemental. Yes, except the last 2 years , I greased the rails and the wheels, worked like a charm. This time I figured if the wheels at least slid more it would be easier. And I did grease the rails 4 weeks ago.
However, now that I found oiling holes, maybe that is all thats needed, oil in the holes that lead to the axle.
I know who cares. well, I'm reporting, it doesn't need to be earth shattering ( although, the angels sang on Wed night )
Thursday, 9 August 2012
If This is Thursday
Our mayor who weighs 320 # was just released from hospital. Apparently, all of T.O. was waiting to see when he'd be released. Huh, news to me , as if I care.
Big money, as in cash reserves, is leaving or has left Europe. We're talking Shell oil and manufacturing concerns that have or will ship their cash reserves from European banks ( or the countries where that money was earned )to safer business environments. So, the bailouts will need to be bigger to cover the missing back up funds. This sounds like a Machiavellian plot. Hell, it is a Machiavellian plot. The world is screwed - duh, like we didn't know that. Big corporations dominate finance - another duh, of course. Time to segue away from this discussion.
Good news - ??????????????
The rain is back and soaking into the ground. We'll get 2 days minimum of water. This irrigation is much needed here. Farmers were looking at big losses and still are, even with this latest downpour.
Lawyers get scammed. YES couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys. Premise - potential client asks the lawyer to retrieve money owing
from a debtor. Debtor agrees to pay and sends a check. The lawyer pays out the money and the check bounces. There are some other nuances but that's it basically.
Q: What do you call ten thousand lawyers chained to-gether at the bottom of the ocean ?
A: a good start
BTW - all this is true, sort of, I got it from the newspaper. Which means in 10 days they'll publish a correction, stating they mucked up some details.
In light of the mass shooting in Co., a German sounding psychiatrist, noting the accused person's lack of presence of Facebook determined that we could have predicted the disaster by realizing the accused was cut off from the real world re: social networking.
Crikey man, I'm doomed. This blog is my social media and I got 2 readers - maybe 3, no 2 for sure.
I would think real,actual, warm blooded people should count first and I've got at least 2 friends, maybe 3, no 2 for sure.
I'm doomed.
Fishing report. The largemouth bass were big, not plentiful, I got pictures.
However, I've developed the habit of wearing a powder blue fishing shirt ( big pockets, sun collar and seen in many photos where the dude is trying to look like a fisherman ) and a blue bandanna ( wicks away moisture ) and a brown cap ( it reads STRATOS, the name of the boat company ).
The pictures are mostly taken, heck, all taken, in the boat, using the self-timer, camera on the front seat. I release 95 % of the bass. The upshot is all the photos are starting to look alike - you know oriental fisherman dressed in blue, holding big fish - well, sometimes.
Those bass are going to have to change their facial expression or scale colour - sheesh its that same green-brown all the time.
I always feel anyone can catch one bass - the experts can find many. I'm still catching them 1 or 2 at a time.
The loon colony was out again, the birds, the birds. I found a cool spot to waste 2 hours with a little breeze on Wed night. Tried 3 different lures and the oldest and least used produced a fish. The lure is called a Jitterbug by Arbogast.
Both these names are legendary in fishing. the 'bug' imitates a frog gurgling its way across the water. Do frogs gurgle ? , well apparently, bass think so. The action is phenomenal. Gurgle, gurgle ( a few more ) and then a huge splash and the line goes taut. normally, the bass inhale lures on the surface as only largemouth can do. I'm mean its the ' suck zone ' they take it all.
I mention the 'bug ' b/c it got # 1 spot in the greatest all time bass lures, this was on YouTube videos. A friend and I commented that it was such an old lure the pollster or pollees must be ancient. I mean there must be 40 or 50 new lures every year.
Hence, the attempt to ' bug' my way into a fish - that worked- once. Yep, once. 3 casts and bingo ! Then another 50 casts and nada.
Now to dig out all the other winners in the best lure poll, and they're all oldies too !
And of course, I've got them somewhere.
There is the old saying " The fisherman who dies with the most tackle - wins "
trust me - I'm in the running.
Big money, as in cash reserves, is leaving or has left Europe. We're talking Shell oil and manufacturing concerns that have or will ship their cash reserves from European banks ( or the countries where that money was earned )to safer business environments. So, the bailouts will need to be bigger to cover the missing back up funds. This sounds like a Machiavellian plot. Hell, it is a Machiavellian plot. The world is screwed - duh, like we didn't know that. Big corporations dominate finance - another duh, of course. Time to segue away from this discussion.
Good news - ??????????????
The rain is back and soaking into the ground. We'll get 2 days minimum of water. This irrigation is much needed here. Farmers were looking at big losses and still are, even with this latest downpour.
Lawyers get scammed. YES couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys. Premise - potential client asks the lawyer to retrieve money owing
from a debtor. Debtor agrees to pay and sends a check. The lawyer pays out the money and the check bounces. There are some other nuances but that's it basically.
Q: What do you call ten thousand lawyers chained to-gether at the bottom of the ocean ?
A: a good start
BTW - all this is true, sort of, I got it from the newspaper. Which means in 10 days they'll publish a correction, stating they mucked up some details.
In light of the mass shooting in Co., a German sounding psychiatrist, noting the accused person's lack of presence of Facebook determined that we could have predicted the disaster by realizing the accused was cut off from the real world re: social networking.
Crikey man, I'm doomed. This blog is my social media and I got 2 readers - maybe 3, no 2 for sure.
I would think real,actual, warm blooded people should count first and I've got at least 2 friends, maybe 3, no 2 for sure.
I'm doomed.
Fishing report. The largemouth bass were big, not plentiful, I got pictures.
However, I've developed the habit of wearing a powder blue fishing shirt ( big pockets, sun collar and seen in many photos where the dude is trying to look like a fisherman ) and a blue bandanna ( wicks away moisture ) and a brown cap ( it reads STRATOS, the name of the boat company ).
The pictures are mostly taken, heck, all taken, in the boat, using the self-timer, camera on the front seat. I release 95 % of the bass. The upshot is all the photos are starting to look alike - you know oriental fisherman dressed in blue, holding big fish - well, sometimes.
Those bass are going to have to change their facial expression or scale colour - sheesh its that same green-brown all the time.
I always feel anyone can catch one bass - the experts can find many. I'm still catching them 1 or 2 at a time.
The loon colony was out again, the birds, the birds. I found a cool spot to waste 2 hours with a little breeze on Wed night. Tried 3 different lures and the oldest and least used produced a fish. The lure is called a Jitterbug by Arbogast.
Both these names are legendary in fishing. the 'bug' imitates a frog gurgling its way across the water. Do frogs gurgle ? , well apparently, bass think so. The action is phenomenal. Gurgle, gurgle ( a few more ) and then a huge splash and the line goes taut. normally, the bass inhale lures on the surface as only largemouth can do. I'm mean its the ' suck zone ' they take it all.
I mention the 'bug ' b/c it got # 1 spot in the greatest all time bass lures, this was on YouTube videos. A friend and I commented that it was such an old lure the pollster or pollees must be ancient. I mean there must be 40 or 50 new lures every year.
Hence, the attempt to ' bug' my way into a fish - that worked- once. Yep, once. 3 casts and bingo ! Then another 50 casts and nada.
Now to dig out all the other winners in the best lure poll, and they're all oldies too !
And of course, I've got them somewhere.
There is the old saying " The fisherman who dies with the most tackle - wins "
trust me - I'm in the running.
Monday, 6 August 2012
Commercials that make you go......
GAG ME w/ a SPOON.
All tampon ads
Wilford Brimley hawking oatmeal - anything
I can imagine Huey Lewis doing those hearing aid commercials
I can flash to Paul Simon fronting ads for guaranteed life insurance
for M its the ' Juicy fruit ' ad w/ 3 men trapped on a life raft
Movie reviews cont'd.
" the Scorpion King " starring the Rock. There is a babe, Kelly Hu.
Nomadic assasin seeks revenge for a betrayal and loss of the last of his tribe. The babe is a sorceress and wears glittery bras and loin clothes , yep, eye candy.
Pluses, action and humour ( esp. via the Rock and Michael Clark Duncan )
Minuses - well lets not go there, after all I paid good money for it at Deja Vu
I'm watching it or watched it twice - once w/ the director's commentary. Normally, these commentaries are really self serving promos.
Russell , the director , does a decent job of outlining the shooting of the tSK.
Another good commentary is for " Second Hand Lions ". SHL stars Robert Duvall and Michael Caine and really --------------- as a young man thrust upon the ' uncles ' by Mom ( Kyra Sedgewick ).
The uncles are a mystery, having returned after a long absence and w/ money - bags of money.
The boy has been fostered out to rleatives and agencies so that Mom can live a freer life.
The boy and uncles bond and in the end get to stay to-gether.
A stellar performance by everyone, no blood, no sex and only the lion is naked.
All tampon ads
Wilford Brimley hawking oatmeal - anything
I can imagine Huey Lewis doing those hearing aid commercials
I can flash to Paul Simon fronting ads for guaranteed life insurance
for M its the ' Juicy fruit ' ad w/ 3 men trapped on a life raft
Movie reviews cont'd.
" the Scorpion King " starring the Rock. There is a babe, Kelly Hu.
Nomadic assasin seeks revenge for a betrayal and loss of the last of his tribe. The babe is a sorceress and wears glittery bras and loin clothes , yep, eye candy.
Pluses, action and humour ( esp. via the Rock and Michael Clark Duncan )
Minuses - well lets not go there, after all I paid good money for it at Deja Vu
I'm watching it or watched it twice - once w/ the director's commentary. Normally, these commentaries are really self serving promos.
Russell , the director , does a decent job of outlining the shooting of the tSK.
Another good commentary is for " Second Hand Lions ". SHL stars Robert Duvall and Michael Caine and really --------------- as a young man thrust upon the ' uncles ' by Mom ( Kyra Sedgewick ).
The uncles are a mystery, having returned after a long absence and w/ money - bags of money.
The boy has been fostered out to rleatives and agencies so that Mom can live a freer life.
The boy and uncles bond and in the end get to stay to-gether.
A stellar performance by everyone, no blood, no sex and only the lion is naked.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Now, how do you feel ??
Canada won a GOLD medal, at the Olympics. the event, trampoline, yes, they have judges scores for this event.
However, I want to point something out. The 2 Canadian girls were 1 and 2 with two competitors left, both Chinese. The 1 st Chinese tramper got 2 nd place, dropping the 2 nd Canadian to 3 rd place.
The final Chinese girl was a world champion, it didn't look good. She did a great routine and then fell on the dismount. There was a pause as the score was calculated. the Chinese girl posted enough to take 2nd place.
The reaction from the announcer ' they gave her second place '. everyone knew what had happened. Later, he tried to explain the decision with a bunch of gobel-de-gook. What a farce in judging. The judges couldn't take the possible heat from the Chinese and folded. Am I Olympic-cynical ? yep.
We got drowned here last night, buckets of rain came down. Thunder and lightning for hours. To-day is overcast and rain is probable. temp is moderate 80 F.
This is a ' Bank holiday ' in English terms. A nationwide long week-end in Canadian terms. I guess we don't care if the banks get a holiday. The mid-point of the summer. Here in S, On at least far southern On. Our summer is marked by long week ends. The start of the CNE ( Canadian National Exhibition ) is the death knell for summer. the ' Ex' starts something like the 17 th of Aug.
At one time 20 yrs ago, the CNE was big stuff. Attendance at the Ex was in the 3 - 4 million range at least. Everyone had to go at least once. Now, maybe , I'm older and less keen but overall attendance is good if it hits 1 1/2 mill. They've added a casino and tried to up-tech the amusements. I haven't been in 27 years. I mean we've been married 25 and haven't gone.
Actually, its a standing joke in our house, 'this year we'll go to the Ex '.
For me, the Food Building was the highlight and I look like the FB was king.
I remember, $ 1 got you a bag filled w/ Nielson's chocolate or something and it would take you 3 days to eat it. Irony was the Neilson's plant was 1 street away and they sold seconds at the side door.
For 50 cents, you got a hotdog ( Shopsy's, a real big name in deli food ) and a drink ' honeydew ' orange , WOW , honeydew - couldn't wait. You realize honeydew is sugar water and orange dye #2, its probably a carcinogen.
They sold baby donuts, Tiny Tim, a dozen for $60 cents. We spent the day w/ white sugar circling our mouths.
I guess, this reminiscing, just gets worse from now on.
One good thing, the fishing is as good as I ever remember. And I'm having fun. This fun comes at expense, we maintain 2 homes basically - and of course - you know we drive back and forth between the 2 places. We are commuters and we don't work.
I get a boathouse and marine railway. I slip out for a morning fish and again at night. This pattern is a luxury for most boat owners or fisherman. and I get to do this multi-times a week.
However, I want to point something out. The 2 Canadian girls were 1 and 2 with two competitors left, both Chinese. The 1 st Chinese tramper got 2 nd place, dropping the 2 nd Canadian to 3 rd place.
The final Chinese girl was a world champion, it didn't look good. She did a great routine and then fell on the dismount. There was a pause as the score was calculated. the Chinese girl posted enough to take 2nd place.
The reaction from the announcer ' they gave her second place '. everyone knew what had happened. Later, he tried to explain the decision with a bunch of gobel-de-gook. What a farce in judging. The judges couldn't take the possible heat from the Chinese and folded. Am I Olympic-cynical ? yep.
We got drowned here last night, buckets of rain came down. Thunder and lightning for hours. To-day is overcast and rain is probable. temp is moderate 80 F.
This is a ' Bank holiday ' in English terms. A nationwide long week-end in Canadian terms. I guess we don't care if the banks get a holiday. The mid-point of the summer. Here in S, On at least far southern On. Our summer is marked by long week ends. The start of the CNE ( Canadian National Exhibition ) is the death knell for summer. the ' Ex' starts something like the 17 th of Aug.
At one time 20 yrs ago, the CNE was big stuff. Attendance at the Ex was in the 3 - 4 million range at least. Everyone had to go at least once. Now, maybe , I'm older and less keen but overall attendance is good if it hits 1 1/2 mill. They've added a casino and tried to up-tech the amusements. I haven't been in 27 years. I mean we've been married 25 and haven't gone.
Actually, its a standing joke in our house, 'this year we'll go to the Ex '.
For me, the Food Building was the highlight and I look like the FB was king.
I remember, $ 1 got you a bag filled w/ Nielson's chocolate or something and it would take you 3 days to eat it. Irony was the Neilson's plant was 1 street away and they sold seconds at the side door.
For 50 cents, you got a hotdog ( Shopsy's, a real big name in deli food ) and a drink ' honeydew ' orange , WOW , honeydew - couldn't wait. You realize honeydew is sugar water and orange dye #2, its probably a carcinogen.
They sold baby donuts, Tiny Tim, a dozen for $60 cents. We spent the day w/ white sugar circling our mouths.
I guess, this reminiscing, just gets worse from now on.
One good thing, the fishing is as good as I ever remember. And I'm having fun. This fun comes at expense, we maintain 2 homes basically - and of course - you know we drive back and forth between the 2 places. We are commuters and we don't work.
I get a boathouse and marine railway. I slip out for a morning fish and again at night. This pattern is a luxury for most boat owners or fisherman. and I get to do this multi-times a week.
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Tramp ( polin ) ing
Watching more Olympics, trampoline in particular was highlighted. Yep, they judge this one too. At least the track portion has started. The shotput was on the most.
We're warm and sticky, HH. This summer is supposed to be normal or average, and this year is the same as 2011. I don't recall that summer being so hot. It might be the dryness but the humidity is high. David Phillips of Env Canada once said people get used to a certain set of conditions and forget that over the long term our weather trends up or down. for instance, he mentioned S. On folks don't remember what a normal winter is b/c have been a little warmer over the last ten years.
This info makes me feel a little better about my memory from when I was young - er. I seem to recall more snow ( snowbanks over my head etc) and cold. Phillips said S. Ontarians aren't prepared for a normal winter in terms of clothing or car preparations ( tires, batteries etc ).
This ' normal ' is averaged over a long time but you'd think we would have some inkling of what is ' normal ' - I guess I'm thinking summers might be the same. Now, it doesn't help that I don't do well in the heat. Before I was married, my little bungalow went without A/C which means that I did without A/C also. But I was younger and tougher ( and too cheap ).
QMH has no A/C but we run for home when HH gets bad.
Fishing friends stay out all day in the summer, I just melt out there. I remember my brother when he was in Fla for the first time. for 2 days , he was outside 8 h a day.
Well, on day 3, he was inside staying cool and watered. You could be sitting beside him and feel the heat coming off his body. His pores looked like puncture holes in a piece of cheese.
He got smarter as a result.
I wear long sleeves and light sweats while fishing, yep, it gets warm, but that sun is no one's friend. Hat and bandana, too.
We're warm and sticky, HH. This summer is supposed to be normal or average, and this year is the same as 2011. I don't recall that summer being so hot. It might be the dryness but the humidity is high. David Phillips of Env Canada once said people get used to a certain set of conditions and forget that over the long term our weather trends up or down. for instance, he mentioned S. On folks don't remember what a normal winter is b/c have been a little warmer over the last ten years.
This info makes me feel a little better about my memory from when I was young - er. I seem to recall more snow ( snowbanks over my head etc) and cold. Phillips said S. Ontarians aren't prepared for a normal winter in terms of clothing or car preparations ( tires, batteries etc ).
This ' normal ' is averaged over a long time but you'd think we would have some inkling of what is ' normal ' - I guess I'm thinking summers might be the same. Now, it doesn't help that I don't do well in the heat. Before I was married, my little bungalow went without A/C which means that I did without A/C also. But I was younger and tougher ( and too cheap ).
QMH has no A/C but we run for home when HH gets bad.
Fishing friends stay out all day in the summer, I just melt out there. I remember my brother when he was in Fla for the first time. for 2 days , he was outside 8 h a day.
Well, on day 3, he was inside staying cool and watered. You could be sitting beside him and feel the heat coming off his body. His pores looked like puncture holes in a piece of cheese.
He got smarter as a result.
I wear long sleeves and light sweats while fishing, yep, it gets warm, but that sun is no one's friend. Hat and bandana, too.
Friday, 3 August 2012
the Olympic sideshow
Having travelled the ' tube ' in London , in May, we were very aware of the chaos and congestion possible w/ the advent of the Olympic throngs. The latest, poop, says the Olympics arrived - but no one was home.
Pre-warned , it seems, the bulk of London, scampered and found somewhere else to be. The upshot, business is down 33 to 40 %. The warnings via the government and media, sunk in. While business is hot near the venues, the core of the city got abandoned.
Last night, I vented on the Olympics. My contention, backed by the CTV announcer ( who might never work again for expressing herself ), was that events where judging took place should be eliminated from the Olympics. In gymnastics, the point system is so arcane, the colour commentators don't want to explain the system.
I further said that the olympic motto " higher, stronger ,faster " never said anything about ' pointi-er or goali-er ". So, all the sports that use judges or go over or into a net would be shelved. The comeback was that the some popular sports, would be gone , along with 40 % of the pro-athletes as well.
' What will fill the void ' I was asked. Tell people what the rules are, and sports will pop up.
To wit, I'm watching to-day and in the Velodrome, a new bicycle competition is on. Called Kieran, its a 6 person joggle for first place around the oval. Surprise, in Japan, its a pro sport with leagues. Described as Ski - X on bikes, its loudly cheered and exciting. The only judging is if you punch someone out.
Are my ideas extreme - you bet. However, faced w/ a point system, that can't be explained simply and the ever present motive to cheat, I think this is a no brainer. There are world championships for all sports. For the Oympics, your sport should be motivated by ' higher, stronger, faster ' not your make-up or your friends '. The athletes wear make-up for synchronized swimming - make-up in the pool !
In my world, things are copacetic or as in 'Last of the Mohicans ' - ' Another year passes, How is it with you, Uncas ? -- the Father of life is good '. There is no point system in our house - well not one that I can explain easily .
Did I mention ' Jonah Hex ' a movie based on Marvel comics. A civil war vet. is blessed (?) with the ability to talk to the dead. Jonah has a scar and a vendetta against the man who killed his family. The bad guy is Quenton ( John Malkovich, a great villain ). Jonah succeeds the U.S. is saved - again.
I was ellipticing and watching the mayhem and theatrics of JH. the girl is real cute and loves JH b/c he is so upfront. " Thats all I can give you girl ". A line that I never tried but it sure works for JH.
Pre-warned , it seems, the bulk of London, scampered and found somewhere else to be. The upshot, business is down 33 to 40 %. The warnings via the government and media, sunk in. While business is hot near the venues, the core of the city got abandoned.
Last night, I vented on the Olympics. My contention, backed by the CTV announcer ( who might never work again for expressing herself ), was that events where judging took place should be eliminated from the Olympics. In gymnastics, the point system is so arcane, the colour commentators don't want to explain the system.
I further said that the olympic motto " higher, stronger ,faster " never said anything about ' pointi-er or goali-er ". So, all the sports that use judges or go over or into a net would be shelved. The comeback was that the some popular sports, would be gone , along with 40 % of the pro-athletes as well.
' What will fill the void ' I was asked. Tell people what the rules are, and sports will pop up.
To wit, I'm watching to-day and in the Velodrome, a new bicycle competition is on. Called Kieran, its a 6 person joggle for first place around the oval. Surprise, in Japan, its a pro sport with leagues. Described as Ski - X on bikes, its loudly cheered and exciting. The only judging is if you punch someone out.
Are my ideas extreme - you bet. However, faced w/ a point system, that can't be explained simply and the ever present motive to cheat, I think this is a no brainer. There are world championships for all sports. For the Oympics, your sport should be motivated by ' higher, stronger, faster ' not your make-up or your friends '. The athletes wear make-up for synchronized swimming - make-up in the pool !
In my world, things are copacetic or as in 'Last of the Mohicans ' - ' Another year passes, How is it with you, Uncas ? -- the Father of life is good '. There is no point system in our house - well not one that I can explain easily .
Did I mention ' Jonah Hex ' a movie based on Marvel comics. A civil war vet. is blessed (?) with the ability to talk to the dead. Jonah has a scar and a vendetta against the man who killed his family. The bad guy is Quenton ( John Malkovich, a great villain ). Jonah succeeds the U.S. is saved - again.
I was ellipticing and watching the mayhem and theatrics of JH. the girl is real cute and loves JH b/c he is so upfront. " Thats all I can give you girl ". A line that I never tried but it sure works for JH.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
MMR
MMR - more movie reviews, I always hope the acronym will make you curious as to the body of the post - does it work ?
' Season of the Witch ' w/ Nicolas Cage ( nee Coppola ) and Ron Perlman. Two discouraged knights at the time of the Crusades are coerced into delivering a witch to a distant monastery. This movie has demons and possession with a little twist at the end. SotW got lousy reviews. Entertaining 6 / 10. Informative 4 / 10 , another side to NC 7 / 10. I bought SotW at the used DVD place. I lost money.
' War Inc ' pulls us back to my favourite movie topic. John Cusack doing John Cusack. A parody of the U.S. war effort in the Middle East. The focus is the corporate infringement in the region's politics and the arms build up. If you've seen ' Grosse Pointe Blank ' WI is a farcical repeat. Joan Cusack gets to be a assistant to her brother ( as in GPB ). The love interest is Hillary Duff ( of who we're not sure ) and Marisa Tomei gets to flirt w/ JC, a mercenary developing a heart, maybe. Used DVD, thank god. I'm out a little here, too.
" Thief of Time " the cheapest of the lot. I pulled even here. ToT is a Masterpiece Theatre American series program. The plot hinges on the archeology and underground business that takes place in and around the four corners region of the U.S. w/ the focus on the Navajo reserve and the native police force.
Starring Wes Studi and Adam Beach as the police and Graham Greene as an enterprising native w/ a dubious reputation. Tantoo Cardinal gets a little peek of a cameo. Overall, you feel as though somebody went through a lot to produce this story. Occasionally, the acting seems a little wooden or static but its got a little pop too.
' The Wrestler ' , yep , its about a wrestler near the end of his career. Actually, past the end of his career. Mickey O'Rourke plays Randy the " Ram " Robinson a legend in the wrestling world. Marisa Tomei is the love interest or not love interest. You get to see MT perform naked, thats not why I bought this DVD. MO does an OK job generating empathy and appreciation for his career and his relationship w/ fans and acquaintances. You don't need to be wrestling fan to watch this but it helps ( I guess ). I think you can get disallusioned as you watch the story unfold, not so much by the facade of the wretling game but life in general. MT looks good naked.
Overall, not a good set of purchases. However, going through the stacks at Deja Vu, I'm reminded my purchases aren't that bad. you should see some of the tiles that I skip through.
I forgot that I was going to buy ' John Carter on Mars ' , there must be some of those that got turned in. You got it , JCoM was a block buster bomb.
' Season of the Witch ' w/ Nicolas Cage ( nee Coppola ) and Ron Perlman. Two discouraged knights at the time of the Crusades are coerced into delivering a witch to a distant monastery. This movie has demons and possession with a little twist at the end. SotW got lousy reviews. Entertaining 6 / 10. Informative 4 / 10 , another side to NC 7 / 10. I bought SotW at the used DVD place. I lost money.
' War Inc ' pulls us back to my favourite movie topic. John Cusack doing John Cusack. A parody of the U.S. war effort in the Middle East. The focus is the corporate infringement in the region's politics and the arms build up. If you've seen ' Grosse Pointe Blank ' WI is a farcical repeat. Joan Cusack gets to be a assistant to her brother ( as in GPB ). The love interest is Hillary Duff ( of who we're not sure ) and Marisa Tomei gets to flirt w/ JC, a mercenary developing a heart, maybe. Used DVD, thank god. I'm out a little here, too.
" Thief of Time " the cheapest of the lot. I pulled even here. ToT is a Masterpiece Theatre American series program. The plot hinges on the archeology and underground business that takes place in and around the four corners region of the U.S. w/ the focus on the Navajo reserve and the native police force.
Starring Wes Studi and Adam Beach as the police and Graham Greene as an enterprising native w/ a dubious reputation. Tantoo Cardinal gets a little peek of a cameo. Overall, you feel as though somebody went through a lot to produce this story. Occasionally, the acting seems a little wooden or static but its got a little pop too.
' The Wrestler ' , yep , its about a wrestler near the end of his career. Actually, past the end of his career. Mickey O'Rourke plays Randy the " Ram " Robinson a legend in the wrestling world. Marisa Tomei is the love interest or not love interest. You get to see MT perform naked, thats not why I bought this DVD. MO does an OK job generating empathy and appreciation for his career and his relationship w/ fans and acquaintances. You don't need to be wrestling fan to watch this but it helps ( I guess ). I think you can get disallusioned as you watch the story unfold, not so much by the facade of the wretling game but life in general. MT looks good naked.
Overall, not a good set of purchases. However, going through the stacks at Deja Vu, I'm reminded my purchases aren't that bad. you should see some of the tiles that I skip through.
I forgot that I was going to buy ' John Carter on Mars ' , there must be some of those that got turned in. You got it , JCoM was a block buster bomb.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
In the news
The next Olympic event, could be - wait - competitive ' pole dancing '. Apparently, there is huge fan base, usually centered around those arenas featuring liquor and loud pumping music.
In Canada, the Olympic time joke was, we feel sorry for the Americans - all they can win is gold . We're on 5 bronze and 1 silver.We are trying not to hog the medals.
Gore Vidal died, William F. Buckley is rolling over. 2 authors / 2 days.
My fav. fishing bud, is taking me to dimsum ( he can order in Chinese ). Then we go ' joy shopping ' ( sort of like, joy riding, more expensive but safer ).
I updated, the blog entry from yesterday, am I sore, is rice white ? Wow, that is one strong post.
In Canada, the Olympic time joke was, we feel sorry for the Americans - all they can win is gold . We're on 5 bronze and 1 silver.We are trying not to hog the medals.
Gore Vidal died, William F. Buckley is rolling over. 2 authors / 2 days.
My fav. fishing bud, is taking me to dimsum ( he can order in Chinese ). Then we go ' joy shopping ' ( sort of like, joy riding, more expensive but safer ).
I updated, the blog entry from yesterday, am I sore, is rice white ? Wow, that is one strong post.
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