Monday, 31 December 2012

Post # 376

Wb is the same as yesterday + little flakes and arrow down. We've got 28 F and I'm sure its warmer in Fla.

One of my ' little gifts ' was a Godiva chocolate gift basket. I think on the whole its rather expensive.

We're in the process of revving up for to-morrow. The traditional Asian approach , food and get to-gether w/ relatives.
Last year was ' Year of the Dragon ' ala Bruce Lee. This year ??
I'm a Tiger by the Asian ' zodiac '. As in Blake's " Tiger, Tiger burning bright ".

Lately, I've started to use a bean bag warmer for my leg, done in the microwave. I always though that ice in the morning made my knee feel better. Obviously, it got numb and I guess feel better.
Then M and her physio suggested warmth. I resisted then caved in, now, every morning, heat.
This treatment gets my knee going for the day and no pain.

Segue : microwaves. I meant to say sometime that I had an interesting experience involving the microwave. No dogs or wigs were sacrificed ( urban legends abound ).
I was using the cordless phone and walked near the microwave. the static and subsequent loss of  signal indicated interference and the fact my kidneys were cooking, no doubt.
I suppose you're all thinking, OK dumbo, we're glad you figured it out. Duh. Perhaps, a lesson in basic science but a reminder of taking care w/ everyday events and circumstances.


Sunday, 30 December 2012

Prometheus, a Review

Who should see this film
a) those who pay under $ 10
b) sci-fi fans that don't mind being a little disappointed
c) those who like mild screaming hissy fits

BTW - I think the lead character changed accents part way through the movie. They were in space get-ups , thus I might have got mixed up but she was running around in a couple of pieces of swaddling clothes for a brief stint of outre surgery.

The questions go unanswered meaning  ' Who - what  -  why '

Wb is reporting 22 F w/ snow buddy and arrow up. The trees tops are swaying slightly , so I'll expect some wind chill - say 3 or so degrees.

Last night, I proved again that I should stick to beer or wine ( b/c I seldom drink very much when I do have wine ). we started on whiskey and water and ended up w/ diet coke and water. Luckily, I recognized the signs and backed off. Now, we we're next door so it would have been ' no biggie ' . however, I'm really glad that I showed a little restraint , kinda makes me feel like an adult - for once.
Yep, once a week, its good to feel grown up rather than just plain old.

Saturday, 29 December 2012

Honest Abe

Movie Review for " Abraham Lincoln , Vampire Hunter "
Very good. Except for the vampire part , which was a little ' outre ' as the French say.
Still, good action and development, fitting nicely w/ historical references.
I'm in love again, this time its Elizabeth Winstead ,who plays Mary Todd, soon to be Mrs L.
Cost $ 10 , new at Wally Mart - worth the money

I'm also watching ' Prometheus ' , a sci-fi screamer. ' Where do we come from, Why am I here ' says man and guess what - were gonna find out - in 1 h and some 30 minutes
I'm watching this ' P ' while exercising , so it takes a bit longer, seeing 35 min at a go.
So far, stellar ( ha ha, takes place out in space  ) production values and the characters are interesting. Some sinister side plots are coming to light, guess we wait and see
$ 10 at Wallyville and the juries out - wanta guess where I was this afternoon.
BTW- dinner was not Mc Happy but Harvey's - the old reliable ,100 % Canadian ( I think ? ) hamburger joint franchise.
In a fit of something, I had poutine. Poutine is supposed to be French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. This dish is cholesterol 101 but what the hey , holiday time etc
The burger was average. The poutine was tasty, read ' grease - a-rama.

Wb has his snow pal back. yep, we got a dusting last night. We read 27 F thingies and the wind is cold and constant.

On the craps front, regression " one hundred ho-do " ( sorry, I misquoted the name, last time ) is going very good. I've played four or so times and have quit ( which is the key, take your profit and go ) while up  $ 40 - 60.
The $ 40 may not seem like much but you recall my statement that you cannot win $ 200 unless you're willing to lose $200. Typically, I isssue approx $ 120 and try to finish up.
In Vegas that second last day, I guy plunked down $ 1 000 and after my turn ( MY TURN ) at shooting, he coloured up ( put his money down, to cash out ). He got back $ 1 600. He said to the guy next to him ' I'm trying to get out w/ a little rather than a lot '.
Or in Vegas speak ' if you don't walk away , they'll get you, sooner or later '.
Its amazing how good this sounds. Very reasonable. Now, try and do it. ' a little more, one more pass, look how good its going ' yeah , right. Then you hear ' 7 out ' - BTW that means they clear the table of everything but the paint and 2 dice.

Friday, 28 December 2012

McHappy time

We generally, speak of Mcdonalds restaurant w/ some disdain. however, to-day it seems that the Golden Arches could be our destination.
Why ? Well as the Mouseketeers used to sing ' b/c we love you ! '
I don't know. Its different. An attempt to reclaim youthful memories.
Sort of ' Spinning down to Weymouth town, ' author ?_______

Weather wise this will be a stable day - grey / cool and damp - light snow a'comin.
Doing research , I Googled dice strategy, or  ' How to win at craps '
funny when there's lots of money on the line, there's lots of advice '
The systems get names such as ' anything but 7 ' or ' hullalooey wait down ' stuff like that.
Some are called ' regression ' betting schemes. I not sure but I think these schemes suit my personality. Practicing, I went down and up through $ 400 betting $5 as a minimum. For me that is a whack of money.
Basically, if your not prepared to lose $ 200 - you're sure not likely to win $ 200. To quote the tire industry ' this is where the rubber meets the road ' or put up and shut up.

More investigation into crap-ology is required.
One positive fact arose. ' The Professor ' yep, he's the Prof of Craps, made the statement that playing against the computer is much harder than at a craps table.
The reason is that at a craps table, you could run into a ' shooter ' who runs a long set of passes. He wasn't talking about me. In Vegas, I did make a run of 12 passes - which sure beats the average of 4.

The advice that I got was throw'em ' high and soft '. I even hold the dice a certain way. Sort of a luck thing. Oh , yeah, a mega-superstitious lot, us craps people.
I love the jargon - big red,   give me a Yo , baby needs a pair of shoes , lets press'em up  My fav ' pay the line '.
BTW - baby needs a new pair of shoes - has nothing to do with children, in case you were  wondering.

And, I think that I am techno - lost. One present was a 3D , BluRay version of ' Prometheus ' . I'm not sure what  'P ' is about but there was sci-fi screaming etc in the trailer on TV. Well ,we don't have a 3D anything - so the DVD goes back. Apparently, you need a 3D DVD player and I guess that a 3D TV would help. Yeppper, you can get nauseous in the comfort of your own home.




Thursday, 27 December 2012

GaGa people

News from the Tampa Bay Times 

1. Man cuts off most of girlfriend's nose - she refused sex

2. Man shoots girlfriend w/ flare-gun - he was charged w/ wounding and arson

Both under the section called ' Florida Bizarre ',  anywhere bizzarro.
I've got a flare gun but its in the boat and hope to never use it.
BTW - its not the same man in case you were thinking that.

Wb has his companion back ( little snow guy ) we've got 23 F thingies. We did get the called for 4 " or around depending but our front drive qualified for sure.

a white post - Christmas scene.

Error ! Error ! Will Robinson
Apologies to southerners. I misrepresented Boxing Day. Apparently, the term BD meant that Dec 26 was when the churches opened the Alms Box and distributed the money and food and treats to the poor. CityPulse TV did a little blurb on the meaning of BD.
Well, most Canadians who went shopping yesterday were classified as the walking poor after their shopping spree.
BTW - to the best of my knowledge, the churches really don't do BD , the traditional way. However, I've been told most churches need to keep some food stuffs on hand b/c people still come to churches for food.

Well, we never claimed to be totally correct. heck, we never claimed to be partly correct. Remember that the bulk of what you read comes from the newspaper, radio or TV. ( notice that its ' we ' when something is wrong.

Again, I want to laud the movie " Salmon Fishing in the Yemen ". I re-watched  ' SFitY' and it is a fine movie. Good character development and the plot provides a much needed view of the Middle East. A view that is progressive at least a little, and features a sheik trying to adopt and adapt to Western culture. The sheik is sort of dragging the Yemenis ' kicking and screaming ( and shooting ) ' into modern world. OK  OK Emily Blunt is in it. I'm hooked but not just b/c of EB.

Wednesday, 26 December 2012

The View from Here

the ravine is quiet - grey sky and the wind  is still. 10 teddy bears are crawling up the window and magically they form the outline of a pine tree
the fakey tree is fully kitted out - barren underneath since we removed all the bundles and such yesterday

dinner was a tortiere or the ' queen of meat pies ' according to the author of the recipe. Mash and peas / gravy completed the feast.
love meat pies
dessert was home-made butter tarts ( a Xmas present )

Wb  has his snowman companion back w/ arrow down and clouds w/ the sun peeking through. Wb is definitely some place other than here or he is real, real hopeful w/ that sun thing

filling out the Xmas list - ' Blossom Dearie ' showed up under the tree along with ' YoYo Ma and friends - Joy ' - a compilation of Yuletide and not YT songs w/ various artists. Renee Fleming, Dave Brubeck, Josh Redman,  Chris Botti, Natalie McMaster, Allison Krauss, James Taylor and several others some Cuban and Galician.

We watched ' Fried Green Tomatoes ' a Fanny Flagg book re-done as a movie. First time we've seen the DVD as opposed to VHS tape or on TV ( w/ all the cuts ). Several extra scenes were shown and of course, you need to debate, how crucial they were but it was different.
How was your Christmas ?

to-day is Boxing Day and for you southerners , this is the Canadian version of Black Friday . The tradition is that BD is return your your presents day. Now , its a race to buy items on sale for 60 % off. in fact, most stores want to sell not take returns so typically you need to wait 3 days, say Fri for returns.

Coffee time ( BTW - Coffee time is a franchise up here )

Tuesday, 25 December 2012

Dec 25 : 8,48 AM

Coffee in hand , I sit here typing. Sprinkles of whitish stuff on the lawn. Not bad, like frosting sugar.

So, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all

Weather boy is fully dressed w/ arrow up and a sun shining. I don't know where he is but our skies are grey.

On the radio reports say, in up state NY, a local paper published the names of all registered handgun owners. The paper accessed government files through Freedom of information applications.
Feedback was quick and negative. Respondents claimed the lists were an invasion of privacy and centred out the gun owners.

As well, in NY (?) 3 firemen were shot while responding to a ' 911' .
Police believe that the call was used to draw in the firemen.

Intermission - hold the presses

We opened prezzies as they say in England. Highlights : roll-on computer bag - that provisionally fits under an airplane seat.
Since, we are globe trotting travelers, of course.

We are awaiting, approx 4 " of snow, due to-morrow.

Monday, 24 December 2012

White is Fading

The white covering is gone, mostly green. No snowman w/ Wb. Wb is in full winter dress , no umbrella, arrow up. Air looks still cloudy blue sky so far.

Merry Christmas

Listening to Xmas songs yesterday, I realized how prescient these carols are. I knew the Bible had great social and psychological gems. But I thought every young couple w/ children must nod when they hear   ' unto to you a child is bored ' . Classic

Well, we're preparing broccoli casserole ( yeah, ' we ' ) I'm in charge of morale and tasting. We take sushi as an appetizer as well.
Hoping that I don't need to carve, more for them then me.

We were thinking of take-out, les mets Chinois ( Chinese food, en francais ). Lately, I've been stopping on the way home and ordering at a small place. I thought the joint was called ' Asian Feast  or Great Asian '. Google the names - nope. Check Scarborough restaurants - nope. On Google maps I find the area that I need. Kings Variety store is on the street. Hey, I know that name. By error, I touch the screen and the street appears on web cam. I pan the scene , notice a condo that is familiar. Keep going and bingo bongo there the restaurant is. 
The name ' Gourmet King ' yeah, Asian my tooshie.  
The food was pretty good. A touch bland but you can always hit it up w/ some hot sauce. I had added breaded shrimp to the order. Someone once called breaded shrimp - ' shrimp hunt ' b/c of the breading. This dish was close. More like shrimp in a blanket , fairly thick blanket, too.

I'm watching  ' Canadian Pickers ', these guys cross Canada buying junk or antiques depending on your taste. I think the show is dangerous, for me. I'm afraid that I'll start looking at some of this stuff. I retain stuff that is about the same. Or the idea is the same, I'll use it one day.






































Sunday, 23 December 2012

Laptop in the .....

washroom, I'm typing on the porcelain throne.

My hero, Dirk Gently, styles himself as a holistic detective. Dirk believes in the 'interconnectedness of everything '. His famous line ' It may not have been where I was going but it was where I needed to be '.  Criminey , the story of my life.

To wit. I mentioned , singer - songwriter, Blossom Dearie. M was reading ' Stories from the Vinyl Cafe '. The ' Vinyl Cafe ' is a fictional record store and also a radio show and travelling production.
Dave the husband and record store owner talks about Blossom Dearie as one of his all-time favourites. Neat. Interconnectedness, comes through. Who woulda thunk, huh ?

In the news:  Days are getting longer and the ice is getting thinner.
we've past the solstice, so a little more daylight every day.
In the Arctic, the ice is dangerously thin. Air surveillance reveals the thinnest ice since they started keeping these air view recordings.
Goes back to 1977, not the last Ice age, of course.
you know this reportage really confirms my contention that although true, no  scientist let alone a lay person can truly understand the causal nature of such events.
Recall, the generic scientist brought us the atomic bomb, DDT and plastic. I'm not sure which was the worst, touche, mes amis !
Weather boy is dressed for cold plus brolley( as they say in England ). BTW. yesterday Wb had a snowman for company.
We have bright skies and little wind ( trees are not swaying ). Winter, but nice winter if you have gas and food and are not flooded out as in SW England or w/out electricity as in parts of Quebec.

Saturday, 22 December 2012

Blanche noel

en francais ' White Xmas ' . Pre-mature I know. It is white out there
Weather boy is kitted out - umbrella and arrow up.

From the Loop, the Loop is the new homepage for Sympatico. As you sign out of Sympatico e- mail, you are automatically taken to the Loop - news, gossip , and everything you need plus customizable.
To quote Marvin the Robot ' I've seen it, its dreadful '

Since the Loop is unavoidable - here are the buttton headlines

" Preparing for the Apocalypse - what people are doing "
bet this doesn't include prayer
much ammo ?
some dude in Europe built the ' Ark ' - saw this, last week

" The real salaries of ' Real Housewives ' ( TV ones ?? )
not minimum wage, right ?

" Has Kim ruined Kanye ? "
of course, why else print this one
betcha Kanye forgot Dewar's law " Do Right and fear no Man, Don't write and fear no woman "

" Porn watchers fear ' ransom ' on line
justice !!!! love it
sort of  ' pay for view '

" Hadfield reaches ISS "
this one may be Canadiana b/c our astronaut Chris Hadfield arrived at the International Space Station. Hadfield will be mission commander for 4 months. This title means he gets to boss around some Russians and Americans - big first for a Canadian. We're usually taking it in the ear.

Whats the famous motto " all the news that fit to print " NOT
..... but the Loop thinks so. didn't read any of the actual articles, cuz this is so much funner, n'est pas

P.S. - James Dewar, scotch maker - put this motto on the label of ' Dewar's Whiskey ' ... and you thought alcoholics were illiterate sots

P.P.S. - " Monkey lady and family distraught " yep , she's still getting play on the news. More people know about her than Hadfield
and he's part way to the moon ( OK , not quite but up there's a ways )

Friday, 21 December 2012

Movie Reviews Reviewed

First, I can plead absolute ignorance. We don't see many movies at theatres. We don't see many movies at all. Typically, when they announce the Oscar nominees , we draw a blank.

' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen ' received a Golden Globe nomination. In the TorStar, this choice was laughed at. Nice movie but not worthy of an award. 
Horse-hockey as they say when they want to swear but can't.
#1 I'm in deep like w/ Emily Blunt
#2 I really think EB is cuter than a bug's bumper.
#3 Non-violent , pleasant movies are a rarity
In ' SFitY ' 1 gun is fired there are no hits. 'SFitY ' promotes a balanced view of the mid-East / West relations. I'm not sure the latter is really possible but I think it does.
Any movie that can show a progressive humanitarian look at the Mid-East has to be lauded. The world needs more lateral and open minded thinking.
Besides, I've got a crush on Emily Blunt. Oh, yeah, Ewan McGregor is in the movie too.
This morning, the movie review girl was gushing over Quentin Tarrantino and his new release ' Django ... '. I don't get it.
Karen Gordon was explaining how quirky and original and funny QT is.
I don't go to see movies b/c of the director and certainly not him.
Judge Apatow ( director again ) released a movie  ' something 40, turning ??? '
Again, KG is all over how pithy and relevant this director is.

Recommends: On YouTube, I found a prequel to ' Lord of the Rings '
' Born of Hope ' is a on line release only, never to be a movie. ' BoH' 
is not a high price production but does a reasonable job a telling the the story of the Dunedain ( Men of the West ). This period would represent Arador ? ( father to Arathorn, father to Aragorn ) and the battle of Men against the Orcs and Sauron. 
I think you need to be a deeply dedicated Tolkien fan and very indulgent to enjoy this video. I put it out there anyway.

Weather boy is fully dressed w/ umbrella. We are reading 39 F things. All is damp out there.

We are closing in on Xmas, things have seemed to have slowed down here. We are waiting, sort of a lull. Events will heat up shortly.

The monkey lady didn't get her  ' baby ' back. She has to wait until the new year. Really its big news here. This type of story is for slow news days.

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Happy , Happy...

Firstly, the happiest people in the world live in Latin America. Panama and Paraguay headed the list.

In the ' Hobbbit, the book ' and the movie ( saw the trailer for this ). the dwarves surrounded by goblins and wargs are saved as the eagles swoop down and carry them off to safety.
A video depicting the same scene went viral, as a golden eagle snatched a child from a Montreal park. The video was a hoax. So, was the movie scene i.e. not real.

Speaking of real, to-day was oral surgery day for Mom. No, I slept poorly, she was wide awake and raring to go. The nurse was comfortable, Mom was comfortable, the doc was comfortable - go figure.
Two sips of nitrous and she was out like a light. We went to the waiting room and sat. Ten minutes later, I went to peek - everybody is giving me the thumbs up in the surgery.
The surgeon removed 4 part teeth or roots.
She is back and safe at the LTC.
One problem, mom doesn't know that you want her to rinse - so she won't spit out the water. Minor , right.

A damp, cold wind kinda day. The temperature isn't bad , but  the wind ' cuts  like a whetted knife ' ( borrowed from ' Sea Fever ', by J Masefield ). We will catch part of a storm - rain / snow mix depending how much cold we get.

For you southerners : Toronto's leading news item. monkey wars.
Ten days ago, a video shot in T.O. made YouTube and was viral.
Picture a monkey dressed in a shearling coat and matching hat running around in the lobby of an IKEA store.
The little sucker escaped from a car and got inside the store. Our by-laws do not allow primates as pets ( children are exempt ). The police captured the little guy named ' Darwin '. 
The owner surrendered the monkey to animal welfare.
The owner is in court to-day, claiming the monkey is her child and she gave up ' Darwin ' under duress. There is some family resemblance.  She is willing to move to a region that has no bylaws e.g. Kawartha Lakes.
The reeve of KL is asking her not to move to KL b/c the city is trying to get bylaws passed prohibiting primates.
Apparently, monkey see - monkey do.

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Gunmen..

On the ticker, CityPulse had the banner headlines
' Gunman in Co. shooting released..... '
' Pakistan, gunmen kill............... '
Who are the gunmen ? Why isn't the banner ' person who shot ' or ' gun wielding idiots shoot at mosque ' 
I got to thinking how this wording affects the news and the perception of the news. Gunman is so generic, its almost a total misrepresentation of the facts.
Realizing the banner needs to fit the TV screen , I'm betting the newspaper headline would be no better.
We are in the midst of rotating one day teacher's strikes. The facts: the province has legislation that will impose wage freezes and the provision to outlaw strike action -- the teachers feel that the legislation is undemocratic. There are nuances and SPIN but you should read the news reports to get the spin on the  spin.

Bright blue skies and cooler, to-day. Weather boy is fully dressed w/ arrow up. Texas is sending us a storm bringing rain and snow.

Good news ??? 
' the shouting and the tumult dies
the captains and the kings depart
still stands thine ancient sacrifice
a' humble and a contrite heart '

R. Kipling 


Tuesday, 18 December 2012

All My Life's....

                  a circle
Sunrise to sundown
the moon rolls through the night sky
til the daybreak comes around
There are no straight lines make up my life
And all my roads have bends
There's no clear cut beginnings
And so far no dead ends

The words of Harry Chapin. In fact, what was called the Chapin family anthem.
The CD of the presentation of HC's award from Congress is still one of my most listened to music items.

Being fundamentally Buddhist, the lyrics are quite apropos  religiously,for me.
Now, I can segue into the topic of musicians performing outside their ' normal ' category. I'll bet that statement will rankle some feathers, pigeon-holing musicians. Oh well, caution to the wind. Why should to-day be any different.
In the HC special, Pat Benetar , rocker ? sings HC's ' Shooting Star '
I think the chance of a singer doing a cover that is better than the original or writer's version is fairly rare. PB is earthy and earnest w/ a feel for the lyrical content. Amazing.
Next, k.d. lang or however she is spelling her name nowadays. In a tribute song to k.d., Stompin' Tom Connors speaks of ' crazy k.d. lang, she jumps around like a' rangutan,crazy k.d.lang '. In the movie " Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil " k.d. sings Johnny Herndon Mercer's ' Skylark ' again, great feel and depth, sung as a ballad not k.d.'s country / rock normal (?? ).
And Yo Yo Ma when he steps outside the concert hall and performs " Here Comes the Sun " w/ James Taylor or " My Favourite Things " w/ Chris Botti.
Have you accessed, ' Touch the Hand of  Love ' Renee Fleming ? on youTube ?  get with it ' probie ' - ala Gibbs in NCIS. Yo Yo Ma on the cello too ! RF is an opera singer, unless you thought that I was off topic.
moi, off topic mais non mes dames and monsieurs.
I enjoy Madonna's cover of Don McLean's  ' American Pie '.

And on ' Vinyl Tap ' , the radio show w/ host Randy Bachmann, I've discovered that many songs that I grew up enjoying are covers themselves.In fact, stylistically and rhythmically some songs are covers of covers. Well ,its OK, I'm young and innocent or at least two of the three.

Monday, 17 December 2012

A Little more

Re; Xmas decorating.... I must add, the stairwell going downstairs is ornamented and there is a display of ' singing' dogs, penguins and Santa in the downstairs hall.
There are presents under the tree and the stockings are laid w/ great care on the floor ( no mantle ). It is not bah humbug.

Weather boy is in shorts and sunglasses - NOT - however for Dec in Ont , it is warmish. We'll be pretty close to 50 F things that you use in the States.

The Xmas social calendar heats up from now and we have a schedule for the designated driver on each occasion  We tend to be very scrupulous about this, mainly due to M who is very conscientious. One of the perks of marriage is she pre-worries many things - I leave it to her. What a load off my mind.

I've decided that shooting craps is very much like gambling. I can lose the same amount in play money as I lose in real money in LV.

Sunday, 16 December 2012

On Your Beam End is....

a nautical expression. I am watching a re-run ( why not ) of ' Elementary ' the TV series placing Sherlock Holmes in NY city w/ Joan Watson as his sidekick. SH / JW use the expression, rare as it is, to trace an eco-terrorist who is not the current bomber. Eco-warrior did set off bombs years before.
On our PVR ( records programs from our satellite feed ), we retained 6 episodes of the new ' Sherlock Holmes ' starring Brendan Cumberpatch w/ SH in modern London. As well, PVR holds 3 episodes of ' Jackson Brodie ', private detective in Edinburgh. Musically, there is a James Taylor /Carole King program, Yo-YoMa a Xmas special and Allison Krauss w/ Union Station.

Weather Boy is fully wintered dress plus umbrella. We'll be warm ,relatively , at 45 F things.

Xmas decorating is proceeding w/ some procrastination. Guilty. Normally, window displays fall to me. Last year, was a minimalist period ( I got lazy ).
Last night, ' Teddy Bear ' lights  climbed the window, apparently in the spirit of YuleTide in a tree pattern. Clever fellas, them.
 Santa is in the front hall waving his candle.
The tree is in full Xmas bloom, thanks to  NOT me.

In past years, trains ( 2 kinds ), Xmas villages and skating rinks have been deployed.

Saturday, 15 December 2012

Somewhere......

" ... in this favored land, the sun is shining bright
                                                somewhere hearts are light
                                                 somewhere children shout
    there is no joy in .............,   mighty Casey has struck out  "

requiem ( Thayer , author )

Weather is dreary, Weather boy is coat, scarf , toque , dressed warm.

My new theory for winter dress says more scarf and less coat.
True, as suburbians we car it everywhere. The coat function is keep the wind off your back and insulate a little. Too bulky a coat means a struggle in the car and over-heated body as you drive.
A scarf will keep the cold form crawling down your body from the neck. A scarf layered over your body front is just as good as 1/2 sweater.
I think keeping your neck warm is essential. I can't remember how often that I've gotten that shaky,chilly feeling as cold creeps southward on me.
OK - thats maybe only me

We attended a Xmas open-house, cocktail affair last night. Noisy, good finger food and enjoyable company.
I locked up a position in the corner of the kitchen counter and the long wall of the sitting area. Most of the evening, people found me and we chatted.
One chap walked over, stood and said ' you were here last year ' he didn't mean the get to-gether - he meant that corner. I did observe the crowd for some minutes but mostly I was engaged in conversation.
Topics included credit card fraud ( way more common than I thought anecdotally ), Americans and guns ( surprise there, eh ) ,food ( natch )and sushi ( specifically )

Friday, 14 December 2012

The Brave, the few......

the stupid.  No offense to the Marines or whatever. Dare he discuss : Fashion ?

This morning on ' Q' , a talk show on CBC , the topic was men's fashion.  CBC, is viewed by some as ' pinko ' communist or at the very least, way left and gay. I'm not saying that, but that would be generalist view of the content.

They discussed ' meggings ' c.f. a manurse and  frills and pearls as accessorizing the male ensemble.  Pinko , pinko pinko. I think they were serious.

In the Star , the headline under the Section heading " holiday personal preparations "  - ' technician can add 50 lashes '.
This treatment is either a fuller set of blinkers  or a hell of a punishment.

Sadly, reports say gunfire erupted at a school and many lives were lost outside of Danbury ,  Ct,  U.S.. 

From a Canadian POV, we don't get it, this gun thing. Not that it can't happen here ( and did ) but the frequency of such incidents leaves us , astounded and at a loss. 

The above paragraph is sorely inadequate. Sorry, I can't express in words , the feeling. 

Pre-Vegas, I discovered ESPN Arcade - free Craps on line.

I've been playing ( and losing ) you know , as in Vegas I lose quite often , its like gambling. Go figure.




Thursday, 13 December 2012

Searches Down.....

for Justin Bieber. Big news item - google searches down for JB. JB was once the most ' googled '  item in the world. He lost his title.

Also the target of a jailhouse assassination plot , murder for hire, JB managed to creep back into the spotlight.

Global Warming. sorry... same old band wagon

1. Yes the climate is changing

2. Some areas of the world are experiencing dramatic climatic change. Natural habitats are disappearing

3. We are over-using resources, ruining the planet

So far, the most productive result of  ' I have seen the earth change ' movement - David Suzuki is enshrined as the father of eco-change and Al Gore soared to the top of the eco-pop charts.

My take.  The world's climate is always changing. There have been Ice Ages before. The oceans have been higher , the oceans have been lower.  Get used to it.
 Climatic change has always disturbed natural habitats. Of course, we're over-using resources. The solution, wait til we can't afford to pay. the ultimate leveller - cost.

What should we do.

1. P.O.O.R. - point of origin recycling. Return containers and packaging to where you bought the retail item. charge a deposit on packaging - so recycling pays someone.

So simple ?  Yep, but so basic. Strike at the heart of the problem.
Overpackaging , let the companies do it. Add on the packaging deposit system - PDS - they love acronyms for everything they do
give'em one back. Boy scouts can make a fortune recycling.  The Salvation Army will set up a recycling receiving centre - RRC.
Hey, I like this making up letters, for new ideas.

Will we change the world . Nope. But we'll start here.

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Trouble in Paradise......or

' Hobbit Fans Angry at Reviews , All not well in MiddleEarth ' - Sympatico News ticker.
Nope didn't read the story. You can guess.
Correction from ' Knock'em down ... ' blog. Make that 9 hits in 43 min. You got it 9 people were hit by cars in under an hour. Mommy and baby carriage too. The pundits blame the rain, the earlier darkness, dark clothing , hoods and distractions.
Last night,  a mother w/ child in arms and a walking child got nailed at a pedestrian x-walk.

I was imagining as in the movie ' Contact ' w/ Jodie Foster. The telecommunications of the earth are going out into space, travelling at the speed of light.
So, in fifteen billion light years, some alien is watching our media thinking Kim Kardashian  or her mother rule the United States.
Or that Britney Spears controls the police. Or ' Bradgelina ' is an adoption agency. 

Geethali ' Norah Jones ' Shankar greaves the loss of her father. Condolences.

In T.O., there is a roadway called the Gardiner Xpressway. Bits have been falling from the o/head road to the Lakeshore Blvd below. Both roads carry high volumes of cars, the GX probably more. By bits , the engineers mean chunks of concrete.
 If you catch a piece of concrete in your hands as it falls, it is rumoured you will have good luck for 20 years. These 20 years are the twenty you got b/c the concrete didn't do in your head.  ( kidding )

The controversy got heightened when a engineer's report was translated into a ' Mayor's office ' memo ' that the people need to be re-assured that the Xpressway is safe '. Now, of course, the questions are coming thick and fast ' Who knew what and when ' apparently there was no ' how ' involved yet,  but they got in the other standard question words.
Neat. I learned words such as ' punch through '. This term means that workers can see the Lakeshore Blvd. underneath if you disturb the roadway above. One anecdotal report said the crew used their hands and got 'punch through ' more like ' finger through ' don't you think.

Our weather doesn't bespeak Xmas. Grass is mostly green. No snow  that lasted ( more icing sugar than snow ). Weather boy is dressed but the arrow is going up so it will probably remain clear to-day. Bright out and looks to be blue.


Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Knock'em Down.................

..............drag'em out.
Yesterday, in the GTA, we knocked down 8 pedestrians in something like an hour. This number has been reported, so many times, that I think it could be close to accurate.
The grossest was the mommy and baby carriage hit. Yep, he must have aimed real good.

Also, we went to the oral surgeon for Mom on Monday. You need to fill out all the personal and medical forms, first. But they decide to X-ray Mom in the meantime.

While I'm writing, I hear ' No dear, stand still , You don't need to move, just three seconds ...........   '

The X-ray machine is a full scan model where you stand and the sensor sweeps around your head. Mom was running when the sensor mask starts to move. 
I was cringing,  no need, the X-ray staff were so gentle... but no luck. 


Oh, I'm not a dumby, took my aunt for support. Aunt talked to Mom the whole time.

So, the surgeon dude, looked inside her mouth and said ' We can do this ' ba-bing. So, if I pony up a thousand, done deal.

While we're discussing how to proceed w/ the surgeon, he says ' We'll freeze her so there's no pain and take out the teeth '
I look at him and he hesitated and then he said ' or we could use gas '
My head is bobbing up and down  'Yes '. I couldn't even imagine, Mom awake while they're taking out 3 teeth. The surgeon then says ' With older people , they sometimes fall asleep for the whole thing ', more head bobbing
- I think he got the picture -



On the way out, we were waiting for the elevator. Mom takes a tissue from the receptionist's box and cleans the whole counter.
I'm standing in the elevator door, the thing is chiming away, and Mom is still cleaning. Finally, I yelled and she stopped. The floor was next, I'm sure.

" God have mercy on such as we " 

the Whiffenpoof song


Monday, 10 December 2012

Tora, tora, tora

' Tora ' in Japanese is tiger. The triple  ' tora ' was the call sign for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. 
Why the reference ? The movie of that name was on the tube last night, most likely to mark the Dec 7 raid in Hi.

In Sympatico news,  ' man runs overself, gets ticket '.
No, didn't read the story, too delicious to not make something up.
the truth can be so boring. 
Its probably, really innocent, man is backing up w/ one foot outside the car ( car jockeys do it all the time, also if  you are reversing a Lamborghini, this is the only way to see behind ). He slips and runs over his foot and subsequently hits a parked car.  Tada.

The ' Hobbit ' advertising is in full gear. I tried to access footage from the NY ? premier but it was blacked out on Sympatico.
The TorStar ran an interview w/ P. Jackson. 
Primarily, ' did you want to do the ' Hobbit ' ? , ' What changed your mind ' ? , What about Guillermo Toros ? .
The interviewer recalls asking Jackson ' Will you do the the ' Hobbit '          now ?  Jackson, shaking his head ' No, No, never ! '  Hence my comment ' once more into the breach '. another trilogy, hopefully not a decade , again.
The rationale for 3 runs at the ' Hobbit ' is the enormous ancillary material compiled by Tolkien.
JRR, was a linguist first. and first created a language or languages
related to Finnish ( a little Welsh too ) calling it Elvish. JRR created a world for his story. All the while he added / referenced, background information.
The nut of the work may be the ' Simarillion '. I've tried to read it cover to cover. Actually, might have. but if I finished it - this was in a daze. Between names ( sometimes 3 versions, for the different languages - Dwarvish, Sindarin ( grey elvish ) and  Quenya  ( high or             noble elvish ) and the lineages ( much detailed as you go ), definitely dazed. 
Gandalf is Olorin  ( Valinorian elvish ), Tharkun ( to the dwarves ), the grey Pilgrim and Mithrandir ( Sindarin ).
Valinor was the Undying land basically home the Valar ( gods ) and the High Elves.
Didn't mean to do this to-day, I was going to give you a rest from Tolkien-ism.

" When thou hast done, thou hast not done, for I have more "
John Dunne

Sunday, 9 December 2012

' Delving ' into the files

Went back to the early days of the blog and found a previous entry re: the Hobbit. Here it is.

A coming of age story,  in the Third Age of middle-earth, as a hirsute footed biped sets off to seek fame and glory in a company of Dwarves. This non-romance, adventure features all the creatures you will come to know and hate / fear,  as well many comely folks banding to-gether to fight evil.

Update 2012 7/14  The movie is less than a year away. However, rumour abounds that they got Galadriel back in this thing. Hope you know, that I wanted Helen Hunt to be Galdariel, after the fact, of course.

Perhaps, this will be enough background so you need not re-read or read ' the Hobbit '. And since this sequel(s) is a trilogy, you should have oodles of time to soak up the buzz and to-do.

Did you get yesterday's quiz questions ?

Hobbit sightings  are rare nowadays. hobbits are secretive and well trained in woodcraft. Perhaps a little dumpy looking, they are in fact nimble of foot and hand.
Although not war-like or fierce, hobbits are deadly with a thrown stone.

Bilbo Baggins was a well respected hobbit but many were aware of his Took heritage. His parents are Belladonna Took and Bungo Baggins.

One morning, he wished ' Good day ' to a wizard that appeared on his doorstep.
Gandalf , an Ishtari or wizard , was well known to the hobbits. Primarily, he was viewed as benign w/ a handiness in fireworks. But held w/ skepticism b/c he was an outsider.

This particular morning he had a goal, to find a 14 th ( thus lucky number ) companion for a grand undertaking. Gandalf had been sent by a company of dwarves to select a 14 th companion who was to be the ' burglar '. 

Bilbo is age 50 at this time. He is past his tweens when frolic and silliness are acceptable in hobbit society. He is mature and settling down. Sure.

The leader of the dwarves is Thorin Oakenshield. Thorin is son of Thrain , son of  Thror - the last King Under the Mountain ( Erebor ). The dwarves were driven out by the golden dragon, Smaug. Despite what you may have been led to believe - there are no nice dragons and Smaug was big and nasty.

Your mission, Thorin , if you choose to accept it - to return to the Lonely Mountain and reclaim the throne and title ' King Under the Mountain '. Oh yeah, there's a whole whack treasure involved. As they say in Newfoundland " Billions and billions nearly a hundred "

Thorin and Thrain both escaped the Lonely Mountain during Smaug's attack.

For help Thorin enlists Ori, Nori, Dori, Gloin , Bombor , Bimbor, Bifur  , Dwalin , Balin, Winken , Blinkin and Nod ( kidding,  the last 3 are fake but I forget the other names ). 

Gloin will have a son, Gimli , who becomes a renowned dwarf for his part in the ' War of the Ring '. 

Balin ( son of Fundin ) will go on to be a short-lived, returning King of Moria , Khazad Dum (the Dwarrowdelf, the grand realm of the dwarves ).
An unknown terror drove the dwarves from the Dwarrowdelf, many ages ago. Durin's Bane was a _______ we really don't know but suspect it was a Balrog.

Durin is one of the founding fathers of the dwarves.  So long lived, he was named Durin the Deathless.

A Balrog is a whip - wielding creature, ( a minion of Morgoth ) a being of fire and cold. Deep in magic and hate, Balrogs are feared by the Elves as well.
As Gandalf says of  Moria  ' there are fouler things than orcs in the deeps of Moria '

Gandalf has had contact with Thrain in the dungeons of the Necromancer. He has for Thorin a key and a map ( of the Lonely Mountain )

I suspect the title ' the Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey ' was a) supposed to add mystery  b) and make it a longer title b/c ' Hobbit ' wasn't going to do it.

I believe Jackson might have named it  ' Once More into the Breach '.

P.S. Bungo's brother is Bingo

P.P.S.  For pure arcania - look for 3 great swords to emerge from this story.  These blades are Orcrist ( the goblin cleaver ), Glamdring ( the foe hammer ) and Sting. These Elvish swords all glow blue when evil is around.
I wouldn't have mentioned the swords but there is a promo poster for ' tH ' showing a dwarf wielding a prominent blade.

Saturday, 8 December 2012

FB just a little taste

Venturing into the world of FB

I find it very busy in there. To wit, I think I found how to log out;  
for a while there - couldn't find the icon thingy thats let you log out
I'm better now

So, I'm going to let them in , a little at a time. Sort of a trickle

The Hobbit

Coming soon to a theatre near you. Whats wrong at first blush

Frodo is back again ? How, did they squeeze him in. Assuming if E. Woods is back  as Frodo.

They got Galadriel in again ( once again assuming, K Beckett returns as the Big G or is that Gandalf ).

To-morrow, we'll give you a synopsis of the story. Freehand, if you will off the top of my head. So, as w/ all entries here, truth takes a back seat to everything.
This way maybe you don't need to re-read or read the Hobbit, pre-movie.

First things ,first. The story of Bilbo is  ' There and Back Again - An Unexpected Journey '. The log or written report can be found in the " the Redbook of Westmarch " as enshrined in the museum at Michel Delving. Later, the Redbook was moved to the Undertowers, firstly under the care of Warden Fastred and his wife Elanor ( eldest of the offspring of Sam Gamgee )

Bilbo is in the line of Belladona Took. The Tooks have a reputation for being a little fey and prone to having adventures. This audacity is not prized among the Hobbits. Frowns develop when the Tooks are mentioned. As in ' How dare they ? '
The Tooks have dealings w/ the elves. Ooh, not good , my little hobbitlings.

Quiz questions for you : from  ' the Hobbit '

1. Frodo son of Drogo.  Bilbo son of __________ ?

2. What is Bilbo's job description in the company the dwarves  ?

We've started watching ' the WestWing ' on the religious channel. They bleep out fairly common and anatomical references but even a child could figure out how to fill in the bleeps.
I enjoy the ' Jewish, kitschy ,New York banter ' that goes on especially between Toby and Josh ( who are ) and is picked up by everyone as well.
Josh and Toby got criticized as bringing exactly that ' Jewish, kitschy, New York influenced ' style to the White House. And it wasn't said nicely. I mean it as cute and kinda neat. As in, wish I could do it too.

The weather in T.O. coolish not cold .Dreary. But a do-able day
We'll probably run at 48 of the F thingies in temperature

Friday, 7 December 2012

Was married to...

Not me, I've still got the same wife that I started with.
' Normally when I say that last bit, good people applaud ' , a Will Rogers line. Works for me too.

Oh the line was supposed to start w/ ' I claim only 2 things, ugliest man in the movies and still married to the woman that I started with '

I'm watching a re-run of  ' Elementary ' w/ Johnny Lee Miller
who met and wed Angelina Jolie. She picked weird guys then now they're just handsome.

Ask and it shall be given. Asked for a FB pro and someone responded w/ view my FB photos.

weather is cool, dreary and the air is still. This is T.O. after all

Thursday, 6 December 2012

the Re-watch thing

First, its a go for Balto. Not 2 games but 3. A glut of lax, as they say.

We watch Br drama esp. series such as ' Morse ' an Oxford detective with CID ( murders etc). Morse is gone.
The spin-off is ' Lewis '. Lewis was the sergeant in Morse but got promoted and got his own show.
The setting is the town of Oxford. Oxford is a university town and still maintains old buildings, old ties and biases.
We spent 3 days in Oxford and were charmed by the atmosphere.
Well we've re-watched 2 episodes of Lewis. The key is the banter between Lewis and his sergeant, Hathaway. There is a lightness to this show that was never there in ' Morse '.

Lewis reaches us via PBS. We also enjoy ' Doc Martin '. City doctor trying to make it in a rural fishing village.

Weather is cold but bright and the air seems to be still. weather boy is dressed w/ coat, scarf and hat and there is an arrow down.

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

FaceBook and me

OK Let's go back to the FB topic.
I joined.  M joined.
Both of us can't figure out what to do with it. M quit.

My account stays open. A backlog of requests for ' friends ' ( its up to 45 ).
2 people are in my FB acct.
FB does let me make comments on some YouTube and other websites

If you are an avid FB type could you send a primer on what you do.
For 1 friend, I went to his ' string ' of comments and couldn't figure why I would care.
Alright, I'm old and inflexible.

I've made mistakes in my life. On CityPulse news ( this is the channel where the screen is 1/2 person talking and all around the face is business news, weather , stock market and breaking news )
The item that caught my eye was   ' 18 th century Fr chateau knocked down by accident. Owner away at the time. '

Crikey can you imagine coming home or NOT home and its gone. Now think BIG stone building - gone. 
Oops , probably doesn't quite cover it. This is where the Latin - Mea Culpa , Mea Maxima Culpa , seems very appropos.

On the travel front. Normally, as in the past 6  yrs. May has found us in Balto, Md. I go for lacrosse and M doesn't trust me alone - driving and living away. She does like the food, hotel and shopping.
Mostly, she's a good sport and keeps me company.

I've been in Feb. - bloody cold. The announcer claims  ' this is the coldest starting temperature for any game, as if it were going to warm up from 5 o'clock on in Feb.
This year, Hopkins plays two games,  3 days apart in early March.
Huh, do we go. hotel is cheaper everything is less crowded ( its bloody cold ). Oh yeah, Balto harbour at 38 F.
Snow in the Alleghanies - very possible - on the way down.

This is where the lyrics of Burton Cummings ( of the Guess Who ) comes to mind.
" break it to them gently "

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

" 2 sentence " Believe It or Not

I'm not sure if you appreciate how hard that I try to come up w/ pithy and evocative titles.
This entry was almost titled ' All Right, All Right I surrender '

Two items caught my eye
1. hugh Heffner to marry
2. Nude photo revenge

Both were vying for the " you are kidding, aren't you " category.

Hugh is 84 yrs old , she is 26 - this is their second engagement. She called off the first. She wanted to find herself. Sorry her name is Crystal.
One song recorded and movies apparently not happening so she's back to the mansion and content, OK hope for the world - I guess.

Don't send nude photo s of yourself to your lover. In break up revenge, a website is threatening to publish the nude photo w/ directions to her house. Yeah, its some nutbar guy who is seeking to rectify emotional and social wrongs by 'exposing' the culprit.
The advice on Sympatico is never send a nude photo. If you do, don't let it show your face.
I'm aghast at the possibility that people would have to look at me - nude. I mean I'd really feel sorry for them. honest.
Somehow I think it will be ok. The other party would find a different way to get revenge.

OMG   OMG   OMG   OMG    OMG    OMG   OMG

Monday, 3 December 2012

Confessions v. XXI

Its not volume 21 of confessions, I confess. However, it segues nicely from the previous blog entry.

On Alabama : Twice this year, I did not see the final minutes of a key game. Vs LSU , you may recall LSU has the ball and a lead w/ 3 min left - game over. The Tide came back to win.
This week end, I left to run errands before the Tide could rumble to another come from behind finish.
One could therefore assume that the Crimson force out of Ala. doesn't need me watching to win. A cruel thought.

OK. I'm ordering food at the Costco cafeteria. About 2 mo. ago, after buying pants, what the hey, order the dog and drink at Costco cafe. Dropped the drink in the parking lot but not a bad dog.
Next, last Wed , bought pants ( black jeans, of course ) and sausage and a drink.
Thurs ( day later ) pulled into the Costco lot waiting for a call and decided - well, Costco washroom..... and chickens strips / fries. The chick and fries lasted 2 days, 2 snacks and part of 1 dinner.
OMG, he eats at Costco, yepper, sue me. And I'll do it again.

Neat,  this confessing stuff is good - feel better already.

Next. I listen to Yo Yo Ma and his cello but.............. love the Gipsy Kings .............. Dr. Buzzard and the Original Savannah Band         ( biggest hit ' Cherchez La Femme ' ). 
Dr. Buzzard ( aka Coati Mundi - incredible, I know ) was said to be ahead of his time, stylistically and rhythmically. Crazy music.

Now to face the day, pure of heart

" He'll tell you no lies, while he looks in your eyes "  Dr. B

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Vol. XXI

Of be careful who you laugh at.

Once again on Thurs night, someone regaled us w/ stories of his daughter's text usage w/ her cell phone. The number of texts was outrageous, 3,000 the first month or so. The family had unlimited texting in their plan.

You may recall, M has a new cell phone w/ my carrier - SpeakOut, a 7-11 service. And I recently, inherited a first gen. I-phone.
On Saturday, we wiped the memory clean on her cell phone b/c she couldn't call or send texts from the phone's directory.
We sat to-gether and played w/ the new phone until her directory got re-loaded. She wanted to practice sending a text.

You got it. There we are sending messages back and forth, such as ' its me ' or ' yes, got it '.
No, we didn't come close to 3000.

Alabama came close to giving Coach Saban a heart attack. The Tide barely held off a tenacious and talented Georgia team ( hate Georgia ). The boys in Crimson are off to play Notre Dame, that much vaunted bastion of college football.
Last year, in St Pte Bch, I was wearing my Alabama T-shirt and strangers were calling out " Roll Tide " as they saw the name. Ala had just won the National Championship.

OK  ROLL TIDE

Weather : we got warm and rain. The difference in temperature between yesterday and to-day is 12 F things.

All right , as in the song " How's the world treating you ? "

Saturday, 1 December 2012

By Any Other ......

.... name

From the Sympatico news page.  A baby got the name ' Hashtag ' supposedly in reference to  ' # '  or pound sign. On Twitter, # is a common symbol for ' gathering twits ' or something.

I read about :  Formica Dinette Robinson

                      Cathedral Rotunda Jones

I met a Cynthia Zone (  ' Sin ' Zone ????? )

' Holy ' Ho ?? Actually Chi Chui Ho but picked the nickname 

I heard of a Mary Berry

Does it scar you for life , this name thing ?

" a Boy Named Sue " what can you do  - grow up tough

My favourite name - Noel Cherry St John McKenna