I usually nick photos from people I have not become acquainted with but this picture from Linda's post at Junk Store Cowgirl from yesterday's US Memorial Day events in Greece, New York is really striking:

Via AITGWN, here is a very interesting article on web activity and blogging from the Wall Street Journal about counting, scale and relevance:  •  “...the number of blogs isn't really that informative, since so many blogs are abandoned soon after they're launched. It's more useful to look at the …

I don't know why I got up this early to have a think about when blogs peaked. I am thinking of three or four things clinching it:  •  People stopped having conferences about blogsPeople stopped saying that blogs were the next way to run businessPeople stopped talking about "social software"People …

I am playing with Audacity. With it I can save .wav files to MP3. I am also playing with Sony ICD-ST10 which can save the odd and perhaps proprietary .dvf to .wav. But I am using my Windows Media Player to copy music from CDs. They create .wma files. How do I convert a .wma to a .wav? I know there …

Back from the pyool - it has been a "pyool" and not a "pool" ever since Freddie Flintston said so - and I am reminded of family words or phrases like these:  •  "chitterybite": food you eat after getting out after a swim.  •  "Doubt it Ralphie!": I thought this was a universal phrase until a few …

The new neato, podcasting, is very odd. Consider these claims to fames in an article by the Toronto Star this morning:  •  “It's all done automatically (some say automagically) so users don't have to hunt constantly for new downloads. Podcasts are "asynchronous bundles of passion, automatically …

I just took these images from the roof of our building looking east to the other side of the City. I have not been able to find any local news service this Sunday evening to find out what is going on. I would estimate the fire to be at least 5 km away so it is pretty big.  •  Update: it was the …

Well, the Memorial Cup is over and the Lodon Knights win but not after the Rimouski Oceanic rack up some high scores. Looks like I fixed the pool again.  •  “  •  Question  •  ⇓AlanMikeGoonerDonHans  •  #1555510  •  #20010010  •  #3250000  •  #410010100  •  #536013330  •  #600000  •  #71020102010 …

I saw a county by county US map that reminds me of another couple I have posted before. I wonder if there are any conclusions to be drawn by cross-comparisons? There does seem some relationship in the east between decreasing rural population and democratic voting but there is no confounded pattern …

This review of the impending release of the new album by the White Stripes is so over the top I may just buy it on its first day on the shelf:  •  “On June 7, the White Stripes return with a thrilling new album, "Get Behind Me Satan" (Third Man/V2/BMG), that goes a long way toward dismantling the …

I just noticed this post at Jenica's excellent site:  •  “An Indianapolis father is appealing a Marion County judge's unusual order that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals...  •  "This was done without either of us requesting it …

Joe Buck on the Fox broadcast at 3:20 pm EST:  •  “It's a dozen to nothing here in the fifth...”  •  Beauty.

While it is safe to say Tory Leader Harper will change his mind again over this, it is amazing how dense he is on his propects to retain vital seats in Newfoundland, seats he needs to ever hope to win even a slim minority mandate propped up by Quebec separatists:  •  “The Conservatives say they …

Last night my Sympatico high speed was down - you know it is unannounced maintenance when it goes off at 5 pm and is back on in the morning. I don't bother call support to complain about the semi-annual shutdowns anymore. I just say to myself "yes, I rebooted, thank you."  •  How nice that was. I …

I get a lot of professional management advice consultant speak pass by my desk but this helpful hint to the junior lawyer was so funny yet potentially damaging and I thought it would be a good opportunity for general review:  •  “As a junior lawyer, you will inevitably get some assignments that …

The news broke last evening around suppertime, forcing First Minister Designate of the Tantrama City Provisional Government, John McDonald MacKay Archibald, from his regular Thursday night boiled dinner and into the national spotlight. This is his only official statement so far:  •  “After the …

Even though I moved a lot growing up and also a lot as an adult, I still consider in a very real sense the time, 1981 to 1991 when I lived in Halifax as the time when I was home. If I am asked I usually describe Kingston, which I really like, as Halifax with jobs. If I was honest, though, I don't …

These photos, part of a four minute movies shown in court yesterday, showing Conrad Black and his staff removing boxes last Friday from his soon to be former offices are astounding.  •  ...surely all marked nick-nacks...  •  The Star says:  •  “Adding a spectacular twist to the embattled press …

To be quite fair the decision was reversed in about 24 hours but was everyone in the PEI Tory government asleep when this passed by their desks?  •  The Reuters story includes this:  •  “"How many times, when you get upset or worried or concerned about things, is it in the middle of the day? It’s …

For the me that once was the wee Scots immigrant kid, custard was a yellow powder that made a pudding that was like chocolate pudding but without the chocolate. Cooked wrong and it was lumpy. How simple I was.  •  Now care of a stall at a big mall I have discovered Kohr's custard which is somehow …

This is great news:  •  “Ontario’s Liberal government released a five-year plan today that proposes spending more than $30 billion on roads, hospitals and other infrastructure. Most of the money will be funded through direct investments by the provincial government but about 10 per cent will come …

North Coutry Public Radio started a series called This I Believe which began with its own station manager, Ellen Rocco, on tolerance, democracy and broadcasting. I wish the transcript was available but go listen.

Last month, portland showed me off as the guy who can write 200-500 words before coffee, many of them spelled right, but this morning I am bogging. This is a bog not a blog. There is a dispute internal to one of the groups I am associated with which has recreational value but is challenging many …

...just at bedtime I told them all about it. I wonder why they are still up?

The forensic audit is in. Bad. Bad bad bad.

We went to two zoos over the weekend. Both are legacies from the best part of 100 years ago of communities creating exotic educational assets. Both are well into a shift away from mere collections of animals for your gawking pleasure to having a something of a greater purpose. At Watertown, NY, in …

Click for the big picture  •  What is it about downtown Syracuse that makes me think of Batman? ...and what is this with the upside-down stop light?

With the six year old's reading skills taking off, I can't even write about where we are heading overnight for a Victoria Day overnighter.  •  Could be a zoo or two or a pool, too. Lots of double O's. Even when they are not together like in Oswego. Double ferry riding likely as well.  •  Supper …

Asking if you remember this spring's sports pool is like asking if you recall the NHL. I sort of didn't plan it too well as I left a gap between the snooker and the last two events.  •  Well points are coming in again so lets see where we are at. Today I am adding points for the FA Cup win for …

Don't forget to get out your red and white stripey socks this morning. And remember to call everyone you meet "Gooner".

Darcy at Dust My Broom has been doing what I wish more blogs did - highlight a story and follow it. Canada is a big place and the events in one community in Saskatchewan simply do not make it to the rest of the land. This story from the CBC Sask. sums up recent events:  •  “Members of the …

Now that the long weekend is upon us and the events of Parliament's crisis-ette have passed, it is important to remember there are real events out there in the real world and one happens tomorrow morning with the English F.A. Cup Final between Arsenal (yea!) and Man U. (booo!).  •  If you think …

A useful case came out of the Supreme Court of Canada on a question involving the privilege of the House of Commons. Given the last few weeks' events, it might be instructive on the relatioship between the Parliament and other parts of the Federal Government. Though involving a matter of …

A boondoggle dies with barely a whimper. See:  •  this comment from October 2003:  •  “it is a product of bureaucrats who were charged with creating the sort of project — a “regional portal” — that hasn’t been warmly received by the web intelligentsia for 5 or 6 years. TownSquare.ca is ugly and …

I realized a few months ago that I cannot bear reading the blogs of people who agree with me in politics. Like Jesus in Paradise Lost they are fairly dull. Better listening and debating the Devil. So, after their loss in Parliament last night and the passing of their opportunity, I was reading …

Here is what I like about Chuck Cadman:  •  He is a booted old school Reformer who fought back and won the riding as an independent.  •  He is seriously ill and sucked it up without a caucus to support, pay or even applaude him for his efforts distinct from his vote.  •  When asked how an old …

Not that anybody noticed apparently but, according to the Ontario Reports of 13 May 2005, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last November agreed that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the definition in the Divorce Act was unconstitutional in the case M.M. v. J.H.. This was a month before …

In the run-up to today's the confidence vote in Ottawa on the third Martin government elected just two weeks, a surprise move was made today by Cleatus Morris, Deputy First Minister Designate of the Tantrama City Provisional Government.  •  Announcing he was joining the Opposition at this …

Archeologists at Kingston City Hall. Click.

Having some familiarity with adoption and being somewhat versed in privacy law, I found this quote from the Privacy Commissioner odd:  •  “Lives would be "shattered" if the province retroactively opens up sealed adoption records and reveals the secrets of women who gave up children years ago …

Another good lesson in the meaning of ironic. I think the nasty inner message in what follows is too obvious to qualify as an ironic statement but I'd think the fact of who and when this statement was made makes for an entertainingly ironic circumstance:  •  “Mr. Harper, meanwhile, told reporters …

Nathan in Korea takes offense at other Red Ensign bloggers and Stronach trash talk. Very interesting.

After all this Tory implosion, I need something else up here. What better than to say silly things about than men in silly outfits that remind you more of a type of hootch than centuries of tradition.

From the Toronto Star tonight, we learn that a hand from the dark past has reached out:  •  “ Stronach told the CBC that she spoke with Mulroney today to discuss her move. "Brian said to me, 'I’m your friend. . . I support you as a friend,'" she said. Mulroney was not available for comment …

I zipped this off at Ben's in response to yet another dense comment from someone other than Ben (as Ben is as bright a conservative thinker as I have come across) about how the Tories are great because the Liberals are bad...and then I thought it was rather good. It's a list of Harper's …

I am gobsmacked!  •  Who knew?

If there was ever an argument in a policy matter that was a load of hoo-haa it has to be this one:  •  “Hours after the ruling, the head of Michigan's Liquor Control Commission, Nida Samona, said at a telephone news conference that she would urge the state's Legislature to prohibit all direct …

I have day-dreamed of more blogs. I run this organ for my general observations, A Good Beer Blog for barley hopply sipping and write at the e-Group to argue Canadian politics. But I imagine I could do a twelve post a year blog on sherry and one with perhaps a little better pace about cheese …

It's not because it's my pension that is being sued and I have no idea who is right. No, it's because I think this is exactly the sort of thing unions should be doing in the new era of watching corporate management with a careful eye, freed as we are from the '80s and '90s cult of managerial …

I am trying to find somthing to get me away from the gripping storyline of The Bachelor. I have watched too many reality show finals and I really did not care about any of them. Survivor was dullsville, Amazing Race is somewhat last week and later this week The Apprentice will still have a man …

Any pithy comment to be made on Prince Phillip's choice of vehicle?

Care of Jay, I was directed to the Financial Times which ran a string of stories last week on the failings of tsunami relief. This is quite shocking:  •  May 12, 2005: "Within a week a Diageo supplier began sending the equivalent of eight 20ft shipping containers of drinking water to survivors in …

The elementary school playground usage of wicked that has infiltrated my house recently is quite pleasing. I understand its current meaning of "cool" or "neato" or "swell" is based on hip-hop usage such as in the title of this magazine in the same way that sick has moved into popular use for what …

Last night at the ribsfest an idea came up that I had not thought of before - 90's nostalgia. Even though I was 26 when the decade started I really could not tell you much about the music other than Cobain offed himself and the Smashing Pumpkins sucked. Yesterday on DNTO they played a cut …

I dutifully downloaded 1.4 as I was told and the browser now can't find anything.  Nada.  Zippo.   White space.  •  Why?  •  Update: the fifth redownload was the charm.  •  PS: the fourth download was Latvian or something so that didn't really count.

From what I understand, Travellers are families of Scots or Irish origin, an indigenous UK minority community, which were disrupted generations ago by landlord evictions and who took up the road as a means to maintain their own continuity. I first came upon them when, for a law school paper, I was …

There is something about ribs.  •  I bought three top notch sides from the Hind Quarter cut off the neghbouring related anatomy before me, a good thick cap left on from the seam of meat - that bit that becomes the pork chop if cut laterally rather than longitudinally. Sure it was forty-two bucks …

First Minister Designate of the Tantrama City Provisional Government, John McDonald MacKay Archibald, the Federal Liberal appointee, surprised many with his stinging rebuke of Tantrama City not being included as a stop in the "Free Money!" tour made by Prime Minister Paul Martin prior to the …

Not that I like them [Ed.: pt-tuuie!!!] but you would not wish this on your smelliest pal:  •  “US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer has won control of Manchester United in a £790m ($1.47bn) takeover bid. The American has secured the 28.7% stake owned by Irish racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier …

Matt has pointed it out. On the day of the confidence vote, the Queen will be here in the colonies. While she is at it, touring Manitoba cheese plants and all, let's have the old dear give us a new Parliament by taking the PM's word up if the vote goes against him. That would be sweet and …

I am a little confused. Big Tony says:  •  “Ensuring "yobbish" behaviour is not tolerated will be central in Labour's third term in office, Prime Minister Tony Blair has said. "Respect towards other people is a modern yearning as much as a traditional one," said Mr Blair...Mr Blair echoed Deputy …

How Would You Know?

I watched it on CPAC last night and it was clear to me, despite the hand wringing, that:  •  it was not a confidence votethe Liberals do not lack the support of the House of Commons.  •  I won't vote for the Grits but let's not lose our heads. There is no constitutional crisis. Harper admitted …

Another day, another poll but this one has some real oomph. In the big numbers, it plays out like this:  •  “Tory: 31%  •  Grit: 27%  •  NDP: 20%  •  Green: 7%”  •  Within Quebec, the Bloc Quebecois has 56% support to the Liberal's 16%.  •  In the most important numbers, however, we learn this …

Prince George Hotel - 196 years old

I was listening to an US AM radio station last night when I heard an ad for eHarmony, a dating/matching service, which got me thinking how it is too bad that it is focused on the big but (if at all effective) one-time event. We need similar tools like that on the web which actually serve on-going …

There is was, across the river at the Royal Military College. It looks like a Sabre of the Golden Hawk jet on stick era.:  •  More jetsicle action here.

I'm with the kid in the back row: dress me up in grey, put a name tag around my neck, teach me the power salute and I'm still a bit sleepy when the rally begins. I'm still working out why these guys remind me of portland.

Today I almost lost my very noodle reading blogs. People saying without any discussion of facts that Ronnie Reagan will be considered by history to be one of the "greats", people saying that "academics" cannot be trusted as their education insulates them in some unknown unstated but critical way …

You just never see a story like this every day - a cardinal convicted in a sordid shortwave radio plot:  •  “A court in Rome on Monday convicted a Vatican cardinal and the head of the city-state's radio station for electromagnetic pollution. They were given 10-day suspended sentences, which they …

I happened to watch Enemy at the Gates yesterday which, from my recollection of the book, was a fairly smarmy Hollywoodification of the original. Yet, it did remind me that the war we just recalled having won 60 years ago was in large part won in a tank factory in Stalingrad in a battle that took …

We've decided to get up earlier. We are not particularly goal oriented so 6:45 am for the kiddlies is a bit of a challange - let alone for me. We are wt hair dashers. Plus, we have sleepers in this house, twelve hour sleeping little people who would go fourteen if you would let them so it is a bit …

Update: if you stare at these photos long enough  •  you start to see daleks.  •  This is more of a test for me that something of interest for you so bear with me for a mo.  •  First view of Watertown, NY - watertower to left sharper  •  18 km to Cape Vincent NY  •  Second view of Watertown, NY …

Went to a movie. That is four times in 18 months which is something of a revival as I did not sit in the seat thinking how odd to be at the movies or how odd that I am staring at flickering images on a wall having a group emotional experience with strangers. I quite enjoyed it, the group-tee-hee …

I am playing with the new camera and the old binoculars. This is the Wolfe Island Ferry this morning on a fairly hazy day looking towards the east at 9 am. It's about 6 km away. Compared to past zooming south experiments, this is pretty good. Click on the photo for the effect of a 3x camera held …

I know where the Hungarian activity around here comes from and I know who the Netherlanders are. I even suspect who has hit most of the 482 hits from Singapore so far in May. But so far this month 1.05% of all activity is from Spain. Is there a real place called Tantrama? Site of a lesser known …

I am starting to think I can learn something from the internet. Here is a set of US states geography quizzes that are addictive and of some use. I particularly like the firmly supportive English couple they keep locked up in a closet somewhere by a microphone watching you play, confirming if you …

I am nothing. Deadmalls is perfect. Thank you, NYCO.

More and more it turns out to be Goldfinger and Reggae Dancehall Nite. Streytup.

From the BBC's In Pictures page, the caption reads "Russian sailors rehearse a Victory Day military parade in Moscow commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany". All a bit odd in light of the bit of history chess being played out between the USA and Russia, as noted by Ben, in the lead up to GWB's …

Leaked photo of Bay of Fundy SlingTide Project Plan  •  Plans including photographs of recent tests, right and above, have been uncovered this week for what is being called the Tantrama City SlingTide project, heralded in leaked draft press releases from both Ottawa and the provisional government …

It is 1:30 am tomorrow there and only about 10% of the election has been determined in the UK. This is great. No polls are announced in a riding until all are ready to be announced. Also, all candidates are on the stand as the official responsible for each riding reads out the votes for each in …

This is going to be very neato - Canada has the FIFA World Youth Championships for 2007 and three venues are within a few hours drive from here:  •  “The FIFA World Youth Championship is a three-week, 24 nation, and 52-match tournament featuring the best youth (Under-20) players in the world …

Yesterday was "Star Wars Day" in the elementary school playgrounds apparently - kids falling over each other to say "May the fourth be with you" in a Daffy Duck sort of way. Today is one of the 12 days of the century which have the same number in the day, month and year columns.  •  Be prepared …

When the Yankees actually do stink? Watching them lose 11-8 to Tampa Bay last night was painful. Fortunately the Red Sox and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield were on, too, so there was something worth watching.  •  Are you missing NHL? At all?

Caraway. Flavours are trendy and caraway is so out of favour, I think it will be the next big thing. I have a block of caraway cheese from Black River Cheese that is remiding me of how that flavour was so much more prominent in my youth. Mate to salmon as well as rye bread, not to mention akavit …

This is a great way of putting it from David Lodge in this morning's New York Times:  •  “The Labor Party under Tony Blair has occupied much of the center-right territory formerly held by the Conservatives, while the Liberal Democrats, who used to offer a wishy-washy compromise between those two …

A real gem from the Budapest Zoo - a manhole cover circa 1866 emailed from Lisa in Hungary this evening. Her site has some really wonderful photos from Eszterházy Castle in Fertőd over there central Europe way.

Summer is a comin' like...like...like a very fast and unexpected thing. We have rejigged our big trip staying farther north, hitting Lake George in New York to see if what they say about Craig is true, South Portland and the beaches, Rhode Island for beaches and the Pawsox, eastern Connecticut for …

With all the talk of Terry Fox and the 25th anniversary of his run across Canada for cancer research which ended with his death about a third of the way across, I often think of Steve Fonyo, a person with less in life who has made some very bad calls, who actually did run non-stop across the land …

The Toronto Star's website has a great graphic this evening of how the various machinations in the House of Commons may play out if the Tories and separatists pull the trigger - just like the old times under Brian. A great graphic explains clearly, in a manner that makes the point. The point here …

I am having a very interestign discussion triggered by this post of mine on the place of socialism over at David's place and, because we are being so clever, I invite you all to jump in. My point this morning is this:  •  “I woke this morning with the dichotomy on the tip of my tongue. What we are …

Click for a wider shot of the Adolphustown to Glenora Ferry. Battery died in the camera so no shots of the Black River Cheese Company. Maple cheddar is a good thing.

A quarter million visits from over 27,000 visitors. 216461 of the 251589 visits (or 86%) via the rss page. Thanks. That is double February and reflects a continuing post-Gomery bubble daily increase.  •  If you are at all inclined, please also take a moment to click to the right through a …

It's May Day!  •  Over at another blog, I am giving some conservative the gears over socialism so let's not forget that the world we live in is that socialist paradise that workers one hundred years ago yearned for: public health infrastructure, fair wage laws, human rights laws, affordable or …