April 2006
John Kenneth Galbraith
Posted by on Sunday, April 30, 2006 in - 2 comments
It is hard to say you are sad to hear of the passing of someone at 97 but it is the case with John Kenneth Galbraith. I have enjoyed a few of his many books and appreciate that he played a role in the economic modernization that helped bring the boom of wealth to North America that the combination …
Me Nerves and Me Sox
Posted by on Saturday, April 29, 2006 in - 1 comment
This is not the sort of headline I was looking for from the Red Sox - especially when the rebounding is needed against Tampa Bay. • Having written that sentence I don't know what else there is to say. But maybe there is. Maybe it is about slumps generally. Baseball is a game about coping with …
Friday?...what do I do on Fridays?...hmmm
Posted by on Friday, April 28, 2006 in - 39 comments
Friday. The last Friday of April as a matter of fact. I always run into May • with as much surprise as despiration as when March arrives. The magnolias are • coming into bloom here. Saw "mag-noooo-lias" like one of those Bugs Bunny • southern-gent-in-white-suit characters. Can't do that in …
Prunes
Posted by on Thursday, April 27, 2006 in - 1 comment
I had a day filled with the stuff I never write about and so am a bit stuck. It's not that I want to keep you away from 80% of my reality but I have this 80% of my reality I want to keep you away from. This sort of thing always leads me to consideration of my obligation to you, whom I by times …
Certainty
Posted by on Thursday, April 27, 2006 in - leave a comment
I have always considered the desire to firmly fix the future - to seek certainty in the uncertain flux of what is to be - a sign of some sort of weakmindedness, hubris over the temporal. No wonder, then, that the news of the day, a cap on trade in lumber to the US and set dates for Federal …
No doubt secretly named after my cousin Ewan. Happy day!
Posted by on Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Banjo Update
Posted by on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 in - 2 comments
The Flea has made his demand: more banjo news. • For those of you who were elementary school children of the early 70s, whose school bus radios played Crosby, Still and Nash or "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle leading to an inordinate desire to strum a guitar, leaving you know …
Child Care Math
Posted by on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 in - 8 comments
Someone cleverer than I actually did a bit of the math: • “The institute has calculated that the families who will benefit most from the child-care allowance, after taxes and clawbacks, are those making $200,000 a year or more with one parent at home. They will keep $1,076 of the $1,200 annually …
Arsenal Makes The Final
Posted by on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 in - 3 comments
Woot. These gents express my feelings exactly. Which is most lovely?
Something To Do With Loyalty
Posted by on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 in - 7 comments
As Moises Alou put the first home run into the stands last night I wondered why I do not follow the Giants or even the Mets whose pitcher gave him the opportunity to put it out so far? It was a glorious stroke and reminded me again of the Expos of the 80s and 90s - when Moises was captured in a …
Three Years
Posted by on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 in - 6 comments
...of wondering what the hell I am going to write about, of waiting for the coffee before I bother to check the spelling (if even then), of asking myself why I bother with thinking about politics, of no knowing who the hell you 2871 people/widget who visited 6723 times yesterday are, of not having …
One Bunt, A Papelbon And Skydome
Posted by on Monday, April 24, 2006 in - 1 comment
I was surprised to find myself in a funk yesterday morning all over one game, the second game the Sox lost to the Jays. The bunt and the save yesterday pulled me back a bit. I'll be OK now. While the natural order of things is the Jays are third to fifth and while there are teams that play beyond …
Big Week
Posted by on Monday, April 24, 2006 in - 1 comment
Sometimes I think I am a slacker but I guess not. Adding four days of holiday to the four day easter weekend allowed me to do a trip, have a birthday, probably buy a house, get a haircut and watch lots of baseball. House paperwork and haircuts are both things I generally do not like and led me to …
Great Moments In Blogging History
Posted by on Sunday, April 23, 2006 in - 11 comments
I saw this story and found this just laying around Google's cache. What finger-pointery! Had I but the rights to the use of the word "hack".
Sports Pool 2006 Points Table
Posted by on Sunday, April 23, 2006 in - 6 comments
I have created a table for points for the pool and another complete table for all picks data. The data one needs me dropping in more of the picks so will take a little more time but it has the NHL picks in now. Make sure I have it right - even though this may be ultimately useless. And, yes, all …
First Ribs Of The Year
Posted by on Saturday, April 22, 2006 in - 2 comments
Marmalade encrusted pork ribs • I really have been remiss with my one man memes. Forget about the self-taught adult novice banjo, I've really never began the series on statutes of minor provincial cabinet figures throughout Canadian history. And it has been too long since I did a jetsicle story …
Tax Formulae
Posted by on Saturday, April 22, 2006 in - 12 comments
This is another fairly fair and usably useful article, this time on the practical questions facing the Harper government on the issue of income tax in their upcoming budget, including the further unexpected windfall from oil and gas prices being so high and climbing. As we have learned, PM Harper …
Again, Utility Itself
Posted by on Saturday, April 22, 2006 in - 3 comments
The professional press is a wonderful thing, often taking to time to actually check things out before begining to type. This article in The Toronto Star provides useful background information to this week's protest by people of the Six Nations, including: • “In 1783, commanding Gen. Frederick …
Posted by on Friday, April 21, 2006
A Fine Friday Chat Indeed
Posted by on Friday, April 21, 2006 in - 18 comments
portland was really concerned last Friday. It was like watching someone betting his savings on the junk bond market, hoping that things would turn around, that the numbers would be higher. It was instructional, sitting at a reader's house waiting for chatters to chat in a different country. What …
Meat Failings
Posted by on Thursday, April 20, 2006 in - 14 comments
By this late in a week off my brain stops doing pretty much everything. While the calendar says I am house hunting today my brain is saying that I better shave off those experimental sideburns. My mind should be at ease. But it is not. Disturbing my brain as I slowly wake over my javais this …
That's So Last Week...
Posted by on Thursday, April 20, 2006 in - 17 comments
I was going to not post about Harper for a while but this stuff is just so darn entertaining: • “Harper rejected two positions his party had previously taken on high gasoline prices — to eliminate the GST on the portion of gas prices that exceed 85 cents a litre and to eliminate the GST on …
To Dos
Posted by on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 in - 2 comments
It's still a week off for me and I have some real important tasks ahead of me: • Arrange ale and lager acquisitions in preparation for stories at A Good Beer Blog.Tune banjo, guitar and ukuleles to piano.Read a bit about baseball.Nap.Do taxes.Start running the stairs a bit so the first game of …
Near
Posted by on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 in - 11 comments
My near is getting farther and farther away. Near is when I start to say almost home. Near is way farther than Watertown, NY. When we drove by on I-81 yesterday I saw high school lacrosse and made a decent guess that it was IHC playing, but I was going to have to wait until Mel Busler's sports on …
Now Returning You To Your Normal Programming
Posted by on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 in - 5 comments
I'm still trying to think about what to do with this place. I thought about it a lot on the trip which is sort of odd but I spend a lot of my time writing away here and reading what you leave it is respectful I think to have a think. Despite the numbers, I think blogging is way past the stale date …
Sports Pool Day!
Posted by on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 in - 10 comments
If I told you it was my birthday would you play in my sports pool? • Update: I got in late from Albany so there's until noon Thursday to get picks in. Picks...you know...banjo...hmmm?...get it???
Doin' What Comes Natch-ru-lee
Posted by on Monday, April 17, 2006 in - 5 comments
It's sad to wait for the last day of your 43rd year to find your calling in life. Now I have to get subscriptions to Banjo Man, Banjo Now and other cool magazines. I'll have to ask the Flea for tips and drop by unannounced whenever I need to run a new plunky lick or two past him. • But where …
Two Banjo Strings
Posted by on Sunday, April 16, 2006 in - 4 comments
Less than a day into banjo ownership and I'm on the third set of • strings. Furious fingers do not help but there is that odd certainty that • there is another twist needed in the tuning peg just before the • twangggg-snap. • In other news, we are aiming for a return stop at Bennington …
Choices
Posted by on Saturday, April 15, 2006 in - 12 comments
Hmmm: • Trombone or banjo? • Pulled pork or burger? • I have nothing else to think about today. Tough old life.
Friday Chat From The Road
Posted by on Friday, April 14, 2006 in - 4 comments
Here I am in the lobby of the Comfort Inn in East Greenbush NY a little east • of Albany (an excellent • spot I might add) when what do my eye's perceive? Gary's • lament: • “(trembling slightly....) • but, Alan, if you're on • the road...wh-wh-ooo wiiilll run Friday chat? We, we we …
Holiday Day
Posted by on Thursday, April 13, 2006 in - 13 comments
Yoda might say: • “The day of holiday it is.” • After a day entirely focused on my labours we hit the road this aft. Holiday start day is one of the best days in the calendar of one's life. Especially if you are not flying. I have never much liked flying. But I do like driving, stopping at …
The Politics Of Science
Posted by on Thursday, April 13, 2006 in - 24 comments
Let the re-engineering of knowledge begin! • “The new Conservative government has decided to slash spending on Environment Canada programs designed to fight global warming by 80 per cent, and wants cuts of 40 per cent in the budgets devoted to climate change at other ministries, according to …
Lisa Williams wants an assignment editor for citizen journalists.
Posted by on Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Sign Of The Endtimes
Posted by on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 in - 3 comments
On the upside, maybe the arguments will start to bear better relation to larger legal constructs. On the other, winged monkeys are appearing in the oddest of places all of a sudden.
Sign Up, Sign Up!
Posted by on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 in - 10 comments
Rumours that GX40 sports pool management practices have been cited in the new Federal Accountability Act have been vastly over-rated. All references to Byzantine complexity and subjective point calculations are to be removed at the committee level, as illustrated. I am assured on that point …
Present Reality Almost Grasped
Posted by on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 in - 24 comments
King Ralph was at least honest if not leaning off the lintel a bit dangerously yesterday: • “..."we're opposed to the inclusion of resource revenue in the report, but that's a matter that needs to be discussed down the road. "What goes up must come down ... That's why resource revenues were …
Speaking of Being Thirteen...
Posted by on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 in - leave a comment
While contemplating the centre field tickets at Cooperstown, I had the unhappy occasion to come across American Idol sings Queen this evening. How sad. How unlike what I recalled when I did rock last month but how it did remind me of Mr. Taylor's doubt as to the relationship between Queen and …
Ticks
Posted by on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 in - 13 comments
Shaking hands open • A small letter from New York: • Reds, Pirates shall play.
Easter Week
Posted by on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 in - leave a comment
An excellent picture from the BBC this morning, most excellent because of the trendy girls in to the back and right who are looking at the black wizardy lads. • Easter week has often meant in my adult life hitting the road as it will this year, seeking a little saltiness and a little spring. As …
Reality Of A Sort
Posted by on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 in - 2 comments
It's nice to see compromise and a move from election platforms two days into the new Parliament. Why, soon it will be as if what is actualy policy was what was promised all along. Most pleasing is reading that the child care plan wasn't really te child care plan and that the new plan is actually …
Beer and Popinjays
Posted by on Monday, April 10, 2006 in - leave a comment
I am starting a collection of passages related to beer and popinjays. I have one: • “At Schiedam in Holland before the Reformation, monks, beguines, other religious, inmates of the leper's house, and ship carpenter building ships all drank excise-free beer. The schoolteacher, a minor town …
Blogs v. Children's Theatre
Posted by on Monday, April 10, 2006 in - 13 comments
Cyn has clarified in my mind why blogging and children's theatre classes are in fact exact opposites: • “We start every class by attaching ourselves to the core of the earth with our 'prongs', with the idea that if we feel grounded and secure we can allow ourselves to play freely. There are only …
Oystahs!
Posted by on Monday, April 10, 2006 in - 11 comments
We are off come Thursday for a bit of visiting on the salty shore and then house hunting back here. Ten days without a tie on. • I usually do not overly anticipate such things but when a small person asked just now what we are doing next weekend I realized I might be eating local oysters and all …
CFL Shrinkage
Posted by on Monday, April 10, 2006 in - 5 comments
This news made me realize that I am a rotten CFL fan. • “For the second time in less than a decade, the Canadian Football League is making an end run out of the nation's capital, suspending operations of the Ottawa Renegades five weeks before the start of training camp. The league will play this …
Gen X Spring Sports Pool 2006
Posted by on Sunday, April 9, 2006 in - 24 comments
The tenth annual internet pool in a row. That is mind-numbing in the evident dedication to the pursuit of idleness and lack of productivity. Here are the rules in the most complex and utterly unwinnable pool yet: • “1. NHL playoffs • Pick five scorers, one goon, one goalie, eight teams and a …
Ah, My People
Posted by on Sunday, April 9, 2006 in - 9 comments
Things are a wee bit different in the old country: • “...South Harris residents argue the Sabbath must be strictly observed as a day of rest. Some left marks of their disapproval at the quayside. Yellow tape bearing the words "Caution Keep Out" had been tied across the ferry slipway and several …
Eight In The Morning, Zero Degrees
Posted by on Saturday, April 8, 2006 in - 12 comments
This is the time you learn what sort of person you are. Someone sends you an email to do some weekend work for a good cause. So I type "Sure!" even with that exclamation mark as I am far more like a 12 year old committee girl that I like to admit. Then it comes: • “Meet out back. Bring a shovel …
This Friday's Friday Chat
Posted by on Friday, April 7, 2006 in - 46 comments
What kind of week was it? It was hopefully the last glimpse of a skim of • snow. It has been a fairly optimistic week otherwise with lots of contact with • old friends over the internet, planning a summer reunion in Halifax at the end • of July. But what else has the internet done for me …
George's Bad Year
Posted by on Thursday, April 6, 2006 in - 17 comments
Our new best pal is having a bad patch, notably with this wee snippet in the news this noon: • “U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's former top aide told prosecutors President George W. Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by …
Gen X 40 Hockey Pool
Posted by on Thursday, April 6, 2006 in - 11 comments
With the NHL strike last year, we turned it into a general sports pool. According to the archives, the first of these internet hockey pools was in 1997. So this is the tenth. Good lord. I am getting old on the internet. Anyway, what kind of pool do you want? Who is in? Cricket questions? More …
On The Other Hand, Singapore
Posted by on Thursday, April 6, 2006 in - 5 comments
Then again, there is the approach taken by partners in the free and democratic world: • “The Singapore government has been condemned for gagging political discussion on the web in the run up to the country's parliamentary elections. The government has extended censorship laws to ban podcasts and …
Turn Off The Internet
Posted by on Thursday, April 6, 2006 in - 14 comments
Why not? If this is true, why not? • “Looking for a bomb-making kit, attack plan, or handy list of targets near you? Go to the Internet. That's the conclusion of the latest report on Internet terrorism and hate-related activities by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Toronto-based Friends of …
Who Doesn't Get That The Web Isn't Private?
Posted by on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 in - 6 comments
The early days of my law practice involved lots of legal aid criminal work and aligned with the beginnings of the web. A pal of mine prosecuted web related cases in the region and we used to scratch our heads over the people getting convicted over downloading bad wicked stuff on to floppy disks …
First Flip Flop A'coming...And I Don't Mind
Posted by on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 in - leave a comment
I really hope this is the way this pans out: • “The Conservatives may keep some of the personal income tax breaks promised by the previous Liberal government, even though they said during the election campaign they wouldn't do so. With a budget expected in about a month, sources close to the …
NCAA Pool Final Score
Posted by on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 in - 6 comments
Two weekends of amazing. One of total yawn. The Saturday semi-final games were dullsville and, gee, Florida smokes a underperforming UCLA in last night's final. ZZZZZZ. • Anyway, there was a pool and we need an outcome. This table is a work in progress this evening as Gerry Remy's dulcet tones …
Branding Mastered VII
Posted by on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 in - 1 comment
Oh, for the life of the branding consultant! Oh, to be free with an expense account and very little to actually accomplish, kinda like this wizardry:
My First Days Of The Season
Posted by on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 in - 9 comments
I tend to get a little over obsessed with things I take an interest in. I have a big stash of large flags from the year I bought the flag pole, whacks of maps from back in around 1994 when I was all into maps, I have hockey cards from the 60s and my comics from when I was 13 and bought most of …
Too Early To Think
Posted by on Monday, April 3, 2006 in - 8 comments
There should be a name for this day, the first work day after the switch to summer time when six fraudulently passes itself off as seven, when you wore suntan lotion yesterday and there is a snowfall in the weather forecast for tomorrow. There ought to be a name for this day. And carols. And a day …
Unfamiliar But Familiar
Posted by on Monday, April 3, 2006 in - 12 comments
I am actually apolitical. Sort of. I think for the most part most politicians are good people working hard, the whole thing about Tory financial planning capacity aside. I also pretty much think that it is a difficult thing to translate the experience of people in another country and try to align …
Opening Day
Posted by on Sunday, April 2, 2006 in - 4 comments
Here it is. The beginning of the good part of the year. Baseball begins tonight and I am already figuring out how and when to make the drive to Cooperstown - maybe even for the Hall of Fame game. Four and a half hours according to Google but I think it is more like three and a half if Syracuse is …
Throw and Run. Also glovology.
Posted by on Saturday, April 1, 2006
Rollerball
Posted by on Saturday, April 1, 2006 in - 6 comments
You know how good, how useful TV is when it gives you the chance to see a movie you were not allowed to see in grade seven. It was like a glimpse into the future when the Flea rules the planet and treats us all like pawns on a chessboard. Best of all - it's Canadian content with Norman Jewison in …
Now I Like Alberta Tories
Posted by on Saturday, April 1, 2006 in - 2 comments
This has the feel of an April Fool's joke on me. Me personally: • “Marisa Etmanski, Klein’s official spokeswoman, struggled to hold back tears. "He was disappointed," she said. "He was shocked and, I daresay, a little hurt." Klein issued a brief statement saying that while the party had given …
