The Field
Fenway Park
CITGO
Shell Oil
4/25/2006
Prime Minister Shrub
Stephen Harper seems to be emulating the ever popular Bush in his every move.
Here's the list:
1.) Wearing military outfits (the flak jacket visit to Afghanistan)
2.) Emphasizing 'patriotism' through miltary action (Afghanistan)
3.) Vetting all public comments made by party members
4.) Lowering taxes while increasing military spending
5.) Banning media from documenting the return of dead soldiers
6.) Restricting access to information
7.) Rejecting environmental responsibilty
8.) Pretends to be a regular joe, man of the people
This is not the Conservative Party of the past. This is a party that rose out of the reactionary right and the Reform Party. Creationist believer, Stockwell Day is now the Minister of Public Safety. It seems kind of crazy to be emulating a leader whose popularity is at an all time low and whose term in office looks ready to go down in history as a disaster. However Canada does tend to follow the curve 4 or 5 years after in many social and political areas.
C'est La Vie!
Here's the list:
1.) Wearing military outfits (the flak jacket visit to Afghanistan)
2.) Emphasizing 'patriotism' through miltary action (Afghanistan)
3.) Vetting all public comments made by party members
4.) Lowering taxes while increasing military spending
5.) Banning media from documenting the return of dead soldiers
6.) Restricting access to information
7.) Rejecting environmental responsibilty
8.) Pretends to be a regular joe, man of the people
This is not the Conservative Party of the past. This is a party that rose out of the reactionary right and the Reform Party. Creationist believer, Stockwell Day is now the Minister of Public Safety. It seems kind of crazy to be emulating a leader whose popularity is at an all time low and whose term in office looks ready to go down in history as a disaster. However Canada does tend to follow the curve 4 or 5 years after in many social and political areas.
C'est La Vie!
4/24/2006
Autistic Adults Picture Project
This is an interesting site that collects photo portraits and profiles of autistic adults as part of an Autism awareness project:The Gallery >>
4/22/2006
Just Like the Cold Old Days
Russia doesan't seem to be much more of a friend to the West/US than the USSR was. So as I said in Grade 7. It's not really about systems of government it's about power.
Iran, Russia Reportedly Reach Enrichment Deal (Washington Post)
Iran, Russia Reportedly Reach Enrichment Deal (Washington Post)
Phone_Jamming Time
What the hell? From a Washington Post item called "How the GOP Lost Its Way"
What??? And these are just the people who got caught. Was this ever front-page news? I missed this. Sigh....
On top of all the scandals, it has just come to light that the RNC paid millions in legal bills to defend operative James Tobin, who was convicted with associates in an illegal phone-jamming scheme aimed at preventing New Hampshire Democrats from voting. In doing so, the GOP appears to sanction and institutionalize corruption within the party.
What??? And these are just the people who got caught. Was this ever front-page news? I missed this. Sigh....
4/17/2006
4/16/2006
Mon Treal
I've been missing the good and bad ol' days of Montreal lately. I guess passing through on my way to Boston sparked that. One thing I miss was the great neighbours I had on Chapleau. What I realize now however is that this was even unusual in Montreal. Annick explained that to me, and yet I imagine it having even less of an opportunity to happen in Ottawa.
By the end of my time there I had quite a network of casual and not so casual acquaintences. I miss being able to just go out onto the porch and look over the park and hook up with people passing by who I knew. It was a warm and comfortable time and this isn't.
But you have to let it go. I'm 40 now and I feel a bit lost these days. A bit puzzled; as if I've bought some ill fitting clothes that I thought might suit me and found out they look a bit funny. Too tight.
So what's next? You can't go back. I'm not having an easy adjustment. There are different forces at work here and I have to go one way or the other.
By the end of my time there I had quite a network of casual and not so casual acquaintences. I miss being able to just go out onto the porch and look over the park and hook up with people passing by who I knew. It was a warm and comfortable time and this isn't.
But you have to let it go. I'm 40 now and I feel a bit lost these days. A bit puzzled; as if I've bought some ill fitting clothes that I thought might suit me and found out they look a bit funny. Too tight.
So what's next? You can't go back. I'm not having an easy adjustment. There are different forces at work here and I have to go one way or the other.
Recently Discovered Animal Species
2006
- Furry lobster (Kiwa hirsuta) NEW FAMILY and GENUS: South Pacific
- Honeyeater bird: Indonesia(New Guinea)
- Colasisi, hanging parrot : Camiguin (Phillipines)
- Phillipine forest mouse (Apomys camiguinensis) : Camiguin (Phillipines)
- Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus): Indonesia(New Guinea)
- Long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijni): Indonesia(New Guinea)
- Berlepsch's Six-wired Bird of Paradise (Parotia berlepschi)Indonesia(New Guinea)
- Madidi titi monkey: Bolivia
2005
- Kha-Nyou, tree rodent: Vietnam
- 43 new species of vertebrates (one mammal, five geckos, two agamid lizards and 35 frogs, a new species of shrimps, 14 new species of freshwater crabs): Sri Lanka
- Highland mangabey (Lophocebus kipunji): Tanzania
2004
- Bone eating worms (Osedax rubiplumus and Osedax frankpressi ): Whales
- Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) : Arunachal Pradesh (India)
- Variant anglefish: mid-Atlantic ridge
- 13,000 new marine species: World's Oceans
2003
- Rorqual whales (Balaenoptera): World's Oceans
- Pygmy elephants: Borneo
- Giant red jellyfish (Tiburonia granrojo): Pacific Ocean
2002
- Bernardi monkey and Stephennashi monkey (Callicebus bernardi and Callicebus stephennashi,): Amazon forest (Brazil)
Things I Learned Today
- There are as much as 7,000 words of Arabic origin in Spanish. One of them being 'Olé!' which comes from 'Allah!'
- Cervantes was a converted Jew
- Canadians made about 36 million nonbusiness visits to the United States in 2004, ...while American trips north totaled 34 million
- There is an ancient 'pyramid' in Bosnia
- Over 9,000,000 Christians live in Egypt (1992)
4/15/2006
Neo Conservative Fantasy
An interesting remark from the Guardian concerning US relations with Iran:
That being said I do believe Iran is an obvious danger to world stability. What is ridiculous is that the Iranian people would love to be 'saved' like Iraq has been.
It is a widespread belief in Washington's neo-conservative circles that a comprehensive air assault would disorient the Tehran government and galvanise the Iranian people into bringing it down.Really? There is such a good track record on bombing and invading people who don't ask for it in such matters. Do these people even know what they are talking about? No one wants to be invaded. It's wishful thinking at best. Neo-Conservatices live in a fantasy world and sadly tromp around messing things up trying to make the world match their vision. Why don't they just get a Play Station and leave us out of it.
That being said I do believe Iran is an obvious danger to world stability. What is ridiculous is that the Iranian people would love to be 'saved' like Iraq has been.
4/14/2006
4/13/2006
Slow Motion
I clearly don't see movies very often. The last two movies I went to were with Leslie. The first being in January, Capote, at the Bytowne, and Heart of Gold at Kendall Square in Boston this month.
Capote was really a good fable about a man who weighed his soul against fame and career and lost out. It was an exceptionaly sad story.
Heart of Gold on the other hand was a fable about a man who weighed his soul against fame and career and won out. It was a remarkably reassuring story
Capote was really a good fable about a man who weighed his soul against fame and career and lost out. It was an exceptionaly sad story.
Heart of Gold on the other hand was a fable about a man who weighed his soul against fame and career and won out. It was a remarkably reassuring story
4/12/2006
4/10/2006
New England Aquarium 2006
Here are some photos from our trip to the New England Aquarium in Boston >>>
4/05/2006
Back
What a crazy month. Before I even unpacked I was on the road to Boston to celebrate with Leslie our first year together. It was a really great time even with all the shootings in Cambridge (three). No wonder there were so many police around.
We met up with Mel and Mike as well as John Galvin and Dina(sp?) at the Enormous Room in central square, went to the Aquarium, Boston Beerworks, the North End, Boston Commons, saw Heart of Gold with an amazing sound system, ate lots, drank lots.
It was so nice to see Leslie again after two months. It was just perfect. I have a ton of pictures to sort through but heres one of Leslie and her twin sister Morely, when we went for Thai food.
We met up with Mel and Mike as well as John Galvin and Dina(sp?) at the Enormous Room in central square, went to the Aquarium, Boston Beerworks, the North End, Boston Commons, saw Heart of Gold with an amazing sound system, ate lots, drank lots.
It was so nice to see Leslie again after two months. It was just perfect. I have a ton of pictures to sort through but heres one of Leslie and her twin sister Morely, when we went for Thai food.