Ban Billboards!

Currently there is a controversy in the city of North Vancouver about the erection of advertising Billboards in a scenic area.

The land is owned by the aboriginal Squamish Nation and the laws state that they can place billboards on their land, overriding restrictions placed on the rest of society and local bylaws.

The absurdity of that situation is fodder for another post.

I don't like billboards for two reasons:

Obviously they are unsightly and deface any natural scene that may have otherwise been in view.

They are a safety hazard. The whole point of the Billboard on the roadside is to distract a driver and make his eyes leave the road. Can anyone deny that purpose?

Here in Kelowna we have pretty much the same issue, although the damage has been done. In approaching Kelowna from the west, as you approach our Beautiful Okanagan Lake, the driver is met with a plethora of ugly advertising on these huge monstrosities. A not so nice first impression for tourists.

The land is owned by the Westbank People and, as aboriginals, they are of course immune from the laws that govern the rest of us in these cases.

I've always found it ironic that the same people who claim to "respect the land" are the same ones to deface it for the sake of a few dollars.

I hope the local people of North Vancouver are successful in convincing their local aboriginals to think twice about erecting the signs.

Doing so does more damage then just blotting out the trees and mountains. It also puts another wedge in the relations between the two cultures.

Canucks Prevail !!

After the first period I had my doubts. Right off the bat, a stupid penalty by Morrison and I thought, "oh no, here we go".

But the Canucks did what they had to do.

1) They penetrated to the front of the net.
2) They played a disciplined game and it was Dallas that couldn't stay out of the box.
3) The Sedins woke up.

Luongo's great save against Stu Barnes late in the first will remain a highlight for years, depending on how far the Canucks go.
It's the stuff that creates legends.

This was a psychologically tough series for the Canucks, one that will help them in the upcoming physically tough series with the Anaheim Ducks.

Movie Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from this movie having read how inferior it was from the 1974 original (which I have not seen).

But I found The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to be a very good film.

First, the cinematography was excellent. The overall look of the film, done in sort of a high contrast greeney darkness was very appealing. The use of shadows and sun rays and unexpected angles added to the intensiveness of the film.

Thankfully the obligatory dumb music score was omitted. Why do filmmakers feel the need for music when there is clearly no orchestra in the scene?

The acting was outstanding (I'm not being sarcastic). Sheriff Hoyt, wonderfully played by R. Lee Ermey sets a new standard for the stereotypical creepy southern law enforcer.

Jessica Biel did a great job of being scared shiteless.

Mike Vogel was extremely well hung.

Together, Biel and Erica Leerhsen expose two of the finest midriffs ever seen on film. Really sweet to look at. Who says Horror can't be pretty?

This was a good finger biter, well acted and exceptionally filmed.

Recommended!

Canucks Update: Goaltenders Getting Too Much Credit

Dallas/Vancouver Series Tied 3 Games Each

Yeah yeah I know its a low scoring series, but how many good scoring chances are there? Not Many. Obviously Turco and Luongo are playing pretty well, that's what they are paid to do.

So they haven't let in too many "softees", does that make them outstanding? No, it means they are doing their jobs.

Neither Goalie is standing on his head keeping his team in the game. The fact is that these are two super defensively minded teams and as such there is little penetration to the front of the net and no room the get a good clear shot.

Make that NO penetration by the Canucks. They are screwed tomorrow night unless they are prepared to pay the price to get in front of Turco.

To be honest, Dallas has been the better team (with the help of the referees).

The Canucks will only win tomorrow if:

1) They stay out of the penalty box
2) They shoot at every chance they get
3) The Sedins wake up.

I think my hockey season ends tomorrow.

Censorship Raises it Ugly Head Again

A decision by NBC News to air clips from a grim video the network received from the Virginia Tech killer has left the victims' families outraged

And so many news media like the CBC have chosen to cave to this and refuse to show video clips of Cho Seung-Hui tirades.

Since when does public opinion dictate the news? News is news whether you like it or not. If you don't like what you see on the news, turn it off!

This is just another example of a kind of Censorship flourishing in our Western, so called Free, Society.

Thankfully the CTV Network here in Canada has a more enlightened view:

"At CTV News, we believe that censorship is a last resort," Robert Hurst, president of CTV News, told The Canadian Press.

"It's not our job to make a judgement whether it . . . might be bad or it might be good. Our job is to present to Canadians newsworthy materials."

Political Correctness has gotten so out of hand that News Media are worried that the public won't like the News they present. And so they censor it.

The news media also feels that they have the balance tragedy with Fluff. So they have the most boring kinds of "Human Interest" stories, designed to make you feel good and less depressed about the real news.

Friends, reality sometimes sucks. But it is real and has to be dealt with. Isn't it important to find out what made Cho Seung-Hui's scattered mind tick? So we can recognise this kind of behaviour and deal with it in the future?

Why are we censoring the things we need most to know?

People who get offended are those that choose to be offended because it satiates some creepy need they have.

Don't let them control your awareness of the world's events.

The Lunatic Fringe Will Always Be With Us

There is no doubt that what happened at Virginia Tech on Monday was horrific and shocking.

There are now and will be all kinds of repercussions of how this could have been prevented and how we can prevent further occurrences of this kind.

There will be calls for more security and metal detectors and personality screenings and all kinds of other threats to our civil rights.

The Fear Mongers will have a field day with this one.

I say let it go and move on.

There will always be nut cases that allow their fantasies to control their reality and unleash their rage on others. Every once or twice or thrice a decade one of these freaks of human nature breaks loose and causes Havoc.

It's just the way it is, one can only hope that one is not in their path when that happens.

There is no way to control it, no way to prevent it. It's one of the costs of living.

We don't need more security and we sure don't need any more fear. We just have to move on knowing that, for sure, there will be another similar incident occurring in another few years.

We Need a "Free Speech" Rating

You know how, for movies, for music and even video games we have ratings for age appropriateness or at least to give a warning about what one might expect from the media being watched or listened to or played.

There is PG, R, NC17, G, A, etc. What we need now is an "FS" rating meaning, of course, Free Speech.

So people can say what they want and what they think without fear of repercussion.

Don Imus was fired recently for stating his view (regardless of what you think of it) about a certain woman's Basketball Team. Don Imus was employed by CBS, part of the huge General Electric Corporation and one that depends on other Corporations to advertise with them. And when the advertisers don't like what they see or hear, they censor the product.

Since CBS employed Don Imus, they had every right to fire him, especially if he overstepped the guidelines which I am sure had been stated for his program.

If Don Imus' program was rated FS maybe the outcome of all this would have been different.

I don't have any issue with the statement Don Imus made because his opinion means nothing to me, I have no regard for it. I honestly don't care what he says. But that's me.

I do have an issue with Censorship which, to me, is the most diabolical crime that is currently infiltrating our society, aided by the right wing lunatics currently leading many western nations.

I think people should be allowed to say whatever they want. So someone chooses to be offended, so what? That's their problem.

How is it that Jay Leno can insinuate the worst deeds and insult almost everyone but, because its "comedy" he can get away with it. Why? Because everyone knows its comedy.

There used to be and maybe there still is "Speaker's Corner" in London's Hyde Park. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this a platform for free speech? Isn't that where anyone could say pretty much anything without punishment?

What happened to that ideal?

What we need is television and radio networks that are rated FS. So a free society can really call themselves free.

Where Are They Now

Martin Schultchen and Gary Olson, 1985, Summerland, B.C.

Every so often in your life you come across some very influential people. The two people pictures above are a couple of those.

I first met Martin Schultchen in September of 1979 when I started a job as a Manager Trainee in the Woolco Store on McLeod Mall in Calgary, Alberta.

Martin was a very uninhibited and outspoken individual with a wickedly sharp sense of humour. A lot of people found him to be a bit, or a lot, over the top as they say.

Martin and I did a lot of partying togethar in those days. Drinking buddies, yeah you could say that. Martin was my best man at my wedding. His wife, Jane felt I was a bad influence on him. My wife, Marie felt the same about Marty.

Whenever we got togethar, the music got loud and the beer kept flowing.

But if there is one thing I remember about Marty is this: He was and still is one of the most intelligent people I've met, with the keenest insights on the happenings of society and the world in general. He always had something interesting to say.

Gary Olson also worked for the same company as myself and Martin, that being Kinney Shoe Inc. He became my boss in summer of 1981 I believe. He had a remarkable resemblance to the singer/songwriter, Phil Collins.

Gary had the sharpest mind I've ever come across, you couldn't put anything past him. Like Martin, he always had what, to me, seemed to be the most accurate take on any situation. Like the truth is always there for him, as plain as the nose on your face. He was never boring.

Neither of these guys were what you would call "nice" people. It's been my experience that the "nicer" someone is, the more boring they become.

Both Gary and Martin had two things in common: an unusual level of insight/intelligence and always something interesting to say.

There are a lot of ways to abuse people and boring them is one of the worst. I don't care if a person is "nice' or not, just please be interesting.

Thanks to Gary and Marty for always being interesting, I hope you still are to this day.

No Surprise, Haley is History

Haley was eliminated from American Idol last night for two reasons. Her hair and her make-up.

Her performance on Tuesday night wasn't that bad but her hair was awful and the make-up person must have been on drugs. Haley doesn't need much make-up but they ladelled it on with a trowel for some reason.

She was never gonna make it all the way but she was nice to have around for a while.

My money is still on Blake.

Westside Road Trip

Yesterday I took the opportunity of enjoying a glorious spring day with my 1994 5.0 Litre Mustang GT Convertible (topless of course) and the twisty Westside Road, which travels north/south on the west side of Lake Okanagan between Kelowna and Vernon, British Columbia.

I mounted a Canon SD600 digital camera to my passenger side visor and set it to Movie Mode.

These clips are for the sole purpose of showing you the beauty of this side of the Okanagan Valley and are in no way supposed to display any kind of dangerous or illegal driving.

In truth I have driven this road much more aggressively in the past but for legal reasons I tried to keep within the speed boundaries while still having fun.

I've driven this road literally dozens of times. Anyone not used to this road should use extreme caution.

Map

Due to the limited upload allowances, I chopped the video, which was a total of about 12 minutes into 5 separate clips.

Scrap Good Friday

We are supposed to be a secular society. If that's the case then why are we celebrating the purely Christian event, Good Friday, as a statutory holiday?

I am not a Christian and this particular day means nothing to me other than it gives me a stat holiday that Friday.

I'm all for stat holidays for one reason: it gives me a day off with pay.

Instead why not make the Monday the statutory holiday (it isn't in British Columbia) and just call it Spring Day.

For most Canadians, the coming of spring is the most pleasant time of year when the cold winds stop blowing, the birds start chirping and the flowers start blooming. Best of all we can look forward to at least 6 months of pleasant weather.

Now that is something to celebrate!

Vimy Ridge

This week marks some kind of anniversary of the First World War Battle of Vimy Ridge where young Canadian soldiers "made their mark" at the art of war.

All week long we've been hearing of the glory and bravery of these Canadians, who all on their own won a decisive battle against a considerable foe.

Now wait a second. I thought the days of glorifying war were gone? But that's exactly whats been happening this last week, especially by the CBC.

Let get things straight. WWI was the greatest and most useless slaughter of human life EVER, and I'm including WWII. This war was basically a game of one-upmanship played by the Kaiser and his Royal Cousins.

Millions were slaughtered for the sake of a few kilometers of land and for no real purpose. The Battles of the Somme, Ypres and Verdun are forever a disgrace on the human race.

Bravery? How about Stupidity? Naive, very scared young men ordered out of the trenches to face certain death in the path of machine gun fire. A turkey shoot.

They are saying that Vimy Ridge defined Canada as a nation throughout the world. Sorry but I don't want my country connected with nonsensical battles, or defined by same.

This anniversary of Vimy Ridge (over 3000 Canadians were killed) should be an anniversary of the disgust of Purposeless Conflict, not Glorifying a Useless Battle.

I can recall viewing the late British/American journalist Alistair Cooke stating, as he introduced a television episode of Upstairs, Downstairs: (I paraphrase) "If the British and German public knew, if they had any idea, of the conditions and carnage occurring on the front lines of the Western Europe War, they would have risen up in revolt and toppled their respective governments."

He made this statement with a tear rising in his eye.

There were two outcomes of the First World War:

1) Millions of dead for no reason.
2) A humiliated Germany fueled for revenge.

Nothing else.

Whew...Close Call for Haley

Once again Haley Scarnato was on the bubble and, Thank the Good Lord, she survived!

Haley is the only reason I continue to watch this MOST BORING of American Idols. There isn't one of them that has displayed any kind of uniqueness or, for that matter, any genuine talent.

Only Haley's physical presentation keeps me looking forward to each week. Please Lord, keep her around for a while.

Speaking of Haley, I was watching a CNN recap of the show where a couple of Die Hard fans mentions that Haley is keeping all the Teenage Boys drooling, or words to that affect. "Teenage Boys"? Hello! Any red blooded male up to and maybe even over the age of 80 would experience delight at the visage of Haley.

Teenage Boys have not cornered the market on "Schwinnnngggggg".

Ok, so I've written nothing but fluff the last few posts. Bear with me. Spring has sprung and with it my muse has gone hibernating. He'll come back with a vengeance I'm sure.

I Don't Understand The Lottery Mentality

First, I don't buy lottery tickets. Even at $2.00 a pop I think it's a waste of money.

However, my wife does, and if she should happen to win I would gladly help her spend the money.

But at odds of 14 million to one, you might as well toss your Toonie in the Lake and make a wish.

As of this date the jackpot stands at $38,000,000 for the Lotto 649, the major Lotttery in British Columbia and, I assume, in Canada.

This is the thing I just don't get. If no one wins the weekly or twice weekly prize (whatever it is) the money collected gets added to the pot.

There is still one top prize, if you have 5 numbers or 4 numbers, the winnings aren't too great.

Your odds of winning are just as slim: 14 million to one.

Why not make 38 separate winners of $1,000,000 each? It seems to me that would be a much better incentive to buy lottery tickets than the current one.

I certainly would be more inclined to purchase a ticket if I had odds of winning that were 38 times better than the current odds.

But no, the Lottery Marketers have researched the lottery buying customers and they want the Big Money, even though they have no chance of winning it.

I think it's crazy. Whether I win 38 million or 1 million I am going to be a very happy camper. Are we so greedy that 1 million dollars is not good enough?

It just confirms in my mind that 95% of the human race has a serious lack of common sense.

The Sweetest Car Ever

The two pictures above are from an Auto Show I went to in May of 2004 in Peachland, BC, just outside of Kelowna.

It's a Studebaker Avanti, I'm not sure what year it is. But, to my mind, it's the prettiest, most attractive uniquely styled automobile ever made.

I would love to own one. More information.

Haley Weak, Still Looks Great

Ok here is my Idol summary from last night.

Lakisha Jones Great voice, unpleasant presentation. If you don't look at her she is amazing. Unfortunately looks are (and should be) a big part of the package. Safe.

Gina Glocksen Probably her best performance yet. Gina in starting to find her groove. Safe.

Sanjaya Malakar Like Simon says, this guy has some balls for a 17 yr old. At least he's trying to be unique. And I think he'll make it through another week. Safe.

Phil Stacey Last night's mimic of Sting was spot on, really good. And he was smart enough to wear a cap. That bald head of his is really distracting. Safe.

Chris Sligh I don't want to be rude but: Appalling! Not only did he sing the Police Song (which he obviously had not heard before) badly, he looked like a bum. If you going to be on National Television, at least present yourself properly. Talk to Haley about that. Bye bye !

Haley Scarnato I really dislike "True Colors" and to be honest Haley was a bit weak on it. Her voice was pretty but, as Simon said, forgettable. Still, she looked great and has a fantastic stage presence. Safe.

Blake Lewis A very nice understated rendition of The Cure song. Very professional as usual from Blake. Safe.

Jordin Sparks The judges loved her performance, I thought it sucked hard. Just terrible. Doesn't matter, based on past performances, she is : Safe.

Melinda Doolittle Yeah, yeah, great voice and really knows how to sing but what happened to her neck? That's what I want to know. She'll no doubt be in the final two or at least three. Not my favorite, based on looks. Safe, duh.

Chris Richardson I absolutely cannot stand this guy. His voice is like nails on a blackboard for me. It's just creepy and I wish he'd get voted off tonight. He is lucky the other Chris had such a terrible night. Unfortunately, Safe.

Some Things You Do Just Because You Can

Ok, so this is self-indulgent fluff. Yesterday was the first really nice day of spring. I washed and waxed the Mustang and felt compelled to share it's lovely sounds.

Then we took it around town, topless of course, to show it off.

Leave The Game Alone!

As a long time NHL Hockey fan I have become increasingly concerned about constant changes to the rules of NHL Hockey.

My overriding fear is that influences that are ignorant of the Game will have the power to change the game from the passionate sport it is into a circus side show.

And these influences reside south of the Border, in the U.S.

As we all know, the mentality of the Americans is "bigger is better", or more is better than less.

These people equate more goals with a better game experience. They think a 7-3 game is, by default, better than a 2-1 game.

In fact, in most cases, the opposite is true. For those that know the game, the higher the score means the sloppier the play. A low scoring game increases the tension and gives each goal and goal scoring chance a greater value.

Good defense is as much a beautiful thing to see as a well executed offensive scoring chance. But the ignorant masses just want to see goals.

The absolutely craziest idea I have ever heard and I hope and pray it never comes about is the notion that the Net Size needs to be increased!!

That would be the equivalent of moving the Pitching mound further from Home Plate. Let's move it 5 feet further out and see how many more home runs will occur. Would that make the game of Baseball better?

And it means an asterisk beside every stat produced in the future. Crazy insane idea.

Recently, the NHL has made some major changes, allowing the two line pass, limiting goaltender movement, eliminating line changes on icing calls. I like them all but enough is enough.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE GAME!. Leave it alone.

In this article fighting in the NHL is once again the subject of debate.

Let's make one thing clear: Fight is Not Allowed in Hockey! That's why a player gets a five minute penalty. Because it's not allowed. So how can you ban something that's already banned?????

Fighting in the NHL occurs so rarely now that, for me, its a non issue. 95% of the players never fight and I will bet that 85% of the players have never been involved in a "fight", that being defined by the mutual throwing of fists with the intent to cause pain.

And when a "fight" occurs it's usually a lame affair where there is mostly tugging of
sweaters and fist against helmet.

The same players that fight play golf together in the off season.

Let's end the debating over the rules and let's just play the game as it is.

Why Al Gore Doesn't Want To Run For President

There is little doubt that a Democratic President will be elected in November of 2008.

The Republicans, led by the embarrassing Joke called George W. Bush, have been a Disaster, history will show him as the worst President EVER.

So, for whoever becomes the Democratic Candidate, its pretty much a Shoo-In, even if that person happens to be female or happens to be Afro-American.

Having a white, still young, Al Gore would even solidify the deal since, after all, he did "win" the last time he ran.

Unfortunately for Mr. Gore, if he became President, he would have to put his money where his mouth is on Global Warming. And that would be a very tough sell.

It's fine to grab the Spotlight and tell the world about the Impending Doom but it's an altogether different thing when you actually have the power and expectation to make the kinds of Traumatic and Monumental changes necessary to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Is Al Gore, or any President for that matter, brave enough to implement and legislate these changes to society?

I don't think so, we'll see.

Thighs vs. Talent

Ok, let's face it, Hayley Scarnato hasn't the best voice in this year's American Idol contest. But is there anyone else there that you'd rather SEE sing?

Idol is NOT a singing contest it's an Entertainment contest.

Lakisha Jones and Chris Sligh might have outstanding voices but I honestly don't want to see them sing. Not to be cruel, but they are not pleasant people to look at.

Hayley has a perfect presentation of Wholesome Sleeze, you know, the Classic Combo of Lady in the Parlour, Whore in the Bedroom kind of image that most men are attracted to.

Man, those legs go on forever and she can sure jiggle her assets! And she's smart enough to know she can't win this with just her voice. I say, Good For Her!

Talent wise, Blake Lewis should win this thing. But I'm cheering for Hayley!

Government Screws the Motorist Again

I don't own a Gas Guzzler and I'm not here to defend the people that do. I'm here to defend common sense and civil rights.

In this week's Federal Budget, the Conservative Government states that it will levy a surcharge of up to $4000 on vehicles sold that it considers Gas Guzzlers.

It doesn't matter to them that many of these vehicles are required just because they are the size they are. People don't buy Gas Guzzlers because they want to Guzzle Gas.

These vehicles are already being punitively taxed at the Gas Pump! Every time they fill their large tanks they are being taxed much more so than an "economy" vehicle.

Now they want lay more tax an already exorbitantly taxed vehicle.

It's a cash grab and a political maneuver, it has nothing to do with the environment. There is no shortage of gas out there and it will do nothing to clean the air.

People will still buy these vehicles because they need them.

And if they want them then so what? It's their right to buy what they want.

I'm all for giving incentives to certain economic vehicles but to punish people that want or require a larger vehicle is nothing short of robbery.

Say Goodbye to Movie Theatres

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I decided to take in a movie, only because we had been given free passes and they were due to expire shortly.

Thankfully the theatre is about a 3 minute drive from our home, so that part was easy. The movie we went to see was The Number 23 with Jim Carry.

I don't got to movie theatres very often and when I do, it just re-affirms the reasons that I don't.

For one thing, when I get home from work and plop myself in my Laz-E-Boy, I don't want to have to get up from it until bed-time. I like to sit there in front of my 63" Big Screen (old fashioned rear projection that it is) and enjoy my favorite TV enhanced with my sound surround system.

I don't like venturing out into the night.

But anyway, we were there. I knew what was going to happen and it did. No sooner had the movie started (after 4 previews, or advertising as it should be called) I could fill my bladder calling. Of course I tried to hold it but I knew that at one point during the movie I would have to get up and do that thing.

Where's a "Pause" button when you need it? The other thing I knew that would happen and did was that I started to nod off. This is no reflection on the quality of the film, its just something I do after a long hard day at work.

This particular film has quite a complex storyline and nodding off is not conducive to understanding what is going on. I tried my best to keep alert.

The seating tried to help me too. Those chairs they have there ain't no Laz-E-Boys!
And while they and the leg space have improved over the ages I find it a real task to find a comfy spot for my body for any length of time.

There is no way I would pay for this. There is nothing in a movie theatre that can compensate for the loss of a refrigerator, personal toilet, Laz-E-Boy or, most importantly, the Pause Button.

In a few years most families will have High Definition large screens and Blue Ray HD DVD's to rent.

Why would anyone want to go to a movie theatre in that case? It makes no sense to be uncomfortable as hell, to lose all your conveniences AND to watch inferior picture quality. Even if it were free it would make no sense.

The truth is that movie theatres will follow the record/cd stores' fate and become a relic of the past.

I won't miss either.

No One is Buying Into "Wireless"

Have you noticed that companies dealing with "handheld communication devices" call themselves a Wireless service?

And have you also noticed that everyone that has one of these devices still calls them a Cell Phone, or just plain Cell.

For whatever reason these companies like Rodgers, Bell and Telus don't like the word Cell but they really like Wireless.

I'm wondering why, since we the paying public, never use the word Wireless, we like the word Cell.

Who's going to give in first? Will the public be re educated into calling their handy little devices: "Hey Bud, call me on my Wireless". I don't think so, since the word Cell is a much less awkward word to say.

It's an undeclared war of stubborn wills that may yet go on for years. I'll keep you posted.

What's Up With The Modern Toilet?

Why do I plug my toilet 2 to 4 times per week? And it's not just me. A brief survey of some acquaintances has confirmed that my issue with toilets is not isolated.

I'm not a huge man, 6 feet, 173 lbs and yet my 7 year old toilet cannot handle my (or others) level of defecation?

Plunging a turd filled toilet is not a pleasant experience.

It's a dirty little secret that toilet manufacturers should be made aware of.

I Rate The Reality Shows

Reality Programs are like Mini-Vans, no one wants to admit they are involved with one.

I'm not sure of the reason for the embarrassment of either. The Mini-Van is the most useful and versatile vehicle ever made and the Reality Shows have value because there are real people showing real emotion under real stress. Massive editing notwithstanding.

Most "fictional" TV is pretty crappy.

I don't watch every reality show out there but of the one's I have here are my favorites:

1) Big Brother The absolute best of the breed by a country mile. Not only is this show "performed" in real time, but the participants have to endure over two months together, never being able to be escape than 20 meters from another.

2) Hell's Kitchen Gordon Ramsey is by far and away the most interesting personality on TV today. This one is put out by Fox but if you wait till the Food Channel version, you get the bleep free profanity laced Ramsey Tirade version. It's hilarious.

3) Rock Star This summer production which has run for two years now is outstanding! Unlike "American Idol" you get to see real talent. Most of the singers are amazing and the judges actually are experts in the field, rock stars themselves. This is a really slick production, very well done.

4) Canadian Idol I like this one better than the American counterpart because I like the 4 judge system rather than three and I like the Canadian judges better than the Randy/Paula/Simon crew. I think the talent is as good or better.

5) American Idol
It's fun to compare people and its great to see talent recognised. I can usually spot the ultimate winners pretty early on. They'd do well to get rid of Paula though.

6) The Amazing Race this one is pretty intense but because they "Race" about four or five times a year, its value as a show is diminished. It's interesting to see the different areas of the world. It's fun to see the couples fight and one wonders how oneself would react under all the stress.

7) Survivor The bloom has long gone from this rose. The big problem here is locations. They might as well do this one in a studio or the back lot of some Hollywood site. I am really getting weary of seeing some generic Tropical Island that could be anywhere between Cancer and Capricorn. The best shows were the Australian and African shows. How about going up North to the Arctic or some Swiss Alp setting. Anywhere but the same old beach.

8) The Apprentice In a word: Pathetic. If these people are the cream of the crop, God help us all. This show has become so lame I don't expect to see another version.

Whatever happened to The Mole, I only saw one real version (they did have a Celebrity Version) and I thought it was really well done.

A Change in my "Best Music List"

I created My List a few years ago and Blogged it last November.

Such a list has no integrity if you are constantly changing your mind and rethinking your considerations.

So it was pretty traumatic for me to substitute one song for another. I was even considering calling it my Top 31 songs to accommodate the change.

The song I've chosen to supplant another is Coming Back To Me.

Unfortunately, that meant eliminating another song and that song was Within You Without You by the Beatles.

Coincidentally, both songs were released in 1967. Now I have no Beatles songs in my top Thirty. But I still consider them the Best Pop band in music history with Lennon/McCartney being the best songwriters ever.

Anyway, this sad but beautiful Marty Balin song is just too sublime to be overlooked.

Alain Vigneault and Roberto Luongo

Alain Vigneault


There has been a lot of talk in the Hockey Media regarding Roberto Luongo as a leading candidate for the Hart Trophy, the NHL award given to the player judged most valuable to his team.

Luongo is a great goaltender, make no mistake about that. But it's not like he has been standing on his head keeping the Canucks in games.

We fans of the Canucks have, over the years, been so accustomed to incompetent goaltending that now that we have a quality goalkeeper, its like a miraculous gift from God.

Luongo has made the saves a Goalie should make and he has made the saves that are above and beyond, saves which make him an All Star and provide him with $6 million a year.

But to award him with the Hart Trophy, to my mind, is a disservice to the rest of the team.

The Canucks have played a strong team game this year, like one solid unit, in front of Luongo. In many games Roberto has had nothing to do for minutes on end.

When he does get shots, the Canucks are there to prevent secondary quality chances.

If anyone on the Canucks deserves an award it should go to Alain Vigneault. Mr. Vigneault definitely deserves the Jack Adams Trophy for Coach of the Year.

He has been the one major change in this year's Canucks Team that has brought so much success.

I think it's fair to say that this 2006/07 team is the best coached Canucks team EVER.

Is There A Plan "B" For Global Warming?

This ship can't be turned around.

There is currently a huge fad, encouraged by the Al Gore phenomena, to join together to fight Global Warming.

It's one of those Causes that Celebrities and Rock Stars and now even Politicians like to warm up to because it's like Mom and Apple Pie, no one is really against it.

The subject of Global Warming is great to talk about and everyone is in agreement that a looming disaster is upon us if nothing is done.

According to most scientific sources, within 50 years the ocean temperatures will rise to the point where the Greenland and Antarctica ice caps will undergo considerable melting and the sea itself will swell in size.

The result being a significant rise in the global sea level.

It seems everyone, at least in North America, wants to go Green. Motivated by fear and/or respect for the planet and the welfare of future generations.

My question is, even with willing Governments, is it possible to turn this ship around in time?

I'm thinking no. I'm thinking that even if those societies in North America and Western Europe somehow manage to cut back Greenhouse Gases to the necessary level, those in China, India, Russia and much of the developing world will not.

To get the entire world on the same Greenhouse Gas Page is impossible. There just is not the collective will to do so. It's just not going to happen.

A lot of the blame has been wrongly directed toward the internal combustion engines powering our vehicles. In fact, recent technologies have rendered these engines clean and will even be cleaner in the near future. Even if every car went electric, where is that electricity coming from?

Is Nuclear Power now worth reconsidering?

The Inconvenient Truth is that Greenhouse Gases will not be adequately reduced to stem the foreboding tide of doom, at least not within the next 50 years.

It's not going to happen. No Way.

So is there a Plan "B"? If we can't reverse the inevitable rise in sea level, what can we do to adapt to it? That's the question we should be asking ourselves.

The Netherlands has been fighting back the sea for decades so there is technology to achieve that.

I think this is the technology we need to pursue, the alternative is to move all our major cities inland, and that is not realistic.

The sea will rise, local and hemispheric climates will change, some drastically. We have no choice in the matter, we will have to change with that.

I Want To Do This Before I Die - Nurburgring

Wow, this guy knows what he's doing! What a ride! Sweet Mama!

The car is a Porsche 911 RUF

Movie Review: The Devil Wears Prada

Wow, talk about a chick flick, this one has to be the queen of them all. I rented this one to watch with my wife at home, it had Meryl Streep and she's not known to do bad movies. So how bad could it be?

Can any movie be more "girlish"? No sex, no violence, no profanity, just a lot of cattiness and fashion. I have to attest that if there is a subject I know nothing about, it's Fashion.

However, it became a source of interest, as the movie progressed, to anxiously await and then admire the outfits the ladies wore for each scene change.

But what saved the movie for me and the reason I have to recommend it is actress Anne Hathaway.

Not for her acting ability but rather for her sublime doey eyed, porcelain skinned, long dark chocolate haired, full lipped and rounded bosomed beauty packaged in this enchanting aura of naive innocence.

Mmmm, talk about eye candy! Thankfully for the men there are massive doses of Anne all over the screen, I don't think there are many scenes she is not in.

Movie: 5 out of 10. Anne: A perfect 10

Video Blog # 2 Hit Counters

I hate Video Blogging!

Weight Loss Update

Ok, so I haven't been sticking to the Refried Bean and Cottage Cheese Diet. But I have lost 18 lbs so far in 9 weeks.

My current weight is 175 and I'd like to reach the 170 mark.

It's all being done by calorie counting and no cheating.

It's easy, just lay off the crap and eat good food, there isn't any secret. Just add up the calories!

Sorry Kid, You're Not Really A Hero

It's always bothered me the way the news media throws the word "Hero" around.

Acts of Heroism obviously occur, but they are very rare. The Word and the Act and the real Heroes are being devalued by labelling acts of common sense as Heroic.

If a person is being labeled as a Hero he or she must qualify via the following definition:

A Hero is a Person who chooses to put his personal health and/or welfare at considerable risk in order to significantly benefit another or others who are at risk themselves.

Here are a couple of recent news stories as examples.

Grandfather and 14 yr old Grandson are on a snowmobile when the machine overturns and crashes. Grandad is severely injured with broken ribs and lacerations.

Grandson (who has been taught to drive by Grandad) puts Grandad in the Truck and drives to the nearest house where an ambulance is then called.

Grandson is declared a Hero! With a ceremony and Declarative Plaque. Huh, did I miss something? Why? The kid never put himself at risk, he just used his common sense.

Sorry kid, you're not a hero.

Example two:

Four year old girl sees her mother collapse in an epileptic fit and fall awkwardly. Mom hits her head and is unconscious. Little girl calls 911 and help comes. Proclaimed a hero.

Sorry Kid, You're Not Really A Hero. You're a smart kid and cool under pressure, but you're not a hero.

There are actual stories where a Television Film crew was involved and broadcast on Global TV News.

How do you think a Real hero feels when he sees these stories which devalue his status.

I'm talking about the Fireman who runs into a burning building to save a child? Or the Soldier who ventures into a field of hostile fire to rescue his fallen comrade?


Hero and Miracle may be the two most abused words in the English language.

If you're going to label someone, whether it be a nice label or naughty one, at least please be accurate.

For more on my "thing" with definitions check out this post.

Pet Peeve Time

Have you ever looked at a best before date on a product one to see : 01/11/07 ?

Now does that mean January 11, 2007 or does it mean November 01/2007 ?

There doesn't seem to be any standard set and it must be driving other consumers nuts as well as me. That product is either outdated or not, who knows?

And it's not just expiry dates that can be confusing. Any one writing a date without using the Month name and is indicating any day or month by numeral under 13 is going to piss someone off somewhere.

Can't we make a universal law of month day year order that we can all (everyone in the world) agree on?

Culture vs. Culture

I was loading my recently purchased iPod Shuffle with my favorite tunes from my iTunes Library yesterday and I came across an old song I hadn't heard for a while.

"Ride The Tiger", by Jefferson Starship, released around 1975. Not a great song but worth listening to now and then.

The chorus goes like this:

It's like a tear in the hands of a western man
Tell you about salt, carbon and water
But a tear to a chinese man
He'll tell you about sadness and sorrow or the love of a man and
a woman.

I don't think things have changed much in the world attitude towards Western and Eastern Cultures.

That is that the east has "Good Culture" and the West has not, if you'll excuse the flagrant generalisation.

We in the West tend to put our culture down, like we have some inferiority complex and think that Eastern Beliefs are somehow elevated beyond our superficial and consumerist society.

There are bad apples in every barrel. You can't judge the West just by it's profligacy of pornography, Sports/Celebrity Idolisation, Technological Gimmickry, Fast Food eateries, Daytime Dramas, and the Dumbest U.S. President EVER.

We are a Humanist Culture. Most of us have broken away, or at least are trying to break away, from the Shackles of Religious fear and oppression.

When I think of eastern Culture I think of self-indulgent Superstitions, Mysticism and Religious Sects spawning a population controlled by fear and ignorance. A population afraid of free thought, afraid of "being human".

It may be said that Ignorance is Bliss, but Knowledge is Power.

Much of the turmoil in the Middle East is being caused by this clash and misunderstanding of West vs. East. There is a lot of western sympathy for the Muslims in that area, much of it justified.

But if you have to pick sides, I am rooting for our side, The West.

Yes we are a superficial Consumerist Society. But consumerism is fueling the daily technological breakthroughs which are going to save this Planet and going to make our lives more pleasurable.

No amount of praying or hoping will do that.

The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away

Telus hangs up on mobile porn service

This story is hilarious for a couple of reasons.

First of all I cannot imagine anyone, male or female, young or old, putting out up to $4.00 to download nude "pornographic" pictures and videos (apparently no sex) on to their tiny cell phone screen.

Especially when there are thousands, if not millions, of such pictures, in high resolution and detail, as well as videos available free of charge from a variety of internet web sites. Photos that can be downloaded and saved to your computer.

How desperate for titillation can someone possibly be that they can get satisfaction from such a pathetic presentation of pornography?

It boggles the mind.

Just as bizarre is the reaction of the general public which forced Telus to reverse its policy and withdraw the service.

As I have stated before in a previous post, Erotica, I believe viewing pornography is a fundamental right of every male.

I have absolutely no problem with it. And I often wonder about the people who do.

My understanding is that viewing these images on your cell phone involved an elaborate age verification process, it's not like these images where popping up on your phone without you asking for them.

It's another case of the self-righteous goody goodies in our right wing ultra conservative (read that backward) society imposing their sexual hang-ups on the rest of us.

All we can do is roll our eyes and shake our heads and wait for the day when these dinosaurs of the past will become extinct.

Vancouver 2010 Olympics

I don't support the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. I don't see why I should in any way or why anyone should.

I don't care about the Olympics or the Olympic athletes. I don't care how well or how poorly Canada does at the Olympics.

If Canada wins zero medals I won't feel badly about my country. And if they win 20 Gold medals I won't feel any better about Canada.

That's because I don't judge my Nation or any other Nation on how well their athletes perform.

I refuse to give any money to the Olympic "Charities". To those athletes who are giving up their childhood and social life to make Mommy and Daddy proud with the hope of qualifying for the Olympics. I say, get a real job!

I sympathize with the protesters in Vancouver who are justifiably concerned that poverty stricken people are being displaced by landlords who are using the Olympics as an excuse to raise rental rates to extortion levels.

The principal beneficiaries of the Vancouver Olympics will be Big Business. Make no mistake.

The masses of population watching on TV will be suckered into an event they are being sold as something that really matters.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Escapism, maybe that's its only value. But I'll be mourning the loss of my regular TV and NHL schedule for those two weeks, not cheering on some so called athletes that I hadn't heard of previously and won't hear of again.

Canucks Update

This is why I don't Video Blog

Is It Really About the Oil?

I'm talking about Iraq of course.

As I recall the original reason for the United States invasion of Iraq was to capture and destroy the Weapon's of Mass Destruction that US Intelligent sources claimed were there.

Finding none, they then continued campaigning to topple Saddam and install a "free and democratic society".

I don't think anyone but the most naive gung-ho young soldier believes in that one. Especially since the US is supporting several ruthless dictatorships all over the world.

Then, cynically (God Forbid) it became about the Oil. Of course Bush and Cheney (old Texas oil men from way back) would never admit that. So the oil became the underlying reason for all the strife and really, although the Bush Gang never openly admitted it, they were prepared to allow the American Public and Press to push that agenda.

Because a consistent and regular oil flow out of Iraq meant harmony for the US economy.

And when it comes down to it, the people vote with their wallets.

It can't be about the oil. The US consumes 20 Million Barrels of Oil per day. Of that, 527 Thousand barrels comes from Iraq or 2.6% of the US total Oil consumption.

So far the United States has spent $367 Billion Dollars and 3139 Lives in Iraq.

All of that to protect 2.6% of their Oil?

If that's the case then Bush and Cheney are crazier then we all thought. And the American Public are even crazier to let them.

Even if the whole middle east were totally unstable and the oil supply was temporarily suppressed or even cut off (something that would never happen because they love to sell us oil) would it be worth the Billions and the Deaths?

The amount of money saved by the US Treasury by ending the war could subsidize the businesses and the consumers for years.

Is the American Public not willing to spend $5.00 per gallon to save their young soldiers?

It can't be about the oil.

So what's going on? Why does the US continue their presence in Iraq? The latest official reason is to prevent a Civil War between the Shiites and the Sunnis.

There are several respected sources that claim that the US is actually encouraging the infighting and would love Iraq to continue teetering on the edge of Civil War.

This gives them a valid reason to still hang around. If one looks at the history of Islam in the area, The Shiite and Sunni communities have lived peacefully together for years.

The Civil War threat might now be real, only because US Intelligence forces are doing everything they can to make it real.

Are they there to suppress Terrorism? Everyone with a brain agrees that the US presence is fostering a multitude of would be Terrorists whose goal is not only to expel the US from their lands but to attack them in their homes.

The prime directive of the US Administration is to continue a large US Military Presence in Iraq and so in the Middle East.

And now they are talking about the possibility of a military intervention in Iran???

Why?

The US has always needed an enemy to justify their Military Machine and to control their population. For a long time it was the Communists, then after a scary peaceful and economically wonderful gap in the Clinton Nineties the Terrorists thankfully came along, much to the relief of the Bush/Cheney Gang.

Remember when the biggest issue in the States was Monica giving Bill a Blow Job? Ahh the good old days.

It might seem crazy but I really believe that Bush's Fundamental Christianity is at the heart of what Iraq is all about.

I really believe he sees Islam as a sinister threat to his Christian "Values". And that now it's come down to Christians vs. Muslims.

It seems bizarre, but when it comes to Religious Beliefs, well Bizarre is the only word that fits.

Bush believes himself to be the Great Christian Crusader defending the Faith against the Muslim Heretics.

Sometimes the only viable reason is the least reasonable.

Pierre McGuire

I was really looking forward to last night's Canucks/Minnesota Wild Game. For a couple of reasons.

One, it was a game between Division Rivals with first place on the line.

And two, it was being Broadcast by TSN which meant that Pierre McGuire was going to be the "Color Man".

Usually I see Canuck's Games broadcast by Rogers Sports network or CBC. In most cases we get the duo of Play By Play man Jim Hughson (who is getting really tiresome) and "Color Man" John Garret.

Garret is OK, I've heard a lot worse. But like so many so called color men and game analysers they state the obvious.

I've been watching televised hockey games for many, many years and I don't need a Broadcaster to tell me what any fan can see.

Many of the Color men used today are ex players and they see the game from a players, or even a fans, point of view.

McGuire is an ex coach and he analyses the game from a Coaches viewpoint, picking out little nuances of the game only a coach could see.

Sometimes only a side comment of a few words is all that's needed to raise an interesting aspect of the flow of the game, a mistake here, a good play behind the scenes there.

I always learn something about the game when McGuire is in the Broadcast Booth.

Last night's game (won by the Canucks 3-2 in OT) was amazing, full of intensity and great hockey, one of the best games I've watched all year.

The addition of McGuire's keen analysis made it all that much better.

Good job Pierre!

Domestic vs. Foreign Auto Makers

A Subaru Crankshaft


I regularly watch a weekly TV show called Autoline Detroit.

It's a show about the Automotive Industry from a Detroit Perspective. They usually have guests representing the Detroit Auto Makers or Journalists, pundits on the Industry.

A frequently occurring theme of the show is this assumption:

The general public feels that products made by GM, Ford and Chrysler/Daimler are in some way or other inferior to Japanese and German Products.

The obvious questions are: How did this happen and what can be done about it?

I've owned several Domestic and Foreign Cars over the years. Currently I own a 1994 Mustang GT and a 2006 Saturn Vue (albeit with a Honda drive train), both Domestic.

Speaking for myself, when I look for a car I want something that is Unique to that car.

Something that makes that car different from all the others.

And I don't mean Cosmetically different. It could mean the presence of a Turbocharger, all wheel drive, a DOHC engine, 4 Variable Valves per cylinder, a convertible, or just extra power.

As you can see most of these features represent an engineering or technological feat that maybe the majority of other cars didn't have.

In the Fifties and Sixties, when Detroit Cars were Kings of the Hill (because there was virtually no competition) the emphasis was on style and exterior design.

I remember as a kid in the Sixties waiting with eager anticipation for the September unraveling of the latest Chevrolet Impala, Pontiac Parisienne or Chrysler Imperial. It was big deal then, unlike now.

When the Japanese vehicles arrived they weren't very good.

I know because I owned a 1969 Toyota Corolla and let me tell you, it was a piece of junk.

For those that can remember that far back, I think you'll agree that the early Japanese or even European Cars weren't going to win any design awards, at least not in North America.

The Detroit Manufacturers were not threatened and failed to develop their vehicles. The result was two decades, the Seventies and Eighties, of very forgettable, throw away vehicles.

While the Big Three were fashioning the latest chrome bumpers and superficial accents to the exterior/interior of their cars the Japanese were concentrating their efforts on improving the engineering prowess of their vehicles.

I think the Big Three vastly underestimated the importance of developing and then selling the technology and engineering of their products, while over-emphasising the appearance and unnecessary styling cues.

And in the last 10 years or so I believe that Foreign vehicles, for the most part, are now styled sharper than Domestics. They just look like a cleaner design all around.

When I was shopping for a vehicle in 2003 I was very impressed with Subaru's approach to presenting their vehicles. I think one of their slogan's was "Driven By What's Inside".

In other words they built their cars from the inside out, concentrating on leading edge technology and engineering, not on how pretty their cars looked. They even had a section of their web site describing how they made their Crankshafts! You have to love a company that drools over their own Crankshafts!

I really believe that now the quality of a North American car is equal to that of any car built.

There is no doubt that Ford and GM and Chrysler have the capability to produce an excellent product, after all GM does make the Corvette.

What's killing sales now for "the Big Three" is the perception that the quality is not there and very low trade-in/resale value.

So, how does GM, Chrysler and Ford turn it around? Concentrate on the technology and not on the fashion. Maybe they should talk about their Crankshafts!

Sell the substance, not the style.

But first and foremost, acquire the substance to sell.

Surreal Art

I honestly don't know anything about Art. But if I was into it, this is the stuff I would be into.

Amazing imagination. Are these from dreams (or Nightmares)? LSD? Think about walking around daily with these images in your head.

This is a Gallery with links to Surreal Artists and Their Works.

Power Index for Vehicles

As many who follow auto trends might know there is a serious Horsepower War going on in the Motor Industry. A much larger war than was fought in the late 60's.

In that war a very few vehicles, mostly family sedans and bare bones coupes, were transformed into drag racers via a few engine modifications and weight reduction schemes.

The price paid was a tremendous thirst for fuel and in many cases a very Spartan Interior with few luxuries.

Not only that, the cars handled and stopped poorly. Frankly they were very unsafe.

Thanks to today's technology, smaller engines are developing a lot of power and still providing good fuel economy.

A good (Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru) 2.4 Liter 4 cylinder engine now provides 160 to 180 HP.

Similarly, a 3.5 Liter V-6 should give 230 to 260 HP, numbers that were the sole property of V-8's not so long ago.

But what do these Horsepower numbers mean for the car shopper?

For me, having a powerful motor is the single most important factor in purchasing a vehicle.

And that's not because I like to speed or go racing. It's true I enjoy the responsiveness of a powerful engine when I step down on the throttle.

Most important is the safety factor in having extra power on tap. The High Speed pass is the most risky maneuver undertaken in a car. The quicker you get it over with the better.

I think everyone has been in an underpowered car attempting a highway pass. You are pressing the accelerator through the floor and saying "C'mom baby, c'mon" as your knuckles turn white on the steering wheel, your eyes glazing at the lights of the rapidly approaching oncoming car, sharing the same lane.

It's not fun and it's not safe. Many of these same underpowered cars are not designed to handle or brake well at speeds that are involved in a passing maneuver.

That's why I like power. For effortless and tension free passing.

Auto manufacturers like to boast about the Horsepower of their vehicles, but what does that number really mean?

It's just a number, a kind of index based on the amount of Torque (a real number) at a given engine RPM (Torque x RPM/5252).

Without knowing the Weight of the vehicle, it means nothing. It tells you what the engine does but it tells you nothing about the performance of the vehicle.

Sure, there is a Horsepower to weight ration you can figure out on your own and that should be the very least the manufactures should supply.

There are quite a few (Japanese) small motors that seem, on paper at least, to create a lot of power. But in many cases that power isn't realised until the motor reaches RPM's of 5000 or more. Not too many of us take our engines up into that rev range.

These engines seem anemic at low engine speeds, because they haven't got the torque needed to "feel" fast.

Conversely, engines with relatively high torque (for example, older American V-8 pushrod designs) but relatively low horsepower, "feel" fast at lower speeds (everyday driving).

Therefore I propose that all manufacturers prominently display a Power Index. That being a formula that takes Horsepower, Torque and Weight into account.

My Formula would be :

HP + Torque /2 (average) / Weight * 100

My 1994 5 liter Mustang GT would have a Power Index of 7.43

This is based on a weight of 3600 lbs with 300 lb/ft of Torque and 225 HP.

A new 2007 Mustang GT would have a Power Index of 8.89.

A 2005 Dodge Viper would have a Power Index of 15.03!

A 2007 Kia Spectra: 5.07

A GMC Yukon SUV, even though it can have a HP of 380 and Torque of 417 only has a Power Index of 6.93. Because it weighs 5747 lbs.!

If we had an index like this established, a shopper, especially one that researches on the Internet first, could easily compare the Effective Power and "feel of power" from one vehicle to another.

Let's Ban Aggresive Dogs

Most of us like, if not love, dogs. After all they are "Man's Best Friend". And most dogs like people and have a need for their care and affection.

In most cases everything works out nicely for both dog and master. Most breeds of dogs get along well with other life forms, even cats.

Everyone that wants to own a dog and has the space and resources to own one, can.

There are lots and lots of breeds to choose from, each with its own characteristics, shape, size and temperment.

Incidents of dogs attacking people are very rare but they do happen. Usually small children are the victims, often ending in death.

I don't have the stats but it seems most of these attacks are from a very few breeds. Specifically, Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.

There are a lot of people that bring up the argument that it's not the dogs fault, the fault lies with the owner. It's the same argument that says People Kill, Not Guns.

My reply is the same too, the cause doesn't matter, the result does.

Eliminate the guns and there will be no gun deaths. Eliminate these breeds and the incidents of maulings will almost disappear.

While some people might feel they need guns, no one needs to own a Pit Bull. There are plenty of much nicer, more intelligent and more people friendly dogs out there.

I wonder if a study has been done on the psychology of those wanting to own a Pit Bull? Why would anyone want one? They are Ugly as Sin and and have a reputation for violence. Are they reflective of their psychopathic owners?

Even if the risk is small it's still there and doesn't need to be.

Already some Provinces in Canada have outlawed these little monsters, it's about time the whole Nation did.

Who Googled Marg Koetsier?

I have a nifty little counter built into my blog. You might notice the small logo in the top right hand corner: RiteCounter

Basically it counts how many hits each of my Blog Sites has attracted. Not only that, it will say what search keywords led them to my sites.

Much to my surprise, someone Googled Marg Koetsier, a housemate of mine from way back in 1977/78.

Her name was in a post of mine from my Blog, Places I Have Lived, specifically where I described the North Burnaby House I shared with three others, including Marg.

I knew her just a short time. She was going to Simon Fraser University at the time, forget what she was studying.

She was a very athletic and outgoing person, extremely friendly and positive. She was fun to be around.

I wonder if she was Googling herself or maybe an old Boyfriend or acquaintence was wondering what became of her?

Interesting. So whoever was Googling Marg Koetsier drop me a line if you want: keith_ryan2000@yahoo.com