Either I learn to speak the dog’s language, or I start talking to myself in earnest. One more brick in the wall that separates the me from the wii in the family was placed today; the head gamer tracked down the elusive console at a small shop near here. We now officially have as many game consoles as we do television sets.
posted in computing | Comments Off on Virtually alone | 392 words
Tonight brought the second portion of The Great War on CBC. I watched it with my youngest son, and I believe it did what the producer intended; it inspired questions and reflection.
posted in history | Comments Off on History redux II | 263 words
As we move through this Easter weekend (a tale of history in its own right) the top news story took place ninety years ago. If I’d been around then, I would not have been privy to much detail, because a policy of disinformation made sure that those “at home” were shielded from the horror. Now, we can reflect in serenity over past battles, and perhaps learn.
posted in history | Comments Off on History redux | 265 words
I probably scored as many goals as anyone else in the neighbourhood, back when the only recreation available to teenage boys involved cheap sticks, a lacrosse ball and an empty parking lot. Goal posts made from blocks of ice, and stamina that kept us “on goal” for hours at a time. We had nothing to do with, and nothing but admiration for the “real” hockey players. Those who wore skates and one of the sacred six jerseys.
posted in media | Comments Off on For a brief moment they cheered | 319 words
So today was a holiday. Holy day, holiday, day off. No doubt in my mind that there’s been a certain change in the religious priorities around here. At one time, Good Friday meant an afternoon in church, less food than usual and no meat. Now; well let’s just take a walk through the busy schedule that I had to deal with, shall we?
posted in environment | Comments Off on A day in the life | 518 words
It finally happened. I have had my picture taken by a cellphone camera. One of my co-workers decided to grab a shot while we waited for the bus homeward, so I didn’t mind too much; if anything, a degree of curiousity left me smiling like a ninny in a snowstorm. No bip, just a request to look at someone trying to dial their daughter.
posted in media | Comments Off on It must be the ease of use | 263 words
I’m sure that it was in one of those barside battles between an inkstained journalist and a squinty eyed photograper that the quote “A picture is worth a thousand words” was born. As someone that has worked both sides of the fence, my sympathies has always been with Kid Kodak. But times changes and along came the bane of meetings, the powerpoint presentation.
posted in media | Comments Off on Powerfully made point | 257 words
We’ve all seen them; the cat in the hat, the dog in the manger, the mouse in the house, the polar bear on the (disappearing) icecap. Well, today I saw another one for the “now there’s an interesting name for a rock band”. Try this one… Goldfish in a baggie.
posted in environment | Comments Off on Pets on the road | 255 words
One of my nieces (I don’t have very many, in truth) stopped over for supper this evening. Another reason to offer couscous and stirfry beef, in passing. She came to have her laptop overhauled before she sets off on this year’s round of travels. Where to; well, she’ll be “just down the road from Timbuktu”.
posted in travel | Comments Off on Just down the road from Timbuktu | 329 words
While going through some family tree notes earlier today, I was struck by the citation of a birth date from February 29th. I had to seek a calculator and also find the odd algorithm that decides if any given year has that date. Validity testing. It goes beyond the usual little memory aid acquired in elementary school and still not transferred to my second language. It struck me a second time. We’re due for a calendar revision, since the last major one took place about four centuries and a bit. Give or take a few years. For the interested, here is a link to Inter Gravissimas. Let’s move on now, shall we.
posted in environment | Comments Off on Suggest we upgrade our calendars | 345 words
