If we were to sketch our personal worlds based on the news broadcast from a local radio station, what sort of image would we achieve? Well, maybe one that looks like those collages done on Bristol board for a grade six current affairs class. Confused.
posted in media | Comments Off on If I could just see the big picture | 436 words
Living here in the north (relative to those south of me), I fully realize that the dates on my calendar for the “first day of” spring/summer/autumn/winter have very little to do with actual temperatures and everything to do with solar observation. WARNING: Do not look directly at the sun! There, you have been made aware of the dangers and can continue reading.
posted in environment | Comments Off on Seasonal precursors | 336 words
I come from a school system that adored the book report. A simple pedagogical device to force young children to read and write (and not much else). Fortunately I’ve always enjoyed reading, so this failed to quell the reader in me. Thank Goodness. I would have had a much sadder life without the parallel universe provided by a constellation of authors.
posted in media | Comments Off on Doubleheaders aren’t limited to baseball and mutant calves | 394 words
On Friday evening, the recycling truck stopped in front of our house and the driver stood in contemplation. He then radioed back to recycling headquarters and received the permission to take all of our patio furniture, such as it was. The table that had served to barricade a puppy on the deck. The folding chairs that had served as a diving platform for the puppy. The chairs that had served to barricade a table in place against the other barricade for a growing dog. All gone to wherever greyed plastic ends up. We were now a family with no reason to sit outside.
posted in environment | Comments Off on Standing around isn’t an option here | 484 words
After a long hot day, what better way to relax than with some rental movies, in your own living room with several fans blowing and a tub of really cold icecream? I know, there are many, but each must choose their poison. I took the suggestion of son #3 to heart and we made the trip up the hill to the video club. Since all the summer blockbusters are still in the multiplexes, we had to settle for an different type of entertainment. In our case, the choice was just a foreign affair.
posted in media | Comments Off on Just a foreign affair | 508 words
In a remarkable series of circumstances, I had the day off today. A Friday, and it was sunny with no hint of rain, snow or other weather to negatively affect the karma. But, nature abhors a vacuum, and wives hate to see husbands with a free day (at least, in my experience). So, since summer is short, it was time to reopen the fair weather room in our house. The deck of drab colours. Time to repaint the wood. As if unpainted wood is ugly!
posted in technology | Comments Off on Scrub harder | 565 words
Today I discovered that I may have invented a new word.
Somewhere along the way to here, I picked up a synonym for “disproportionate”, and although not given to superlatives, the word remained on the shelf, available for use should the occasion present itself. Yesterday, while writhing writing about the excesses of our last vice-regal representative, I put the word on the tabletop (a visualization of the editing process) and decided to check the spelling… that is to say, I decided to Google for it. Imagine my surprise when only one reference came back. In the land of Google, it’s a bit like quoting pi, but going a few digits too far. Not impossible, but statistically relevant.
posted in media | Comments Off on Self-referenced | 307 words
The common people are easily provoked. And more easily driven to forgiveness, if history is any measure. Just consider the love/hate relationship that exists between those who have, and those who have less. I’m not examining the richer/poorer universality here. Rather, the ability of mankind to rest subservient to those with regal titles.
posted in politics | Comments Off on Regal envy | 435 words
At least the professional politician is constant in his ability to say one thing today and another tomorrow. Some might think this is a virtue; the willingness to change in response to new information, the skill to alter direction whenever necessary. Or, it could just be added evidence that the profession is based on the shallow foundations of untruth. I’m too polite to use the term lies.
posted in politics | Comments Off on What’s a deal to a politician? | 283 words
As a system administrator, I deal with the little problems that all of our users face at one time or another. No, not power failure. Worse. The disease of the forgotten password. I try to be as helpful as possible, reassuring one and all that we can work through this little bump on the road of life. There is usually a terminal window close at hand where I can restore world order and make all and sundry back into productive individuals; a magic hand, if I say so myself.
posted in computing | Comments Off on A taste of familiar medicine | 325 words
