Siksika Skies

• September 14, 2009

“Oki napa - Welcome.“ I only wish I could speak with the graciousness and eloquence of the Siksika elder, Clement Bear Chief. (Thanks Mom!) I feel great shame I didn’t write down his name so I could give him proper credit. If you know it, please write a comment, I want to fix that. Please, before reading this take a look at Alan Dyer’s gorgeous photo from the evening to set your mind in the feel of the story. Read More

#meteorwatch

• August 14, 2009

Orion. Ursa Major. The Pleiades. Cassiopeia. Cygnus. Draco. Hydra. Canis Major and Canis Minor. These are my old friends. Very old, much older than myself. Many a winter’s night I’ve walked home with my defender hovering over my shoulder. Indeed, the greatest of my friends has always been Orion the Hunter. He lives low in the sky through the winter months in Canada, and regularly I’ll look up from the horizon to draw strength and courage during the cold nights. Read More

On Alberta's new taser regulations

• August 1, 2009

Well, the Braidwood inquiry is starting to seed some results. And it’s great to see Alberta leading the way. Well, except for B.C. who jumped on this last week. But Alberta is still on the leading edge of the front line of the first responders to this terrible and tragic situation, right? What a crock and I’m sickened by the doublespeak over this. This is far too little of a response which comes far too late in time. Read More

Thoughts on a bicycle commute

• July 30, 2009

I’ve been riding my bike back and forth to work for a while now. It is what ended my iPod heading into work theme until the fall. Double-plus good. I need the exercise. I need to strengthen my lungs and my cardiovascular system after the pneumonia. I need to strengthen my knees before the arthritis takes them from me. Arthritis? Seriously? I’m only 40 for ghod’s sake. Err.. 41. Well, nonetheless nothing has made me happier the past week or two than when I’ve been out pumping the pedals. Read More

A little self indulgence.

• July 24, 2009

Sorry for flubbing “Tomcat Prowl”, Doug, but don’t you just remember the time I nailed “Nobody But Me”? Takin’ it Day By Day, Mr. Bennett. Read More

Who watches the watchers?

• June 20, 2009

I have called for the officers in the Dziekanski’s death to be charged before. We have a new tidbit today. Gary Mason at the Globe and Mail has a much better explanation than I can give. And I add one from Ian Mulgrew. “I am obviously appalled,” a clearly upset Braidwood said. I share his revulsion. I’m sickened that not only four power-crazed, bad cops with terrible judgment have put themselves in such a bad light by dipsying and dodging the truth as bad as Bill Clinton with a crusty dress tucked under a desk, but even worse that the brass have demonstrated that those same four cops have absolutely golden judgment and scruples when it comes to freely and fully revealing the truth. Read More

I hate you, Bug.

• May 25, 2009

Mr. Bug’s forcing me to do it here. From Phasorburn here. One copy. One pastie. Voila! 1 – Go to “wikipedia.” Hit “random… Read More” or click Here The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band. 2 – Go to “Random quotations” or click Here The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album. Read More

Getting back on that little red wagon and shooting the lights out.

• May 25, 2009

You’ll be happy with what I give you and you’re going to like it. Damn it. Let’s start off with my pal Loudo. Yeah, I’m singing along. I expect you to sing along too. And for some real strange reason I wanna go to Little Rock.  Next day was a little bit of Santana Magic ™ by Carlos ®. Bella. It’s muy bellisimo. Then we go to the incomparable Willie P. Read More

A tale of two laptops

• May 6, 2009

Last Thursday or so, my Lady-love brings in her laptop and says, “It’s wrecked. Fix it, you sexy geek of +3 studliness.”* “Uh-oh,” I think to myself. She pulls it out of her bag, I see a hinge standing straight outwards and a shower of broken plastic bits where the outer shell used to be. Crap. I hate fixing laptops. It’s bloody impossible without just getting entire new parts. May as well just go buy a new one that’s modern and up-to-date rather than fixing it or you’re guaranteed to be toting around a decrepit piece of junk that’s patched together with bailing twine and horse gum. Read More

Steal away my <3

• May 1, 2009

Oh dear, I knew this day was going to come sooner or later. I saw the video for Metal Queen when I was 16. That probably explains it all right there. Lee Aaron still has a fantastic voice and has transformed into a jazz singer these days, but like so many testosterone fueled nerdly dweeboids, I remember and love her best for the mind-numbing goodness of the past. It wasn’t until I tracked down a copy of Metal Queen that I realized just how. Read More