tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62996420677175835652024-03-13T20:55:07.107-07:00One slice at a time.ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-43326480485733833492011-10-06T18:15:00.000-07:002011-10-08T21:54:35.204-07:00Pumpkin Pie, Perverts and Penguins<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />First topic: Pumpkin Pie</span><br /><br />It's Thanksgiving this weekend in Canadaland and tomorrow I'm going to my sister's place to stuff my face with whatever she decides to make. Whatever it is, it will be delicious as she's an excellent cook. I've been reassured that there will be pumpkin pie. So I'm very... thankful.<br /><br />In fact, I'm so thankful and this being Thanksgiving, I've decided to give my sister and her dude a special gift... <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8BWeESxiinaECCizRDf5tr63r65usSuwXnGYE8-YF0HrDsCaQpcEglDV1tyuzUuBy0kiXAGYUgA7aOk_txHaVIKEmzK4C96EAosVhCTBpdfB6wS5h_JgcoUvjj2Ei2LjQavRi8ctqao/s1600/yuk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8BWeESxiinaECCizRDf5tr63r65usSuwXnGYE8-YF0HrDsCaQpcEglDV1tyuzUuBy0kiXAGYUgA7aOk_txHaVIKEmzK4C96EAosVhCTBpdfB6wS5h_JgcoUvjj2Ei2LjQavRi8ctqao/s400/yuk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661319771548977970" /></a><br /><br /><br />Horrific, ain't it? Hehehe... it's one of my uglies, painted during part of a painting class that focused on making an ugly painting on purpose (to get over 'trying to paint a perfect painting' phobias). I'm going to finish the edges of the canvas, sign it and name it on the back (like a real painting would be) and wrap it up and give it to them in feigned sincerity. And then watch them squirm in polite horror when the open it! :D :D :D Cruel, eh? Oh God, I can't wait!!! :D <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Next topic: Perverts</span><br /><br />The other day I was grocery shopping and turned an aisle corner and witnessed a man taking (what I now believe to be) clandestine photos of a girl/woman with his iPhone (or whatever). <br /><br />It took me a bit to realise what I was seeing... but yes, some man in I would guess his forties (my age) was holding his iPhone down at his side, pretending to be buying milk, all the while taking 'upskirt' snaps of some girl/woman who was dressed in a mid-thigh length skirt. <br /><br />Now, I'm no prude and I try to not jump to conclusions. And although my first reaction was, 'ewwww! perv alert! perv alert!' I tried to see other possibilities: 'maybe this is a couple playing sexy games in public?' or 'maybe this is a semi professional photo shoot?' But the more I watched (while trying not to be obvious), the more I came back to my initial reaction: perv! <br /><br />Plus, the girl/woman. As I got a better look at her.... well, I can't read age very well but she looked anywhere from 14 to 20 years old and completely unaware. I asked myself, 'what if this girl/woman is actually 100% 14 year old girl?'. Grrr...<br /><br />Alas, it was a busy grocery store, I was busy doing my thing and I was confused and shocked by what I had just seen. I didn't really think it all through until later and of course I'm now kicking myself for not at least warning the girl/woman that some perv was upskirting her. <br /><br />It's really stuck in my head though: was that a crime? what are the ethics involved here? should I have called the cops? if she was an adult, is she fair game just being in public? what if she was 14? does that make the pervs photos child porn-ish? and what responsibilities does a witness of this carry, if any?<br /><br />After, much thought, a conversation with my friend Simon and a google session, I've decided to phone the local police and ask ... just haven't quite worked out what to say and ask. Watch this space. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Final topic: Penguins!</span><br /><br />Another excellent 'animal - soundtrack' video.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="346"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3H2FLRUtdmU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3H2FLRUtdmU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="346" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />:-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-64515239247733794322011-09-30T19:42:00.000-07:002011-09-30T20:54:04.075-07:00The Girl Who Screwed Up Her Sleep Cycle By (reading) Stieg LarssonOK, I am probably behind the times here but after about a month or two from starting, I've just finished reading the 'Millenium Series' by Stieg Larsson: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OBuvIjHDTLccU7J9MjNL1bW1smV8zffbYD_n6tIN1uVwUP1pGhysI1k50sGSn8xp9VupKLgIusU5nKpN3Z8ipHR6-gdq3NF46-vHkRX7K1TTtBqxesLi0uFa5q0iRXevWwKH-HR_Llo/s1600/StiegLarsson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OBuvIjHDTLccU7J9MjNL1bW1smV8zffbYD_n6tIN1uVwUP1pGhysI1k50sGSn8xp9VupKLgIusU5nKpN3Z8ipHR6-gdq3NF46-vHkRX7K1TTtBqxesLi0uFa5q0iRXevWwKH-HR_Llo/s400/StiegLarsson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658364260556419490" /></a><br /><br />... and I've paid a nasty price. My 'sleep hygiene' (as they say) is all fucked up; I feel jet lagged and I bounce between having oodles of energy to turning a '15 minute nap' into a three hour snore-fest.<br /><br />Seriously! I am normally very regular with my sleep. Asleep by 10-11pm and up by 6-7am and very much a morning person. I wake up full of energy (and gradually turn to mush by 9pm). So staying up repeatedly until 2am reading these damn page turners as turned me right upside down! <br /><br />But wow! I thoroughly enjoyed the series. Very interesting plot, and sub plots, and great characters. I mean, how can you not love Lisbeth Salander? ... and not develop a crush on Kalle Fucking Blomkvist? <br /><br />Oh, and I've watched the first two films (the Swedish ones) and I'm planning on watching the third this weekend. The first two were very good. Here's the trailer for the third:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="246"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/igbXIGLOptc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/igbXIGLOptc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="246" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br />OOOoooOOOooo, can't wait!<br /><br />I'm also looking forward the American version of the first film; the trailer looks excellent although Salander will always be the Swedish version for me, I think. Still, the Americanization of a good film looks very promising!:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="246"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DqQe3OrsMKI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DqQe3OrsMKI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="246" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br />And while searching for the trailer above I found the following clip. It looks like it's probably from a Swedish comedy show and although it's entirely in Swedish and I have no idea what's being said, I find it very amusing. People who've read the books and/or seen the film would too, I think.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="246"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ETr32X9Kcq8?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ETr32X9Kcq8?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="246" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br />I am now going to bed with an algebra text book and hope to be asleep by 9pm!ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-70016925874479186122011-09-22T19:02:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:19:17.150-07:00OMFG!I am going to do this!<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3KkK35y8MAA?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3KkK35y8MAA?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Next spring/summer! <br /><br />Who's with me?ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-20565169724405408532011-09-18T18:52:00.001-07:002011-09-18T21:17:55.377-07:00Terry Fox TrottingI happened upon the 31st annual Terry Fox Run/Walk/Wheel/Hop/Cartwheeling today. I completely forgot about it this year and hadn't heard anything in the local media (bad Marnie) but I cheered on the participants and soaked in the good atmosphere. It was nice.<br /><br />Later in the day, I returned to the area where the run had been in the morning. All the signs, banners, etc had been taken down. There was no sign that there had been hundreds of folks there just hours earlier. I slowly drove by the Terry Fox statue and noticed that there was a single wee bouquet of wildflowers resting at his feet...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7UDmNtIOg8EPtmu85f2NwJ_MPnjIbs6D-8PdV05zldrXU1fvvc0-Nbc9ddk8zLfotUb-ayi_oA4bBtqtrZhbf51-yN734XMF3B59D4PHhNP-rvV0jSh_rpO6ObItRhyoprpfZoJkoMQ/s1600/terryfoxtuque.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7UDmNtIOg8EPtmu85f2NwJ_MPnjIbs6D-8PdV05zldrXU1fvvc0-Nbc9ddk8zLfotUb-ayi_oA4bBtqtrZhbf51-yN734XMF3B59D4PHhNP-rvV0jSh_rpO6ObItRhyoprpfZoJkoMQ/s400/terryfoxtuque.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653906856877917666" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">A pic of the statue taken on a cold day last winter...<br />see the toque? ;-) Folks look after Terry.<br /></span></div><br /><br />The poignancy of those delicate lone flowers contrasted with the morning's festivities absolutely floored me and I had to pull over for the tears. The 'Marathon of Hope' run is one thing, but the death of an individual is another.<br /><br />I'm not entirely sure I understand why, but Terry Fox stirs some of my more profound emotions and has so since I was about twelve. This short video, accompanied by a Stan Rogers song, dissolves me to a puddle.<br /><br /><center><object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZF8k8hpyp_A?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZF8k8hpyp_A?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="315" width="420"></embed></object></center><br /><br />But I don't want this to be a sad post because really <a href="http://www.terryfox.org/">The Terry Fox Run</a> has raised about 500,000 million dollars for cancer research and that is fucking fantastic. <br /><br />I'll be out Fox Trotting next year and I've already marked it on next years calendar so I don't forget! Until then... here's some baby foxes and their doggy stepmom. She doesn't show until half way through but it's a lovely video et c'est tres francais! You can click the wee 'x' in the top right corner of the blue box to remove it - annoying! <br /><br /><center><object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tcn5haJpKAQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tcn5haJpKAQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br />C'est bon, eh?ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-55199729634508637622011-09-09T15:21:00.000-07:002011-09-10T00:13:40.856-07:00Shake, Rattle and I didn't feel a thing.I just sat down here at my computer for a bit of a coffee (iced coffee, mmmm) break and brought up the Beeb to catch up on the news and the words "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14862800">Quake hits off Vancouver Island</a>" right on the front page sort of grabbed my attention.<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Magnitude-6.4 quake hits off Vancouver Island</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has hit near Vancouver Island, Canada, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 12:41 local time (19:41 GMT), was 289km (179 miles) west of Vancouver, the USGS reported.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The quake occurred a depth of 23km (14.3 miles), the USGS added. Eyewitness accounts say buildings swayed in central Vancouver.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">However, no tsunami warning has been issued.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The closest major settlement, Port Hardy - with a population of over 5,000 - has received no reports of damage caused by the earthquake. </span><br /></blockquote><br />Kinda odd to read a foreign news site and read about such a local news event that I should have noticed!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9DQzRMzG_G2AAER3ZNdikOMJzyR0PhjzlJsG9rXaP4TjRahGguOsL5UIPBJBPME-J6EguDiwVnxCGVbVLwYcXj1dLeXR9CIVLddCMgLaYwNWvrUQqpk4D_uTY-lTA9u4PjZu3fx2zGU/s1600/earthquakeyikes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9DQzRMzG_G2AAER3ZNdikOMJzyR0PhjzlJsG9rXaP4TjRahGguOsL5UIPBJBPME-J6EguDiwVnxCGVbVLwYcXj1dLeXR9CIVLddCMgLaYwNWvrUQqpk4D_uTY-lTA9u4PjZu3fx2zGU/s400/earthquakeyikes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650492230916298978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But it's true, I didn't feel a damn thing!<br /><br />Understandable really, living in a wood-framed structure, you get use to it wobbling whenever a big truck goes by so you just sort of tune that out. And I'm a bit spaced out with the ol' PMS so maybe that lightheaded feeling I felt was actually my brain momentarily jiggling like seismic jelly.<br /><br />EDIT: adding... Here's how it was reported this evening on the local evening news.<br /><br /><center><object width="420" height="345"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x-kYI_pn-Uc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x-kYI_pn-Uc?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="345" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Good reminder though; we're right on a fault line part of the 'Ring of Fire' and best be prepared and all that. LOL! Like a windup flashlight is going to save my ass when the condo above me decides to meet the condo below me. Sigh...<br /><br />No sense worrying about it. Crank up the volume and let's dance!<br /><br /><center><object height="345" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8yRdDnrB5kM?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8yRdDnrB5kM?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="345" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Jerry Lee Lewis' first TV appearance<br />on the Steve Allen Show - 1957<br />I <span style="font-style: italic;">love </span>this!<br /></div><br />:-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-58272947131240929922011-09-05T19:06:00.000-07:002011-09-05T20:37:38.240-07:00Candid about Candide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk0qsD3SSwR_wE3AUaS-vgKjbtEm_INmHMA2kjw-hr5fyEQvDSnvWSeAyrhYwZbqUyQZU1Yu4WmknLQuIracpIOkv7Yptsd7awa_PF-x0wD5nL5YSOlmp5RGNO5qO7wNU1oOJNwiZiW0/s1600/candide.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 121px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk0qsD3SSwR_wE3AUaS-vgKjbtEm_INmHMA2kjw-hr5fyEQvDSnvWSeAyrhYwZbqUyQZU1Yu4WmknLQuIracpIOkv7Yptsd7awa_PF-x0wD5nL5YSOlmp5RGNO5qO7wNU1oOJNwiZiW0/s200/candide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649081956939376498" border="0" /></a> Last week I read Voltaire's Candide. I knew the general story and the main points about the book, as it was part of some high school literature or history class, but I had actually never read it. We were assigned to read it and I had procrastinated and procrastinated (hell, it's just a wee book, right?) and when crunched for time, I couldn't find the book, whoops! Fortunately I had the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CliffsNotes">'CliffNotes'</a> version and read that instead.<br /><br />It's always sort of bothered me that I had never read it, so 25 (cough!) plus years later; mission accomplished! I enjoyed the read. It was funnier than I had anticipated and I now feel honest. <br /><br />However...<br /><br />Perhaps it's just the effect of time or some glossing over by an old school curriculum but I didn't recall any mention of the bum-biting monkey lovers when I was in high school. I think that's a detail I would have remembered!<br /><br />Being the curious sort, I looked up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide">Candide on Wikipedia</a> and along with lots of interesting info there is an illustration of the two naked ladies and their bum-biting monkey lovers that are included in some editions of the book. Alas not the edition I have but here it is in all its erotic buttocksie glory:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYA6JJ5Z3Nb6gQBxc9xmvk7zYFtFTedHL1IxUW0IlHu3W8QuVdslzxcjj-yqNLcPRstsFGJ3JXDftY08FXGVWJHCCJnRDKhY3V6eJJTtRZylpY1L3AfsfhGtl3xSF1KDGESPMrCcG4fyk/s1600/candide-moreau_monkeys1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYA6JJ5Z3Nb6gQBxc9xmvk7zYFtFTedHL1IxUW0IlHu3W8QuVdslzxcjj-yqNLcPRstsFGJ3JXDftY08FXGVWJHCCJnRDKhY3V6eJJTtRZylpY1L3AfsfhGtl3xSF1KDGESPMrCcG4fyk/s400/candide-moreau_monkeys1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649082106286077570" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;"><span class="nickname">Engraving by Jean-Michel Moreau, <i>le jeune</i></span><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br />And now it's time for the candid bit.<br /><br />Somehow that image and feelings aroused by it, nibbled their way through my brain and resulted one night, in one of the most horniest dreams that I have ever had. I won't go into details because actually I don't really remember many; it was all very surreal and, well, dreamlike but, whoa! When I woke I tried for a good hour to return to that pervy paradise but it had evapourated. Sigh... it was lovely while it lasted though.<br /><br />So, two thumbs up, as it were, for Voltaire's Candide.<br /><br />;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-11651284782923956942011-08-29T09:59:00.001-07:002011-08-30T16:20:09.992-07:00A Scaredy Cat!Oh! This has made my day! Make sure you have your volume turned up, it's brilliant.
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<br />:-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-12668831462432848222011-08-26T20:17:00.001-07:002011-08-26T20:33:49.909-07:00Individualistic birds for SimonMy friend Simon once proclaimed that starlings were an individualistic type bird, that they enjoyed their solitude and hermetic lifestyle. Ahem...
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<br />Of course he was <span style="font-style:italic;">wrong</span>! But it's one of those very rare moments that he's actually wrong about something, anything! He's a walking encyclopedia and so I take advantage of any slight error whenever I can.
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<br />So, for Simon, a kerbillion individual starlings that just coincidentally perched themselves upon the same jumble of wires.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA39uku0s2sJSahJaJd9U8WgFOtnYU2riqvwq2YUgwucHD4slYW9VpBAJ9aR4maskawu5mchqbhQSUetpunaKGAm8lTmINTWP4O0Y2dK-tVTM_ng2AqgDFnp6KGjJrZWHVNM1caBre2T4/s1600/starlings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA39uku0s2sJSahJaJd9U8WgFOtnYU2riqvwq2YUgwucHD4slYW9VpBAJ9aR4maskawu5mchqbhQSUetpunaKGAm8lTmINTWP4O0Y2dK-tVTM_ng2AqgDFnp6KGjJrZWHVNM1caBre2T4/s400/starlings.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645373579374686610" /></a>
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<br />It has to be said that he stated this 'fact' probably over ten years ago but I will never, ever, ever, ever let him live it down! :D Yes, I'm that pathetic!
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<br />Sorry Simon. You know I love ya! ;-) ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-71833281850144665212011-08-24T18:16:00.000-07:002011-08-24T18:25:05.033-07:00Ooo, errr!Seen while out and about today:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZOCNvSFxHZkycJYXdVN9iH563leEOighi9TJapDcgq5wN7xu-790AcMK1xk1D1QuepZUZt7x58th31BJ0yPvP4m42zpKHpfzeY-NBERgHFRhryw9JDz3BaxhPu9AKIAzSfDY-T6NHYQ/s1600/macscycle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZOCNvSFxHZkycJYXdVN9iH563leEOighi9TJapDcgq5wN7xu-790AcMK1xk1D1QuepZUZt7x58th31BJ0yPvP4m42zpKHpfzeY-NBERgHFRhryw9JDz3BaxhPu9AKIAzSfDY-T6NHYQ/s400/macscycle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644597185175309250" /></a>
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<br />I thought it was especially funny cos I have a Norco bike with a flat tire leaning against the wall at the foot of my bed. ;-)
<br />ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-460018389168010092011-08-22T22:35:00.000-07:002011-08-23T18:24:46.629-07:00Jack Layton 1950 - 2011Canada lost a rare thing today: a half-way decent politician. Leader of the NDP Party and Leader of the Official Opposition Jack Layton died this morning.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqGviWU_EXQrn76Ahc4mkLAkCVKDLaF65bO5B57DnMkkaHvTsFRDrD_Gi2ByS-6ScTOYcC4mzQeQmXRxubYGG1_h1yCL84122Y9cbMomJLXHzXBMKHZiUzpOZTe56Gb30wmg6kjIjqs8/s1600/jack-layton.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqGviWU_EXQrn76Ahc4mkLAkCVKDLaF65bO5B57DnMkkaHvTsFRDrD_Gi2ByS-6ScTOYcC4mzQeQmXRxubYGG1_h1yCL84122Y9cbMomJLXHzXBMKHZiUzpOZTe56Gb30wmg6kjIjqs8/s400/jack-layton.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643932356165539970" /></a>
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<br />I won't repeat all the information, career highlights, tributes and what not found elsewhere in the media - <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/22/f-jack-layton-death-legacy.html">like the CBC's coverage</a>. Instead I will post a fun video of him that I've always liked. This is from the Rick Mercer Report when Rick visited Jack's home in early 2010.
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<br /><center><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ok_hTUyP1sQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ok_hTUyP1sQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center>
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<br />RIP Jack.
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<br />Edit! Adding a 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes' (Canadian news and politics comedy show) compilation that they're just put together:
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<br /><center><object width="425" height="345"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c9us099TL50?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c9us099TL50?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="345" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center>ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-67455352548242528142011-08-10T10:53:00.000-07:002011-08-10T11:27:04.694-07:00Dog Watching
<br />I have no desire to get a dog but I do love watching them. So, I've taken up dog watching. I go down to Dallas Road where there is a big long park that follows the shoreline and most of it is an off-leach areas for dogs.
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<br />Voila:
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVyGQiSt_CcgCTL8pt2csq3Nj1rKt2wgiDpwVCeCRNFtVKB1TSDHFR9L_SMOqU1CLYe7cufvD5f9ndolmpWRvQc9qzIfwC6RtshreqQk2apANW7Hilu9EI11k0siUHUKpWw0OEsl_TsY/s1600/dallasroaddogpark.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVyGQiSt_CcgCTL8pt2csq3Nj1rKt2wgiDpwVCeCRNFtVKB1TSDHFR9L_SMOqU1CLYe7cufvD5f9ndolmpWRvQc9qzIfwC6RtshreqQk2apANW7Hilu9EI11k0siUHUKpWw0OEsl_TsY/s400/dallasroaddogpark.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639293407849554594" /></a>
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<br />Here's one usual scene: people drive up and unload their dogs. The people congregate in a spot and the dogs run to meet each other and the other people. Then off the dogs go to play and the people sip their coffees and chat.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvRhYXd_JI5YwkjbBswNQxzZZkuXvYTjzWRqIgqjHsdYb0o53QZXRDCJf_uKWX-3F5uUMtmJTWbiZO_n3qBXNCoHdXqY62nWBv5BQ_-PsHJ-z8S4iZa8NkviNZoKl6-rt5ZrqRD-m8rY/s1600/dogpark01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvRhYXd_JI5YwkjbBswNQxzZZkuXvYTjzWRqIgqjHsdYb0o53QZXRDCJf_uKWX-3F5uUMtmJTWbiZO_n3qBXNCoHdXqY62nWBv5BQ_-PsHJ-z8S4iZa8NkviNZoKl6-rt5ZrqRD-m8rY/s400/dogpark01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639292613897120610" /></a>
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<br />Another scenario: people just walk by along the path with their dog and stuff happens. Like this man and his dog who decided he'd like to play fetch with a wee stick he'd found. :-)
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpA9VRhoSyXs-9UB2P1fJkr-nA3ooJJktboMFG1YJKn8OmZlOKwS0vXP7k8tkhXmJ81z2Gz-GWIQvzjo-u9paQlMtVbEdZ21Tf9OP4R0GyVA7b4TTndHtBiAe1B_kH-Ac5PnGYuSxigU/s1600/bigstick02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpA9VRhoSyXs-9UB2P1fJkr-nA3ooJJktboMFG1YJKn8OmZlOKwS0vXP7k8tkhXmJ81z2Gz-GWIQvzjo-u9paQlMtVbEdZ21Tf9OP4R0GyVA7b4TTndHtBiAe1B_kH-Ac5PnGYuSxigU/s400/bigstick02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639292623205554610" /></a>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtw7CiUOkbw8GKRwC7ws_WrcTz4JLS5MsJHI61XthOR7Hk3wuBW2_Jo5IYlAwjhHIHVtDa3OLr0iEsYjxdKmstLohYB4ZFs3BnrqRR6ili5UYUZ0v1mvBZGmx98H-8k3otFSwrLBQJKk/s1600/bigstick03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtw7CiUOkbw8GKRwC7ws_WrcTz4JLS5MsJHI61XthOR7Hk3wuBW2_Jo5IYlAwjhHIHVtDa3OLr0iEsYjxdKmstLohYB4ZFs3BnrqRR6ili5UYUZ0v1mvBZGmx98H-8k3otFSwrLBQJKk/s400/bigstick03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639292626982423554" /></a>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNqRw7VliZP0WEwC8w3XvmaGVwU_16FhblyLkP31BVu1AhaC2tzqT59ScBM9P1o5s6id54wahlqxQXG4Kcbf0dzE7nLcOVi05SKr_EPfEdoYvUcirqZe0VS2odkzN1dhF6UV5078w9yk/s1600/bigstick01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNqRw7VliZP0WEwC8w3XvmaGVwU_16FhblyLkP31BVu1AhaC2tzqT59ScBM9P1o5s6id54wahlqxQXG4Kcbf0dzE7nLcOVi05SKr_EPfEdoYvUcirqZe0VS2odkzN1dhF6UV5078w9yk/s400/bigstick01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639292619313940802" /></a>
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<br />Dog watching photos will likely be a recurring theme on this blog.
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<br /> ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-62953899305206217512011-08-08T12:01:00.000-07:002011-08-08T12:51:59.106-07:00Back. And a Boat.I've decided that I like to blog. I think. Decisive as always...
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<br />The other day, I was out and about in my car when I saw a big-ass boat! I couldn't get close to it since it was moored pretty much at tourism ground-zero (traffic/people congestion hell) so I drove over to the other side of the harbour and looked at it from the other side.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA_wGy8RKVoi7rKLiX-5LPNOoRZvHkQGX9oO7cIeiDtRO_TDQm361RFp_mv_3JIlWHivT7wPIJ8TxV-fqamkuaBz5TnePmdldz-nT8G84HRR3W2n5u1BIQaalpRfaw2D7jL-qnjnVod0/s1600/bigboatpallada02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA_wGy8RKVoi7rKLiX-5LPNOoRZvHkQGX9oO7cIeiDtRO_TDQm361RFp_mv_3JIlWHivT7wPIJ8TxV-fqamkuaBz5TnePmdldz-nT8G84HRR3W2n5u1BIQaalpRfaw2D7jL-qnjnVod0/s400/bigboatpallada02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638574994843813874" /></a>
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<br />According to the local news... it's 'The Pallada' a Russian tall ship (no shit) on an expedition retracing the 'discovery' of Russian America by Russian sailors 270 years ago. It sailed from Russia on July 1st towards Alaska and then down the coast to Victoria then soon it will be off to San Fransisco, then Honolulu, then Japan, then home.
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<br />A few tall ships show up in the harbour every year and Victoria usually hosts a 'Tall Ships Festival' (though it's been cancelled this and next year as people/organizations can't afford to get here thanks to the crap economy) but I never tire of seeing them.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-zUg9HC1EIJolQBDf5MfZbfTYlu6mXeb43ReDXIgfC17RXJAmS6tq2sMmy0tWPPhpeTjXSm3GdcIpNCbhAVGJ_t1V-2_TmgnxmdxGYa0Muhyrg2V1wB0ks78ABqB17d5SoY3Jsi__EQ/s1600/bigboatpallada01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-zUg9HC1EIJolQBDf5MfZbfTYlu6mXeb43ReDXIgfC17RXJAmS6tq2sMmy0tWPPhpeTjXSm3GdcIpNCbhAVGJ_t1V-2_TmgnxmdxGYa0Muhyrg2V1wB0ks78ABqB17d5SoY3Jsi__EQ/s400/bigboatpallada01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638575002391728098" /></a>
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<br />They're fantastic!
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<br />ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-34570161104141566222011-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:002011-05-16T17:12:26.008-07:00Owl and the PussycatI normally put the 'cute animal' video clips that I come across on the right hand column of my blog but this, in my opinion, is exceptional. A lovely black cat and a lovely barn owl as friends. Oooh, it's just so beautiful.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Iqmba7npY8g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Iqmba7npY8g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="349" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Awww...ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-29123923924455427272011-05-10T17:41:00.000-07:002011-05-10T20:03:06.072-07:00Experimental Meatloaf and Salt n Pepa... because what goes better with meatloaf?<br /><br />I think I am a pretty good cook. However, I don't get off on it; if I was rich, a personal chef would be something I'd seriously consider. I rarely even discuss cooking but today I am going to because today I made something that was either going to be very good or total shite ... and it was, still is, deeeelicious!<br /><br />As per my previous post, I've gone a bit cave woman in terms of my eating. I'm not following any strict way of eating, no 'diet.' I'm just dropping the bread, pasta, grains while eating more meat, nuts and veggies. Essentially a paleolithic diet... except with some cheese. :D<br /><br />Today, I bought some ground up turkey with the plan to make 'my mom's meatloaf.' Alas, it called for breadcrumbs and onion soup mix. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? Well, I thought, bread is just filler and texture really so I figured grated zucchini would suffice... except I had none. But I did have a bit of cauliflower and an apple. And a fried onion is way better than a soup mix. And I also had some capicollo and some cheddar that needed to be used up. So essentially I just went a bit 'mad scientist' and emptied my fridge.<br /><br />Et voila!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBppCfyHrbwR09c5tJqpxrKW2yzSIiVzXjGoimz03_VduTk2U0pBMiIpTCF0vtiH-tcb7Nr4cCvT6gwaQhdujJgWhGLNO-ZkIUBYm2l0srRRNg7gY0-_El5N_kU3IrgaWNDUQrVp98cg/s1600/meatloaf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBppCfyHrbwR09c5tJqpxrKW2yzSIiVzXjGoimz03_VduTk2U0pBMiIpTCF0vtiH-tcb7Nr4cCvT6gwaQhdujJgWhGLNO-ZkIUBYm2l0srRRNg7gY0-_El5N_kU3IrgaWNDUQrVp98cg/s400/meatloaf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605283729233188466" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cave Woman Meatloaf... avec fromage</span><br /><br />Fry up an onion in olive oil.<br />Add two hand fulls of chopped up cauliflower.<br /><br />As that cooks...<br /><br />In a bowl mix up:<br />- ground turkey breast<br />- an egg<br />- a chopped up apple (yes really, an apple)<br />- a few squirts of BBQ sauce<br />- a few splashes of Wooster sauce<br />- Salt & Pepa<br /><br />Also: grate up some cheese but keep it aside to sprinkle on top.<br /><br />Let the onions and cauliflower cool a bit then throw it in the bowl with the turkey stuff and mix it all up. It should look pretty gross. ;-)<br /><br />Put half of that stuff in the bottom of an oiled dish*.<br /><br />Then! Arrange a layer of capicollo (spicey ham) and then the rest of the turkey mixture.<br /><br />Remember the cheese? Sprinkle that on top.<br /><br />Bang it into the oven - 350 for 90 mins... ? or until it looks done.<br /><br />Yum. <br /><br />Anyways...<br /><br />It's just been over a week of Cave Woman eating and I already feel a lot better. Oodles more energy already... makes me wanna Shoop!<br /><br /><br /><center><object height="349" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vaN01VLYSQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4vaN01VLYSQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="349" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><br />* I don't have a loaf pan... so my meatloaf looks more like lasagna. ;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-17396780566288413082011-05-06T18:32:00.000-07:002011-05-06T20:01:51.455-07:00Lovely Fresh Sea Air and ARGH!!!!Tuesday morning I went for a walk by the ocean and the breeze was amazing! The air is always cool and fresh but it was super-duper, uber-duber fresh that morning. Other walkers, joggers and bench warmers all commented, 'it's exceptionally fresh today, eh!'<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdJufV3-dNhzs8nt1saPDOvnAWWNBb8bE50pBTZmD5MqrwcrmvQAniW8x-hi63PO0zZdf1hvRufIyooo0SXr4Z0ppAZ3H_Xcxba4GtymTYIT71U6oEWXtcY6NhrP5bK9mcWuJ6oGRV34/s1600/vote01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdJufV3-dNhzs8nt1saPDOvnAWWNBb8bE50pBTZmD5MqrwcrmvQAniW8x-hi63PO0zZdf1hvRufIyooo0SXr4Z0ppAZ3H_Xcxba4GtymTYIT71U6oEWXtcY6NhrP5bK9mcWuJ6oGRV34/s400/vote01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603794071397088946" /></a><br /><br /><br />It was wonderful!<br /><br />Then I looked down. See in the bottom right of the above photo?<br /><br />Here is it, up close, foot included:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4IZA-KEeg3pyaptmmcZFGom-ykujGxqI_UEIgH9OwMl2TF2oNOp_nH4SAeEPk_kirwCX66w69_thRoylGolxEb45JeRb5gpps0OCELHGnmYvC5hnyRo14hIDYckb6_-BPvPHtXOWQ0Q/s1600/vote02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4IZA-KEeg3pyaptmmcZFGom-ykujGxqI_UEIgH9OwMl2TF2oNOp_nH4SAeEPk_kirwCX66w69_thRoylGolxEb45JeRb5gpps0OCELHGnmYvC5hnyRo14hIDYckb6_-BPvPHtXOWQ0Q/s400/vote02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603791132218365202" /></a><br /><br /><br />Vote?<br /><br />ARGH!!!! Don't remind me! Yes, I fucking voted and yes I'm fucking pissed off at the results!!! lol.<br /><br />I dislike Steven Harper very much. I dislike that <span style="font-style:italic;">his</span> 'Harper Government' now has a majority in Parliament.<br /><br />But there was some good news. My MP, <a href="http://www.denisesavoie.ca/">Denise Savoie</a> (whom I voted for) was re-elected with even a larger share of the local vote; <a href="http://www.elizabethmay.ca/">Elizabeth May</a>, leader of Canada's Green Party was elected - the first Green MP!; and there's been a surge of support for Canada's leftist NDP Party, a phenomena nicknamed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lePL8gpdQLM">Orange Crush</a>. <br /><br />Here's a recap from Democracy Now! which I think is very good:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GYsAY0alg0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GYsAY0alg0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="349" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br />Anyways... who cares, really? Look, a pretty sailboat:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNSiKYz_XD57qfPxE-YKl9YEZVVVaRVP0DxZPNuvlSY_R6O_ltUxxKXOWvBxTJwxxp9s61bPKow-hS8HrXJr7aVL4ep0483DhaQS9uwYVlm81EyW1FfKIdeZ6pFeZ8UaZEBzRMf0tIxw/s1600/vote-whocares-prettysail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNSiKYz_XD57qfPxE-YKl9YEZVVVaRVP0DxZPNuvlSY_R6O_ltUxxKXOWvBxTJwxxp9s61bPKow-hS8HrXJr7aVL4ep0483DhaQS9uwYVlm81EyW1FfKIdeZ6pFeZ8UaZEBzRMf0tIxw/s400/vote-whocares-prettysail.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603792954213882450" /></a><br /><br /><br />Aahhhhh.... that's better.... <br /><br />;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-88971819088107490512011-05-01T10:30:00.000-07:002011-05-01T18:15:22.068-07:00Paleopoem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-NKCLm6rHZBe_l5mB9RkVa6oyBIfMp9NF73v0Boxb6FPvbPDlAkTFZNlPH82f2Xmn5K3a6nUhDAlORcoXesUK1D-VqbOvMma7nG_SI8e6c-IQk6ZryT8AiV8hTDiFxNnMY0FlK2bduo/s1600/Cave+Woman.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 329px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-NKCLm6rHZBe_l5mB9RkVa6oyBIfMp9NF73v0Boxb6FPvbPDlAkTFZNlPH82f2Xmn5K3a6nUhDAlORcoXesUK1D-VqbOvMma7nG_SI8e6c-IQk6ZryT8AiV8hTDiFxNnMY0FlK2bduo/s400/Cave+Woman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601810689751297634" /></a>Paleopoem<br /><br />There's a woman on the west coast<br />A prolific burner of toast<br />She's not feeling good<br />Not good as she should<br />Just 'ok, fine' at the most<br /><br />Her gusto for life has faded<br />Her energy stores; down-graded<br />It could be the meds<br />She takes for her head<br />That's making her seem so jaded<br /><br />So many goals are in her head<br />Stuff to do before she is dead<br />But motivation's flat<br />WTF is it at?<br />And she does a duvet dive instead<br /><br />I don't think her prob is mental<br />I think it's what's on her table<br />Too many carbos<br />'n blood sugar yo-yos<br />She needs to get herself stable<br /><br />Deep history gave us our genes<br />We're not as evolved as it seems<br />Our bodies like meat<br />More than grains and wheat<br />And loves lots of nuts, fruits and greens<br /><br />So for the next thirty one days<br />She will alter her eating ways<br />Gonna give it a whirl<br />Grrr! Eat like cave girl!<br />And hope to find the oomph that she craves!ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-22270111678066862772011-04-17T12:42:00.000-07:002011-04-17T12:55:35.168-07:00Danger on the StreetsVictoria BC style...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Bk2b38kpGCisazLhVBMLC2dNgpU8Etchhm-Ngg7Aq0OT8OxAmmW4US5hMPuU9Fv3EVSOWFLAcf42Iuf_Us-Bu0RxGypD4btx4usP7SGRMmaqTjgtpJ749aWb5iPBOsRQqadHrC5yr_4/s1600/pinkgangsters01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Bk2b38kpGCisazLhVBMLC2dNgpU8Etchhm-Ngg7Aq0OT8OxAmmW4US5hMPuU9Fv3EVSOWFLAcf42Iuf_Us-Bu0RxGypD4btx4usP7SGRMmaqTjgtpJ749aWb5iPBOsRQqadHrC5yr_4/s400/pinkgangsters01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596643063422664834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ds1tF3vy-itxXIyVskDrrT3tHiu7FIRA7BV7YfZonSoX39wDyLFhRahPaDkSXpybuXCO4oWph4-4ArOTD4affSg60MCxk-JWJrRmEpNfVXZgnPtbe0DpJPlmLPV5X7Ox9DBRanwq3ks/s1600/pinkgangsters02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ds1tF3vy-itxXIyVskDrrT3tHiu7FIRA7BV7YfZonSoX39wDyLFhRahPaDkSXpybuXCO4oWph4-4ArOTD4affSg60MCxk-JWJrRmEpNfVXZgnPtbe0DpJPlmLPV5X7Ox9DBRanwq3ks/s400/pinkgangsters02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596643058132905394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRklEZ1N3x8Bg4jk6Cyzxu_nbhVSgeMs582zh6amDNc0okhjHxdaeH0AxaSBGq1HOJuI5h_Tbw5vcr2CWWYw4LqzbaMl2ExreJb960fo4GmH5NgKjP-1Oupji1-z6buB6hOM_2dORRIyw/s1600/pinkgangsters03.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRklEZ1N3x8Bg4jk6Cyzxu_nbhVSgeMs582zh6amDNc0okhjHxdaeH0AxaSBGq1HOJuI5h_Tbw5vcr2CWWYw4LqzbaMl2ExreJb960fo4GmH5NgKjP-1Oupji1-z6buB6hOM_2dORRIyw/s400/pinkgangsters03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596643047827351106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-24132838147470155152011-04-09T09:09:00.000-07:002011-04-11T14:54:53.720-07:00Now THESE are hummmingbird piccies!I was out walking with my camera yesterday and woohoo!!! I saw a wee hummingbird zip across my path so I stopped and looked and looked and ah-huh! found it perched in some brambles. Unlike <a href="http://mstoastburner.blogspot.com/2011/03/humdinger-of-day.html">my previous post about a hummingbird</a>, yesterday was sunny (better light to see their iridescence), I had my DSLR this time and a zoom lens on it and I could get much closer to it.<br /><br />Result! Here are four photos - I took about 50! lol. I've uploaded the original sized photos - so do click on them to enlarge them. The detail is great.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlGY1oSJtNAp7By4Yo80AxMFGZ2CBf9ilTGFB8QwPkPrvoYH2rGpxu4tM3GAgz3SPa_7a_nVoTEjqxtvbJ2WeuNrHy5qeP8DQLF-L-FCIRH9ylJEwxAdKvxhun_dXNpUNBTJK8qUtGzc/s1600/hummingbird04.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlGY1oSJtNAp7By4Yo80AxMFGZ2CBf9ilTGFB8QwPkPrvoYH2rGpxu4tM3GAgz3SPa_7a_nVoTEjqxtvbJ2WeuNrHy5qeP8DQLF-L-FCIRH9ylJEwxAdKvxhun_dXNpUNBTJK8qUtGzc/s400/hummingbird04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593627035666994434" border="0" /></a>A hummingbird when the light is not quite right.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FSdi2GS66hGK3N238t6fggd4BC-xmtzajDmHifXwylVt3ugkRL86pA8cxzcCKSGLYd4RlOT_FENIdCGSf0HSi6Ku4CUWMGja4p6RHOCs8LCjymKWlbV5b3tsN91_zXxxV53WFGJjsD4/s1600/hummingbird03.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FSdi2GS66hGK3N238t6fggd4BC-xmtzajDmHifXwylVt3ugkRL86pA8cxzcCKSGLYd4RlOT_FENIdCGSf0HSi6Ku4CUWMGja4p6RHOCs8LCjymKWlbV5b3tsN91_zXxxV53WFGJjsD4/s400/hummingbird03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593627027311830882" border="0" /></a>"Hey! Are you taking my piccie?"<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CavSEQYAtU2asd1UqWjyJsH_9gm8YcKgOWJ5ye1r9Gqjz8wcQ4JZwi_btNfxr3lLcytLEjN3GadwZpeHwS3o80wiTfK5hSB-CEy5koYGpMhnuYLKcFqPdgMRtIvtphmUS6LgKC5_cJs/s1600/hummingbird02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CavSEQYAtU2asd1UqWjyJsH_9gm8YcKgOWJ5ye1r9Gqjz8wcQ4JZwi_btNfxr3lLcytLEjN3GadwZpeHwS3o80wiTfK5hSB-CEy5koYGpMhnuYLKcFqPdgMRtIvtphmUS6LgKC5_cJs/s400/hummingbird02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593625025373350530" border="0" /></a>The colour in those feathers is amazing.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80fD9YWtvycz-z5pATAEuyKmsN_8uFt-DF_YptsRe68d6u6RjxnrgcKYCqY3v4OhDAgwWiucQVSy2EUpKFxgdoie6dPlBKOQgbSN2JxQbI5TVtrF4vhXIT9HcnGo9UL-ODrzzFtvAnu0/s1600/hummingbird01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80fD9YWtvycz-z5pATAEuyKmsN_8uFt-DF_YptsRe68d6u6RjxnrgcKYCqY3v4OhDAgwWiucQVSy2EUpKFxgdoie6dPlBKOQgbSN2JxQbI5TVtrF4vhXIT9HcnGo9UL-ODrzzFtvAnu0/s400/hummingbird01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593625024881447954" border="0" /></a>Iridescence, full on! Lovely wee bird.<br /></div>ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-44493780875517510142011-04-07T18:36:00.001-07:002011-04-07T19:06:42.223-07:00I Spy......with my little eye...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9pbJ06ok700POepvlat0CWwcDOjSN47pBsckm5SplZdsm0pIlKZwO0PEbYC18w4SVpV1RvQc3W9ZQhNPoAUAw_bC87TpB-LWkvQwOmfjjP51QiUAg3e_Qq2RllXTSjEQLEuvBlj2m9I/s1600/herononahouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9pbJ06ok700POepvlat0CWwcDOjSN47pBsckm5SplZdsm0pIlKZwO0PEbYC18w4SVpV1RvQc3W9ZQhNPoAUAw_bC87TpB-LWkvQwOmfjjP51QiUAg3e_Qq2RllXTSjEQLEuvBlj2m9I/s400/herononahouse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593020781643723026" /></a>ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-39671436424370268622011-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:002011-03-25T13:20:14.322-07:00Yeeeesssss!<center><object width="450" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p5XmRdZ9rrk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p5XmRdZ9rrk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="450" height="349"></embed></object></center>ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-85184956000277245432011-03-13T10:15:00.000-07:002011-03-13T12:00:16.867-07:00Un poste en français.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQiMn_Rq6CuDZHc00ZAcAclZ6lWjXGHkUQTHgeumLpBHFT0NoNYj_jdOOncHjI4Da1v2cJyfPueJla0Dt3chyEGZz2Q3lvo6aB6AddcQ5SQuhyikCWGsGH6IE9INlrNSP3xdPnj-3p2o/s1600/francophone_festival_2011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQiMn_Rq6CuDZHc00ZAcAclZ6lWjXGHkUQTHgeumLpBHFT0NoNYj_jdOOncHjI4Da1v2cJyfPueJla0Dt3chyEGZz2Q3lvo6aB6AddcQ5SQuhyikCWGsGH6IE9INlrNSP3xdPnj-3p2o/s320/francophone_festival_2011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583626028235101362" /></a>Salut! <br /><br />Comment ça va? <br /><br />Hier, je suis allé à un festival français. C'était une fête de tous les francophones locales; les gens de Québec, de la France, d'Algérie, du Maroc, de l'Acadie et d'autres régions de langue française du Canada et d'autres pays.<br /><br />Je suis allée parce que l'amant de ma soeur est un francophone d'Ottawa et il vendait ses poteries et jouant de sa guitare et le chant.<br /><br />Il a été un moment de plaisir et j'ai pu rencontrer des gens agréables et la pratique de communication en français. J'avais l'habitude de bilingues! Mais pas plus ... si je peux le comprendre, j'ai perdu la capacité de le parler.<br /><br />Je ne suis pas sûr de ce que d'une unité d'élimination de la bombe a à voir avec les francophones? Je suppose que c'était la façon dont le gouvernement fédéral a fait don au festival. Bizarre, non?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hh_IDU_Ho9iKivvpOmAHQuKKGoUCdIIJ6ugs_dFHjctkiWMBKDtEwRUncwTlJTgIU1fuFqiIE5H8uhXuFcSqFFNLL7iuo4wsiLm59mAgXo0QrBV-8mol87WWlG8NoUe7IhyphenhyphenW7o0dd5k/s1600/frenchbombwtf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hh_IDU_Ho9iKivvpOmAHQuKKGoUCdIIJ6ugs_dFHjctkiWMBKDtEwRUncwTlJTgIU1fuFqiIE5H8uhXuFcSqFFNLL7iuo4wsiLm59mAgXo0QrBV-8mol87WWlG8NoUe7IhyphenhyphenW7o0dd5k/s400/frenchbombwtf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583634664140099506" /></a><br /><br />Il avait de la nourriture, la musique, des artisans et des kiosques d'information.<br /><br />Malheureusement le temps était un peu humide et la batterie de mon appareil photo est mort, donc je n'ai pas de photos. Mais j'ai trouvé cette vidéo ... J'aurais pu utiliser hier!<br /> <br /><br /><center><embed src="http://media1.nfb.ca/medias/flash/ONFflvplayer-gama.swf" width="425" height="337" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="mID=IDOBJ3931&bufferTime=10&width=516&height=337&image=http://media1.nfb.ca/medias/nfb_tube/thumbs_large/2009/Instant-French_big.jpg&showWarningMessages=false&streamNotFoundDelay=15&lang=en&getPlaylistOnEnd=true&playlist_id=REL179&embeddedMode=true"></embed></center>ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-47153312612910650152011-03-06T17:00:00.000-08:002011-03-06T19:48:27.851-08:00A humdinger of a day!Today while out on a leisurely stroll, I heard that sound. That low and lovely vibration of a hummingbird. I see and hear them a lot but it's often fleeting, more like, 'ooo, there <span style="font-style: italic;">goes </span>a hummingbird!'<br /><br />However, today I got a very nice treat! This hummingbird buzzed overhead and landed in the brambles right beside me. I stopped and watched... lovely. A '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna%27s_Hummingbird">Anna's Hummingbird</a>' and a very tame one! And! I had my camera! I sloooowly get my camera out of my pocket thinking the birdie will shoot off at any moment. But nope, the birdie was still there, so I took a piccie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTzVEC088jUsOQqYYui4llCdw-cp0jdN8RuaVlfoqfW1t1kvwOkP8YzlRlp3DgyUrNoPhUGzNzhdMGUR39ddfnroIE1xn1-11dEYJDT-Tb_Gy8Li6urofyB3yUz2akOpS9rsA-I40mso/s1600/hummingbirdie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTzVEC088jUsOQqYYui4llCdw-cp0jdN8RuaVlfoqfW1t1kvwOkP8YzlRlp3DgyUrNoPhUGzNzhdMGUR39ddfnroIE1xn1-11dEYJDT-Tb_Gy8Li6urofyB3yUz2akOpS9rsA-I40mso/s400/hummingbirdie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581168539787121922" /></a><br /><br />Then, I hedged my bets and flicked the switch to 'video'... and OMG! The birdie is still there! So I filmed this:<br /><br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7lvhS67kbxrZTLqkNQTBH13Ht7rlcvLR5X636cQPvznNx90P3ccpwBtJl8tKh5d8jfhbY5XkOvX6DOqThsg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></center><br /><br />I get sore arms holding my camera at a weird angle and so stop the David Attenborough impression. I say thanks to the birdie and walk on. As I do, I tell a couple walking towards, that there's a hummingbird there. They stop and watch it... cos it's still there!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsaW1vykkH9wQWte23EZAJP52qJpp-Rc9CnSP7mnQukXDOL2DbVsZfzqaZxWj69UyHC6MbqHlaaK4mevSw_JlZJS5infAXj00m8RfXCPKXt_EBjM-GPWC2RvINYXPNDMT5rg5yMuOWLE/s1600/itoldtwofriends.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsaW1vykkH9wQWte23EZAJP52qJpp-Rc9CnSP7mnQukXDOL2DbVsZfzqaZxWj69UyHC6MbqHlaaK4mevSw_JlZJS5infAXj00m8RfXCPKXt_EBjM-GPWC2RvINYXPNDMT5rg5yMuOWLE/s400/itoldtwofriends.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581168542302584658" /></a><br /><br />Then I wait some more and see that they've told another couple... it's still there!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfg5K8bh4vMhpw17osbhyphenhyphenAMxhqPi2alGxdzVutcdDfhfkPiJofrgjDuz7matF7y7VrMt5_AsK1OrSSFj7yesw0GOaBB1tEKRxJksfNWUtf0yrPXzn-SfAbTuIfnGpAY-1wcAwWooc5Cc/s1600/andtheytoldtwofriends.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfg5K8bh4vMhpw17osbhyphenhyphenAMxhqPi2alGxdzVutcdDfhfkPiJofrgjDuz7matF7y7VrMt5_AsK1OrSSFj7yesw0GOaBB1tEKRxJksfNWUtf0yrPXzn-SfAbTuIfnGpAY-1wcAwWooc5Cc/s400/andtheytoldtwofriends.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581168545678431762" /></a><br /><br />Aww. It's lovely to see the pleasure of a wee, teeny, widdle bird can bring.<br /><br />I wish the pics and video could have captured the hummingbird better. Especially the red iridescent throat and forehead. Alas, it's an old cheap point and shoot that I had... it has it's limits, as do I! But here's a wonderful video another local got out his kitchen window of the same species building a nest over ten days last spring. It's gorgeous.<br /><br /><center><object width="420" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aupSOndl7W0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aupSOndl7W0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="420" height="349"></embed></object></center><br /><br />When I lived in Britain, I was so surprised to learn that there were no hummingbirds there. I shall pack and release some when I next visit. ;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-61759151721283491972011-02-22T22:22:00.000-08:002011-02-22T22:26:44.167-08:00I wish I still had my cat.<object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aFztjgfDWDA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aFztjgfDWDA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="349"></embed></object><br /><br />She would have loved this!<br /><br />Ok... <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> would have loved this. ;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-8670981149164013572011-02-13T08:52:00.000-08:002011-02-14T09:45:13.799-08:00A Valentine's Day ConfessionalMove over Robbie Coltrane, Jeff Bridges, Mike Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe (yes, I know, I'm now a pathetic cougar), Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, Rick Mercer, etc... I'm adding a new 'I Would' to my list:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR4uM00MHPNO25bpPFBcj-qPq8EgimnaqyFY_FmKb3xNtEbDgymOmYAJUy_cIld-DO2fHYnJ-xJgcU9howtErhm_8sJ5s4jx727UWgUeGxZRXbBkQBHuVXizlpOP_MUd56CxN2VTz01Q/s1600/richard-dawkins-with-kisses.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR4uM00MHPNO25bpPFBcj-qPq8EgimnaqyFY_FmKb3xNtEbDgymOmYAJUy_cIld-DO2fHYnJ-xJgcU9howtErhm_8sJ5s4jx727UWgUeGxZRXbBkQBHuVXizlpOP_MUd56CxN2VTz01Q/s400/richard-dawkins-with-kisses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572932744231817122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Why? You might ask.<br /><br />I have been reading 'The God Delusion' and I've become quite smitten by Richard Dawkins' writing; so articulate, well reasoned and humorous. Plus, his book has put into words, thoughts that I've had my whole life though he's expressed them much more clearly and with much more substance. It's like looking into a mirror and seeing yourself, magnified and more beautiful than you once believed. His passion for life, or rather, his very existence as a biological life form in the natural world, is very contagious to me.<br /><br />Though I'm devouring the book, atheism is not new to me. I've never believed in God/gods. I was never convinced of their existence and I've never had the need or desire to believe in supernatural entities.<br /><br />I've never really advertised my non-belief and have just considered religion irrelevant. BUT! I think my perspective on that is changing. I just might be turning into a Raging Atheist! ;-)<br /><br />And here's part of the reason why:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VxGMqKCcN6A?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VxGMqKCcN6A?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="349"></embed></object><br /></div><br />Isn't he just dreamy? ;-)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299642067717583565.post-33478184008298598852011-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:002011-02-07T18:05:54.078-08:00The Penis is Evil<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ELoVChYZB4gydqOvA8rRgjCwDenxhMoChTCWfJMHHKrYGxqheai2HZaZMJNxDvLs-VRcjnmjPAWc8nQTRHPOEE9FrcaMqlnCzTHjOFPPnfIP2wwzyqirumoVCUwTREg_yFoUPLcrX8/s1600/zardoz.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ELoVChYZB4gydqOvA8rRgjCwDenxhMoChTCWfJMHHKrYGxqheai2HZaZMJNxDvLs-VRcjnmjPAWc8nQTRHPOEE9FrcaMqlnCzTHjOFPPnfIP2wwzyqirumoVCUwTREg_yFoUPLcrX8/s320/zardoz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570973566996021986" border="0" /></a>Thanks to the wind blowing a gale out there, I've been up since 2.30 am. After reading for a while, I remembered that on some discussion forum I read, someone posted a YouTube clip of an interesting film trailer.<br /><br />It was for a 1974 film called '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zardoz">Zardoz</a>' starring Sean Connery and it was quite frankly the weirdest trailer that I had ever seen... so I just <span style="font-style: italic;">had </span>to watch the entire film. <br /><br />So earlier this morning I downloaded and watched it via iTunes for $4 CND - money well spent, imo!<br /><br />What a head trip! I can't really describe it.<br /><br />Just watch the trailer:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="450" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbGVIdA3dx0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbGVIdA3dx0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="450" height="340"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><br />As for a review? Ha! I'm still reeling from seeing Sean Connery run around in thigh-high come-fuck-me boots.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0CKNUgzruYAkDo-_jlvq3Ku73veZXAfJC-P_T4F2i1kCIXFc8HkHFwMFRhsnJatSxbryoScLsg9IrIycETBxFbNmf1nsSDb5sixgaZF7EQSdWAksZCeMNNuG4E2U7pJ-FncDBDOdM54/s1600/zed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0CKNUgzruYAkDo-_jlvq3Ku73veZXAfJC-P_T4F2i1kCIXFc8HkHFwMFRhsnJatSxbryoScLsg9IrIycETBxFbNmf1nsSDb5sixgaZF7EQSdWAksZCeMNNuG4E2U7pJ-FncDBDOdM54/s400/zed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570985751606626098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />It was, at once, one of the worst and best film I've ever seen. If you like movies like that, I highly recommend it.<br /><br />I can't think of anything else to say, so I'll let Zardoz speak:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOROvO2fxTc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOROvO2fxTc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The gun is good. The penis is evil. The penis shoots seeds, and makes new life to poison the Earth with a plague of men, as once it was, but the gun shoots death, and purifies the Earth of the filth of brutals. Go forth . . . and kill!"</span><br /></div><br />Ok, since Zardoz brought up the evil penis, I'll mention that there's another penis-related scene that's just hilarious:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPsNj09uR5GVMN1ZJlQH4djjVu39dSSvNJaGsN9xWkPAvfBWwXf-S8w32jfaHwyh3Bify46fXTkoBR01RMDvOrUA4hNh_MMvnowjN4cF9Vyc6bwUz3yjHa0ULafHEyf17ajkdVdSAxhA/s1600/penisisevil.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPsNj09uR5GVMN1ZJlQH4djjVu39dSSvNJaGsN9xWkPAvfBWwXf-S8w32jfaHwyh3Bify46fXTkoBR01RMDvOrUA4hNh_MMvnowjN4cF9Vyc6bwUz3yjHa0ULafHEyf17ajkdVdSAxhA/s400/penisisevil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570985752990496418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMcRt6-J7EpCbA2yyusyQ0qmjCvb2Ee14AMEwHc4e68QWMOtSlWAGjNAoM3_M8hAGZQdVdhGTgx_nUluLmSsDksynUBT4SwjxzIetKzuvkH0X2qSnfQeueGFRa-6-6QgvJtu-w3ZOz2Q/s1600/penisisevil2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMcRt6-J7EpCbA2yyusyQ0qmjCvb2Ee14AMEwHc4e68QWMOtSlWAGjNAoM3_M8hAGZQdVdhGTgx_nUluLmSsDksynUBT4SwjxzIetKzuvkH0X2qSnfQeueGFRa-6-6QgvJtu-w3ZOz2Q/s400/penisisevil2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570990251985054754" /></a><br /><br /><br />It really is the weirdest film that I've seen in a long time. It's great!<br /><br />(I have no idea what it was about though, lol!)ms toast burnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01814575117201965403noreply@blogger.com3