See You In September

   Due to a very fortuitous set of circumstances, I've got a rather extended summer vacation the next few weeks.
   I'm getting Friday off due to the fact I worked Canada Day, and my "2" weeks off will also include Labour Day.
   That means I'll be returning on September 2nd.
   Stay safe, and I'll be back then. Meantime, I think a little fishing is in the near future!

TTFN

One Of My Cats Is Insane

   I swear he is. Lately (and not for the first time either), he's taken to going into the bathroom, digging his claws into he side of the tub, and ripping off the caulk:

   And if that's not enough, he then starts chewing it. My wife and I really don't know what his problem is. Is he bored? Is there something he's missing in his diet?? Is he just being a bad kitty??? In the past, he's stripped off caulk (and chewed it up) in places we've had in Regina since we got him.
   Normally, he's an easy going guy, who enjoys being petted. But he also goes through these "phases" where he eats caulk (get your minds OUT of the gutter), and sometimes "chews" his dew claws like a baby sucks it's thumb.
   We've asked the vet about it, and were told not to worry too much about it. The caulk passes through his system, and so far seems to have done no harm. And these "phases" don't last a long time either, so it's not an ongoing issue.
   One of the problems we're having with this behaviour is the fact that not only is he removing the caulk, but scratching the heck out of the paint. And we just can't seem to get the color to match exactly.

TTFN

Look How Far We've Come...CORRECTED

   That archaic looking machine is one of the first personal computers ever put on sale. 32 years ago today, IBM introduced the 5150. It had 16k RAM, no disc drives (they were an option) and a color graphics adapter. It cost just over 15 hundred dollars, more than twice what you'll pay for a laptop or pad in most places, when introduced August 12, 1981. It did come with some programs: A spread sheet program and a cave exploration game.
   By today's standards, it was a moron. Tablets, pads and smart phones have more computing power than the 5150. But it also launched the PC revolution, and within 18 months IBM was selling one every minute of every business day, with between 50 and 70% of them going into homes. The 5150 was in production until 1987.
   Our first "desktop" was an IBM 486, bought in 1991 for about 17 hundred bucks. If I remember right, it had 2 MB of RAM and a 130 MB hard-drive along with the 486 processor. Again, slow and moronic by today's standards, but powerful back in the day. It ran on the DOS system (again archaic), and the best part was we could play games on it!
   Family favourites included Wolfenstein 3-D, Darklands and even DOOM.
   Happy 32nd birthday PC progenitor!

TTFN
*****Sorry, I went a little too far in the future with the stats for our first system. I've corrected them to say megabytes instead of gigabytes.*****

A Huge Loss

   Robin Williams was a very funny man. He died yesterday at age 63 after an apparent suicide. He will be greatly missed. Williams was by far one of my favourite comedians of all time. And like so many comedians, he had many internal demons he fought for years. That included alcohol and substance abuse, and severe depression.
   It almost seems to me as if he hid his internal struggles under a facade of humor. Externalizing the funny man many so loved for his ability to make us laugh.
   For those of you who may not believe it, depression is real. And it hurts. I know. I've got first hand experience with that battle, and just how close to the razor-sharp edge people can get. Unfortunately, Robin Williams fell over that edge.
R.I.P Robin Williams, you will be missed. Thanks for the many years of laughs you gave.

TTFN

Another Treasure

   Way back in October (4th to be exact), I blogged about little local treasures you should make a point of hunting down in your home community. One of the ones that still stands out for me, even though I no longer live in Regina, is the Italian Star Deli:

   It's a mainstay in that city's downtown for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact they have some of the most wonderful imported goods (and sandwiches). But also for the family that runs it, the Giambattista’s.
   Frank and Gina started the place in 1966, and now son Carlo runs the business. That brings me to the whole point of this post. It's hard to believe, but I've known Carlo for 17 years now, and have the honor of calling him "friend".

   Carlo is one of "those kind" of people. You know, the type of person who always has a smile and a kind word for everyone.He knows probably hundreds of people by name, and seems to always make time to greet and have a chat with them. No matter how busy he is.
   Whenever I'm in Regina, I try and drop in for a quick visit. And maybe one of their handcrafted sandwiches as well.

TTFN

It Was Bound To Happen

   You've heard of "air rage", you've probably been guilty of "road rage". Well, it finally happened. Golf rage. 2 duffers in Pennsylvania have been charged after they got into an "altercation" on course. What teed them off anyway? Apparently they got into an argument about the rules, and even came to blows. In fact, one allegedly hit the other over the head with a 3-wood!
   If that's not enough, the 2, ages 63 and 42, then started a fist fight, leaving both feeling a little under par.
   After hearing about this, I'm kinda glad I gave up golfing!

TTFN

Have You Stolen Someone Else's Lunch?

   Had an interesting chat with Tonya Cherry this morning, where she was saying 11% of people admit to stealing someone else's lunch from the fridge. How many people have done it and not admitted to it remains a mystery, but it's surely a lot more than 11%.
   She asked if I had ever stolen someones lunch. The answer is a big "No". And there are several reasons behind that. First: I work early mornings, so by the time "lunch" rolls around, my day is done and I can head home for something to eat. There are times when I'll stop in at Tim's before getting to work for a muffin or bagel or 2.
   Second: I don't feel the need to grab someone else's bologna and peanut butter sandwich out of the fridge. Third: I like the people I work with, and taking their lunch is a sure fire way to get into somebody's "bad book", which I try and avoid. Fourth: A lot of people's idea of what makes a delicious lunch isn't mine. In fact, there have been times I've wondered exactly what was in a co-worker's lunch after smelling it.
   That said, I have inadvertently removed a co-workers lunch from the fridge in the lounge where I worked at in Regina. But when I realized my mistake, I put it back immediately. Untouched.

TTFN

Have We Stopped Thinking?

   A new book in Canada would point that way, suggesting the wired world we now live in is to blame. And to some extent, I would tend to agree that (to some extent) smartphones and the internet are killing our ability to think.
   The author of the book says he challenged himself to "unplug", after feeling he was addicted to the on-line world. He says he was surprised at how strong the urge was to re-connect and get back on-line. Like any addiction (and I've successfully fought a tobacco addiction), he says it was a tough battle.
   As for his belief that the on-line world is killing our ability to stop and think: No. I don't see that. In fact, I'd almost make the case that the "wireless universe" is actually promoting thought. When it's used properly.
   I, like so many people, have a "smart phone". I'm almost constantly on-line. I'm on facebook. I have this blog. But you know what? I also use the 'net as a tool. And not just to watch videos or play MMO games either (although both are fun).
   Doing even a little checking on line can produce good results. I've used the 'net and world wide web for not a simple few of the posts right here. A quick example: This past weekend's post about World War 1. I made use of information gathered on-line for it, since it's not a topic I have a vast amount of knowledge about. Even something as mundane as watching a video about something can lead you to areas and subjects you might find personally fascinating. Which, in turn, opens the door to new ideas through that video or link. That's if you are willing to make the 'click' onto whatever link you find.
   I'm not saying people don't abuse it. Things like checking how many "likes" your recent facebook post has received, or texting other people ad nauseam. So I do get what the author is saying about internet addiction, which is real, and the need to dis-connect. Which is something I have no problem doing.

TTFN

The War To End All Wars

   It was 100 years ago tomorrow, August 4, 1914, World War 1 started. Germany invaded Belgium, with a view to knocking out France. Britain (and with it the British Empire including Canada) declared war on Germany.
   The event that actually triggered the war happened June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Serbia (see my blog of June 27th), with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie by Gavrilo Princip.
   By the time of the armistice on November 11, 1918, some 11 million military personel, including at least 60 thousand Canadians, had been killed.

   What made this war so brutal was technology. New developments in weapons like the machine gun made it possible for a squad of men to devastate a large number of advancing troops. That was the other reason for the high casualty count. The weapons had outstripped the military thinking of the time, where massed troops were marched straight toward the enemy. Machine guns simply tore through those ranks.
   Another reason for the large number of deaths was how the war evolved, or rather didn't. It was mainly fought in the trenches, with stretches of "no man's land" in between. And while trenches did provide a measure of safety for troops, they were vulnerable to shelling from the opposite side. In fact, it's been said the majority of casualties in the war were from shelling, rather than direct contact with the enemy.
   The war also saw the development of the aircraft from a simple observation tool to a combat platform. It saw the development of tanks, designed to roll into and through trenches.
   As mentioned, some 60 thousand Canadians died in the fighting. They are buried in cemeteries across France and Belgium, including Tyne Cot in Belgium

   It's the sacrifice these men, and many of their sons in World War 2, made which should be remembered, especially on November 11th each year.

TTFN

That Was Some Storm

   It was indeed! Almost an inch (22 mm to be exact) fell in parts of Yorkton, although I'm sure heavier amounts will be recorded on people's rain gauges. According to what Environment Canada had to say this morning, Roblin, Manitoba got 28 millimeters, and some pockets could have seen 30 to 40.
   And there was hail as well, anything from Loonie to Twoonie size. And gusty winds. But at least there are no reports of any tornadic activity from the region. What caused it? A cold front sweeping across the province from the northwest.
   Watching the rain fall, and turn our street into a river, I couldn't help having a deja-vu moment last night. It was the Canada Day long weekend we had up to 10 inches of rain, which caused flooding that a lot of communities and people are still recovering from, and will be for some time.
   Two long weekends in a row we've been hit with a deluge. Is Mother Nature plotting against us? I almost wonder.

TTFN

I Probably Shouldn't Put This Out There

   Danny and I have been talking about it this week during our morning chats. The SyFy network ran "Sharknado 2: The Second One" earlier this week. I don't have SyFy as part of my cable package, so I'll have to wait for it to hit Netflix.
   And even before the shark-storm calmed down, producers were already hinting at "Sharknado 3". And this is where I should stop. Because last night, my wife and I started talking about where, and how, the next movie should go. And here's the scenario we came up with. I just wish I could copyright it.
   You'll know in the first 2 movies, sharks were basically sucked into monster tornado's and dumped on L.A and New York. For the 3rd movie, which I've tentatively titled "Sharknado 3: Cold Cuts", why not set it in the heartland of the U.S. Or Canada for that matter. Just somewhere a long, long way from the ocean. And in the dead of winter, for good measure. Have the sharks picked up at sea (since there are very few land-sharks out there), and have them dumped by a Polar Vortex! We had enough of those this past winter.
   And rather than having them swim around, put them on snowmobiles. From that point on, things got a little silly, I'll admit. We both got to laughing, and figured out the shark's might need to wear toques to keep their heads warm. And we decided when they started circling their prey, have them do it outside a Tim's.
   Ridiculous, I know. But not much more than having them dumped on New York or L.A.
   As for the 4th installment of the trilogy: Why not deep space? Get William Shatner involved as Captain Kirk yet again. Call this one "Shark-Trek 4: The Voyage Home".
   If the producers of Sharknado 3 want to talk about my idea: Track me down through this blog, and we'll talk. And yes, if any of my ideas make it into the next flick, the proof of them is here, on this screen.

TTFN