No. Just No.

   Apparently, this is (or was) a real thing. A British company put this together for gamers, so they didn't have to leave their console/computer to cook a traditional Christmas dinner. There are 9 layers, each supposedly "locked" in gelatin. This was (again supposedly) put out in 2013 as a trial in one store. And, if what I read was right, it sold fairly well.
   I'm a gamer. In fact, I've been known to be "locked into" my computer concentrating on not getting ganked by the Horde in World of Warcraft. But I also dis-connect myself from it, and re-enter the "real world" occasionally. Especially if there's food involved.
   Not that I haven't been known to snack at the computer, but full meals require my full attention. And what's pictured above, at least for me, does not qualify as a "meal". Not that I haven't ingested some questionable food in the past. When I was starting my career in radio almost 38 years ago, I existed on canned stew (which I can't even look at even today).
   Not that I'm dissing canned food, far from it. But looking at the ingredients in the monstrosity above is almost enough to put me off my chow. And that takes some doing.
   And how do you eat it? Is it meant to be served cold? For obvious reasons, you don't want to mix it all together, so do you simply heat it in the tin in hot water? Oh, yeah. The cost for this Yule Time delicacy is 1 pound 99 (in British money), about $3.35 Canadian per tin.
   I'm just glad this isn't coming to Canada any time soon.

TTFN

Grey Cup Memories

   Rummaging through some old photos recently, and I found this, and thought since the Calgary Stampeders are back in the Grey Cup this weekend, why not. That was taken <gasp> 45 years ago in 1971, when the Stamps won it for just the 2nd time, beating Toronto 14-11. It was taken in the living room at a neighbour's house right across the street from where we lived in Calgary.
   If memory serves (and it usually doesn't) he was a high mucky-muck with the scouts, and finagled the cup for a troop meeting. My dad was a Stamps fan, so our neighbour he called us to say: "Get George over here, I've got the Grey Cup in my living room". Dad was working, but my sister and I went over.
   I was 15 at the time, my sister was younger. And didn't she look thrilled by it all?
   I bring this up because, as mentioned, the Stamps are playing in Sunday's Grey Cup in Toronto, when they take on the Ottawa Redblacks. Ottawa is back in the CFL final for a 2nd straight year, after losing to Edmonton in the 2015 Fall Classic.
   Since that picture was taken, the Stamps have won the cup, which is a lot bigger now (so am I),

   5 more times, most recently in 2014. Having grown up in Calgary, and despite the fact I'm decked out in Saskatchewan Roughrider green, I will be rooting for the Stamps come Sunday.

TTFN

Mooned!

   Seems everyone's been talking about the "supermoon" this week. Due to it's proximity to Earth, the moon appears to be some 23 to 30% larger and brighter. It certainly is close to us, just over 212 thousand miles away. In fact, it's the closest approach to Earth (if my sources are correct) since 1948. Supposedly, we won't have another "supermoon" like this until 2034 or so.
   And it was a talking point for myself and GX94 Morning Show host Danny Ismond this week. After going through the stats I mentioned above, I told him I thought while it was quite a spectacle, I didn't think it was all that super. Because the moon didn't have an "S" emblazoned on it.

   Danny wasn't about to take that lying down, so he posted his own version, clearly showing not only the "S", but the cape as well.

   I can only attribute the fact Danny's picture shows how "super" the moon was to the fact he's taller than me, and is therefore closer to the moon and able to see it clearer.

TTFN

Please Pause And Remember

   Tomorrow is November 11th. And at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, please pause for a minute or 2 to remember our fallen troops in all wars. Of course, November 11th marks the end of World War I, 98 years ago. But Remembrance Day isn't just for the fallen in that war, World War II or the Korean conflict. It's for all service members in all branches of the military who gave their lives in conflict.
   There are some who say Remembrance Day, and the U.S version, Veterans Day, glorifies war. It does not. It's meant as a time to pay silent tribute and give thanks to those who fought and died for their country. And, to me at least, it's also for veterans everywhere, regardless of whether they served in combat or not.
   I know I will pause at 11:00 on 11/11.

TTFN

America Voted

   And they gave Republican nominee Donald Trump more than the 270 votes needed in the electoral college to secure the Presidency of the United States. To many, Trump's win was startling, since Democrat Hillary Clinton lead polls almost the length of the campaign. Of course, the only poll that matters is the one on election day, and Mr. Trump won that.
   So, what happens now? Trump needs to put together a few teams. One is to oversee the transition from Barack Obama's administration to his. The second, and probably the most important, is for him to pick his cabinet. Trump is seen as a fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants, shoot from the lip guy who ruffled a few of his own party's feathers with some of his statements and proclamations during the campaign. He needs an inner cadre of well heeled advisers to guide him for the next 4 years. And most importantly, Trump himself needs to listen to those advisers, take their counsel and act in a responsible manner.
   And even on a morning where the dust has yet to settle, reaction from the markets has been negative. World stock markets were down overnight, as was the U.S Greenback and Mexican Peso. And while they're congratulating him on his win, world leaders are keeping a wary eye on the "new kid in town" with a reputation of being brash, and even a bully.
   The divisive nature of the campaign is sure to stir up strong emotions on both sides. Here's hoping Mr. Trump is true to his word and starts a national healing process as one of his first acts after his inauguration in January.

TTFN

America Votes

   It is election day in the States, marking the end of one of the nastiest, and most divisive, campaigns on record. As stated in an earlier post, I'm not commenting on who I think would make the better President, be it either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Nor will I re-hash my thoughts on what the candidates should have focused on, rather than what they did.
   I will say this: As a Canadian, I think the U.S electoral system is completely screwed up. People don't actually vote for the President, they vote for the people who, in turn, elect the President. Not that our parliamentary system is much better, where the party with the most members to get elected, rather than who won the popular vote, forms government. And it's under the leadership of a person party members elect. But the U.S way of doing things is closer to the "one person, one vote" idea of democracy.
   And that had the old memory bells ringing, if only faintly. I recall reading a science fiction short story many, many years ago about the choice for President coming down to one persons vote. I can't for the life of me recall the name of the story, or the author (Isaac Asimov seems to come to mind, though), but the premise was simply this: That the decision rests with one man, who casts the only ballot of the election. Needless to say, the poor soul is beggared by all sides, trying to have him elect their candidate. And that's about where my memory ends. I can't remember how the story ends. If any viewers know who wrote it, or the title, I'd be interested to know.
   Anyway, Happy Election Day America!

TTFN

Cubs Win

   You will know by now that the Chicago Cubs are the 2016 World Series champions, after beating Cleveland 8-7 in an extra inning in the deciding game 7 of the series in Cleveland. A lot of folks had written the Cubs off after they trailed Cleveland 3-1 in the series. They came back. They also held off a late game charge by Cleveland, who forced the extra stanza. The 2 teams also dealt with a rain delay late in the game. But, in the end, the Cub prevailed.
   It was their 1st World Series win since 1908. 108 years ago.
   Lets take a moment to put that in perspective. The Ottoman Empire was still in existence. World War I had not started. The Model "T" was introduced. Mothers Day was celebrated for the first time, but women still did not have the right to vote, and the 1st boy-scout troop was organized by Robert Baden-Powell. And that's just a sample of some of the events back in 1908.
   As for Cleveland, they also have had a long championship drought, winning their last World series in 1948, 68 years ago, so whoever won would have had a long drought finally end.
   So, congratulations to the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs!

TTFN

I Won A Thing!

   And that's my prize. Turns out, my "Scrape" get-up (see my blog entry below) was picked as the top staff costume yesterday in our in-house competition.
   And there's a bonus, as well. Not only did I get the Pringles pack above, but we only had 8 or so kids for Halloween last night, which means we've got about 80 or so pieces of candy left over. Not including the ones I scarfed back last night.
   Diabetic coma, here I come!

TTFN: And Happy November.