It's Halloween Again

   And it's also been 2 weeks since I posted anything to this platform, so apologies are in order. Once again, I took advantage of the opportunity to don a costume this year, as I have every year since I arrived at GX94. For 2018, I revived my Australian persona from 2014, complete with didgeridoo

   I also brought in some Anzac biscuits (actually, more of a soft, chewy cookie than a biscuit), which were very popular with their troops in World War 1.

   And thanks to my brother-in-law, I have some (real) shark jaws

   Used as part of a little skit I did with/for our morning show host Danny Ismond. All in all, not a bad way to start Halloween, and end October!

TTFN

Happy "Weednesday"

   Just after 12:00 A.M, local times, recreational marijuana use became legal in Canada, fulfilling an election promise made by Prime Minister Trudeau in 2015. But while it's legal, not everyone had instant access to "brick and mortar" stores to buy their bud. In fact, there are no stores open yet in Toronto or Vancouver, 2 of Canada's biggest cities.
   And since Newfoundland-Labrador is the eastern most part of the country, people there became the first to legally purchase up to 30 grams of wacky tobacco. A 46 year old man will go down in history as the first even person to buy legally, but he apparently won't be rolling up a doobie with it. Instead, Ian Power says he'll get a plaque made to signify his achievement, adding he won't smoke it, but keep it forever.
   For people who can't, or won't smoke it, you're going to have to wait a year before edibles hit the stores. Unless you buy the leaf and make your own. As well, most provinces (but not all) say people can grow up to 4 plants per household for their own private use.
   Of course, it'll be taxed, with the provinces and federal government's sharing the pot, so to speak. And that could turn into quite a revenue stream, if Colorado, one of the U.S States where it's legal is any indication. I recall seeing something suggesting they made $1 billion from the sale there.
   As for myself, I'll admit I'm a little curious, and probably will go to the local store when all the hoopla dies down in a few weeks. Will I buy? No. Truthfully.

TTFN

Another Royal Baby

   Britain's Prince Harry and his wife, the former Meghan Markle, are expecting their first child. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were married May 19th, made the announcement as they started a tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji.
   Megan, who's 37, is believed to be 12 weeks along, and the baby, due in the spring, will be the 7th in line to the throne.
   The baby will not, unless the Queen decides otherwise before the baby's birth, be known as "prince"or "princess". The child could take on one of Harry's subsidiary titles.

TTFN

In Like A Lion

   That's the view from one of our windows this morning, and October, apparently, IS coming in like a lion. Our forecast didn't say how much of the white stuff we're supposed to get, but it looks to continue today, probably tonight, and into tomorrow. So far, it's melting when it hits the pavement, but, as you can see, it's sticking to roofs.
   We're also getting some unseasonably cold weather, with today being the warmest at 4 Celsius. And it doesn't look promising for an October "thaw" right now, with some forecast models calling for the cool weather to be with us at least until the middle of the month.
   However, this is Saskatchewan, meaning anything could happen. I hope it does get warmer, though. I'm not ready yet (if I'll ever be) for winter.

TTFN

Changing Seasons

   Autumn arrived in the Northern hemisphere this past weekend, but with the weather we've had, it's hard to tell if we skipped ahead one full season:

   An old picture, but it does sum up what it's been like here. Grey, cold and even snow. And it's getting darker earlier and earlier to boot. None of these things are unusual, but my wife and I also noticed 2 things which signify that if Winter isn't here yet, it's certainly coming.
   One is the seasonal switch of vehicles in the back of pick-up trucks. My wife noticed someone took the quad out, and put a snowmobile in. And this morning, I had to scrape ice from the windshield. Not a lot, but a harbinger of what's to come. Enough for me to dig out my snow shovel and clean the steps.
   Of course, that doesn't mean winter is right on the doorstep, far from it! We usually get a bit of warmer weather in October, before the deep freeze, snow and generally yucky conditions of winter.
   Of course, we do have spring to look forward to, with melting ice and snow, longer days and warmer weather. But that's still 6 months away. If this sounds like I'm whining, well, maybe I am. A little.

TTFN

He's A Trooper

   GX94 morning show host Danny Ismond was well out of his comfort zone again, thanks to me. Quite a while ago, he tried sushi for the very first time. And did not like it. He did say he's tried it again a few times, and now likes it a bit better.
   I don't know if that's the case with what I brought today

   That's Kimchi, a Korean dish made from cabbage, onion, other veggies, shrimp and red pepper powder, which is then left to ferment for a day or so. It is a bit spicy, and has a definite "tang" from fermentation. I like it. In fact, I've been known to add it to ramen noodle soups, won ton soup and even hot dogs.
   I decided to bring in some microwaveable rice to mix it with, since it can be a strong taste when you're not used to it. It also has a rather pungent aroma, which I think Danny found a bit off-putting. Still, he mixed the Kimchi in with the rice, and ate it. Will he again? I doubt it, but like the sushi, he may develop a taste for it.
   Thanks for being a good sport Danny!

TTFN

The Beetle Is Kaput!

   It's been an automotive icon of sorts for decades, but the VW Beetle's long run is coming to an end. Volkswagen is killing the "Bug" once and for all after the next model year. The "People's Car" was first put into production in 1938, and was a co-design of Ferdinand Porsche (yes, THAT Porsche), and German dictator Adolf Hitler.
   The rear-engine car did not go into mass production until the war ended in 1945, and was made by VW through to 2003, when the Type-1 was discontinued. More than 21 million were built, and my father had one

   A 1963 version, in black. It was, to say the least, an interesting car. The heater was gasoline powered, meaning you ran the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. And it didn't even do that good a job keeping the windshield frost free. The car was a 4-speed standard. No power steering, no power brakes, no hydraulic clutch and no synchromesh transmission. Which was normal for the time.
   And it was a complete pig. It used to stutter and almost stall when you were waiting at a stop sign or traffic light, and you'd have to rev it up to keep it going. Which on Dad's car posed an interesting problem. One of the exhaust valves would stick open occasionally due to carbon build-up, and you'd get a big BANG, plus a cloud of smoke, when it backfired. Once, someone got a little too close to the rear-end, it backfired and shot a piece of carbon into his radiator.
   Dad did rebuild the engine, and it did run a little better, but he also found a newer Datsun 510, bought that, and sold the bug. Based on our experience, we agreed the car earned the nickname "Hitler's Revenge"
    Volkswagen is ending the Beetle due to changing consumer demands. I'll be a little sorry to se it end.

TTFN