tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215625092024-03-13T00:03:15.721-04:00Life in the Twilight ZoneThere is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call "The Twilight Zone" - Rod SerlingBig Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.comBlogger251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-73972193127953058462012-03-03T10:35:00.001-05:002012-03-03T10:35:15.541-05:00Back from Ecuador<p> For the lasts two weeks I've been absent from home traveling with 27 grade 10 and 11 students on a humanitarian trip to Ecuador. We were three adults, my collegue Lyne, <a href="http://lavieestbelle54.blogspot.com/" target="_self" title="Mrs BB'S blog ink French">Mrs. BB</a> and myself. We always hear that adolescents are self centered and indolent but let me tell you that my students are far from that stereotype. </p><p>After having landed in Quito after an unintentional side trip to Guayaquil (<em>Quito airport was fogged in</em>) we left for the small mountain village of Chilcapamba. There the students worked for 5 days digging trenches for the pipes that will eventually supply clean water to the village. We must have dug at least 4 kilometers of one meter deep trench for the pipes that will carry the water. Since there is no heavy machinery there it was all dug using picks and shovels. Working along side the villagers my students learned a lot about how to dig correctly using the minimum of effort. It was interesting to see the villagers teaching the kids about how to do the work. We were told later that the villagers were really pleased to have been able to teach something to the "gringos" since in South America there is quite a bit of prejudice against the indigenous population and they are often looked down upon. </p><p>Since there must be pipes in the trenches part of the money we paid was used to buy eight kilometers of pipe that will connect the houses to the water reservoir which has yet to be built. As they say one step at a time.</p><p>This was the third time that I have been to the village and we've made friends and memories that will last for a life time. The people of the village are poor but are always willing to open their hearts to us. We were a part of their family and when we left there were tears all around. </p><p>After having worked for five days we finally left to visit the rest of that beautiful country. We visited lake Cuicocha a sacred lake of the Incas in a caldera of an extinct volcano. On the way we stopped at the official line for the equater lat 0.00'.0". It is fun to see the line on the ground and have a foot in the northern and southern hemisperes. We also visited the town of Otavalo with its marked and artisans. Later we climbed the Cotopaxi the highest active volcano in the world. The bus took us up to 4500 meters and from there we climbed to the glacier at 5000 meters. At that altitude the lack of oxygen is like jogging while breathing through a drinking straw but it was worth the climb. We then went on to Baños at the foot of the Tungurahua volcano, which is still very active, to try out the thermal baths with the students. They really liked the hot baths but didn't appreciate getting up a <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">five am</a> to beat the growds. Finally we left Baños to spend time in the the Amazonian rainforest in a camp by the river Napos. There we walked in the forest with a very knowledgable guide, went down the river in an inner tube and panned for gold. The last night we drifted down the river to listen to the dark and mysterious forest around us. </p><p>After all of this we drove back lot Quito where we visited the old city and the next morning boarded the plane for Montreal. </p><p> </p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-10786980772956269142012-02-05T16:19:00.001-05:002012-02-05T16:19:39.807-05:00Winter photos<div class="separator" style="text-align: justify;clear: both; "><br></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here are a couple of photos I took as I was cross country skiing. The woodpecker was completely oblivious to the strange creatures below that shushed by on strange narrow feet. ;o) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We have not been having a great winter for outdoor sports, a rather cool, damp, rainy winter with plenty of freezing rain which doesn't make it easy to ski. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The other pictures were taken at my place where there was ice hanging down from the barbecue. I found the intense blue of the ice with the reflection of the deck behind rather beautiful so I went out onto the deck to take closeup pictures of the ice as it shone in the sun.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7HIFPIrvVlw/Ty7shpTiAsI/AAAAAAAACLY/2UgK1MPDIAA/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A02.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7HIFPIrvVlw/Ty7shpTiAsI/AAAAAAAACLY/2UgK1MPDIAA/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A02.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772795.0725" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="382" height="512"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gzqSUYWRELw/Ty7sfCr79qI/AAAAAAAACLQ/QxWla6mRPHw/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A02.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gzqSUYWRELw/Ty7sfCr79qI/AAAAAAAACLQ/QxWla6mRPHw/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A02.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772735.9" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div><p class="blogsyText" style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Zt8D1uqM5vc/Ty7sj_gSthI/AAAAAAAACLg/lTM46lV1lZI/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A07.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Zt8D1uqM5vc/Ty7sj_gSthI/AAAAAAAACLg/lTM46lV1lZI/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252011%25253A07.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772775.9192" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="376"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CalUvFTYSY0/Ty7tUG4I58I/AAAAAAAACLo/36xP-NRppm8/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A08.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CalUvFTYSY0/Ty7tUG4I58I/AAAAAAAACLo/36xP-NRppm8/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A08.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772714.6936" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hL4Fkl6JfzQ/Ty7tXC1y4II/AAAAAAAACLw/y4kKwr_K2eA/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A07.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hL4Fkl6JfzQ/Ty7tXC1y4II/AAAAAAAACLw/y4kKwr_K2eA/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A07.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772761.288" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hkm8rjUsOck/Ty7tZv3nSYI/AAAAAAAACL4/BJ8B02yd7Q4/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A05.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hkm8rjUsOck/Ty7tZv3nSYI/AAAAAAAACL4/BJ8B02yd7Q4/s500/Photo%2525202012-02-04%25252017%25253A05.jpg" id="blogsy-1328476772796.135" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-24017302013367296372012-01-01T11:26:00.001-05:002012-01-01T11:33:51.913-05:00Of winter colds and the New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.inkingrey.com/uploads/images/1277951286-common-colds.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="http://www.inkingrey.com/uploads/images/1277951286-common-colds.jpg" id="blogsy-1325435505947.5574" class="alignleft" alt="" width="187" height="227"></a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Well, as the title says, I've caught myself a nice big cold. What a pain in the sinuses. Coughing, sneezing, nose running like maple tree sap on a warm spring day.... arghhhh. I wasn't even at school, the usual place to catch these things. So celebrating the New Year was really fun with all the family but today I pretty much feel like death warmed over in a frypan without even having really indulged in the vino. Not fair, why should I reap the consequences without the initial act. It's like paying the fine without doing the crime. Hell, even my coffee tastes bad.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">And by the way, why do we say "We caught a cold" as if it was a great prize, won after a serious chase across the arctic tundra. I sure didn't go running after it and I don't know of anyone who does, so why do we "catch" a cold. Wouldn't it be more logical to say the cold caught us? After all those pesky little viruses are the predators and our poor bodies the prey.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">So a very <b>Happy New Year 2012</b> to all. May you be happy and healthy with your loved ones and the rest will take care of itself.</div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://media.brainz.org/uploads/2010/12/new-years-bucks-county.jpg" id="blogsy-1325435505955.2993" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="600" height="428"></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-5093934956184734122011-12-24T17:36:00.001-05:002011-12-24T17:46:54.348-05:00Twas the day before Christmas<p>Today was the first day of the Christmas break and all we did was relax. Our Christmas shopping is all done and we don't have the family reunion before next week. So today was a day to relax, sleep in, a late breakfast, an expresso or two, three, reading the news on my iPad. Finally I decided to go walking despite the fact hat it was -13 degrees celsius (9 degrees F). What decided me to go out and freeze? The sun, bright beautiful sunlight. In the winter I'm like a plant, I need sunlight, which this time of year is in short supply, The sun rises about 7:30 am and sets around 4:15 PM and a lot of the time this past month, it has been grey and cloudy. So since the sun was out, so was I. I went walking at the Cap St-Jacques, a nearby nature park that I often go to. I usually cross country ski there, but right now we only have about 2-3 cm of snow, not enough to ski on without scrapping the bottom of my skis. So today I walked 9 kilometres aroundd the park. Here are a couple of photos I took as I was walking. So in the immortal words of old Saint Nic. "Happy Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!"</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240410.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VsECj9T5k7k/TvZUuCJgfsI/AAAAAAAACKU/BG2kCCU4P0Q/PC240410.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240410" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240411.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zk6bOzWFego/TvZUobSFEsI/AAAAAAAACKM/_3CEcb0sraI/PC240411.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240411" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240409.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1rGdKxJMMng/TvZUXM9iwxI/AAAAAAAACJ8/DHjd6h5Ro_g/PC240409.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240409" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240404.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-05Bo4csHxrY/TvZTbWXGzYI/AAAAAAAACJU/PND3m__YPnM/PC240404.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240404" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240390.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FIGjTNKP7wU/TvZTX_4IjeI/AAAAAAAACJM/1khW9hsxPLU/PC240390.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240390" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240406.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S7NOph6il7s/TvZTd08rBBI/AAAAAAAACJc/GrRd7azdTk4/PC240406.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240406" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240419.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hnr_7UR2eLo/TvZTgVL2LWI/AAAAAAAACJk/onyWVd4ELx8/PC240419.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240419" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240417.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-10QS38c1ass/TvZTiZYsPyI/AAAAAAAACJs/h5xOB3zsKk8/PC240417.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240417" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PC240418.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vFgzYvlX-fs/TvZTlONHALI/AAAAAAAACJ0/Phks4sH_6Sw/PC240418.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PC240418" width="600" height="450" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-16637326976812695082011-12-20T22:49:00.001-05:002011-12-20T23:01:56.896-05:00Christmas and an iPad<div>It's almost Christmas vacation but we still haven't had any snow yet so it seems that we'll be having a green Christmas. The kids at school are all excited none the less and we are finishing off the orals for the Christmas project and munching on Christmas cookies that they baked as a part of the project. All in all, the cookies are very good and I'll have to do a lot of walking to burn the calories since cross country skiing is out of the question for the moment. </div><div>I've also been playing around taking pictures and using my new iPad to edit them. I bought it for traveling but I am surprised at what I can do with it to edit the pictures I take. It'll be much easier to carry around than my MacBook Pro and easier to use than my iPhone.</div><div>Here is a sample of a picture I edited with Snapseed (<i>weird name but highly effective</i>) I thought it gave just the right atmosphere for the Canadian Parliament since the Conservative election. ;o)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kFJBcGf_Up4/TvFVUXqTn2I/AAAAAAAACIw/sLolTL4xbcw/Photo%2525202011-11-19%25252016%25253A16.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kFJBcGf_Up4/TvFVUXqTn2I/AAAAAAAACIw/sLolTL4xbcw/s500/Photo%2525202011-11-19%25252016%25253A16.jpg" id="blogsy-1324439898013.7522" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-35353728120741177182011-10-30T20:17:00.001-04:002011-10-30T20:24:42.170-04:00Where my roots are.<p>We've lived in Montréal for the last 25 years yet Québec is still the city that feels the most like home. I guess its the fact that my roots are there and my ancestors have been there since the late 17th century. So this weekend, Mrs. BB and I went to visit my family in Québec City and it just felt like coming home. It is a strange feeling. I am an airforce brat and as I was growing up we moved around from place to place. Then, when I was a 17, I moved to Québec City to go to college and as I got off the bus, for the first time in my life, I felt like I was coming home to where my roots were. Even today after 25 years I still, in my heart of hearts, consider Québec to be home. I'll probably never live there again since my life and family are all here in Montréal , but Québec will always be home. Here are some pictures of "Le Vieux Québec"</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 3.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WCFQTy1JDRs/Tq3noiBEhdI/AAAAAAAACGA/fO8l0QqeY_E/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%2525203.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 3" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 5.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UKf4YOhZA30/Tq3nvye2KxI/AAAAAAAACGI/UjiKuTSG3aM/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%2525205.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 5" width="449" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 10.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iHvlhg2opds/Tq3o-6E_yII/AAAAAAAACGc/gjlKFHmIkmQ/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252010.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 10" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 14.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uq8oTX5Be2M/Tq3o_9jssOI/AAAAAAAACGk/oA_nsbPFr_k/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252014.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 14" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 17.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-O2XhvqF-nrY/Tq3pA9c945I/AAAAAAAACGs/VgmBaKfCMfo/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252017.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 17" width="450" height="600" /></p><p> </p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 23.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zP8hg6Ukfcc/Tq3pB_4qaeI/AAAAAAAACG0/TZKdmIDWpTE/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252023.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 23" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 24.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xCIQAFG1EIE/Tq3pD5IIhGI/AAAAAAAACHE/XpZXUza1vks/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252024.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 24" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 25.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-niBt7_7G11w/Tq3pCvt8AJI/AAAAAAAACG8/gCGfmMUfEJQ/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252025.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 25" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 26.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5LKQljN_o9Q/Tq3pE9AxqGI/AAAAAAAACHM/m7QQPw7vWyE/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252026.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 26" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 28.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YQ1qjSH4oQ0/Tq3pGDkiS2I/AAAAAAAACHU/eAeYvPC3eG4/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252028.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 28" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vieux Québec 30.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9mS40WLR-Jw/Tq3qx3CsEcI/AAAAAAAACHo/UqBxzKloWlo/Vieux%252520Qu%2525C3%2525A9bec%25252030.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Vieux Québec 30" width="450" height="600" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-60618140037495991562011-10-28T19:31:00.001-04:002011-10-28T19:31:52.816-04:00Automne in Québec<p>The weather has been pretty sh***y these last few weeks but today was the perfect autumn day with bright sunlight and cool temperatures around 6 degrees celsius. The perfect fall day, so Mrs. BB and I decided to go walking in the Cap St-Jacques regional park and take in the nice weather while it lasts. Here are a couple of pictures that I took while walking on the trails.</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 3.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l1OsEjpjjAg/Tqs7KaONXbI/AAAAAAAACEM/_yKstwV1jTk/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%2525203.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 3" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 4.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-X5G1LOM47J4/Tqs7Lavc64I/AAAAAAAACEU/To-0X1ng77I/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%2525204.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 4" width="600" height="450" /></p><p> </p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 5.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-379BB669iXA/Tqs7Mp6TUrI/AAAAAAAACEc/LAbd5iBYRNY/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%2525205.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 5" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 11.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qMCR5gaM7t4/Tqs7OACPJTI/AAAAAAAACEk/Xfs6ZU9EGnI/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252011.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 11" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 13.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VarFMR3QFZ0/Tqs7Pu2sYOI/AAAAAAAACEs/S5m19u6pLwk/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252013.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 13" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Cap St Jacques 20.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ad5vgHizr-g/Tqs7SfxW5dI/AAAAAAAACE8/k8AxaJnd_-A/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252020.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 20" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 23.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M8teyiP5zvI/Tqs7TkPCxHI/AAAAAAAACFE/fBd3y5lQtSo/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252023.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 23" width="450" height="600" /></p><p> </p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 28.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Immz4aI7wxM/Tqs7W-7Gi8I/AAAAAAAACFc/ertT4oTdkbI/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252028.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 28" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 31.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CEGbq9LY-eE/Tqs7X0CZjGI/AAAAAAAACFk/NvF18NiBaSs/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252031.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 31" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 26.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mEd4l55XUaQ/Tqs7VwuXeXI/AAAAAAAACFU/TtYyJJ5NedU/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252026.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 26" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 34.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YxJGvedEh5A/Tqs7YlA8i0I/AAAAAAAACFs/REiQBrQRpnw/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252034.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 34" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cap St Jacques 36.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7IiC5HXYars/Tqs7ZhJWAvI/AAAAAAAACF0/JXL3nCQiAGY/Cap%252520St%252520Jacques%25252036.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Cap St Jacques 36" width="600" height="450" /></p><p> </p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-83914972541063716902011-10-22T13:02:00.001-04:002011-10-22T13:04:14.972-04:00It must be silly season<p>Well for we citizens of the GWN (Great White North) looking at American politics is always an interesting and rather humorous exercise as well as being somewhat frightening.</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="424054414_MicheleBachmannBlack_xlarge.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Nu06Xd4Axww/TqL1RfOvmrI/AAAAAAAACDg/9rOveZ8UaE8/424054414_MicheleBachmannBlack_xlarge.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="424054414 MicheleBachmannBlack xlarge" width="196" height="244" /></p><p>First of all you have Michele Bachmann who said during the Republican debates that the countries that the US "liberated" should pay for their "liberation". I'm sure that the Iraqis really appreciated being liberated<em> (read invaded)</em> after 100000 civilians dead and four million displaced, as well as having their infrastructure destroyed and their standard of living crushed. First of all they never asked to be invaded and then occupied for the next nine years and I'm sure a lot of them that lost family and friends would love to payback the US although I'm not sure the US would like the payback. Now Ms. Bachman has a right to her opinion but there really should be an intelligence test to become President of t he United States.</p><p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Rick-Perry-with-gun.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DSgAEiF4k1w/TqL1vpfWT3I/AAAAAAAACDw/b4zY33LZ4RE/Rick-Perry-with-gun.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Rick Perry with gun" width="250" height="271" /></span></p><p>The next person that caught my attention was Rick Perry who believes that it is the United Sates' god given right to rule the world. He also believes that the economic recession was god's punishment for not being good christians. He also doesn't believe in evolution and really believes that god talks to him. Here in the GWN we have special places for people who hear voices telling them to do weird things. What really boggles the mind is that he was elected governor, but then again Texas also elected George W. Bush. <em>(Who, by the way, seems a real genius beside this yahoo)</em></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="1244653805.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SOf-l9JmWOY/TqL10S9CyEI/AAAAAAAACD4/Cg2V2WS0GDg/1244653805.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="1244653805" width="250" height="162" /></p><p>Here in the GWN, we are also not exempt from political weirdness. We have the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Labour, who wants to change the labour code so that the economy becomes an essential service, which would in effect take away pretty much everyone's right to strike, letting companies pretty much do what they want…. Somehow coming from the conservatives this doesn't surprise me, but what does surprise me is that the same workers elected them in the first place.</p><p> </p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-13843143464548928592011-10-09T20:28:00.001-04:002011-10-09T20:33:31.687-04:00Indian summer<p>Up here in the Great White North we are having Thanksgiving weekend... yeah I know it's really early but what can we do. It also happens to be the last hurrah of summer, Indian summer, with beautiful sunny warm days that are almost 10 degrees celsius above normal. I've been getting in as much biking as I can while it lasts because after this weekend biking will be pretty much finished unless I dress up like an eskimo. As I was biking I took a couple of pictures around the West Island <em>(the western end of Montreal Island is always called the West Island. It's the suburbs mixed with some woodlands and fields. Rather strange when you consider that the rest of the island is high density city. )</em></p><p> </p><p><em><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080011 - 2011-10-08 à 10-35-46.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ODdKFp-6nJU/TpI7m1BxNpI/AAAAAAAACCY/4q0nXXRN2KA/PA080011%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252010-35-46.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080011 2011 10 08 à 10 35 46" width="450" height="600" /></em><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080013 - 2011-10-08 à 10-50-28.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xe76cH79-Sw/TpI8Z7RvVpI/AAAAAAAACC4/PxcofGeJJWI/PA080013%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252010-50-28.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080013 2011 10 08 à 10 50 28" width="600" height="450" /><br /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080014 - 2011-10-08 à 11-05-38.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Srvpnb446Z8/TpI8sB_fg4I/AAAAAAAACC8/RK8gaA6pvGg/PA080014%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252011-05-38.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080014 2011 10 08 à 11 05 38" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA060007 - 2011-10-06 à 16-09-06.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y56IlwtvaZY/TpI8yWBhXFI/AAAAAAAACDA/o3hC_PbZJ7M/PA060007%252520-%2525202011-10-06%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252016-09-06.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA060007 2011 10 06 à 16 09 06" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080020 - 2011-10-08 à 11-27-31.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gohLaQgv4Yo/TpI9ABj9jWI/AAAAAAAACDI/ZWzCcOavn8I/PA080020%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252011-27-31.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080020 2011 10 08 à 11 27 31" width="450" height="600" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080026 - 2011-10-08 à 11-30-20.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qGnSmKRf6Kk/TpI9HrhV8DI/AAAAAAAACDM/YhhE3kZ2RJc/PA080026%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252011-30-20.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080026 2011 10 08 à 11 30 20" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080023 - 2011-10-08 à 11-29-06.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e7QYH5vNvAM/TpI9QXdWKFI/AAAAAAAACDQ/pjWq3occlVg/PA080023%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252011-29-06.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080023 2011 10 08 à 11 29 06" width="600" height="450" /></p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PA080017 - 2011-10-08 à 11-24-13.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nrKeFgChEL4/TpI83LeWkZI/AAAAAAAACDE/RozkhIYk9sQ/PA080017%252520-%2525202011-10-08%252520%2525C3%2525A0%25252011-24-13.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="PA080017 2011 10 08 à 11 24 13" width="600" height="449" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-88723939502416942462011-10-05T21:48:00.001-04:002011-10-05T21:48:45.707-04:00Macintosh and Steve remembered<p>I am writing this on my current Mac a Macbook Pro, which is my seventh Mac dating back to the 80's and the first Mac 512K I owned. I still remember the wonder as I played with MacPaint and MacWrite on the first Macintosh 128K at a Montreal computer store. I was seduced, I could finally make up my teaching notes with diagrams without cutting and pasting the diagrams onto the printed page. In those days cut 'n paste meant just that, you printed out the text leaving enough room for the diagram <em>(a pain in the ass since the text on the screen was really not WYSIWYG so it was very hit or miss)</em>, then photocopied the diagram, then cut it out with scissors and pasted it with a pot of glue. Finally you photocopied the resulting mess. If you had a diagram heavy page such an algebra exam, well, let's just say it was labour intensive. When I finally got together the wherewithall to buy a computer, I went off and got myself one of the first 512K Macs. <em>(I'll always remember the first time I opened the case of my first Mac and saw the autographs of all the people who had worked on the project etched into the inside of the case, now that's pride.) </em>I've never looked back since then and I have always used Apple products, never regretting it. Who do I have to thank for that? Well, in a large measure, Steve Jobs. He was the man behind the dream and he made it happen.Todays computers, be they Macs or PC's can thank him for it, for without his dream of a computer for the rest of us, I'm pretty sure that Windows, mice and the GUI would probably not exist or would be much less sophisticated than they are today.</p><p>Steve Jobs was a man that had a dream and he wasn't afraid to follow his dream wherever it lead him. He was a visionary who changed how modern computing and communications work in our world and he probably had great fun doing it. Here is what he said at the 2005 Stanford Commencement. I think it pretty much sums it up.</p><blockquote><p>Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.<span style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><br /><br />Read more: <a style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #003399; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.smh.com.au/technology/steve-jobs-2005-stanford-commencement-address-20111006-1lami.html#ixzz1ZxdUaPSX">http://www.smh.com.au/technology/steve-jobs-2005-stanford-commencement-address-20111006-1lami.html#ixzz1ZxdUaPSX</a></span></p></blockquote><p>In 1987 Steve said that he wanted to put a ding in the universe. Well Steve I think that you finally put more than a ding, more like a bloody big dent... RIP and my condolences to the family you loved.</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="jobs_hero20110329_0.png" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_DwOtefTtm0/To0I9erwtRI/AAAAAAAACBs/F76o18GrlJc/jobs_hero20110329_0.png?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Jobs hero20110329 0" width="263" height="300" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-78190575695250948422011-10-01T16:29:00.001-04:002011-10-01T16:30:45.300-04:00Oops, Beijing we have a problem.<p>Oops... Beijing, we have a problem...</p><p>File this one under "Major Fail".</p><p>The Chinese Central Television's telecast of the launch of the Tiangong-1 space station was impeccably done except for one small flaw. The launch was backed up with the stirring music of... wait for it... America The Beautiful. Hmmm I think I know where the producers of this show will be spending their next vacations...</p><p>The link is for the article on the The Guardians web site and it includes a video clip of the blunder...</p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/30/china-launch-america-the-beautiful">Rocket's red glaring error: China sets space launch to America the Beautiful | Science | The Guardian</a>: ""</p><p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="NewImage.png" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nxmMWqGHWWo/Tod3peCGHNI/AAAAAAAACBg/r_x96lFcpgg/NewImage.png?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="NewImage" width="220" height="390" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-44088350427039822302011-09-17T13:14:00.001-04:002011-09-17T13:14:27.309-04:00Summer happenings Part 2<p>Here is the second part of our summer vacations. Enjoy. <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France Abbaye Royal de Fontevraud.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HPyrdGyn4As/TnTUvPZNpXI/AAAAAAAAB_M/vfxC8-Yxtn0/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Abbaye%252520Royal%252520de%252520Fontevraud.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France Abbaye Royal de Fontevraud" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France 251.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qTC9ZbrZ6vk/TnTUwG-DXKI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/gt3AiHQW4ow/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520251.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France 251" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Les tombes d’Éleanor d’Aquitaine et son époux Henri II d’Angleterre. Se sont les parents de Richard.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tVHcE9W110s/TnTUxXJgXVI/AAAAAAAAB_U/3ZgmTbA9Gy0/Les%252520tombes%252520d%25253F%2525C3%252589leanor%252520d%25253FAquitaine%252520et%252520son%252520%2525C3%2525A9poux%252520Henri%252520II%252520d%25253FAngleterre.%252520Se%252520sont%252520les%252520parents%252520de%252520Richard.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Les tombes d Éleanor d Aquitaine et son époux Henri II d Angleterre Se sont les parents de Richard" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France 279.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kQlP1UWZLyw/TnTUz_POIEI/AAAAAAAAB_c/Km3yN_YyU0s/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520279.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France 279" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France 272.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hH9Lz_TGHQc/TnTUytZALtI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/JqfsyCAcPrQ/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520272.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France 272" width="600" height="450" /><br /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France Cathédrale St-Gatien.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ytu4xx8Xx4A/TnTU2FboG3I/AAAAAAAAB_k/ONs8RDVwP2o/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St-Gatien.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France Cathédrale St Gatien" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France 294.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_VxzK2Jy9cA/TnTU3BqP1iI/AAAAAAAAB_o/sY8MTUOXzY8/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520294.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France 294" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France 303.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fXxkWn-9BNM/TnTU4W43b5I/AAAAAAAAB_s/06BlYGkl2tA/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520303.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France 303" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-04 Voyage France La ville de Tours.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fq8Gr3Ha4Dk/TnTU5r93raI/AAAAAAAAB_w/oluVlZCu2Tw/2011-08-04%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520ville%252520de%252520Tours.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 04 Voyage France La ville de Tours" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-05 Voyage France 341.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qE_SDzWvS2s/TnTU69zKykI/AAAAAAAAB_0/3r-7dbNDgvw/2011-08-05%252520Voyage%252520France%252520341.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 05 Voyage France 341" width="600" height="517" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-05 Voyage France 321.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GWg4ZWG4ViA/TnTU79F7WnI/AAAAAAAAB_4/qCn7nuZk_3s/2011-08-05%252520Voyage%252520France%252520321.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 05 Voyage France 321" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2011-08-05 Voyage France 325.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i2LHNj8-1kU/TnTU9BG45TI/AAAAAAAAB_8/h3LgSV9DL-U/2011-08-05%252520Voyage%252520France%252520325.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="2011 08 05 Voyage France 325" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Le Château Royal d’Amboise, Il en reste que le 10ième de l’original.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--F58QRHaS7U/TnTU-OEUUqI/AAAAAAAACAA/tcUhuooRF_k/Le%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520Royal%252520d%25253FAmboise%25252C%252520Il%252520en%252520reste%252520que%252520le%25252010i%2525C3%2525A8me%252520de%252520l%25253Foriginal..jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Le Château Royal d Amboise Il en reste que le 10ième de l original" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="pont ambiose.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YwDzrfWI0Sw/TnTVARBDjFI/AAAAAAAACAI/Jjq5u7P444c/pont%252520ambiose.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Pont d'Amboise" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Le Château de Blois.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DFhBMmNfZqU/TnTVBzR1vRI/AAAAAAAACAM/MYqbX6v3ZMg/Le%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Blois.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Le Château de Blois" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Des décorations sculptés.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Xr5gtgQ8a58/TnTVDE3PvlI/AAAAAAAACAQ/L-RBQml3LSQ/Des%252520d%2525C3%2525A9corations%252520sculpt%2525C3%2525A9s.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Des décorations sculptés qui furent sauvées lors des rénovations" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="decorations.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4DUrIlVpbGM/TnTVFt86TsI/AAAAAAAACAY/Qv5Cx-Ybb2Y/decorations.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Sculptuers from the castle" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="sculpture2.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pw0YuKTnbPQ/TnTVHTC5sbI/AAAAAAAACAc/_I4x-WVqTl4/sculpture2.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Sculptures from the castle" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="sculpture3.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6yYhvXZ-7VA/TnTVI1s9AYI/AAAAAAAACAg/Jnkja6Tmr_4/sculpture3.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Sculptures from the castle" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="sculpture4.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9UD6hHWRSu0/TnTVLbWYMnI/AAAAAAAACAo/AvZeFcnT7W0/sculpture4.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Sculptures from the castle" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="dame.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xSFvHrLbRdM/TnTVMaC7l6I/AAAAAAAACAs/Bzn-KmMuKLI/dame.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Lady with rebic" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="sculpture3.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ucK2Js_6SFI/TnTVEbvnNvI/AAAAAAAACAU/jzGYtq8MNKw/duel.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Sculptures from the castle" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chateau de Chambord.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gSQaGOWZdoY/TnTVNZiuI5I/AAAAAAAACAw/c90MPt7WwLs/Chateau%252520de%252520Chambord.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Le Chateau de Chambord" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="light.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-p-bTt5XMxDg/TnTVOhj716I/AAAAAAAACA0/_dACtfyHdeY/light.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="The light source in the cemtral staicase." width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Le Chateau de Chambord.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EMgbki0FaEw/TnTVP5ubnSI/AAAAAAAACA4/0C58P5PxVZ0/Le%252520Chateau%252520de%252520Chambord.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Le Chateau de Chambord " width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="hall.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KRwrdc_mQ-8/TnTVRELIjdI/AAAAAAAACA8/8NN0c5bGboc/hall.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Entrance hall" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chartes.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--PxAJjgQnT4/TnTVSCbyBaI/AAAAAAAACBA/xOKG3hSuqJs/Chartes.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chartes.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rWq0mJ1wWoQ/TnTVTstmXoI/AAAAAAAACBE/7vdC8WoQtcw/Chartes.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes " width="600" height="450" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chartes.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L_j2vkN0DRs/TnTVVKHF4uI/AAAAAAAACBI/2HlhyVGFyYw/Chartes.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chartes.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TePC9ERJjx0/TnTVWs5M89I/AAAAAAAACBM/DQrNQHQTiPY/Chartes.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chartes.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oytHaGijgQE/TnTVYHGnmfI/AAAAAAAACBQ/QvBfYEFhkyw/Chartes.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="chartres.jpg" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VpmPpuY_Qn0/TnTVZ27LKPI/AAAAAAAACBU/ZHL4OOw7qu8/chartres.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre Dame de Chartes" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="chartres.jpg" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nS0YS0u-AUM/TnTVbe3TplI/AAAAAAAACBY/kBFqAWb8HHU/chartres.jpg?imgmax=800" border="0" alt="Notre dame de Chartes" width="449" height="600" /></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-22246337863994283342011-09-16T22:18:00.001-04:002011-09-16T23:09:35.644-04:00Summer happeningsOh how I’m lazy, no blog since June, but as an excuse I must say that I was rather busy this summer. I went trekking in the Parc de la Gaspésie (arguably the best place to go hiking in Québec if you like mountains). Then later on Mrs. BB and I spent 3 weeks traipsing around France getting in as much of the country as we could. Now being the lazy person that I am and since a photo is worth a thousand words, here is my summer in pictures to make up for the blogs I didn’t have time to write. :o) There should be a couple of thousand words here. The photos are from the Massif Central in the centre of France and of course the Loire valley and its castles. Part 2 tomorrow. :o)<br /><br /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tr6lzPk8U4Y/TnQDf8e3FUI/AAAAAAAAB54/ArV5IBmVy0c/Fontainbleau.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="Fontainbleau" title="Fontainbleau.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T3qCXhv3wJ8/TnQEzaygskI/AAAAAAAAB6A/gnLus6LzNuQ/2011-07-23%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Fontainebleau.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 23 Voyage France Fontainebleau" title="2011-07-23 Voyage France Fontainebleau.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9BxoTgQfcWU/TnQE01qnZuI/AAAAAAAAB6E/_dwiBZLVgZ8/2011-07-23%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Fontainebleau.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 23 Voyage France Fontainebleau" title="2011-07-23 Voyage France Fontainebleau.jpg" border="0" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AONqxiHOciU/TnQE1898-2I/AAAAAAAAB6I/HE61AAh_C0w/2011-07-23%252520Voyage%252520France%252520268.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 23 Voyage France 268" title="2011-07-23 Voyage France 268.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XJgwBwV82V0/TnQE3G-hSuI/AAAAAAAAB6M/oey4JBqolfo/2011-07-24%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ville%252520de%252520Provins%25252C%252520Une%252520ville%252520marchande..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 24 Voyage France Ville de Provins Une ville marchande" title="2011-07-24 Voyage France Ville de Provins, Une ville marchande..jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N3Mkzowttz0/TnQE44IYa1I/AAAAAAAAB6Q/hwwhwIg15r0/2011-07-24%252520Voyage%252520France%252520284.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 24 Voyage France 284" title="2011-07-24 Voyage France 284.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qAoywbzWqb4/TnQE6IqjE1I/AAAAAAAAB6U/2NQxpXivwxY/2011-07-24%252520Voyage%252520France%252520donjon%252520de%252520Provin.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 24 Voyage France donjon de Provin" title="2011-07-24 Voyage France donjon de Provin.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HUUWWJRdAW4/TnQE7uvT8oI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/RmyxPuJMd9I/2011-07-24%252520Voyage%252520L%252527%2525C3%2525A9glise%252520de%252520Provin.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 24 Voyage L église de Provin" title="2011-07-24 Voyage L'église de Provin.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hPF5MrcgWjw/TnQE9BJvd2I/AAAAAAAAB6c/XPHUijmCYpU/2011-07-24%252520Voyage%252520France%252520L%252527%2525C3%2525A9glise%252520de%252520Provin.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 24 Voyage France L église de Provin" title="2011-07-24 Voyage France L'église de Provin.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CEufwhwKyd4/TnQE-VZNs5I/AAAAAAAAB6g/iS6FJKGrBio/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Abbaye%252520de%252520Noirlac.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-abI4m87pp3M/TnQFAU_FlCI/AAAAAAAAB6k/eAOp2hg_CUU/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Abbaye%252520de%252520Noirlac.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2wVh-LgFoJY/TnQFCgZq6CI/AAAAAAAAB6s/RU4_sSETmmo/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520clo%2525C3%2525AEtre.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Le cloître" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Le cloître.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_dGkExqEUwo/TnQFBTjedNI/AAAAAAAAB6o/E9WVSWrtzJo/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Abbaye%252520de%252520Noirlac.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Abbaye de Noirlac.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Eu7I2opgDHA/TnQGJ3dXjcI/AAAAAAAAB60/fF6P7p8IMs8/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520r%2525C3%2525A9fectoire.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Le réfectoire" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Le réfectoire.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="449" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zww-cDoAbKU/TnQGK166GZI/AAAAAAAAB64/fCkWBEHwsNY/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520Bourges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-15nScnBLDrs/TnQGMKW4NyI/AAAAAAAAB68/okv1WvvhDHw/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520Bourges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-P56QK2RKBqU/TnQGNCeTUII/AAAAAAAAB7A/k0Xwk01kHCU/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520Bourges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Cathédrale de Bourges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--BQ-8xa88lk/TnQGOcByC4I/AAAAAAAAB7E/U7udrPBm9xc/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520384.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France 384" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France 384.jpg" border="0" width="282" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--8Par8DmIhk/TnQGPa0ciAI/AAAAAAAAB7I/cUdZq-JKSws/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520372.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France 372" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France 372.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bORt9CCR7CM/TnQGQq4WswI/AAAAAAAAB7M/aqhob_RuY5M/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520Bourges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France La cathédrale de Bourges" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France La cathédrale de Bourges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y332PPooukU/TnQGSeu_oAI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/a1whZzE5IKU/2011-07-25%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Bourges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 25 Voyage France Bourges" title="2011-07-25 Voyage France Bourges.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fazkqv3fYYs/TnQGUCHN-UI/AAAAAAAAB7U/05BmTpEtcxA/2011-07-26%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Une%252520des%252520rues%252520de%252520Thiers.%252520La%252520maison%252520des%2525207%252520p%2525C3%2525AAch%2525C3%2525A9es%252520est%252520%2525C3%2525A0%252520gauche.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 26 Voyage France Une des rues de Thiers La maison des 7 pêchées est à gauche" title="2011-07-26 Voyage France Une des rues de Thiers. La maison des 7 pêchées est à gauche.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uz-X94fn1XE/TnQGWCguWjI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/J1_lNPfC1Lo/2011-07-26%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Thiers.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 26 Voyage France Thiers" title="2011-07-26 Voyage France Thiers.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-821XkAOo_28/TnQGYkGyu7I/AAAAAAAAB7c/U_SFAclLplk/2011-07-27%252520Voyage%252520France%252520439.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 27 Voyage France 439" title="2011-07-27 Voyage France 439.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rXn_XM_nRLY/TnQGcquwJBI/AAAAAAAAB7g/HmxGh24zPlg/2011-07-27%252520Voyage%252520France%252520446.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 27 Voyage France 446" title="2011-07-27 Voyage France 446.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FZImj19apHg/TnQGd7WlTiI/AAAAAAAAB7k/OLA_hxngVKg/2011-07-27%252520Voyage%252520France%252520467.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 27 Voyage France 467" title="2011-07-27 Voyage France 467.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PRXrwI9A-Rg/TnQGe__CCFI/AAAAAAAAB7o/S5zR00gm_aM/2011-07-27%252520Voyage%252520France%252520les%252520vitraux.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 27 Voyage France les vitraux" title="2011-07-27 Voyage France les vitraux.jpg" border="0" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-C1IeCiZgzE0/TnQGf9oxlfI/AAAAAAAAB7s/QOyGknfvfkc/2011-07-27%252520Voyage%252520France.%252520Les%252520anges%252520dans%252520nos%252520campagnes....jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 27 Voyage France Les anges dans nos campagnes" title="2011-07-27 Voyage France. Les anges dans nos campagnes....jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gLInzBemRss/TnQIL4vJhDI/AAAAAAAAB70/LagfjIPfHk4/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520village%252520M%2525C3%2525A9di%2525C3%2525A9val%252520de%252520Conques.%252520Il%252520%2525C3%2525A9tait%252520sur%252520la%252520route%252520des%252520p%2525C3%2525A8lerins%252520de%252520Compostelle%252520et%252520mme%252520aujourd%25253Fhui%252520les%252520p%2525C3%2525A8lerins%252520arr%2525C3%2525AAte%252520ici..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Le village Médiéval de Conques Il était sur la route des pèlerins de Compostelle et mme aujourd hui les pèlerins arrête ici" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Le village Médiéval de Conques. Il était sur la route des pèlerins de Compostelle et mme aujourd’hui les pèlerins arrête ici..jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Fhy-SNLAU0w/TnQINEQE3vI/AAAAAAAAB74/eCfk2WrSbkU/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Village%252520de%252520Conques.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Village de Conques" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Village de Conques.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-v6iIMl-HFjA/TnQIOPri_FI/AAAAAAAAB78/Hu-IgQ_4cTQ/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Village%252520de%252520Conques%252520la%252520porte%252520des%252520p%2525C3%2525A8lerins..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Village de Conques la porte des pèlerins" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Village de Conques la porte des pèlerins..jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4o6qCvsU6fQ/TnQIPUuXJoI/AAAAAAAAB8A/LtskX2pzTcU/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Village%252520de%252520Conques.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Village de Conques" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Village de Conques.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-X-HRpZ81obo/TnQIQcdPKwI/AAAAAAAAB8E/lgbJrV3ogMU/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ya9u6D2NvRg/TnQIRQvUjgI/AAAAAAAAB8I/REdCJFr7ino/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520L%25253Fabbaye%252520de%252520St-Foy.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France L abbaye de St Foy" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France L’abbaye de St-Foy.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WGDIROLidA0/TnQISQDKOHI/AAAAAAAAB8M/GY2BJZ1TLQ8/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520dome.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Le dome" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Le dome.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YK9qJygM7Cg/TnQITdNwkzI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/W-aEdW_y-C4/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520542.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France 542" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France 542.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mbpqC6NDeng/TnQIUQvbZ1I/AAAAAAAAB8U/eCxCIq5I1W0/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520545.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France 545" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France 545.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cVcrM227jxQ/TnQIVr0P3rI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/zRwo1Qz13AI/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520porte%252520des%252520p%2525C3%2525A8lerins..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France La porte des pèlerins" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France La porte des pèlerins..jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FQ7x1QoD4CA/TnQIWsurkZI/AAAAAAAAB8c/CmRkhvFoHoo/2011-07-28%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Village%252520de%252520Conques.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 28 Voyage France Village de Conques" title="2011-07-28 Voyage France Village de Conques.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PvQWPdHqMls/TnQIX3QqPVI/AAAAAAAAB8g/Nm_ls6pu_Oc/2011-07-29%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Salers.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 29 Voyage France Salers" title="2011-07-29 Voyage France Salers.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--nmMCdVjNfA/TnQIZOErjuI/AAAAAAAAB8k/Y7RKFDpXCKY/2011-07-29%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Salers.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 29 Voyage France Salers" title="2011-07-29 Voyage France Salers.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Cs5MlTVFnf8/TnQIaKQmsgI/AAAAAAAAB8o/ECCHyRFbcus/2011-07-29%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520St-%2525C3%252589tienne%252520%2525C3%2525A0%252520Limoges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St Étienne à Limoges" title="2011-07-29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St-Étienne à Limoges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Awk6bAFuoig/TnQIbKGUPMI/AAAAAAAAB8s/w26j8XXa_W4/2011-07-29%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520St-%2525C3%252589tienne%252520%2525C3%2525A0%252520Limoges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St Étienne à Limoges" title="2011-07-29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St-Étienne à Limoges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JcxvkbtWEWA/TnQIcgZAJvI/AAAAAAAAB8w/EFXDrw_Mf40/2011-07-29%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520St-%2525C3%252589tienne%252520%2525C3%2525A0%252520Limoges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St Étienne à Limoges" title="2011-07-29 Voyage France La cathédrale de St-Étienne à Limoges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pizMtCTYYFQ/TnQIdnI_7bI/AAAAAAAAB80/BWgy0S-xLPc/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520de%252520St-%2525C3%252589tienne%252520%2525C3%2525A0%252520Limoges.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France La cathédrale de St Étienne à Limoges" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France La cathédrale de St-Étienne à Limoges.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-doBzH528134/TnQIe1_TVDI/AAAAAAAAB84/tNJmujsBivU/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St-Pierre%252520et%252520St-Paul%252520de%252520Nantes%252520en%252520Bretagne.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France Cathédrale St Pierre et St Paul de Nantes en Bretagne" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul de Nantes en Bretagne.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LxQ40XJolrE/TnQIf-FvTMI/AAAAAAAAB88/VZXSxxROUXw/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St-Pierre%252520et%252520St-Paul%252520de%252520Nantes%252520en%252520Bretagne.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France Cathédrale St Pierre et St Paul de Nantes en Bretagne" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul de Nantes en Bretagne.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GkToXSJW_JY/TnQIhOnMVxI/AAAAAAAAB9A/UqWyhXHulDM/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St-Pierre%252520et%252520St-Paul%252520de%252520Nantes%252520en%252520Bretagne.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France Cathédrale St Pierre et St Paul de Nantes en Bretagne" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul de Nantes en Bretagne.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0kxaWexcD2s/TnQIiZxgZZI/AAAAAAAAB9E/FcYiN2-wl3o/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520figures%252520de%252520la%252520tombe.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France figures de la tombe" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France figures de la tombe.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4IEb6o5xiss/TnQIkRlWT0I/AAAAAAAAB9I/Je782w_MDBY/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Figures%252520de%252520la%252520tombe.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France Figures de la tombe" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France Figures de la tombe.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bODO5-UFzQ4/TnQIlxNwKaI/AAAAAAAAB9M/zNY59MPGZzs/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520618.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France 618" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France 618.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XNshXFKNyWY/TnQInhImz5I/AAAAAAAAB9Q/Ph33jwpI7OA/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520les%252520douves.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France les douves" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France les douves.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-guNzkHDgrWM/TnQIpY6WWrI/AAAAAAAAB9U/7NkFNn-8P7U/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520l%25253Fentr%2525C3%2525A9e%252520du%252520ch%2525C3%2525A2teau.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France l entrée du château" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France l’entrée du château.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TnAAVBTcHHE/TnQIq_LIP2I/AAAAAAAAB9Y/wZkXYMw4cVA/2011-07-31%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Rues%252520de%252520Nantes.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 07 31 Voyage France Rues de Nantes" title="2011-07-31 Voyage France Rues de Nantes.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mAXh75phMxQ/TnQIsohH3TI/AAAAAAAAB9c/RJE9oqlWRpo/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Serrant.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Serrant" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Serrant.jpg" border="0" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kvpSZ9Pta0w/TnQItmnyeAI/AAAAAAAAB9g/goKmdGvykOo/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Serrant.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Serrant" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Serrant.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Yc_ci5IWuTI/TnQIuw8DNEI/AAAAAAAAB9k/ZZY-rFefXF8/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Serrant.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Serrant" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Serrant.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xHtg_wFOrAQ/TnQIvwqyVGI/AAAAAAAAB9o/QmlC1m9Z-fU/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Serrant.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Serrant" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Serrant.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hN3jnPWFYQU/TnQIxX0jT1I/AAAAAAAAB9s/T7LSJBWH18s/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Plessis-Bourr%2525C3%2525A9.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Plessis Bourré" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Plessis-Bourré.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xkg6rEe4K9k/TnQIyn47DDI/AAAAAAAAB9w/gEOb9MGBuk4/2011-08-01%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Plessis-Bourr%2525C3%2525A9.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 01 Voyage France Château de Plessis Bourré" title="2011-08-01 Voyage France Château de Plessis-Bourré.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QDhkS4MInRc/TnQIzuOvaaI/AAAAAAAAB90/fBA3iA-5yzA/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520Chateau%252520d%252527Angers.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Le Chateau d Angers" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Le Chateau d'Angers.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LC-MNwPoPPM/TnQI0tGpiJI/AAAAAAAAB94/FtC6CGMsHy0/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520706.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France 706" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France 706.jpg" border="0" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Lyewg3mcpTE/TnQI1S8pLMI/AAAAAAAAB98/YlLVYXTVp3w/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Les%252520fleurs%252520des%252520jardins.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Les fleurs des jardins" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Les fleurs des jardins.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wmctZghtvtE/TnQI2topN4I/AAAAAAAAB-A/2BAbYrOjCqo/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520696.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France 696" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France 696.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="449" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9x0_VNbhwOY/TnQI3jMxQsI/AAAAAAAAB-E/4Orouc95teQ/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Les%252520rues%252520d%252527Angers.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Les rues d Angers" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Les rues d'Angers.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wU1oUlABBi0/TnQI43Qd-8I/AAAAAAAAB-I/3VnPdMoaMB8/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St.%252520Maurice.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Cathédrale St Maurice" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Cathédrale St. Maurice.jpg" border="0" width="449" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LIqjXIt9ado/TnQI5ykJNEI/AAAAAAAAB-M/PMwBQiVTTl0/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St.%252520Maurice.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Cathédrale St Maurice" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Cathédrale St. Maurice.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eh2s_JH9Aa8/TnQI7HUqtKI/AAAAAAAAB-Q/h1oBzad-K9g/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Cath%2525C3%2525A9drale%252520St.%252520Maurice.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France Cathédrale St Maurice" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France Cathédrale St. Maurice.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Sw99HRl3rIM/TnQI8OI2sBI/AAAAAAAAB-U/KaJxg8Q8xn8/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520maison%252520d%25253FAdam%252520au%252520centre%252520d%25253FAngers.%252520Les%252520colombages%252520sont%252520travailler%252520avec%252520des%252520sc%2525C3%2525A8nes%252520de%252520Gen%2525C3%2525A8se..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France La maison d Adam au centre d Angers Les colombages sont travailler avec des scènes de Genèse" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France La maison d’Adam au centre d’Angers. Les colombages sont travailler avec des scènes de Genèse..jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Yyb1uEZX9wg/TnQI9CzlUrI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/QFdj1JQvDJg/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520maison%252520d%252527Adam.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France La maison d Adam" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France La maison d'Adam.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o2J9Kc-Y4ao/TnQI-N5kJkI/AAAAAAAAB-c/SodUxPUK-5E/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520maison%252520d%252527Adam.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France La maison d Adam" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France La maison d'Adam.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ulqyw593eqk/TnQI_MEXK2I/AAAAAAAAB-g/01XutZzawsQ/2011-08-02%252520Voyage%252520France%252520La%252520bataille%252520contre%252520le%252520mal.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 02 Voyage France La bataille contre le mal" title="2011-08-02 Voyage France La bataille contre le mal.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-74dxyswGrjw/TnQKuKUKDxI/AAAAAAAAB-o/GkmFb0wIwIc/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Montreuil-Bellay%25252C%252520Maine-et-Loire%25252C.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil Bellay Maine et Loire" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil-Bellay, Maine-et-Loire,.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DpOr7pOSiP8/TnQKvMoCokI/AAAAAAAAB-s/ICwfFwoKriU/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Montreuil-Bellay%25252C%252520Maine-et-Loire%25252C.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil Bellay Maine et Loire" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil-Bellay, Maine-et-Loire,.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TqiyLSaMSjY/TnQKwN0CFWI/AAAAAAAAB-w/dyFGw4AYhPQ/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Montreuil-Bellay%25252C%252520Maine-et-Loire%25252C.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil Bellay Maine et Loire" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil-Bellay, Maine-et-Loire,.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ubatOIGX004/TnQKxeFBXfI/AAAAAAAAB-0/3XMoahJVbG8/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Montreuil-Bellay%25252C%252520Maine-et-Loire%25252C.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil Bellay Maine et Loire" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Château de Montreuil-Bellay, Maine-et-Loire,.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sqfdrwHc-is/TnQKyac0g5I/AAAAAAAAB-4/yaDVTBV3xuk/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520%2525C3%252580%252520quoi%252520pense-t-elle%25253F.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France À quoi pense t elle" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France À quoi pense-t-elle?.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GS8_UxQibfY/TnQKzXnaJhI/AAAAAAAAB-8/VS6ED2KEo9g/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Saumure.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Le Château de Saumure" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Le Château de Saumure.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nU91nkWa8H0/TnQK0W4q7DI/AAAAAAAAB_A/a45B0c3XQnQ/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520Ch%2525C3%2525A2teau%252520de%252520Saumure.jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Le Château de Saumure" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Le Château de Saumure.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" /><img style="display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Hz4JwfVcoWs/TnQK1UfsbUI/AAAAAAAAB_E/pR76UHbv6CM/2011-08-03%252520Voyage%252520France%252520Le%252520spectacle%252520dans%252520la%252520cours..jpg?imgmax=800" alt="2011 08 03 Voyage France Le spectacle dans la cours" title="2011-08-03 Voyage France Le spectacle dans la cours..jpg" border="0" width="600" height="449" /><br />Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-35554872962072882522011-06-23T16:24:00.000-04:002011-06-23T16:24:59.131-04:00Short sightedness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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The end of the school year approaches and has not been made easier by the fact that our road infrastructure in Montreal is literally falling to pieces. Last week they had to close one of the four bridges to the south shore because the gussets which hold the steel beams together had rusted out. The next closest bridge is also under inspection/repair pretty much on a permanent basis since as they so euphemistically say it "has reached the end of its lifespan" <i>(read it’s falling to pieces also)</i>. Add to that the Turcotte interchange where three highways congregate also has really big problems. They have closed some exits and reduced lanes on others because of safety concerns. They originally didn’t put in enough steel bar to solidify them so they are now falling apart. So to say the least, our island roads look pretty much 3rd world. Now add to that, that all traffic must cross onto the island to head westward because there is no ring road around Montreal to avoid the city <i>(it’ll be finished late in 2012 maybe)</i> and you have a recipe for chaos.</div>
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Now why is that? Well it’s pretty easy to understand. There has been massive underfunding of the upkeep and inspection of the roads and bridges for the last 50 years or more because the politicians don’t see those as being very sexy and politically advantageous. In the last 50 years we’ve spent money for the Olympics <i>(we’re still paying for t he Olympic stadium)</i>, spent money on two referendums and all the feasibility studies that went with them, we are even now, as the roads and bridges are falling apart, spending 400 million on a new arena in Québec City so they can get a NHL hockey team. These are all nice to have, but they should be paid for, if and only if, there is money left over after having taken care of the essentials, such as roads, bridges, health care, education and all the other essential services.</div>
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Out society today needs lessons in pragmatism and in looking longterm. Our politicians can’t see farther than one or two years and the next popularity poll. I suppose that throughout human history it has been pretty much the same thing... <i>« bread and circuses »</i> as things fall apart around us.</div>
Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-55030181923182436212011-05-23T09:45:00.002-04:002011-05-23T19:49:36.118-04:00Oh the rapture<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5609907366773824866"><br />
<img border="0" height="281" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TdplBwtmnWI/AAAAAAAAB5c/HbquK_AL30E/s288/2.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="210" /></a></center><br />
Well we're still here, no feeling of lightness, no looking skywards for me or Mrs. BB. So I guess we just are not among the chosen, but then again so are 97% of the population. <br />
Not being raptures doesn't really bother me but can you imagine the problems this 3% would have caused as they were lofted skywards? <br />
First of all they would have had to dodge all the news helicopters trying to get exclusive footage of the event. If you go through the helicopter rotor blades will you still be raptured? Raptured in pieces, could be rather messy. <br />
Then there is the problems of the Raptured living near the major airports such as JFK, Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle where there are always hundreds of planes in the air at one time. Going through a turbofan jet engine leaves even less pieces than the the rotor blades. Hitting the front of the aircraft like an oversized seagull is also not good but at least the Rapturee will still be in one piece albeit a bit smeared across the windshield. <br />
Then there are the family members who will just not want to let go of the loved one. <br />
"Johnny will you stop playing with that rope, that's your grandpa not a balloon for you to play with!"<br />
Right now we've been having thunder storms. I wonder if the Rapturee going through the clouds would disturb the water vapor enough to cause an ionization trail that would set off a lightening strike? Fricassee of Rapture, heavenly crispy critters. <br />
For the rest of us there might also have been fun things. I was thinking that if the Rapture had been placed at a more convenient time, at 6 pm it is still light out, let's say midnight, we could have gone around with piles of old clothes and shoes and laid them out on sidewalks and lawns in the shape of a human that had been lofted skywards. The looks on people's faces the next morning would have been priceless. <br />
This the second Rapture I've gone through (there was supposed to have been another in 1994) predicted by the same looney-tunes preacher. Why is it that religion brings out the craziness and credulity in otherwise sane human beings? I'll let you find the answer to that since I have to go and live my post-apocalyptic life. <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5609907378462821554"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TdplCcQejLI/AAAAAAAAB5g/a9wRrWfzLFs/s288/0.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="209" /></a></center><br />
- Posted from my iPhoneBig Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-65685698787330439412011-04-05T16:52:00.002-04:002011-04-05T18:36:16.158-04:00Can you spell democracy Mr. HarperWe’ve always known that the Prime Minister liked being in control and that he and his party were found in contempt of parliament <i>(stonewalling the elected representatives of the people about information they needed to do their jobs) </i>but this week Mr. Harper and his party has proved it without a doubt.<br />
Usually when there is a public meeting or rally, it is supposed to be public not just opened to the party faithful. The Conservatives have been making the Canadian voters register if they want to attend a Conservative rally where the Mr. Harper will be speaking. They then do a background check and if you do not pass their loyalty criteria, you are out of there, escorted by the local bouncers.<br />
Can this be real, oh yes. Last week Awish Aslam, a 19-year-old University of Western Ontario student and her friend, went to a Conservative rally where they were told that they were not welcome. Why might you ask? It was because they had been to a Liberal rally the week before and had posted a picture of themselves with Michael Ignatieff <a href="http://lifeinthetwilightzone.blogspot.com/2011/04/it-that-time-again.html">(see previous post)</a> on Facebook. Miss Aslam has been going to all the different parties' rallies to get a better idea for who to vote for, which is what voters should do. Was it just a slip up of overzealous political organizers? Nope, it seems that this is not the first time that this has happened. Did the Mr. Harper apologize to the people? Again no, he feels that it is OK to do this kind of screening, but what can you expect from a politician that limits the number of questions the press may ask to only five un-embarrassing questions per photo op.<br />
Now kicking out the « undesirables » seems to be standard practice with the Conservatives. Gentlemen, can you spell D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y, where <b>the people </b>are allowed access to the politicians to ask questions and get answers before making an enlightened decision??? What is really ironic is that they closely screen the voters and yet in the PMO <i>(prime minister’s office)</i> one of his top advisors is Bruce Carson, a man who has five fraud convictions. Hmmm, makes one think doesn’t it?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646; font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/decision-canada/Harper+campaign+critized+Canadian+tossing+other+party+followers/4562633/story.html">Read The Montreal Gazette article here</a></span></span><br />
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</span>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-40435434587490836452011-04-02T09:32:00.002-04:002011-04-02T10:16:16.296-04:00It's that time again.If you haven't heard yet, we are in the middle of electing our beloved leaders. BS is flying fast and furious everywhere and promises to make our lives a veritable paradise abound.<br />
Who are the protagonists in the epic clash, well for those of you who do not live in our beautiful land here is a rapid who's who. <br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5590981053508614802"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TZcnpVhR-pI/AAAAAAAAB5U/aEzBjwL0sV0/s288/0.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 5px;" width="200" /></a></center><br />
Stephen Harper: leader of the Conservative party. Comes from the Reform/Alliance (<i>radical right</i>) party before they took over the conservatives after having united their fortunes. He is known to be autocratic and doesn't really feel that he needs Parliament except to rubber stamp his decisions from the PMO (prime minister's office, a kind of unelected executive). He is a kind of "Bush lite". His platform is mainly law and order (<i>even if the statistics prove that crime has gone down</i>), more military, tax cuts to the large corporations (<i>which probably means that I will be paying more taxes to make up the difference</i>), Republican style attack ads and scare mongering. Has ties to the oil industry and the religious right.<br />
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Michael Ignatieff: Liberal leader, liberals being analogous to the Democrats in the US, is an unknown quantity since this is his first election as leader. He is an academic and was at Harvard before becoming the Liberal leader after coup-d'état against the last leader who had even less charisma. His popularity is not the highest at the moment and his chances of forming a government are pretty slim. His platform is left of center and contains promises for families and the middle class. If he does not have a good showing or Harper gets elected with a majority, his days will probably be numbered. <br />
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Jack Layton: the leader of the New Democrats. This is a socialist party a bit like the Labour party used to be in the UK. Jack is probably the best liked of the leaders. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy. His party advocates for higher taxes for corporations and the rich, more social programs and more environmentally friendly actions. He is a nice guy but nice guys usually finish last.<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5590978647846918642"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TZcldTu1mfI/AAAAAAAAB5M/a83PtRaxpy8/s288/4.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="180" /></a></center><br />
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Gilles Duceppe: leader of the Bloc Québécois is a big bad separatist, according to Harper he has horns and a forked tail. He is a charismatic and pragmatic leader and is probably the best statesman of the bunch. He is wildly popular in Québec and his party stands to win about 50% of the popular vote here. He usually wins most of the seats for the province. His platform is socialist with the added bonus of wanting to take the province out of the Canadian Federation. His party runs no candidates outside of Québec but that doesn't stop him garnering popularity outside the province. <br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5590978655268269906"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TZcldvYOb1I/AAAAAAAAB5Q/cqvvx33x5Sw/s288/5.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="250" /></a></center><br />
<br />
Elizabeth May: leader of the Green party. This party garnered about 10% of the vote but has elected nobody to parliament. As the name says their platform is principally about the environment and socially they a also a socialist party <i>(kind of goes together).</i> Doesn't have a chance in hell of forming the government but that isn't stopping them from trying. <br />
So there are the choices. If you haven't yet figured it out I'm not a great Harper/Conservative fan and I can only hope he doesn't win enough seats to get a majority because, with apologies to my American friends, I really don't want to live under an American style Republican Right government. There is also my feeling that Harper's style of social policy will play into the hands of the separatist Parti Québécois <i>(provincial separatist party with ties to the Bloc)</i> who will use the fact that Canada has values that we in Québec <i>(we usually have more socialist values here)</i> can't live with. They will then have a referendum and might just win it. <br />
So on May 2nd it's off to the polls we go. I only wish sometimes that there was always a final choice on the ballot, <b><i>"None of the above"</i></b>. I'm willing to bet that this option would get the most votes. <br />
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- Posted from my iPhoneBig Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-75055643334379937762011-02-25T12:51:00.001-05:002011-02-25T12:52:25.154-05:00Traveling againAt the moment we are on the road again. This time we are spending A week in the south of Spain at Marbella on the Costa del Sol. You see Mrs. BB and I were a bit tired of the cold, damp and cold. I usually don't mind winter but since we had a warm spell that melted the snow an then a cold snap that refroze it all I haven't been able to cross country ski so it has been rather boring. There is also the Rénovations we are having done in the house. Camping in the basement is not all it is cut out to be and we had to be out of the house anyhow when they varnished the floors. So here we are making my lil' sister Jazz grind her teeth, with the sea, blue skies and temperatures in the 20's celsius. <br />Here are a couple of pictures for you. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686019777826370'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfr4hWFDkI/AAAAAAAAB4I/26ZUxYpEivw/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Our plane<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686065320826690'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfr7LAYF0I/AAAAAAAAB4M/mTMjRMOhViE/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />View from the hotel<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686090882097698'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfr8qOqIiI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/4xdYnxJ41SA/s288/2.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Our hotel <br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686114489247330'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfr-CLCpmI/AAAAAAAAB4U/3jQGeqPPJYs/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The mediteranean<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686146584098642'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfr_5vDN1I/AAAAAAAAB4Y/Kz5LlIXNhi0/s288/5.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The water front<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686184772827858'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfsCH_8-tI/AAAAAAAAB4g/Xk4vCpejhjI/s288/6.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Old town<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686209186889746'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfsDi8uABI/AAAAAAAAB4k/xXlKACWcfDQ/s288/7.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The arab walls 9th century<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/fortin.denis/LifeInTheTwilightZone?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv8tJmMgYeeAw#5577686236637489010'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TWfsFJNc53I/AAAAAAAAB4o/3Yept1NGXnk/s288/8.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />- Posted from my iPhone<br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Plaza%20Puente%20de%20M%C3%A1laga,Marbella,Espagne%4036.510092%2C-4.882489&z=10'>Plaza Puente de Málaga,Marbella,Espagne</a></p>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-64933704332527914052011-02-15T20:31:00.004-05:002011-02-15T20:58:39.493-05:00Hell it’s February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.celebrationmedical.ca/assets/images/philosophy_brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.celebrationmedical.ca/assets/images/philosophy_brain.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>I’ve been brain dead for a while and couldn’t seem to get the energy to write something. No sun does that to me. To the contrary of my lil sister Jazz I like the cold crisp air of winter as long as I can get my dose of sunlight. No sunlight gets to me every time.<br />
<div><br />
<div><div>Now what is going on in our part of the world. First of all our elected representatives are being their usual brainless selves. Last week they voted unanimously to ban the kirpan from the National Assembly. Why, because it is a weapon of mass destruction and the person would be able to take them all hostage and create murder and mayhem. Mind you a <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Kirpan_with_ruler.jpg">kirpan is a small dull bladed knife about 3 inches long</a>, in fact the table knives of the National Assembly restaurant are probably longer and sharper. <i>(If someone did however take them all hostage with a kirpan, I for one would vote NOT to pay the ransom...)</i> I sometimes wonder what could possibly go through politician’s heads besides currents of air. Are they obligated to get a brainectomy before taking office. Small wonder they are less popular than a Jehovah’s witness going from door to door.</div><div><br />
</div><div>This morning I was listening to the CBC when I heard a news report about <a href="http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/new-mli-paper-canadian-crime-stats-don%E2%80%99t-add-up/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Scott Newark’s new crime statistics report</span></a> where he states that crime is really going up and the Stats Canada statistics saying that crime is going down are all flawed <i>(with a soupçon of "Is there a conspiracy » thrown in)</i>. Now seems to be legitimate until you realize that it is the same thing that the Conservative Harper government has been saying to justify spending billions of dollars to beef up the prison system because they want <b>to get tough on crime</b>. Then you realize that he was the senior policy advisor <i><a href="http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=2b05b26d-36fe-464c-ab76-79612fe1cceb&k=47062">(which also led to a scandal)</a></i> to the minister of public safety, Stockwell Day, the same man who is pushing hard for more prisons, longer sentences because don’t you know.... <b>OH MY GOD, CRIME IS GOIN' UP EVERYWHERE... PUT THEM ALL IN PRISON AND THROW AWAY THE KEY.</b> <i>(He is probably also a closet believer in capital punishment, but can’t say it yet...)</i>. Scott Newark is also the man who said, </div><div>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;">Anything effective in law enforcement will inevitably be forbidden under the Charter [the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]. As we always say, the charter helps only murderers, pedophiles and judges. »</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 16px;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Talk about respect for the highest law in the land from a law and order guy. Anyhow, I can’t imagine that the politicians think that we’d be taken in by such an obvious ploy, do they seriously think we are as stupid as they are? Hmmm maybe they do.</span></span></span></div></div></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-38671183137855499562010-12-24T17:47:00.002-05:002010-12-24T17:55:34.478-05:00Twas the night before Christmas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The children were nestled all snug in their beds,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Away to the window I flew like a flash,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">With a little old driver, so lively and quick,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">As I drew in my head, and was turning around,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He had a broad face and a little round belly,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And laying his finger aside of his nose,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,</span></span></span></div><i></i><br />
<i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span style="color: #e3041b;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night. »</b></span></span></i></span></div></i><br />
<div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #e3041b;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas to everybody. May you all have a peaceful, lovely Christmas with those you love.</span></span></i></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #e3041b;"><br />
</span></i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TRUi47oEiMI/AAAAAAAAB3w/aooLLG4-efk/s1600/christmas_graphic_191.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TRUi47oEiMI/AAAAAAAAB3w/aooLLG4-efk/s400/christmas_graphic_191.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div><i><span style="color: #e3041b; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-73716482950257795422010-12-18T12:48:00.001-05:002010-12-18T12:52:14.718-05:00Life of a teacher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TQzzhXZFolI/AAAAAAAAB3o/NP-w2z1WWYE/s1600/christmas-cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TQzzhXZFolI/AAAAAAAAB3o/NP-w2z1WWYE/s200/christmas-cookies.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Sometimes it isn't easy teaching but many times it is very satisfying. I could always pass up the paperwork and the endless meetings but what keeps me going are the kids.<br />
Often adolescents are said to be lazy and will amount to nothing, yet each year they amaze me with their work and creativity. My students are in Secondary 2, the equivalent of grade 8, so they are 13-14 years old. They are on the cusp of becoming adults balanced between childhood and adulthood and they go back and forth between the two. It is a remarkable age because you can see the child that they are and at the same time, the adults they will become. Their enthusiasm for new things is a wonder to see and when properly focused they can really do great things.<br />
We have just finished the Christmas Project where they researched different countries, their Christmas traditions, songs, food etc. They were presenting all this week and their work was excellent considering that it was all done in their second language. They also had to bake Christmas cookies from their country to give to their fellow students after the presentation. Let me tell you that the cookies were good and I'll have to do some extra exercising to get rid of the calories.<br />
Some of my former students have gone on to do great things. There is one studying in the Université d'Ottawa and is presently working as a page in the House of Commons <i>(the equivalent of Congress for our American cousins)</i>, another is studying at the Sorbonne in Paris. We have some studying in medicine, science, law and education. One is presently doing an internship as an radio host on local radio. Needless to say that I am proud of them all. :o)<br />
I am a lucky guy. I have a wonderful family that I adore and a job that I love. What more can you ask for in life?Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-57022372144894930252010-12-12T13:25:00.001-05:002010-12-12T21:34:19.293-05:00Weird Canada III<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TQWGGn5e5mI/AAAAAAAAB3g/A1sa36ZG4XU/s1600/canadamap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TQWGGn5e5mI/AAAAAAAAB3g/A1sa36ZG4XU/s200/canadamap.gif" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Geneva;">I haven’t blogged in a while, well make that a long while. All blogged out I guess, no inspiration and when I get home from a day of teaching, there are always odd jobs to do such as correcting and preparing classes. When I finally finish I just haven’t got the energy to think up something original to write about. Anyhow here is some weirdness about the Great White North that I picked up in the last edition of the Bathroom Reader, just to prove that we are not any less wacky than the rest of the world.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">YOU WANT THE TOOTH, OFFICER?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">Outside Samia, Ontario, in June 2010, a driver flagged down a police officer on Highway 402 to warn him of a semi truck meandering all over the road. The officer caught up to the truck and pulled it over. The driver's explanation for his erratic driving: He was attempting to pull out one of his teeth. No longer able to deal with a toothache, he tied one end of a piece of string to the bad tooth and the other to the roof of his cab. "One good bump" and it would come right out, he told the officer. As it turned out, he was right‑the officer could tell by the bloody tooth on a string sitting on the seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">BEEFY VINO<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">In Japan, Wagyu cattle are fed beer and massaged with sake each day. The result is the richly flavored and expensive (more than $100 a pound) Kobe beef Seeking to create his own specialty beef market, Bill Freding of Southem Plus Feedlots in Oliver, B.C., has developed his own booze‑based method: wine‑fed cows. Like the cattle at other high‑volume beef producers, Freding's cattle eat a diet of primarily grain. But they also drink a liter of wine every day for 90 days prior to slaughter. The red wine is from wineries in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, and Freding claims the beef tastes "sweeter."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">ANINUL ACT<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">Wildlife officials in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, had to put down a moose in 2009, after someone reported the animal collapsing from exhaustion in their backyard. Witnesses reported seeing three teenage boys chasing the moose for hours and hitting it with sticks The teens were quickly caught, brought up on animal cruelty charges ... and acquitted. Why? One of the boys' fathers testified that they couldn't have been abusing the moose, because at the time they were busy vandalizing a local church.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">PLEASE KNOCK FIRST<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">For Valentine's Day 2010, the Toronto restaurant Mildred's Temple Kitchen pulled out all the stops for romantic diners‑serving intimate meals for two ... and openly encouraging couples to "couple" in the restrooms. A handful of concerned citizens reported the Mildred's promotion to the Toronto Public Health office. The agency investigated and found nothing wrong with the idea, as long as frisky patrons stayed out of food‑preparation areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">THE LAW IS THE LAW<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">In June 2010, Marika De Florio's five‑year‑old neighbor was driving her crazy, riding his battery‑powered four‑wheeler past her Seeley Bay, Ontario, house over and over again all afternoon. She asked the boy's grandparents several times to keep it down, but to no avail. So De Florio went outside and, in full view of the boy, took off her shirt. That, she reasoned, would convince the boy's grandparents to bring him inside. Indeed, Mike and Nancy Berry quickly hustled their grandson inside and then called the police on De Florio. No charges were pressed, however‑it's legal in Seeley Bay for women to be topless in public.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">DIRTY YOUNG MEN<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">Professor Simon Louis Lajeunesse of the University of Montreal's social work department began a project in December 2009 investigating how pornography affects the way men view and relate to women. Part of that research required a "control group" for comparison, so Lajeunesse advertised around Montreal to recruit 20 young men who did not view pornography. He received zero responses.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">BANADA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Geneva;">In the 1910s, Toronto police had full authority over movies, including the right to ban films they considered offensive. The criteria: Any movie that showed a pro‑America attitude, murder, or an extramarital romance could be banned. Any movie. In 1911, an inspector reported, "I witnessed a moving picture show of Hamlet, written I think by Shakespeare. That's all very well to say it's a famous drama, but it doesn't keep it from being a spectacle of violence." A few weeks later, the same inspector banned a film version of Romeo and Juliet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-61600672137647031252010-10-31T08:32:00.001-04:002010-10-31T08:38:20.327-04:00Halloween in snow bootsWe got our first snow fall last night so it looks like the kids will be doing Halloween trick or treat in snow boots this year. <br />It's a pain since I wanted to take down the gazebo this week-end and now I can't. Hopefully it'll get warmer and we'll be able to finish all the garden stuff before the snow gets here for good. We'll have to start looking to change our summer tires for the winter ones sooner than we thought I guess. Hell, we're still on Daylight Saving Time. Oh well it comes from living in the great white north. I'm sure that Jazz is seriously pissed off this morning. ;o)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/10/31/761.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/10/31/s_761.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />- Posted from my iPhone<br /><br />Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-28831325846367434292010-09-26T20:26:00.000-04:002010-09-26T20:26:55.421-04:00Bikes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">If I was to take a bicyclist from the late 19th century and gave him today’s bike, he would instantly recognize it and be able to use it. The bike is an invention that is nearly perfect in it’s simplicity. It has changed very little over the years. Yes the materials have changed and there is a more sophisticated system of dérailleur with the gear shifts integrated into the brakes but the major parts of the bike are still the same. The 10 speed bike that I had 30 years ago is heavier than the one I have now but it functions basically the same way and side by side they are nearly the same. </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TJ_kLS2s7tI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/wv6FUAlloaA/s1600/1891-spring-fork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TJ_kLS2s7tI/AAAAAAAAB3Y/wv6FUAlloaA/s200/1891-spring-fork.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TJ_kOPvHamI/AAAAAAAAB3c/fl191sEwHL0/s1600/1-carbon-fiber-mercedes-bicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TJ_kOPvHamI/AAAAAAAAB3c/fl191sEwHL0/s200/1-carbon-fiber-mercedes-bicycle.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px;">I came across an internet page however that shows that this may all be changing. Go to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/09/24/15-amazing-bicycles-for-the-future-of-seoul/">Yanko Design</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px;"> and have a look. I wonder if they’ll make an almost perfect design better.</span>Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21562509.post-11724978960953545462010-09-11T20:08:00.000-04:002010-09-11T20:08:10.569-04:00Trains and things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TIwZok_-GgI/AAAAAAAAB3U/BEkkLmOrkgs/s1600/752_GATX_60570_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_z_Ji8QImvf4/TIwZok_-GgI/AAAAAAAAB3U/BEkkLmOrkgs/s200/752_GATX_60570_a.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We usually don’t look at trains as they go by but today as I was doing my daily bike ride, I had to wait at a train crossing as a super long freight train roared past. As I waited I looked at the different tanker cars going by on the rails. To tell the truth it was a little bit frightening. There were tanker cars filled with very corrosive pure hydrogen peroxide, some filled with hydrogen chloride (hydro-chloric acid) and some filled with chlorine gas. Inter-disperced among them were tankers filled with liquified petroleum gas (propane). The train was going through the West Island with all its housing and people. In fact right close to the tracks, not far from where I was, is an old folk’s home. Now what would happen if ever the train derailed? It would probably wipe out a good percentage of the people living near the tracks. The propane could leak and possibly explode, the chlorine tanks could rupture and release a gas that was used as a chemical agent during WW1, highly toxic hydrogen peroxide would mix with the hydro-chloric acid giving us god knows what. I’m kind of glad I don’t live near the tracks. Mind you it is probably just as bad on the highways with trucks filled with the same type of chemicals. I guess in this case, it is better not to know too much since there is nothing that can be done about it.Big Brotherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08309464919532916689noreply@blogger.com5