Saturday, November 21, 2009
A New Form of Library...
Yes, yes, I know - it's been awhile since my last post. There are some very good reasons for this, and perhaps one day, I will find the strength to blog about this time in my life. But not quite now.
But I have been doing some significant re-organization and re-integration of my life these days. Specifically, I have been recycling things, especially books. I am a bit of a packrat when it comes to books, which would be superb, except I rarely read the books I buy. Hence I do not feel I warrant the title of bibliophile.
So became quite excited when I discovered this new Internet project called LibriVox. This takes public domain literary works, and has volunteers read and record them. Thye are then posted in downloadable formats, like .mp3 or .zip files. Perfect - I can build my library, at least my classical library, online and squirrel it away on a hard rive. This should free up space in my life. And this should alleviate my guilt at not reading what I buy.
A quite elegant 21st century solution to my 20th century book affliction.
Yes, yes, I know - it's been awhile since my last post. There are some very good reasons for this, and perhaps one day, I will find the strength to blog about this time in my life. But not quite now.
But I have been doing some significant re-organization and re-integration of my life these days. Specifically, I have been recycling things, especially books. I am a bit of a packrat when it comes to books, which would be superb, except I rarely read the books I buy. Hence I do not feel I warrant the title of bibliophile.
So became quite excited when I discovered this new Internet project called LibriVox. This takes public domain literary works, and has volunteers read and record them. Thye are then posted in downloadable formats, like .mp3 or .zip files. Perfect - I can build my library, at least my classical library, online and squirrel it away on a hard rive. This should free up space in my life. And this should alleviate my guilt at not reading what I buy.
A quite elegant 21st century solution to my 20th century book affliction.
Monday, September 28, 2009
And So it Begins....
The decline of Alberta's fortunes is irrevocably tied to natural gas. And the future of natural gas is not pretty.
Sun setting on Alberta’s natural gas empire, TD warns
Look out, Chicken Little. The sky really is falling.
The decline of Alberta's fortunes is irrevocably tied to natural gas. And the future of natural gas is not pretty.
Sun setting on Alberta’s natural gas empire, TD warns
Look out, Chicken Little. The sky really is falling.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Can Someone Explain This to Me?
I may not be the sharpest tack in the box financially, but I am having a problem trying to reconcile these two figures.
It seems that Alberta's per capita gaming revenue is $871, the highest in the country. But when you look at the 2008 Annual Report of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, it states that the total gaming revenue in 2008 was $26 billion. So when you divide that number into the 3.3 million provincial inhabitants (not all of whom are old enough to gamble) that equates to $7,878 per person. Huh? What gives? This seems extremely odd.
Oh, and this fiscal year, 2009-2010, gaming revenue (net) will outpace oil and gas revenue (net) by some $500 million.
Sigh. We live in interesting times, in an interesting place. FUBAR.
I may not be the sharpest tack in the box financially, but I am having a problem trying to reconcile these two figures.
It seems that Alberta's per capita gaming revenue is $871, the highest in the country. But when you look at the 2008 Annual Report of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, it states that the total gaming revenue in 2008 was $26 billion. So when you divide that number into the 3.3 million provincial inhabitants (not all of whom are old enough to gamble) that equates to $7,878 per person. Huh? What gives? This seems extremely odd.
Oh, and this fiscal year, 2009-2010, gaming revenue (net) will outpace oil and gas revenue (net) by some $500 million.
Sigh. We live in interesting times, in an interesting place. FUBAR.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Cryyyiiiing Over Debt....(Apologies to Roy Orbison)
Mister Ed has gone and done it. A little over five years after King Ralph declared the Alberta debt to be history, Steady Eddy Stelmach has plunged the province back into debt.
Here's a portion of what Ralph said back in July of 2004:
"Never again will this government or the people of this province have to set aside another tax dollar on debt," Klein said. "Those days are over and they're over for good, as far as my government is concerned, and if need be we will put in place legislation to make sure that we never have a debt again," he added.
Lots of "never agains." Seems we're there again, and in a big way. Ed plans to issue $3.3 billion worth of provincial bonds to help fund infrastructure. That would be because Ralph let the infrastructure rot in his ego-driven frenzy to pay down the debt.
I sometimes wonder why I live in this province. SNAFU.
Mister Ed has gone and done it. A little over five years after King Ralph declared the Alberta debt to be history, Steady Eddy Stelmach has plunged the province back into debt.
Here's a portion of what Ralph said back in July of 2004:
"Never again will this government or the people of this province have to set aside another tax dollar on debt," Klein said. "Those days are over and they're over for good, as far as my government is concerned, and if need be we will put in place legislation to make sure that we never have a debt again," he added.
Lots of "never agains." Seems we're there again, and in a big way. Ed plans to issue $3.3 billion worth of provincial bonds to help fund infrastructure. That would be because Ralph let the infrastructure rot in his ego-driven frenzy to pay down the debt.
I sometimes wonder why I live in this province. SNAFU.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Another Truth Found
In the midst of lies from the MSM and just about every government in the world saying that the recession is over, I offer up a little piece from the UK's Mail.
As a sidenote, I was viewing some new duplexes in Cochrane this past weekend - a little over 1400 sq ft developed (but seemed much less - they must have counting the garage...) for the low, low price of $500,000+. When I actually had the nerve to talk to the gentleman about ARM resets in the US (which, granted, he did bring up) and the fact that we in Alberta are not "special" and have not decoupled from the US economy, he immediately thought I worked in the financial services industry. No, I am just a citizen who takes an interest - in articles such as this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/Revealed-The-ghost-fleet-recession.html
In the midst of lies from the MSM and just about every government in the world saying that the recession is over, I offer up a little piece from the UK's Mail.
As a sidenote, I was viewing some new duplexes in Cochrane this past weekend - a little over 1400 sq ft developed (but seemed much less - they must have counting the garage...) for the low, low price of $500,000+. When I actually had the nerve to talk to the gentleman about ARM resets in the US (which, granted, he did bring up) and the fact that we in Alberta are not "special" and have not decoupled from the US economy, he immediately thought I worked in the financial services industry. No, I am just a citizen who takes an interest - in articles such as this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/Revealed-The-ghost-fleet-recession.html
Monday, September 07, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Say what? And where?
I may be fast on the road to becoming an old fogey, but just when did the basic rules of etiquette change so drastically regarding the "new technology"?
Case in point: I was minding my own business today in the mall and decided I should find a public loo to relieve myself. A woman about my age was following me (quite closely, actually) and talking animatedly on a cell phone. About a house renovation, if you must know (and apparently, the whole world must know.) I thought to myself as I opened the door to the washroom, "Surely she will excuse herself and hang up the phone now." But oh no. I entered into one stall, and she barrelled into the other, still talking to the poor person on the other end of the line. Surely, then, she will hang up now, I thought, as I unzipped and assumed the position. But, horror of horrors, this did not cross her mind. She proceeded to have her pee and continue gabbing. Sounds of toilet paper ripping and flushes ensued (and that was only me!). I then came out and did my hygiene duty - loud water sounds and paper towel-ripping sounds quite common to a washroom were made. I left without seeing her, much to my delight.
So my question to you, blog-dogs, is: was this a faux pas, or is this considered au courant (perhaps even cutting edge?) in the cell phone world now? Do people do this in the privacy of their own home with cordless phones too? Am a just an uber-prude? After all, if she were with another friend in person and went into a washroom, the conversation could still have continued, no? I think my discomfort came from the fact that the person on the other end of the phone had no choice in the matter - they were dragged along for the ride, no matter what. Could have been a man too. In which case she had no right to let him in on the secret workings of female bathrooms.
Sigh. The 21st century is wearing on me. I am truly tired of all the change. I need a kinder, simpler day, when people excused themselves to do private things with their privates.
Perhaps I shall sign up for that Franciscan retreat after all. No cell phones allowed.
I may be fast on the road to becoming an old fogey, but just when did the basic rules of etiquette change so drastically regarding the "new technology"?
Case in point: I was minding my own business today in the mall and decided I should find a public loo to relieve myself. A woman about my age was following me (quite closely, actually) and talking animatedly on a cell phone. About a house renovation, if you must know (and apparently, the whole world must know.) I thought to myself as I opened the door to the washroom, "Surely she will excuse herself and hang up the phone now." But oh no. I entered into one stall, and she barrelled into the other, still talking to the poor person on the other end of the line. Surely, then, she will hang up now, I thought, as I unzipped and assumed the position. But, horror of horrors, this did not cross her mind. She proceeded to have her pee and continue gabbing. Sounds of toilet paper ripping and flushes ensued (and that was only me!). I then came out and did my hygiene duty - loud water sounds and paper towel-ripping sounds quite common to a washroom were made. I left without seeing her, much to my delight.
So my question to you, blog-dogs, is: was this a faux pas, or is this considered au courant (perhaps even cutting edge?) in the cell phone world now? Do people do this in the privacy of their own home with cordless phones too? Am a just an uber-prude? After all, if she were with another friend in person and went into a washroom, the conversation could still have continued, no? I think my discomfort came from the fact that the person on the other end of the phone had no choice in the matter - they were dragged along for the ride, no matter what. Could have been a man too. In which case she had no right to let him in on the secret workings of female bathrooms.
Sigh. The 21st century is wearing on me. I am truly tired of all the change. I need a kinder, simpler day, when people excused themselves to do private things with their privates.
Perhaps I shall sign up for that Franciscan retreat after all. No cell phones allowed.
Labels: cell phone etiquette
