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May 12 This Is The Speech
It is with great pleasure that I am here before you to congradulate the class of 2009 on behalf of the town of High Prairie, Mayor Rick Dumount and the rest of town council. When I was asked to make this speech I knew that I had to have this picture you see on screen here as part of it. Of course as I thought about it I realized that most of this class might not have any idea as to who Calvin and Hobbes are, so please bare with me a moment. The Calvin and Hobbes comic strip depicted the adventures of a six year old boy and his stuffed tiger Hobbes. Of course to Calvin, Hobbes was a living breathing tiger with whom he had many debates and adventures. To everyone else Hobbes was simply Calvin's stuffed tiger. No one else could see Hobbes as Calvin could, and as such missed out on a great deal. When the strip ended in 1995 the last thing Calvin says is " It's a magical world Hobbes ol' buddy.... Let's go exploring." With those words the two friends walked away through the snow to find those adventures. If we take this poster to be a look 20 years into the future it certainly looks like Calvin did find those adventures. Here we see him as a man who has passed down his most cherished possesion to his daughter. Here is the lesson in all of this. When we are children we see the world differently. We see endless possibilities and adventures. Nothing is impossible when we are kids. As we get older though we seem to see the world in a different light. Our stuffed tigers no longer talk or go on adventures with us. Calvin has obviously grown up, but has not lost sight of who he was. We all grow up at some point (I'm actually looking forward to it myself) and have to take on the responsibilities of an adult. What we don't have to do is lose our sense of wonder, our joy of discovery, our belief in ourselves or the ability to talk to our stuffed tigers. Don't put away your childish things. Your tigers , your posters , your keepsakes. Save them and treasure them and when it is time give them to YOUR children and tell them about these things and why they were important to you. These things symbolish who you are in the here and now. Never forget who you are. Tell your children about yourself, because trust me if YOU don't do it your parents certainly will and you don't want some exagerated story about you to be told to your children do you? Believe in yourself, believe in each other and encourage each other throughout life. Be a positive influence for the world to see. Again, congratulations to you all, thank you for having me here. It has been an honour to be allowed to address you today. May 09 Graduation Speeches Once more I was asked to give the graduation speech for the grad class this year. Once more I tried to come up with something original and unique. Have you ever listened to the speeches that the dignitaries give at these things? I seriously think that they have a file folder of speeches that they pull these things out of. If not that then the speeches have no life. They sound lame, probably because they ARE lame. Most are delivered in a flat monotone voice that tells me that these people would rather be anywhere else. Or that they really don't care about these kids, or have already prejudged them in life.
Maybe part of the problem is that these people have had no interaction with the kids really. Maybe they just don't care. Well I may not always know these kids, but I am always going to give a speech from the heart that is different from all the rest. In fact if I am honoured to again speak at next years grad I already have an idea or two about what I am going to say. Yes it will be different.... April 09 Twilight The Movie At first I refused to watch Twilight until I had the book read. Then Dawn would not let me watch it until she had the book read.
She finished it tonight and since we dont work tommorow I convinced her that we should watch it tonight. Was not really that hard.
So which was better?
The book of course, it always is. HOWEVER.... The people who played the main characters in the movie were all very close to how I had them pictured except for one.
I would recomend you read the book first though bcause it goes into WAY more depth and you will understand soem of the sub text in the movie better if you do.
So now off to bed and book three! April 01 Don't Stop As those of you who have read this for years and for the two of you who are still reading it you know that my favorate song is Don't Stop Beleving by Journey. I have always wanted either American Idol or Canadian Idol actually have someone sing it. Well AI did tonight and boy oh boy.
The first three were really good. The next three SUCKED ( although Dawn just told me that the blonde went home) and then the LAST guy singing blew me away.
Now I hope he sings the whole song himself one night.... March 30 The Stars Above Last night as I went down to the curb with my trash I did something I had not done in a very long time. I looked up. The night sky was clear and cool. The stars above twinkled and shone like I had not seen in some time. There weer no clouds at all and this is really what has been keeping me from seeing the stars.
It was really quite breathtaking. If you have not looked up into the night sky latley I suggest you do so.
For me it was a shock to see that which I once took for granted and had not seen in some time.
I did not realize how much I missed the stars until I saw them again. March 29 Twilight I am not normally one to fall into the whole " OH MY GAWD YOU HAVE TO DO THIS CATIGORY!!!"
I like to be my own person and do my own thing. I did not really see a trailer for this new movie Twilight and when I heard it was also a book series I did not bat an eye. However I started to hear how good this series was from more then just teeny boppers. So when I was in Wal Mart the other day I saw that they had all four books in the bin I grabbed them all. After all, if I did not grab all of them then I would not have the next one ready to read when I finished the first one.
After the first chapter I was hooked.
The characters seemed to come alive off of the pages. I could see them in class, at lunch in that small dull town.
So my advice to you is to get these books and read them. So far I am on chapter 10 of the first book.
And now I am off to bed to find out what happens next.... March 26 Rachels Challenge A couple of weeks ago here in town we had a conference on bullying. Things to look for ways to prevent it and things like that. The keynote speaker for the conference was a young man named Craig Scott. For most people that name does not mean a thing. It did not mean anything to me before that night. Now it is a name I will never forget.
Craig was a student at Columbine. He was there, in fact he was pretty much in the middle of it. His friends were killed next to him in the library and his sister Rachel was the first person killed. The message that Craig was passing on was not about the shooters though. It was about his sister and how she lived her life.
Rachel Scott was a kind hearted young teenager who believed in treating others with respect, no matter how different they were. She believed that she would change teh world just by being good to people. She believed that she would " Start a revolution" of people being nice and treating others with respect.
Rachel kept journals of her thoughts as well. Pages and pages filled with hope.
The two boys who murdered her and so many others used the same words Rachel used in a video they had made. They also wanted to " Start a revolution." The difference was that their revolution was one of hate and destruction while Rachels was one of hope and promise. On April 20th 1999 these two revolutions collided and like most revolutions those that started them were all killed.
The message that Rachels brother Craig was getting to us was that if you focus on the positive things then the world becomes a better place for us all.
Craig played the 911 tapes from that day and watching him I could see him go back to that day when he was a teenager scared shitless hiding under a table waiting to die BUT.... Craig chose to take up his sisters cause and tell people her story, and his. It was never said really but Craig was not the nicest guy in high school. So now he goes from town to town , as does his family, to tell Rachels story. To try to prevent Columbine from happening again.
Now I am not really getting his point across very well here, but I am posting a link to the Wiki artical about his sister. Read it , and if you get the chance to go to a Rachels Challenge workshop in your town do it. I swear to you that it will change your life.
One last thing. Craig encouraged everyone to keep a journal of their thoughts and ideas so that once your gone, whenever that may be, your family and friends can look back and once more share ideas with you. So it is because of that that I am going to make an effort to once more blog on a regular basis. I can not say that I will write twice a day every day like I did before, but I do plan on writting more then once every couple of months. Most of my readers are gone I know, but perhaps I will find new ones.
And so on that note I give you, the LINK!
February 13 One Of Those Songs Sometimes we come across a song that just jumps out at you. I found one the other day. Well I had heard it before, but I went online and found the lyrics and listened to it while I read them. Now it isnt so much WHAT these lyrics say that speaks to me, but how it is all put together and how it sounds. I have always prefered songs that have a strong piano part in them and this song is almost ALL piano.
Now I have heard a couple of different versions in different keys and I have to say that while they are both good, I prefer the one that is played in the higher key.
So ladies and gentlemen ( if any of you still read these things) I give to you
AUGUSTANA
by
BOSTON
In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun... Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed, This world you must've crossed... you said... You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah, She said You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah, Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across An open field, When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry When they see you You said... You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah, She said You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah, She said I think I'll go to Boston... I think I'll start a new life, I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name, I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather, I think I'll get a lover and fly em out to Spain... I think I'll go to Boston, I think that I'm just tired I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind... I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset, I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah, Boston... where no one knows my name... Where no one knows my name... Where no one knows my name... Yeah Boston... Where no one knows my name. February 12 Weird Dream So I had this really weird dream last night. My pager had gone off and we were going to a call somewhere, but we either didn't get there or got called off. We ended up about 30 KMs down the road in a hamlet on the lake. We got out of the truck, well some of us did, there were not many of us on the call, and there were these small cessnas or small jets crash landing in the water. One of the planes had basically the entiregraduating class from my first year in private school in it.
Well then things got interesting ( or maybe this happened first? Hell I cant remember) I was in the water and started to float. Not on the water, in the air! I was passing over top of someone and called out to them and they were looking all around till I said " No up here !" He grabbed my arm and pulled me down.
Very bizzare....... January 25 Never Stop So I was reading on Fox sports tonight about this high school girls basketball that won a game by the impressive score of 100 to 0. No that wasnt a typo. This team actually went out and laid a beating on this other team. Since that game the coach of the winning team has been fired for allowing the game to get that out of hand.
Can't say that I agree with that at all.
Now I know that there are those of you out there that say there should have been some sort of fair play at work here. That the winning team should not have run the score up like that and should have allowed the other team a chance. Again I say no. The winning team was shooting three pointers , even in the fourth quarter and the fans and an assistent coach were cheering as the score neared 100. Well I guess the coach should have restrained himself more then that , the fans can hardly be held to blame though. As for shooting three pointers in the fourth when it was obvious that the other team was going to lose big, well I say this to you. Have you ever shot a three point shot? It isn't really that easy, especially in a game situation. In fact if they were just going to shoot two pointers I bet the score would have been higher because they are easier to shoot.
Some people say " just play keep away". Well the problem with that is that you can't really. There is a shot clock after all and you have to shoot or you lose the ball. So lose the ball you may say. Again I say no. Play the game the way it was meant to be played.
Let me put it to you this way. When I play a game of anything with my kids I play to win, every time. I give them no quarter. In fact I have been known to bury them in different games more then once. Cruel you say? I say no. My kids know that they will get no break from me when I play and so when they DO beat me ( and it does happen from time to time) they enjoy it that much more because they know that they have acomplished something. By ALLOWING your kids to win you teach them nothing. If you ALLOW them to win their victories are hollow and when they go out into the world they end up crushed by it because the world does not give you a break.
So what does a team learn from a 100 to 0 execution? Well for one thing the coachs learn who has heart on the team and who doesn't. The players that show up for the next practice are players that have that heart. Even if they are not the best players that says alot.
I think that more blame should be laid on the doorstep of the league that allows a team in that is this outmatched. Appearantly the losing team has not won a game in years. So why have them at this level? Having heart is one thing, but even I will admit that ALWAYS getting hammered on is depressing. Knowing that you NEVER have a chance to win is depressing. So put them at a different level. if no other level exists , then what you rightfully ask...
I do not know. The point of compeating is to do just that. Compeat. Even my kids beat me from time to time at different games we play. Maybe because I do not just let them win.
What ever the answer is I still think that firing the winning coach was wrong. January 04 Save The Cheerleader- Save The World Save the cheerleader, save the world. This is the basic premise of the first season of the TV show Hero's.
Sounds kinda dumb when you think about it really, but I was hooked five minutes into the first episode. I really could sit down and watch Hero's all day long and not worry about a thing. It is that compelling.
Very few shows have grabbed me the way Hero's has. Maybe it is because deep inside we all want to be a hero. We all see ourselves "saving the cheerleader". Come on I know you all thought about it at least once or twice. And if it wasn't the cheerleader it was someone else.
Maybe this show does so well because inside we are all heros. Inside of all of us is the ability to go beyond what we can normally do.
Isn't that what a hero really is? Someone who steps up from the shadows and then fades away? That is how I see true heros at least. Basking in your own glory is not really what I think anyone should do. I think at least.
It is a fine line really. At what point are you taking away from what you have done?
~~sigh~~
I used to be better at this you know. Sitting down and just writing something off of the top of my head. I could at least fake it if I wasn't sure. Or maybe this is just to deep a subject. January 01 A Quick Look Back So here it is the first day of 2009.
Wow.
I know it is said all the time but this last year really flew by quickly.
For myself it was a year of massive changes. I started working at a Dodge dealership here in town after 12 years at a gas station. Let me tell you, selling cars really is alot of work, and I understand now why some people think that salesmen are pushy. There is a very fine line to walk between encouaging and harping. However somethign you have to realize is that car salsemen live on commission. Well at least I do. If I dont sell that car to you then I dont get paid for spending however much time I spent with you. So if your going to go car shopping something you might want to consider is whether or not you can actually buy a car. If you have had a bankruptcy or always pay your bills late or if you have had something repoed then you really cant buy anything, especially in this market.
I also dragged my wife to work at the same place as me in August. No we dont actually see much of each other at work, she is kept in a cave upstairs most of the time.
I have a goal I am reaching for right now in life. I want to have my house paid off by my 40th birthday. As it sits I am 36 and it will be paid off in Feb 2016. I think this is an achievable goal and I have all the months on a sheet of paper on my wall at work. As each month goes by I stroke it out, but when I am able to put extra money down I can make strokes at the bottom of the list. So far I have taken 6 off of the bottom.
We also bought a new car. The old 1992 New Yorker finally started to cost more money then it was worth so I broke down and bought a brand new Dodge Journey. I am really enjoying it!
The kids are still the kids, both need a serious beating from time to time ( kidding!). They get along most days and stick up for each other in a big way. The next few years will be interesting indeed.
I know I am not on here much anymore. Facebook has really taken me away from blogging, but I do think of you all quite often. I have some of you on my FB list already but if I dont feel free to look me up on there. If you dont know my last name ( and lets face it most of you dont) you can message me and I will give it to you.
Just dont stalk me ok? Unless your female! November 22 Roy Wendy Jerseys And Rafters So tonight the Montreal Canadians retired Patrick Roys number 33. The big surprise here is not so much that his number was retired, he was after all a damn good goalie, but because of the way he left.
In a game at home against Detroit Roy was shelled. Just did not have his game that night, it happens to the best of them. Roy was pretty pissed that he was left in for 9 goals though, and when he was finally pulled he told the owner of the Canadians that he had just played his last game as a Canadian. A couple of days later he was traded to Colorado and went on to win a couple of more Stanley Cups.
As far as hockey history goes, Roy is currently the all time leader in all the important catigories that goalies care about. He is a member of the hockey hall of fame and is a legend in the cities that he played in.
Well deserving of having his jersey retired.
Over in Toronto the Leafs also decided to honour Wendel Clarks number 17 ( the Leafs don't retire numbers).
Well what can I say. Wendel Clark ( Wendy) was never the high scoring machine that some other players from that era were, but let me tell you... Wendy Clark was as tough as they come. He really had the misfortune of playing on some GAWD awful Leafs teams in the 1980's that were a joke around the league. Clarks numbers will never get him into the Hockey Hall Of Fame and he never won a Stanley Cup.
But.
He was one hell of a hockey player. Hard nosed, tough and mean when he had to be.
The question here isn't whether or not he should have his jersey retired , or honoured, because he does. he was a hero to Leafs fans for years and when I think of Wendel Clark I always see him in a Leafs uniform.
No the question is one of timing.
The Canadians have had this day planned for months for Roy. A well deserverd honour that I am sure will be well recieved and watched and commented on. So why the hell did the Leafs have to put Wendy opposite of Roy? Were tehy trying to outdo Montreal? Not a chance of that happening. When it comes to stats Roy beats Clark in every possible way.
Good on the Canadians for making up with Patrick Roy.
Shame on the Leafs for not having the foresight to schedual Clarks cerimony for a different night.
Of course I guess that givin the era that Clark played in and the mismanagment that occured then it is somehow fitting that he was put up against Roy.
Typical Leafs dropping the ball as usual. November 04 A Whole New World Well so much for two years of campaigns.
Where were you when the world changed this time? I was at home. I thought I would be watching a new episode of House but FOX put that off until next week. Just as well.
CNN called it pretty quick once the polls closed on the west coast.
Barack Obama has won the US nattional election and become the 44th Pesident of the United Staes of America.
I guess the big deal here is that he is young and did not come up through the ranks of politics like most presidents do and that he is a black man.
Even 30 years ago it would have been unthinkable that Obama could even run for the nomination of a major political party, let alone win the whole country. Oddly I find myself wondering what Archie Bunker would say at a time like this. Not because Archie was a great humanitarian , far from it he was after all the worlds biggest bigot and would have been shocked that this could happen. No I think I would like to know what Archie thinks mostly because Archie really did represent a piece of America thought about the world. He was everyman in a way. Archie was the guy who sits in teh bar or coffee shop complaining about the world and the leaders and their inability to do anything right.
Meathead would of course have been behind Obama from day one and would have clashed with Archie over all sorts of things in the campaign.
Something just occured to me here.
When the world first met Archie Bunker, the way he thought and they way he talked about minorities was the norm really. Not on TV so much mind you, but in the real world we all knew an Archie. When America was faced with the ugly face of bigotry that was its own in the form of Archie Bunker , could it be that it was a wake up call? Attitudes take a long time to change, sometimes a generation or two even. All In The Family was popular because America saw in it themselves , the way they were , the way they are and the way they could be. Since the show ended in 1983 America has become more tolerant, dont you think? Someone born when the show went off the ait would be 25 today. The target audience for the show would be 40 to 70 today. Useing a broad brush doesn't that sould like the line between your typical McCain and Obama supporters? Obama appeals to the younger generation, McCain to the older establishment. If you go back to whent he show started in 1971 the line becomes even clearer I think. Obama was 10 when it first aired....
I wonder if maybe, in some small way , Archie Bunker helped Obama get elected by showing America how ugly it was on the inside.
Something to ponder for sure. October 19 Things That Bother Me Some time back I worte a blog about Melissa Letain and how I was part of a group that found her after she was murdered. I know that there was another team that was on the river bank below that had actually gone out on the ice to see if anything could be done, and as to who it was that made it to the school first to let the athorities know about this terrible event I am not entirerly sure of either.
However.
I did get a reply to the blog that I wrote some time back just last night. The reply was this:
I used to live with Melissa's sisters. Your account doesn't quite sound accurate about how 'you' found the body. There's things in your account that do not add up. I for one do not believe you at all because I know different.
Ok, so this person does not believe me. This should not bother me, but for some reason it does. This is a person who has either no space or a private space so replying to them is difficult. I do not know why this person would doubt my account of how things happened that day. Perhaps the sisters were not told all of the details?
Whatever.
This is really bugging me because this person is saying that I am a liar and I am not. So here it is. Ifyou are the person who sent me this reply, I ask you to reply again and tell me just exactly what it is that does not add up about my story. What does not sound accurate about it? I did not say that I alone found the body, I was part of a team that found her. You say you know different? Well I have to ask you, WHAT you know that is different? Accusing someone you do not know of lieing about an event that you were not at is a serious accusation and I would like to know why you said these things. I ask you to respond again ( if you ever return to this site) and explain yourself, please.
August 27 Karens Hair It started out as a question.
Can I cut my hair?
Since this came from my nine year old daughter who has never had her hair cut, except to have her bangs and split ends trimmed this was indeed going to be something different. I mean I have to take the beater bar off of my vacumn about once a month and get an exacto knife to cut the hair off of it so that it actually works properly.
The question then became
WHY do you want to cut your hair Karen?
The answer was short , simple and to the point.
I want to donate it to Wigs For Kids.
 This coming from a nine year old girl.
So we talked to her about it quite abit. We explained to her how her hair wouldnt grow back over night and that we wouldnt be able to braid it like we have been. That hair options would be much different then she has been used to for the last several years.
Yes this is what I want to do.
How can you say no to that? I mean you can't really. So I told my mom a couple of weeks back that this is what Karen wanted to do and that I was not going to stand in her way to do it. No way am I going to stomp on her dreams and what she sees as the right thing to do. ( well not YET anyways, we will discuss makeup in the coming years I am sure!)
So since I am on really good terms with the morning show host here in town I went to see him and told him what KAren wanted to do and I wanted her to do it on the radio in the morning. After all, if my little girl is going to cut off this mane of hair she has it is going to mean something and I want people to know what she has done and why. Doug was more then happy to put her on the air and talk to her. She made quite the impression on him last Christmas when she went to the radio station to donate food for the food bank.
We have so much she said......
I swear to you that I am not filling her head with these things, these are things that are coming from within her, that she thinks up on her own.
So I have a new album posted over there>>>>>> titled Karens Hair. It shows her before and and after at the radio station.
It is truly amazing to watch her bounce around and see her hair bobbing up and down. Oh and don't worry, she has come up with new ways to play with her hair already.
August 18 Back In The 1980's So since I am having a hard time blogging on a regular basis these days I am going to revisit a topic that I know I wrote about once, but I am inspired to once more write about it. I have no idea when I wrote the first one so I wont be looking to it for insperation or to copy, but one day I will look for and it will be interesting to see how much more I added and how much I left out.
So here it goes.
Back in the 1980's
$100 a barrel for oil was a dream for oil men, not the nightmare for comsumers that it is today
spending more then 40 cents on a liter of gasoline seemed like an impossible was never going to happen in our lifetime. Guess we all died about 15 years ago then
all the problems I had seemed so insurmountable, now I look back and wish I had those easy to solve problems
hateing teams from Toronto was ok because Toronto was the center of the universe and their teams all sucked, now... oh wait never mind they still do!
big hair was never going to go away, now I look back on those old music videos and yearbooks and snicker ( and hide them from my kids!)
music told a story and had some soul, now we are just coming out of a bad stretch and music is starting to matter again
the Friendly Giant and Mr DressUp started off the day on CBC and talked TO the kids not DOWN to them,now both shows are gone, as are the kind men who hosted them
Van Halen had a pretty decent lead singer named Davis Lee Roth, now they have....... oh wait never mind he is back now
Well I know that there is way more, but I am tired and I need to go to sleep.....
August 02 Stolen From Cindy1. Talked to a jerk today?
I am a car salesman AND a politition. I talk to jerk everyday. Although I am sometimes thought of as the jerk. 2. Do you like anyone? I usually do. 3. Do you normally take showers? That means to clean yourself right? Yes I do that from time to time. 4. Can you do a cartwheel? To old and to fat to do that. Never did when I was young and skinny either. 5. Do you skateboard/snowboard goofy or regular? I do not snow or skate board, but I am goofy 7. Do you regret something you did yesterday? I regret nothing ever. 8. Are you allergic to anything? Chocolate peanuts and bananas give me whicked terrible migrains. 11. Do you own a guitar? Nope 12. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? A few times. Expensive you know 15. Markers or crayons? Markers baby! 16. Have you been in love? Of course. 17. Do you shower facing the shower head or with your back to it? Start by facing it, but I rotate. 18. Do you have anything in your pockets right now? Took most of it out. It was making a dent in my ass. 20. What is the closest object to your left? My cell phone. 21. Do you like school? School was very very interesting. I think thats why I like my job, because I am once more learning stuff. 22. How many windows are open on your computer? 3 24. What kind of cell phone do you have? Moterolla type deal from Telus. 25. What colors are your walls? I have wood paneling with some wall paper remanents still stuck to it 26. Are you wearing socks? No I took mine off to walk in my flip flops to the theater tonight 27. How many hours did you sleep last night? Sleep? What is that? 28. Did you ever get the chicken pox? When I was six. 31. Have you been outside your house yet today? To work and a movie 32. What is the last movie you saw in theaters?
Dark Knight. Went just a few hours ago with my sister. 33. Did you like it? It was really good. Very dark and twisted
34. What are you doing tomorrow? Hanging with my sister and her boyfriend and my nephew YOUR .. Birthday:September 23 Life: is interesting ARE YOU.. Happy: Usually Sarcastic: All the time, with everyone
Shy: Yes compleatly ( please see the above answer) Talkitive: I talk about even the stuff I know nothing about. LAST PERSON THAT.. Went to a playground with you: Cant remember the last time I went to one That you talked on the phone with: My sister telling her where to turn. Texted: some friends IN THE PAST 24 HOURS HAVE YOU... Bought something? Yes Gotten sick: I am acussed of being sick all the time. Sang: I sang badly Felt stupid: Little bit Watched cartoons: Maybe a snippet of one Hung out with friends: yes 3. What were you doing this morning at 8am ? Starting work 4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? Stealing and starting this quiz 5. Are you any good at math? Not at all 6. What were you doing last night? Computer surfing while my wife went out drinking 8. Ever peed your pants from laughing so hard? If I tell the truth and say yes do I get a prize for being honest about it? 9. Do you know the words to the song on your profile? If its DOnt Stop Believing that your reffering to then yes 10. Last thing you received in the mail? Cell bill and MacLeans 11. How many different beverages have you drank today? 2 12. What's one thing you wish to change about yourself Lose about 30 pounds or more 13. What do you wish for? To have my house paid off in four years instead of 8 14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? Yes I have 15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had? Wisdom teeth out 16. What is outside your back door? Brand new steps that were just put in two days ago! 17. Any plans for Friday night? My wife went out yesterday, but we did have supper 19. Do you have a secret crush? If I say yes then it isnt a secret any more is it? 20. What are you doing now? Doing this long ass quiz before I go to bed 21. Do you dislike anyone right now? Some people that are holding up development in town 22. Somthing you are excited about? Maybe a trip 23. Favorite flavor of Jello?i Red, but I never eat it anymore 24. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? Not a chance! They were dead LONG before I was even an idea. Hell I think they were dead before my mom was born even 25. Describe your key ring? Packed with way to many damn keys 27. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large crowd? Define large? like thousands of people? That would be last fall.Hundreds of people? last spring at grad 28. How was yesterday? Yesterday was ok I guess. Can I go to bed now? July 24 Oh Good LordYour not going to believe this crap. So it turns out that a trucker from Quebec was tearing through the province some years back and he was stopped and givin a ticket. He is APPEALING the ticket. Not because he was not speeding, but because the ticket was only written in english. They are even saying that they will go all the way to the Supreame Court. Probably win too.
This is the height of insanity! You know I have NO problem with the french culture protecting itself and ensuring that they do not die out. Culture IS important. But dude, you were speeding, pay the damn ticket and get the hell out of my province.
News story from teh paper follows below. ( ignore the ad will ya?)
The Alberta government is appealing a court decision that threw out a traffic ticket against a francophone trucker because it was written only in English. A judge ruled earlier this month that the ticket issued in 2003 to Gilles Caron wasn’t valid because it wasn’t printed in French. But Alberta Justice wants a court to clarify whether the province’s Languages Act and Traffic Safety Act must be written in both languages. A Supreme Court decision in 1988 ruled that the provinces have the power to determine their own language rights legislation. A stay on the original court decision remains in place and Alberta’s traffic rules will continue to be enforced.
No date has been set for the appeal. Caron and his lawyer have said they are prepared to take the case all the way to Canada’s highest court. July 16 This Is Radio Nowhere I was talking to a friend once and we were discussing music. I mentioned that I was REALLY impressed with what Springsteen had to offer with his new song " Radio Nowhere".
Well she didn't think much of it all and thought even less of Springsteen as an artist.
 I was honestly shocked.
Now I am not one of those who worships at the alter of Springsteen, but I do enjoy alot of what he does, and this Radio Nowhere impressed me.
So I give to you the lyrics.
You can steal the song all on your own.
I was tryin' to find my way home But all I heard was a drone Bouncing off a satellite Crushin' the last lone American night This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? I was spinnin' 'round a dead dial Just another lost number in a file Dancin' down a dark hole Just searchin' for a world with some soul This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? Is there anybody alive out there? I just want to hear some rhythm I just want to hear some rhythm I just want to hear some rhythm I just want to hear some rhythm I want a thousand guitars I want pounding drums I want a million different voices speaking in tongues This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? Is there anybody alive out there? [Instrumental] I was driving through the misty rain Yeah searchin' for a mystery train Boppin' through the wild blue Tryin' to make a connection with you This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? Is there anybody alive out there? I just want to feel some rhythm I just want to feel some rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm I just want to feel your rhythm |
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