The world will end 3 weeks from today, on Friday, December 21st. Well, at least if you believe the ancient Mayan prediction. On the 21st, the date of the winter solstice, a calendar cycle called the 13th
b'ak'tun comes to an end, although some say the Mayan's would not see the day as apocalyptic. But it seems some people are taking this prediction seriously, including suicidal teens, and parents who, for some perverse reason, like to scare the shit out of their kids.
One of the more popular myths would have us believe a rogue planet (Nibiru?) is about to slam into the earth, killing everything. Cough (bullshit) cough. These stupid rumours are also taking their toll on supposedly sane, rational adults who have been asking about things like vets putting their pets to sleep to avoid the catastrophe.
In fact, it go to the point where NASA had to step in Wednesday in a social media blitz to try and assure idiots the world ain't going to end. Particularly, getting a planet in the face. One scientist says if one was heading our way, they'd have known about it for a long, long time. That, and the fact it would be the brightest thing in the sky.
But no. I'm sure there will be a few people who will take themselves out of the gene pool ahead of the 21st. Good riddance. Just don't take any innocent people with you when you go.
As for the prediction itself.....well, I'm thinking it's about as accurate as the 4 WRONG ones made by Harold Camping. You remember him? The crusty old fuck was a pastor at some obscure California based church who predicted (wrongly) the world would end on May 21st of last year. When, quite surprisingly to him, when the sun came up on the 22nd, he amended his prediction (I guess he forgot to carry the 1) to October 21st. When, quite surprisingly to him, the sun came up on the 22nd, he further amended his prediction to say no one knows when the world will end. I guess reality finally sunk in.
Anyway, I'm going to hold an End of the World bash at my place 3 weeks from today on the 21st. And when, not surprisingly, the sun comes up on the 22nd I'll nurse a bitch of a hangover.
'Nuff said.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
More Celebretards
And we'll start with the Mean Girl herself. Lindsay Lohan got arrested....again. This time it was in NYC after she (allegedly) punched another woman in the face at a nightclub. LiLo was booked for assault, issued a desk ticket and released. Apparently, it all started when Lindsay and the other woman started exchanging words and sort of escalated. Let the train wreck continue.
Another "celebrity" back in the headlines is Jessica Simpson. She's preggers again, just months after dropping her first kid. She still hasn't lost all the baby fat she packed on either. I wonder 1: How much she'll balloon out this time (Jabba the Hut size maybe?) and 2: What this is going to do to her endorsing weight watchers. I guess she'll be watching the weight go back on. Something tells me she's never gonna fit into those Daisy Duke's again.
And finally, Justin Bieber. Seem's his reception at the 100th Grey Cup game (see my blog of November 26th) where he was booed several times has stung. He's not allowing music reviewers and/or critics into any more of his shows after supposedly lip-synching during Sunday's performance. Simple solution to that. Reviewer/critic gets a ticket, attends and STILL write it up the next day. Give me the "Good Olde Days" when bands and musicians actually cared more about their performance, than their image, back when their music was what people came for. Bands like the Beatles, Cream, Zeppelin, Queen, the Stones etc, etc, etc. The quicker the little shit Bieber fades into obscurity, the better.
'Nuff said.....for now.
Another "celebrity" back in the headlines is Jessica Simpson. She's preggers again, just months after dropping her first kid. She still hasn't lost all the baby fat she packed on either. I wonder 1: How much she'll balloon out this time (Jabba the Hut size maybe?) and 2: What this is going to do to her endorsing weight watchers. I guess she'll be watching the weight go back on. Something tells me she's never gonna fit into those Daisy Duke's again.
And finally, Justin Bieber. Seem's his reception at the 100th Grey Cup game (see my blog of November 26th) where he was booed several times has stung. He's not allowing music reviewers and/or critics into any more of his shows after supposedly lip-synching during Sunday's performance. Simple solution to that. Reviewer/critic gets a ticket, attends and STILL write it up the next day. Give me the "Good Olde Days" when bands and musicians actually cared more about their performance, than their image, back when their music was what people came for. Bands like the Beatles, Cream, Zeppelin, Queen, the Stones etc, etc, etc. The quicker the little shit Bieber fades into obscurity, the better.
'Nuff said.....for now.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
She's Boned
If that's not bad enough, there are photos taken of "skinny" cuddling with a stuffed toy panda, and what appears to be zip-tie handcuffs. The kind police use in riots. I don't know why she'd need them. It's not like lover boy (or girl) was going to go anywhere soon. And they couldn't have been for her, either, since old bony sure can't put them on her and tighten them.
Now, I could make a lot of tasteless sexually suggestive jokes. But I won't. Sorry.
'Nuff said.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
How Do YOU Spell Hypocrite?..UPDATED
In this case, Angus T. Jones. He's the 1/2 in that former hit show 2 1/2 Men. It seems Jake Harper (the character he plays) has found "religion" and is now asking fans to quit watching what he calls "That filth". In a rambling 14 minute You Tube clip, Angus basically says he doesn't want to be part of the show anymore, and is asking fans to "stop watching it and quit filling your head with filth". Apparently, he's joined something called the voice of prophecy 7th day adventist church. Whatever.
Angus, watch your wallet and hope your parents have control of your finances. He's made a TON from the show he now wants people not to watch (as if that's difficult with Ashton Kutcher), and will probably turn it all over to this "church". Which will leave him pretty much broke. And when the money train finally does run off the track, how long before this "church" abandons him? By the way, he makes $350 grand an episode. You do the math.
As for his future on the show.....well, really who the fuck even cares. He hasn't quit, and he hasn't been fired. Yet. Although I'm sure him slagging off his (and his parents) meal ticket will end up seeing his mysterious departure in a not too distant episode.
As for 2 1/2 men..I can't watch it for more than 2 1/2 seconds since Sheen melted down and departed.
'Nuff said.
******UPDATE: So, it seems a day after this hit the web, Angus has backed down a bit. Now the 19 year old is saying "I'm Sorry" for dissing the show. Did he finally wake up and tune into Sanity F.M and realize just what he was throwing away? Or did this "pastor" gently remind him that by continuing to work on the show, he could give (sorry...DONATE) more monry to him? I'm guessing some from column "A", and some from column "B".
Angus, watch your wallet and hope your parents have control of your finances. He's made a TON from the show he now wants people not to watch (as if that's difficult with Ashton Kutcher), and will probably turn it all over to this "church". Which will leave him pretty much broke. And when the money train finally does run off the track, how long before this "church" abandons him? By the way, he makes $350 grand an episode. You do the math.
As for his future on the show.....well, really who the fuck even cares. He hasn't quit, and he hasn't been fired. Yet. Although I'm sure him slagging off his (and his parents) meal ticket will end up seeing his mysterious departure in a not too distant episode.
As for 2 1/2 men..I can't watch it for more than 2 1/2 seconds since Sheen melted down and departed.
'Nuff said.
******UPDATE: So, it seems a day after this hit the web, Angus has backed down a bit. Now the 19 year old is saying "I'm Sorry" for dissing the show. Did he finally wake up and tune into Sanity F.M and realize just what he was throwing away? Or did this "pastor" gently remind him that by continuing to work on the show, he could give (sorry...DONATE) more monry to him? I'm guessing some from column "A", and some from column "B".
Monday, November 26, 2012
What An Embarrassement
What I'm talking about was the so-called "entertainment" during Sunday's Grey Cup game. It was the 100th anniversary of the CFL's Championship game, so you'd hope and expect to have a top-notch halftime show.
No. Instead we got Gordon Lightfoot, Justin Bieber, Marianas Trench and Carley Rae Jepsen. Holy shit! If that's the "best" of Canadian entertainment, maybe organizers of next year's Grey Cup should just skip it. Did Lightfoot REALLY need to sing the "Canadian Railroad Trilogy"? Admittedly, he's a musical icon of sorts here, but sheesh! About the only benefit of having him on was to put the crowd to sleep so they didn't have to hear the rest of the concert.
Marianas Trench.....well, it's not my kind of music, but they did o-kay. Making them the highlight of the night. Carley Rae Jepsen was a 3rd place finisher on Canadian Idol. Need I say more?
At least that little twerp Justin Bieber got the crowd worked up. They were booing him, but he at least got them worked up. If fact, they started booing when a picture of him and Jepsen was flashed on the big screen. If memory serves, they even booed him when he said it was an honor to be at the Grey Cup. And what's with the crotch grabbing anyway? Who d'you think you are, Michael Jackson? Well, at least HE had some talent. What was he checking to find out? If his stash was in the right place, or to see if he a). GREW something or b). see if his balls dropped.
All in all, it was a night to forget. And if any American's were watching....I'm sorry. While we're at it,, maybe we should take a page from the Superbowl halftime shows in the past and get some REAL talent. Something like Janet Jackson's infamous "nipplegate" back in 2004 when her top got ripped off by Justin Timberlake.
Shit! Have Gordon Lightfoot rip Anne Murray's top off. It might be gross, but it's better than the crap we were subjected to Sunday. And for organizers of the 2013 Cup in Regina.....please PLEASE try and find some talent. Canadian if you have to. Anything's better that what we were forced to watch. Well, almost anything.
'Nuff said.
Oh, yeah. The Toronto Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22. The game kinda got lost amid the cesspool that was halftime.
No. Instead we got Gordon Lightfoot, Justin Bieber, Marianas Trench and Carley Rae Jepsen. Holy shit! If that's the "best" of Canadian entertainment, maybe organizers of next year's Grey Cup should just skip it. Did Lightfoot REALLY need to sing the "Canadian Railroad Trilogy"? Admittedly, he's a musical icon of sorts here, but sheesh! About the only benefit of having him on was to put the crowd to sleep so they didn't have to hear the rest of the concert.
Marianas Trench.....well, it's not my kind of music, but they did o-kay. Making them the highlight of the night. Carley Rae Jepsen was a 3rd place finisher on Canadian Idol. Need I say more?
At least that little twerp Justin Bieber got the crowd worked up. They were booing him, but he at least got them worked up. If fact, they started booing when a picture of him and Jepsen was flashed on the big screen. If memory serves, they even booed him when he said it was an honor to be at the Grey Cup. And what's with the crotch grabbing anyway? Who d'you think you are, Michael Jackson? Well, at least HE had some talent. What was he checking to find out? If his stash was in the right place, or to see if he a). GREW something or b). see if his balls dropped.
All in all, it was a night to forget. And if any American's were watching....I'm sorry. While we're at it,, maybe we should take a page from the Superbowl halftime shows in the past and get some REAL talent. Something like Janet Jackson's infamous "nipplegate" back in 2004 when her top got ripped off by Justin Timberlake.
Shit! Have Gordon Lightfoot rip Anne Murray's top off. It might be gross, but it's better than the crap we were subjected to Sunday. And for organizers of the 2013 Cup in Regina.....please PLEASE try and find some talent. Canadian if you have to. Anything's better that what we were forced to watch. Well, almost anything.
'Nuff said.
Oh, yeah. The Toronto Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22. The game kinda got lost amid the cesspool that was halftime.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!...Revised
While we in Canada celebrated Thanksgiving last month, today's the big day in the States, and I want to wish all my American friends and viewers a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Not only is this a day for family, turkey dinners and pumpkin pie, but for many a day of travel to see family and have the big meal.
And lets not forget all the U.S servicemen and women stationed in far flung parts of the world like Afghanistan. To all those folks, I wish you a peaceful day, and may you all return home safe from your current tour.
I'm sure that after the meal (and the football games) a lot of people will be lining up at stores and malls waiting to get the Christmas shopping season underway with Black Friday. I hope this one goes a little more peaceful than some in the past.
Anyway, tuck in to that turkey, sweet potatoes (if you like them), dressing and gravy. And if you overdo it, the Tums and Rolaids after.
Earlier in this post, I mentioned pumpkin pie, and while a lot of people LOVE this, I don't. So I was overjoyed when a friend sent me this a couple years ago. It's simply titled "How Pumpkin Pies Are Made:
From me in Canada, Happy Thanksgiving!
'Nuff said.
Not only is this a day for family, turkey dinners and pumpkin pie, but for many a day of travel to see family and have the big meal.
And lets not forget all the U.S servicemen and women stationed in far flung parts of the world like Afghanistan. To all those folks, I wish you a peaceful day, and may you all return home safe from your current tour.
I'm sure that after the meal (and the football games) a lot of people will be lining up at stores and malls waiting to get the Christmas shopping season underway with Black Friday. I hope this one goes a little more peaceful than some in the past.
Anyway, tuck in to that turkey, sweet potatoes (if you like them), dressing and gravy. And if you overdo it, the Tums and Rolaids after.
Earlier in this post, I mentioned pumpkin pie, and while a lot of people LOVE this, I don't. So I was overjoyed when a friend sent me this a couple years ago. It's simply titled "How Pumpkin Pies Are Made:
From me in Canada, Happy Thanksgiving!
'Nuff said.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
....."Til Death Us Do Part"
We've all seen them. Those obnoxious guests at wedding receptions. You know what I mean. The drunk Uncle, the crying Brides mother. The respective fathers often glowering at each other across the wedding hall. Well, today a tragic tale from Brazil where the unwanted guest was the Grim Reaper himself.
It was the reception for Fabio Maciel and Geise Guimaraes. Things were going fine. The guests were having a great time, the drinks and goodwill flowing in equal parts. That's when the Reaper reached out his Mão gelada da Morte (Icy Hand of Death) and touched someone.
The fellow in question had an empty beer glass in his pants pocket and somehow slipped. The glass broke, and one of the shards cut into his thigh and severed his femoral artery. (Anatomy 101: The femoral artery is a MAJOR blood vessel running through the thigh before branching off to supply blood to the lower extremities. Cutting the vessel leads to catastrophic bleeding, where arterial spurts have been known to shoot feet through the air. Without immediate medical aid, the victim can expire from exsanguination or bleeding to death.)
Which is pretty much what happened in this case. The man was rushed to hospital, but was unable to be saved. You've probably already worked out the victim in this case was the groom, Fabio Maciel, who had been married 6 hours to Geise.
The moral of this story I guess is: Make the most of the life you have, because you never know when the Reaper will touch you with his Mão gelada da Morte.
'Nuff said.
It was the reception for Fabio Maciel and Geise Guimaraes. Things were going fine. The guests were having a great time, the drinks and goodwill flowing in equal parts. That's when the Reaper reached out his Mão gelada da Morte (Icy Hand of Death) and touched someone.
The fellow in question had an empty beer glass in his pants pocket and somehow slipped. The glass broke, and one of the shards cut into his thigh and severed his femoral artery. (Anatomy 101: The femoral artery is a MAJOR blood vessel running through the thigh before branching off to supply blood to the lower extremities. Cutting the vessel leads to catastrophic bleeding, where arterial spurts have been known to shoot feet through the air. Without immediate medical aid, the victim can expire from exsanguination or bleeding to death.)
Which is pretty much what happened in this case. The man was rushed to hospital, but was unable to be saved. You've probably already worked out the victim in this case was the groom, Fabio Maciel, who had been married 6 hours to Geise.
The moral of this story I guess is: Make the most of the life you have, because you never know when the Reaper will touch you with his Mão gelada da Morte.
'Nuff said.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Are You Sure This Wil Make My Ass Look Bigger #3
It's happened again. A Toronto woman faces several charges after butt enhancement injections went wrong. It happened last August, and the victim, a 28 year old woman, needed surgery after getting an infection from a bogus botox shot. The 28 year old started feeling sick right after the jab, and eventually needed hospital care. She needed the surgery to remove whatever was injected into her posterior.
The victim is in pain, can barely walk and has trouble sitting down. No shit! And this is just the latest in a series of do-it yourself cosmetic scams. There was one in the U.S where a woman actually died after getting her ass pumped full of silicone. And in Britain, a 20 year old died after getting an "injected implant".
Which now begs the question: Why? Why put your health and life at risk getting any kind of treatment like this outside a respectable medical clinic? Oh, yeah. The cost. True, it's a very expensive procedure, but if you pay the price like those above, it obviously wasn't worth it. And what woman would really want an ass as big as Kim Kardashian's anyway?
I'm a big fan of the female form, but I prefer natural, flaws and all, to something plastic that can't sit down without toppling over because of an enormous rear end.
'Nuff said.
The victim is in pain, can barely walk and has trouble sitting down. No shit! And this is just the latest in a series of do-it yourself cosmetic scams. There was one in the U.S where a woman actually died after getting her ass pumped full of silicone. And in Britain, a 20 year old died after getting an "injected implant".
Which now begs the question: Why? Why put your health and life at risk getting any kind of treatment like this outside a respectable medical clinic? Oh, yeah. The cost. True, it's a very expensive procedure, but if you pay the price like those above, it obviously wasn't worth it. And what woman would really want an ass as big as Kim Kardashian's anyway?
I'm a big fan of the female form, but I prefer natural, flaws and all, to something plastic that can't sit down without toppling over because of an enormous rear end.
'Nuff said.
Monday, November 19, 2012
A Twinkie Update!
So, it seems the Twinkie, Ho-Ho, Ding Dong and Wonderbread aren't quite dead after all. Hostess Brands was in bankruptcy court Monday, but already here were prospective buyers for some of their more storied brands, including the Twinkie.
Hostess could well sell of those brands to appease creditors, and who wouldn't want them? Twinkies alone is a 68 million dollar money maker so far this year alone, so I guess I was a little premature in forecasting the demise of the creme filled cake. But I also stand by my decision to try and stock up on them. Any sale would need shareholder approval, and it's not known just yet if the sale would include the plants that went under last week. Then there's the little matter of staff. Hopefully, any new owner would re-hire as many of the 18 thousand or so workers laid off.
And then there's still the matter of getting back in production. That could well take weeks, so we could be looking at sometime in 2013 before they're back on the shelves.
It's a good thing they have a shelf life almost as long as the pyramids!
'Nuff said.
Hostess could well sell of those brands to appease creditors, and who wouldn't want them? Twinkies alone is a 68 million dollar money maker so far this year alone, so I guess I was a little premature in forecasting the demise of the creme filled cake. But I also stand by my decision to try and stock up on them. Any sale would need shareholder approval, and it's not known just yet if the sale would include the plants that went under last week. Then there's the little matter of staff. Hopefully, any new owner would re-hire as many of the 18 thousand or so workers laid off.
And then there's still the matter of getting back in production. That could well take weeks, so we could be looking at sometime in 2013 before they're back on the shelves.
It's a good thing they have a shelf life almost as long as the pyramids!
'Nuff said.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Say It Ain't So!!
Unfortunately, it is. Texas based Hostess Brands, the maker of the creme filled little cakes, is going out of business. 18,500 employees are also being thrown out of work. All this, after a strike at their plants forced the company into bankruptcy. Not only is it the end of the Twinkie, but Ding Dongs and Wonderbread in the States will no longer be produced.
In Canada, Wonderbread is made under license by Weston in Ontario, and Quebec based Saupto has the license for other Hostess brands. But it's not clear yet if we in Canada will still be able to get Twinkies. Or Ding Dongs.
If both are still being made in Canada, Saputo better think about opening a few more plants to fill what could be a huge demand from U.S customers. And just think of the inflated prices Saputo could charge! Talk about having consumers by their Ding Dongs! And then there's the the black-market opportunities. Already, people are listing Twinkies on eBay for up to 20 dollars for a 10 pack.
And think of the illegal trade. We could see Twinkie cartels sprout up. I can almost see the headlines "5 Creamed To Death In Twinkie Gang War With The Ding Dong Mafia". O-kay, that may be farfetched, I admit. But you get the point. I mean what are pot smokers going to scarf back when they get the munchies and they have a sweet tooth?
And speaking of teeth, I guess dentists won't mind the end of those oh so sugary little delights. And as someone posted on Yahoo, what will people eat after the Zombie Apocalypse? Twinkies last forever!
But I'm sorta thinking somewhere, somehow someone in the U.S WILL start producing both again.
And in case they don't, I'm going to rush out and stock up!
'Nuff said.
In Canada, Wonderbread is made under license by Weston in Ontario, and Quebec based Saupto has the license for other Hostess brands. But it's not clear yet if we in Canada will still be able to get Twinkies. Or Ding Dongs.
If both are still being made in Canada, Saputo better think about opening a few more plants to fill what could be a huge demand from U.S customers. And just think of the inflated prices Saputo could charge! Talk about having consumers by their Ding Dongs! And then there's the the black-market opportunities. Already, people are listing Twinkies on eBay for up to 20 dollars for a 10 pack.
And think of the illegal trade. We could see Twinkie cartels sprout up. I can almost see the headlines "5 Creamed To Death In Twinkie Gang War With The Ding Dong Mafia". O-kay, that may be farfetched, I admit. But you get the point. I mean what are pot smokers going to scarf back when they get the munchies and they have a sweet tooth?
And speaking of teeth, I guess dentists won't mind the end of those oh so sugary little delights. And as someone posted on Yahoo, what will people eat after the Zombie Apocalypse? Twinkies last forever!
But I'm sorta thinking somewhere, somehow someone in the U.S WILL start producing both again.
And in case they don't, I'm going to rush out and stock up!
'Nuff said.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
All The Rage
You've hear of air rage. And we've all had a touch of road rage. Now, from Arizona, comes a story about voter rage. Or rather, lack of voting rage. Seems a 28 year old woman, who is decidedly NOT a Barak Obama fan, is accused of running over her husband because he didn't vote in the presidential election last week.
Police have charged Holly Solomon after hey claim she chased hubby around a parking lot, hit him and pinned him under the family car! 36 year old Dan Solomon says wifey got pissed off 'cause he didn't vote. She apparently believed an Obama win would spell hardship for the family. I guess it's true, at least for Danny boy.
He was listed in critical condition, but was expected to survive.
And Arizona's 11 electoral college votes went to Obama.
I'm now wondering if Dan's now in favour of Obama's medicare proposal. He probably will be after getting the hospital bill!.
'Nuff said,
Police have charged Holly Solomon after hey claim she chased hubby around a parking lot, hit him and pinned him under the family car! 36 year old Dan Solomon says wifey got pissed off 'cause he didn't vote. She apparently believed an Obama win would spell hardship for the family. I guess it's true, at least for Danny boy.
He was listed in critical condition, but was expected to survive.
And Arizona's 11 electoral college votes went to Obama.
I'm now wondering if Dan's now in favour of Obama's medicare proposal. He probably will be after getting the hospital bill!.
'Nuff said,
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Some Food For Thought
L.A City Council has voted to do away with meat. At least on Mondays. Yes, the elected officials in La-La Land want the people who put them in power to go meatless on Mondays, thus joining a global initiative asking people to give up meat one day a week. And the vote wasn't even close. The L.A Times says it was 12-0 in favour of abandoning the steak knife, making the California city the largest to jump on the bandwagon.
And there's no word yet if the LAPD will be policing the plates on any given Monday. Good fucking luck! Not that I have anything against veggies. They make a nice side-dish with my blue-rare steak. I specially like baked potatoes with sour cream, chives and REAL bacon bits! Damn! I'm making myself hungry again.
And what better way to end a meal than with dessert. Maybe a nice chocolate bar! How about one that costs $18.00! But this isn't your average candy bar. Oh, no.
This is Good and Evil: (photo courtesy Eclat)
It's the concoction of several chefs and chocolatiers, and what sets is apart is some of the chocolate used in it. Not the 72% pure dark chocolate, but some white and purple Peruvian cacao nibs. Really? It better be the best goddamned chocolate bar out there for that cash. And no, I won't spend 18 bucks on one to find out.
But then again, I've come up with the perfect meal! An 8 ounce, $260 dollar piece of Japanese wagyu beef, lightly seared in $54 dollar Greek olive oil, $45 dollar a pound La Bonnotte potatoes, $600 dollar a pound hop shoots topped with shavings from $36 hundred dollar a pound white truffles. All washed down with either $130 dollar a bottle, 65% alcohol Armageddon beer, or a glass or 2 of $168 thousand dollar a bottle Australian Block 42 wine. All followed by a snifter of $2 million dollar a bottle cognac. Of course. All of a sudden, that $18 dollar chocolate bar seems like a bargain! Well, I can dream, can't I?
(Sigh). I guess tonight it's hamburger helper, bargain store fries and a bottle of Bud. Again. Followed by a leftover Halloween candy bar for dessert.
'Nuff said.
And there's no word yet if the LAPD will be policing the plates on any given Monday. Good fucking luck! Not that I have anything against veggies. They make a nice side-dish with my blue-rare steak. I specially like baked potatoes with sour cream, chives and REAL bacon bits! Damn! I'm making myself hungry again.
And what better way to end a meal than with dessert. Maybe a nice chocolate bar! How about one that costs $18.00! But this isn't your average candy bar. Oh, no.
This is Good and Evil: (photo courtesy Eclat)
It's the concoction of several chefs and chocolatiers, and what sets is apart is some of the chocolate used in it. Not the 72% pure dark chocolate, but some white and purple Peruvian cacao nibs. Really? It better be the best goddamned chocolate bar out there for that cash. And no, I won't spend 18 bucks on one to find out.
But then again, I've come up with the perfect meal! An 8 ounce, $260 dollar piece of Japanese wagyu beef, lightly seared in $54 dollar Greek olive oil, $45 dollar a pound La Bonnotte potatoes, $600 dollar a pound hop shoots topped with shavings from $36 hundred dollar a pound white truffles. All washed down with either $130 dollar a bottle, 65% alcohol Armageddon beer, or a glass or 2 of $168 thousand dollar a bottle Australian Block 42 wine. All followed by a snifter of $2 million dollar a bottle cognac. Of course. All of a sudden, that $18 dollar chocolate bar seems like a bargain! Well, I can dream, can't I?
(Sigh). I guess tonight it's hamburger helper, bargain store fries and a bottle of Bud. Again. Followed by a leftover Halloween candy bar for dessert.
'Nuff said.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
A Day To Remember
It is the 11th day of the 11th month, and at the 11th hour we in Canada paused for 2 minutes to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
It is Remembrance Day for all our fallen heroes, whether from World Wars 1 and 2, Korea, Afghanistan or other conflicts. And every year I do pause because my father served in World War 2. And like so many thousands of others, he was wounded, and counted himself lucky at that, because the guy behind him was killed. Dad went in to France some 6 weeks after D-Day, and got his "Blighty" while walking down a road. It took him about 40 years to do it, but he went back, found that road and then MARCHED, not walked, the rest of the way to what his destination should have been. Aside from going "over there" in 1943, that was the only overseas trip he ever took.
It's guys like that we should also remember. Not just my father, but all the other vets from any branch of the service in war or peace that we should honour. Because they are getting fewer by the month.
It was February of this year (see my blog of February 7th) the last verified veteran of World War 1 died. Florence Green never saw combat, and never left England. She wasn't a nurse. She worked in an RAF canteen as a waitress. True, she was not in uniform that long, but she was the last of the last. It was just last May the last combat vet of that war, Navy man Claude Choules, died at 110. Harry Patch was the last one in the trenches. He died in 2009. The last Central Power's vet was Franz Kuntsler of Austria-Hungary who died in 2008.
This is why we MUST pause to remember. Because it won't be long before the last verified veteran of World War 2 passes. I may not be around for that, but my kids will. And they also know why it's important to pause and remember. So many young people today either don't care or don't understand.
If my memory serves me, in the Netherlands, young children are given a Canadian soldiers grave to look after. And they do it. Not because they have to, but because the Dutch remember the sacrifice our boys made there. In fact, their government still ships tulip bulbs to our Nations capital, which are then planted in a magnificent garden.
So today, like I do every November 11th, I stood up, paused and saluted our vets.
'Nuff said.
It is Remembrance Day for all our fallen heroes, whether from World Wars 1 and 2, Korea, Afghanistan or other conflicts. And every year I do pause because my father served in World War 2. And like so many thousands of others, he was wounded, and counted himself lucky at that, because the guy behind him was killed. Dad went in to France some 6 weeks after D-Day, and got his "Blighty" while walking down a road. It took him about 40 years to do it, but he went back, found that road and then MARCHED, not walked, the rest of the way to what his destination should have been. Aside from going "over there" in 1943, that was the only overseas trip he ever took.
It's guys like that we should also remember. Not just my father, but all the other vets from any branch of the service in war or peace that we should honour. Because they are getting fewer by the month.
It was February of this year (see my blog of February 7th) the last verified veteran of World War 1 died. Florence Green never saw combat, and never left England. She wasn't a nurse. She worked in an RAF canteen as a waitress. True, she was not in uniform that long, but she was the last of the last. It was just last May the last combat vet of that war, Navy man Claude Choules, died at 110. Harry Patch was the last one in the trenches. He died in 2009. The last Central Power's vet was Franz Kuntsler of Austria-Hungary who died in 2008.
This is why we MUST pause to remember. Because it won't be long before the last verified veteran of World War 2 passes. I may not be around for that, but my kids will. And they also know why it's important to pause and remember. So many young people today either don't care or don't understand.
If my memory serves me, in the Netherlands, young children are given a Canadian soldiers grave to look after. And they do it. Not because they have to, but because the Dutch remember the sacrifice our boys made there. In fact, their government still ships tulip bulbs to our Nations capital, which are then planted in a magnificent garden.
So today, like I do every November 11th, I stood up, paused and saluted our vets.
'Nuff said.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
PeTA Strikes Again!
And this time, below the belt. I don't know if you've seen the latest ad from the Persistent Eco Terrorist Assholes or not, but it's causing quite a stir. If you haven't, go to You Tube and search "PETA: Stay Firm and Fresh". Basically, it's suggesting to men that you have more stamina and a bigger....ah...."zucchini" if you go vegan.
And to prove the point, they have a bunch of men jumping around displaying their massive cucumbers, banana's and other fresh fruit dangling from their pant crotches. When will these shitheads ever learn? I mean they came out with the ridiculous "turkey-dog" ad campaign ahead of Canadian Thanksgiving (see my post of September 28). And now this!
What next? Anatomically accurate fruit and/or vegetables of female genitalia? Obviously, the eco-tards at PeTA don't get it. No one is buying the bullshit messages. No one gives a great goddamn about you or your idiotic stunts. Speaking of which, winter's coming. And i guess that means these fools will be out on the street (almost) naked in sub-zero conditions. I just hope someone locks their warm-up van or whatever. That stores don't let them in. And maybe even people to douse them with water to speed the cooling process. Oh, yeah, Then offer them a nice fur coat! I wonder how many of them would climb into one or freeze to death.
But I digress. Getting back to the "fresh fruit" ad, I think I'll keep my spicy salami all meat thanks. There might be a few women out there who don't mind slipping in a carrot now and then, but most like meat!
And PeTA to me still means People Eating Tasty Animals!
'Nuff said.
And to prove the point, they have a bunch of men jumping around displaying their massive cucumbers, banana's and other fresh fruit dangling from their pant crotches. When will these shitheads ever learn? I mean they came out with the ridiculous "turkey-dog" ad campaign ahead of Canadian Thanksgiving (see my post of September 28). And now this!
What next? Anatomically accurate fruit and/or vegetables of female genitalia? Obviously, the eco-tards at PeTA don't get it. No one is buying the bullshit messages. No one gives a great goddamn about you or your idiotic stunts. Speaking of which, winter's coming. And i guess that means these fools will be out on the street (almost) naked in sub-zero conditions. I just hope someone locks their warm-up van or whatever. That stores don't let them in. And maybe even people to douse them with water to speed the cooling process. Oh, yeah, Then offer them a nice fur coat! I wonder how many of them would climb into one or freeze to death.
But I digress. Getting back to the "fresh fruit" ad, I think I'll keep my spicy salami all meat thanks. There might be a few women out there who don't mind slipping in a carrot now and then, but most like meat!
And PeTA to me still means People Eating Tasty Animals!
'Nuff said.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Barak Is Back!
And in the end, it really wasn't even that close. Mr. Obama ended up with 303 electoral votes, while his Republican challenger Mitt (his middle name. His first name is Willard) Romney had 206, with Florida still undecided.
The Democrats also took the Senate, winning 23 of the 33 up for grabs. The GOP won 8, with (from what I could glean) 1 independent and 1 undecided. It means the Democrats have 53 seats in the 100 seat Senate, the Republicans 45. The Republicans still control Congress 233-193.
Mr. Obama will face an interesting 4 more years, with the U.S economy still sputtering, not to mention having to deal with the Medicare question that's divided so many of my American friends. Already, he's pledging unity and job creation as his top 2 goals. And now there's the issue of Statehood for Puerto Rico. Voters in the U.S Commonwealth have cast their ballots in favour of becoming the 51st State. Mr. Obama says it might just happen.
But what does the election signal to the rest of the world? 4 more years of stability or 4 more years of turmoil. Lets face it. Mr. Obama has a LOT of fence mending to do in his country, and he'd better start job creation programs as soon as he's inaugurated in January. And while he has a friendly Senate, Congress is decidedly not going to vote in favour of too many of his bills. So, I think a little bi-partisan give and take on both sides is what's needed.
As well, he has to show the world that the U.S.A is still THE superpower to deal with. At least, the democratic one. He has to show the world that wounds can be healed domestically, and gaps in ideology to some extent bridged. I don't envy him those tasks. Nor do I envy his rebuilding America's image abroad. Lets face it, the majority of the Arab world is decidedly anti-American. And the fight against terrorism. Sure, Obama got Osama, but there are a hell of a lot more of those nutters (foreign and domestic) still out there. Taking out Bin Laden was a triumph, but the tail of that dog is still wagging.
And speaking of bridging gaps, what about Cuba? I know, there's still a Castro in power there, and I know all about Fidel exporting trained guerrillas all across Latin America. But after 50+ years, isn't it time for both nations to come to the table and at least start talking? Maybe not normalizing relations right away, but at least get a dialogue going. What could it hurt? Just sayin is all.
And while the electoral system in the States seems foreign to people like me who grew up and vote in a parliamentary system, the U.S has one big advantage over we here in Canada. You get to elect YOUR Senators. Ours are appointed by the Prime Minister of whatever party is in power. And if the party in power has fewer Senate seats than the opposition..no problem! The P.M just creates new ones! So, to our leaders, take a page from our friends to the south and either reform the senate and let the people choose, or scrap it altogether and save a whack of tax dollars on an otherwise useless institution.
So, I congratulate Mr. Obama on his electoral win last night, but as I said I don't envy him the next 4 years.
'Nuff said.
The Democrats also took the Senate, winning 23 of the 33 up for grabs. The GOP won 8, with (from what I could glean) 1 independent and 1 undecided. It means the Democrats have 53 seats in the 100 seat Senate, the Republicans 45. The Republicans still control Congress 233-193.
Mr. Obama will face an interesting 4 more years, with the U.S economy still sputtering, not to mention having to deal with the Medicare question that's divided so many of my American friends. Already, he's pledging unity and job creation as his top 2 goals. And now there's the issue of Statehood for Puerto Rico. Voters in the U.S Commonwealth have cast their ballots in favour of becoming the 51st State. Mr. Obama says it might just happen.
But what does the election signal to the rest of the world? 4 more years of stability or 4 more years of turmoil. Lets face it. Mr. Obama has a LOT of fence mending to do in his country, and he'd better start job creation programs as soon as he's inaugurated in January. And while he has a friendly Senate, Congress is decidedly not going to vote in favour of too many of his bills. So, I think a little bi-partisan give and take on both sides is what's needed.
As well, he has to show the world that the U.S.A is still THE superpower to deal with. At least, the democratic one. He has to show the world that wounds can be healed domestically, and gaps in ideology to some extent bridged. I don't envy him those tasks. Nor do I envy his rebuilding America's image abroad. Lets face it, the majority of the Arab world is decidedly anti-American. And the fight against terrorism. Sure, Obama got Osama, but there are a hell of a lot more of those nutters (foreign and domestic) still out there. Taking out Bin Laden was a triumph, but the tail of that dog is still wagging.
And speaking of bridging gaps, what about Cuba? I know, there's still a Castro in power there, and I know all about Fidel exporting trained guerrillas all across Latin America. But after 50+ years, isn't it time for both nations to come to the table and at least start talking? Maybe not normalizing relations right away, but at least get a dialogue going. What could it hurt? Just sayin is all.
And while the electoral system in the States seems foreign to people like me who grew up and vote in a parliamentary system, the U.S has one big advantage over we here in Canada. You get to elect YOUR Senators. Ours are appointed by the Prime Minister of whatever party is in power. And if the party in power has fewer Senate seats than the opposition..no problem! The P.M just creates new ones! So, to our leaders, take a page from our friends to the south and either reform the senate and let the people choose, or scrap it altogether and save a whack of tax dollars on an otherwise useless institution.
So, I congratulate Mr. Obama on his electoral win last night, but as I said I don't envy him the next 4 years.
'Nuff said.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Building A Cheaper Beer
Apparently, science is getting close. It seems some brainiac has sequenced most of the barley genome, which (apparently), is longer than the human genome. Go figure. Anyway, about 2/3 of the genome has now been mapped, and the rest won't be far behind.
From what my limited knowledge of gene sequencing has been able to figure out from the article I read, what it means is plant breeders will now have more control over the barley when it comes to developing different varieties.
So, how does this relate to cheaper beer? Well, it seems the research could lead to better disease resistance and environmental tolerance for the crop. Thus, lower input costs, thus cheaper beer. But don't look for a price reduction in your favourite brand just yet.. On no. It takes years for research, more years for developing and testing, more years to "fine tune" the crop and THEN get it into farmers hands to grow it.
Damn! All this talk about beer's making me thirsty for one. Maybe an Armageddon! (See the October 18 entry on that.)
'Nuff said.
From what my limited knowledge of gene sequencing has been able to figure out from the article I read, what it means is plant breeders will now have more control over the barley when it comes to developing different varieties.
So, how does this relate to cheaper beer? Well, it seems the research could lead to better disease resistance and environmental tolerance for the crop. Thus, lower input costs, thus cheaper beer. But don't look for a price reduction in your favourite brand just yet.. On no. It takes years for research, more years for developing and testing, more years to "fine tune" the crop and THEN get it into farmers hands to grow it.
Damn! All this talk about beer's making me thirsty for one. Maybe an Armageddon! (See the October 18 entry on that.)
'Nuff said.
Monday, November 5, 2012
'Tis The Season!
Yup! The holidays are rapidly approaching, and with it, that horrible christmas music. You know what I mean, all those dreadful songs that EVERY store starts playing as soon as November hits. The kind of music guaranteed to make you forget about the season of joy, and start thinking mayhem.
However, consumers have taken a stand at one store in Canada, and forced them (at least for now) to quit playing the stuff! Shoppers Drug Mart stores got a backlash from customers who complained that it was far to early to have their ears deluged by that shit. And Shoppers gave in! Power to the people!
That doesn't mean Shoppers has cut in out altogether (mores the pity), and will start hammering into peoples sanity in a few weeks. But it's a start. Now, if we could convince all major retailers not to play that stuff until December 1st, it would be a victory. But that ain't gonna happen. Sure as shootin' we'll be subjected to all those "classics". Probably on Black Friday no less.
Oh, well. I'll just have to find some ear plugs I guess.
'Nuff said.
However, consumers have taken a stand at one store in Canada, and forced them (at least for now) to quit playing the stuff! Shoppers Drug Mart stores got a backlash from customers who complained that it was far to early to have their ears deluged by that shit. And Shoppers gave in! Power to the people!
That doesn't mean Shoppers has cut in out altogether (mores the pity), and will start hammering into peoples sanity in a few weeks. But it's a start. Now, if we could convince all major retailers not to play that stuff until December 1st, it would be a victory. But that ain't gonna happen. Sure as shootin' we'll be subjected to all those "classics". Probably on Black Friday no less.
Oh, well. I'll just have to find some ear plugs I guess.
'Nuff said.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Did YOU Remember?
Yup! This (Sunday) morning we all got an extra hour of sleep as we "fell back" to Standard Time at 2:00 a.m. I remember vividly when the switch was made to Daylight Time when I was living in Alberta way back in 1971. And hating it! Yeah, sure. It's nice to get that extra hour of sleep in the fall, but we lose it in the spring when we have to set our clocks ahead an hour. Sure, we got an extra hour of sun in the evening, but when you're a kid with a set bed-time it really doesn't matter. Aside from the fact that you can't sleep 'cause it's still light out.
Of course, there are a few places in North America where they don't touch their clocks. Saskatchewan, parts of Quebec, B.C and almost all of Arizona have not yet got with the times. I don't know why, aside from Saskatchewan, who can't decide whether or not to follow Manitoba or Alberta. And the big debate is where do they draw the line? the 105th bisects the province, and that's where the natural line would go.
That, and something about the cows not being milked or fed at the right time.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your extra hour of sleep and remembered to change your clock! If not, do it before you go to bed tonight. You don't wanna be in to work an hour early Monday!
'Nuff said.
Of course, there are a few places in North America where they don't touch their clocks. Saskatchewan, parts of Quebec, B.C and almost all of Arizona have not yet got with the times. I don't know why, aside from Saskatchewan, who can't decide whether or not to follow Manitoba or Alberta. And the big debate is where do they draw the line? the 105th bisects the province, and that's where the natural line would go.
That, and something about the cows not being milked or fed at the right time.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your extra hour of sleep and remembered to change your clock! If not, do it before you go to bed tonight. You don't wanna be in to work an hour early Monday!
'Nuff said.
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