New Year's in Borden...

After a thrilling trip to Toronto, including witnessing the paranoia of a city in the throes of a "gang war" (CBC's words - not mine), I'm now in Borden for the New Year. Yes, I've left the scary big city for the far more imtimidating snow country of Barrie. It's actually quite amazing to see so much snow, since it's been months since I've seen the white stuff. Of particular note, many people from far and away have met up here at Iain and Nicole's place for some catching up and celebrations.
I don't have too much to write as the political side of things has been somewhat slow, save for the usual Liberal gaffes.
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas...

As the title states - Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope your holidays are going well.

Ontario - Cold and Miserable...

Could there be anything in the world less entertaining than flying Air Canada? The answer, is of course, yes. You could fly Air Canada into Toronto. Terminal One is a wonderful new facility. It has all the ameneties you could want in an Airport Terminal - moving sidewalks, bars, lounges (all smoke free of course), and shopping. The arhictecture is quite stunning. Yet, with all these advances and convieniences is it still possible that things don't go as well as they do, say, in Calgary or Victoria or Vancouver?

Yes. First off, Toronto's airport staff should have a new motto - "How can I make your experience as horrible as possible?". It seems that most people, from Comissionaires to storekeepers are the rudest people on the planet. Ask a simple question like, "where do I get my bags?" and you recieve the most condecenting answer - "Follow the signs". Thank you. Had I noticed the sign, I would have done so. Secondly, you walk for an interminable amount of time through the terminal - following the signs - only to be coralled into a small stairway leading to the baggage claim. Third, it takes FAR too long for your bags to actually materialize. I timed it (I'm a dork that way). My flight arrived at 1555. I had my bag at 1645. You do the math. I think fifty minutes can be termed excessive - if not outright annoying. And this from the Airport that charges the highest landing fees on the planet. Ridiculous.

Well, congrats Pearson International. Between the traffic fuss, the rude staff, the long waits and the expensive parking... I am now going to fly into Hamilton - all the time.
Additionally, now that Air Canada no longer offers food - or change for the money you pay for your cold cut sandwich with, it's hardly worth it. (Don't they prepare for people to not have correct change?) Sidebar: Remember when you would buy beer or booze and they would always run back to you with change once someone else paid with change? You would think this system would have been gauged too inefficient for FEEDING people. So, no food, no frills and, quite frankly, bad service. The only remaining advantage Air Canada has is the direct flights. I will NEVER fly Air Canada again to Ontario unless I can get a comparably priced flight into Hamilton.
Comparably priced compared to whom?
Westjet. At least they don't pretend to be a "frills" airline. They're even quite pleasant and capable of joking around with you while they quickly dispense change for your 20 dollar bill.

On to Ontario - the most apt definition of hell in winter. If you thought it impossible to drive 40km/h over the speedlimit on salt encrusted roads below zero degrees centigrade - think again. Welcome to the province that's in a hurry to get to the next traffic jam. I used to live in Southwestern Ontario (London to be exact), and I never did figure out what the hurry was, or why you had to change lanes back and forth to get one car ahead in bumper to bumper traffic. I like to drive fast - this much is certain. I don't understand why you need to drive fast when traffic is gridlocked 500 metres ahead. It makes no sense. Then - so little does in the Greater Toronto Area.

Welcome to Toronto - The city that has seen it's best days. That's how the signs should read. All signs are pointing towards the slow demise of this once impressive bastion of Canadian Economic Power. The economy is sluggish compared to Western Canada. The people are just plainly rude - and take no time to watch the inevitable destruction of their fair city. The looming energy crisis (I speak directly to electricity generation, and the cost of alternative sources) is blatantly ignored, just as approval has been granted to increase Natural Gas prices by 35%!!! (And no rebates exist here - unlike Alberta). Gas here costs anywhere between 88.9 to 91.9 cents a litre which makes no sense considering that cost is comperable to Vancouver ISLAND. That's right - I said Island. People gleefully drive around salt encrusted cars just as the auto industry is pulling out back to the States. Enjoy! The Old economy of Ontario is on the outs. At least the CAW managed to get a good pension deal - They're going to need it!

It's not all bad here, of course. The winter air is surprisingly clean - no humidity to hold the smog in. The beer is well priced, though the government run Beer Store hours are terrible. All in all, the housing prices are reasonable (outside Toronto proper) and people pay among the lowest income taxes in the country. The newer homes are of sturdy brick construction and are mere inches from your neighbour - good for community ties I suppose. At this time of year the big box stores are filled with consumers, and the parking lot full of illegally parked vehicles casing traffic congestion. Everyone speaks a different language, but none of them are a comprehensible form of English or French.

*Sigh*. I once longed to move to Ontario from Alberta back in the mid eighties. Things out here seemed so promising. The large city centres had culture, jobs and people! Now, everything has come full circle. Southern Ontario is the LAST place I would ever live, except maybe the Niagara Region and Kingston/Cornwall (which is apparently Eastern Ontario anyway). As an old song goes - words in no particular order:

The rent's too high - the air's unlcean
The beaches are dirty and the people are mean
The children are loopy 'cause they live in a slum
The water is polluted and the mayor's a dork

Ontario sucks - Ontario sucks

No truer words have ever been spoken.

From Port Credit, Ontario - I'm cold.
From the

Off To Ontario Tomorrow...

This will be my last post from Victoria. VERY early tomorrow I am off to the lovely city of Toronto. Woo hoo. My yearly pilgrimage to Ontario - The Mecca Of Stupidity - is a result of my parents. I don't BLAME them for me going there, I just wish they would've moved to Mexico. Seriously though, it's always nice to see family - and snow. Besides the usual fun of packing, setting my alarm clock fifteen times so I get up - the flight is at 0700 - and last minute Christmas shopping, I also get the added bonus of doing last minute shopping in the overcrowded malls. Why? To prevent myself from having to do it in Toronto, of course.

I will, of course, post here while out in the Big Smoke. Speaking of that:

"Liberal Leader Paul Martin was out pursuing the rural vote in Southwestern Ontario on Tuesday, offering to help farmers market their products around the world, and a new renewable fuels standard.

Speaking on a family farm in North Buxton, Ont., a tiny community 75 kilometres east of Windsor, Martin said the Liberals would introduce a national fuels standard that would call for gasoline and diesel fuel to be a mix of five per cent biofuel, such as ethanol."

from this article.

This seems like a great idea. NOT. First off, Canada already has at least one private company, Mohawk, that does this. I'm not at all in favour of the government "forcing" a new fuel standard on an industry. Who is going to build the ethanol plants? They are, last I checked, VERY expensive both to build and run. So is the federal government going to force private industry to build ethanol refineries? Or will they build them as a national mega-project, where they will no doubt all be built in Ontario and Quebec and use Alberta natural gas to make the ethanol?

While I think the idea of reduced emissions is a good one, why not just tell the industry that they have to reduce average gasoline emissions by five percent? I'm sure through better refining techniques that could be much more affordably realized. If this is an environmental goal, I think the liberals need to realize that it's not a perfect solution. Click on this link and scroll down to some of the environmental reasons why.

Government should NOT be in the business of deciding how fuel is made, period. Especially considering how sensitive inter-governmental relations have been vis a vis the Petroleum industry, perhaps a simple emissions limit is in order. Why doesn't the federal government take "The One Tonne Challenge" and stop blowing so much hot air! From the same CBC article it was noted that:

"Much of what Martin discussed on Tuesday has already been implemented or at least introduced."

Wow. Another ground breaking announcement. Thanks Paul.

To that end, I'd like to thank Jack Layton for this lovely soundbite, which made me laugh out loud:

"The Liberals are a Toronto version of a Seinfeld show: a caucus about nothing, and that does nothing,"

That made me laugh for two reasons: First, because of the nothing comment. Secondly, for it's Torontocentric view. Doesn't this apply to all of Canada Mr. Layton? I guess he made his point and his wheels didn't fall off.

You had to know this was coming! In other related news (hinted at in the top picture) Paul Martin encountered some problems on the campaign trail recently. Click here to find out why.

Suffice it to say - That was my laugh of the week.

Merry Christmas All - talk to you from Ontariooo.

PS - What is going on with messenger? Is it just me?

24 Marathon complete?

I just sat through 13 straight episodes of 24 Season 4. After filling up on McDonald's around 1 in the afternoon, we managed to last until 2330. I would strongly recommend never attempting anything of this sort. Let me tell you why:

1. I can't actually remember what happened in which episode;
2. If you've seen Season Four you'll understand that I am not really sure how it's different from Season Three Re: Characters
3. I can't remember any names - or if I do they're dead
4. McDonald's was a bad choice

I contemplated drinking to stave off the "glossy eyed" effect. Though I'm sure I wouldn't remember anything past the fifth or sixth episode. My spine never seemed fully capable of adjusting to any position I was sitting/lying/crouching in. I hurt all over.

All in all, it is a pretty good season, though after watching three others it becomes readily apparent very early on that the initial "crisis" is nothing more than icing on a VERY multi-layered cake. Quite frankly, if i had to work in such a deceptive workplace I'd probably have gone bananas.

I'm still waiting for the return of Nina... they just have to resurrect her somehow.

Another Friday night...

There is something to be said for The Trailer Park Boys. I just recently finished a four episode "marathon" and I have to say, It's pretty funny. Nevermind the hapless characters, or even the zany plot lines. There is one thing about this show that makes it truly extraordinary:

JOHNATHAN TORRENCE

Okay, any of you who remember the CBC show "Street Cents" may remember this guy. Quite frankly, I still have some nightmares about the show. I can't even fathom some of the absolute crap they threw into "The pit". The fact of the matter is, this show is stuck in my head in a way that should be illegal. I still remember the number to call if you "had a beef" (1-800-565-BEEF in fact). As far as low budget consumerism for teenagers goes, it was pretty addictive. Or maybe that was just me.

I digress.

The point here is that Mr. Torrence plays J-ROC on the Trailer Park Boys. If you want to see something truly - how should I put this?- depressing? depraved? odd? Sure. You have to see him play this character. Besides Bubbles, who makes me laugh just for some of his inane comments, J-ROC really cracks me up. I really can't put my finger on why it's so goddamned entertaining. Perhaps it's like watching a train wreck - We're intimately involved with the complete "personality change" of Johnathan. Now, some of you will no doubt remember some of the zany characters he played on Street Cents (and god forbid you remember the horribly bad Johnovision), but this one takes the cake.

I know I'm about five years behind the Trailer Park Boys bandwagon. I guess I found solace in what can be widely considered more intellectually stimulating shows like Band Of Brothers, The Sopranos, 24 and so on. Basically, I'm asking for some forgiveness in allowing this jewel of Canadiana to escape my viewing attention.

Speaking of 24, the new season is out on DVD and it looks like we're going to be doing a true to life 24 marathon... from 7am Sunday until - you guessed it - 7am Monday. It's nice to be on vacation with nothing pressing on the agenda.

A final thought...

Just doing some last minute surfing and came across this:

http://www.vwdov.ca/forum/showthread.php?threadid=85661

Check it out. Oldie but a goodie.

Anonymous Bitch #256 writes in her comments via MSN:

AB256 says:
It's just really weird, that some of the stuff you typed in it, I was screaming at my television...

(Me)The new debate format sucks says:
I fell asleep at one point

AB256 says:
It needed something...Debate pretty much.

AB256 says:
Did you count the number of Ed Broadbent references? GEEZ Jack is canned.

The new debate format sucks says:
Yeah that little twerp drives me crazy

AB256 says:
and I was saying earlier, Gilles is just in the wrong party
he is a charismatic speaker...
if he were a Tory, I dunno, the CPoC just needs some french people like him
if he were part of the mainstream, I think he would be a force to be reckoned with.

AB256 resides in Calgary, Alberta and has graciously allowed me to use her comments in my blog. Hopefully more guest comments will be added in the future.

Debate Part 2 - Meet the new boss...

Well. That was... BORING. I'm not sure this new debate format is doing anyone any favours. First off, I have to mention that I thought all the leaders did a good job of sticking to thier platform ideas. Not as though that's very hard to do when you aren't actually in a DEBATE. I can't say I was overly impressed with Stephen Harper, though he would have to collapse pretty significantly to sway my vote away from the Conservatives.
The more Gilles Duceppe speaks the more I actually LIKE the guy. Although I certainly don't support his views on separation, I do agree with his strong stance on governmental jurisdiction. Sadly, Harper didn't really take full advantage of that - I think that is one of the palpable differences between him and Martin - Harper should have vigourously defended the Constitutional definition of the jurisdictions.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the six hundred and fourty two times Jack Layton said, "Elect New Democratic MP's to make change". Whatever came over him to say that SOOO many times makes me wonder - Do all NDP supporters need to be told a million times to get something done? I guess it's just that they need coaxing since there is no chance on this frozen planet that they will ever form a government.
Anyhow, it's time for me to head out for the evening. Cheerio!

English Debate Tonight

Looking forward to the English Debate tonight. After the boring affair that was the French debate here's hoping for a little more - "oomph?"

On a separate note, I started leave today! No more work until 2 Jan 06! Woot.

Le Test Post

Since this is merely a test post, here is one of my two vehicles. It's a 2002 VW GTI 337, a limited production model that has a few after market additions including E-Code headlights, H&R Coilovers, Neuspeed front and rear sway/stress bars, the front upper stressbar from an Audi A3, blanked side marker lights, and European 25th Anniversary GTI taillights (and more)






My other car is a 1995 VW Golf CL with over 277 thousand kilometres on the clock. Part of my future plan includes a new motor for her, but I have yet to find the time.