Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Star Trek Re-edit
Someone with too much time on their hands has rejigged the sound effects to a scene from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, creating a more, er, adult atmosphere.
Ahem.
Probably not safe for viewing at work if you can't find your speaker volume.
You've been warned! :)
Ahem.
Probably not safe for viewing at work if you can't find your speaker volume.
You've been warned! :)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The Spam Chronicles
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT, REF: UKNL/26510460037/07.
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD.
ATTENTION: Sir/Madam
RE/AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement Today,27th March 2007, of winners of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, THE UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM Sheld on 1st March 2007 in Croydon,London.
You email address was attached to ticket number 023-0148-790-459, with serial number 5063-11 drew The lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently Won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay Of 500,000.00 British Pounds(GBP) in cash credited to file REF NO. UKNL/26510460037/07. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary Agent;
NAME: DAVID WOOD.
TELEPHONE: +447031923807
+447031972486
Email: davidwood65@yahoo.com.hk
Sincerely,
Dr. Silas Aston
Zonal Co-ordinator
Dear Dr. Aston
Thank you so much for sending me a Final Notice that I was a big winner in a lottery that I've never heard of. Or ever received a First Notice for.
Imagine my shock and when I heard that I had won without ever buying a ticket for this lottery! I must be the luckiest person alive! This is like waking up and finding a new car in my driveway with no idea how it got there, or waking to find that George W. Bush is President and having no idea why anyone with normal mental faculties would vote for him -- twice!
I look forward to my winnings. Please send them to me as soon as pigs learn to fly.
Yours,
John
PS. Your grasp of the Queen's English, particularly capitalization, is amazing!
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD.
ATTENTION: Sir/Madam
RE/AWARD NOTIFICATION: FINAL NOTICE
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement Today,27th March 2007, of winners of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, THE UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM Sheld on 1st March 2007 in Croydon,London.
You email address was attached to ticket number 023-0148-790-459, with serial number 5063-11 drew The lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently Won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay Of 500,000.00 British Pounds(GBP) in cash credited to file REF NO. UKNL/26510460037/07. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary Agent;
NAME: DAVID WOOD.
TELEPHONE: +447031923807
+447031972486
Email: davidwood65@yahoo.com.hk
Sincerely,
Dr. Silas Aston
Zonal Co-ordinator
Dear Dr. Aston
Thank you so much for sending me a Final Notice that I was a big winner in a lottery that I've never heard of. Or ever received a First Notice for.
Imagine my shock and when I heard that I had won without ever buying a ticket for this lottery! I must be the luckiest person alive! This is like waking up and finding a new car in my driveway with no idea how it got there, or waking to find that George W. Bush is President and having no idea why anyone with normal mental faculties would vote for him -- twice!
I look forward to my winnings. Please send them to me as soon as pigs learn to fly.
Yours,
John
PS. Your grasp of the Queen's English, particularly capitalization, is amazing!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Linus' Birthday
Linus would have been 17 today.
I still see him.
I still hear him.
I still call him.
I still miss him.
I still see him.
I still hear him.
I still call him.
I still miss him.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Long Recovery Week 18
Time munches on.
Now over four months after my bike accident, my once-broken arm and shoulder still have a road to travel before they could be said to be recovered.
That said, a lot of progress has been made over the last few weeks.
First, I have graduated to what is referred to in physio lingo as "resisted exercise." You and I call it pulling giant rubber bands. This is significant because my range of motion, while still not yet in the normal range (and may never fully be), is certainly in the range of motion for getting by. The problem is that I have no strength in the arm. In fact I have more range than strength. If I left up my left arm in front on me, I might get 130-135 degrees of rotation. But if I use my right arm to push my left arm up further, I'll get 175-180 degrees of rotation.
So now we're into strength building and re-activating the muscles that haven't had to work in months. Hence the rubber bands. I have eight exercises to do with the bands, plus one exercise with a free weight, a whopping three-pounder!
Other good news: I don't need to do stretches with a cane anymore. I'm flexible enough now that I can do some new stretches that do the job better and don't require the cane. And I'm now down to once-a-week visit to the physio dude.
So now the question is when do I get back on my bike and into my kayak? That remains to be seen. The Victoria Day weekend marks about six months since my accident, which was sort of the time frame mentioned by my surgeon, so that is a target that is on my mind. Sometimes I feel that Canada Day is a more realistic time frame, but we'll have to wait and see. The point is that I WILL be back on my bike and on the water this summer.
Woo hoo!
Now over four months after my bike accident, my once-broken arm and shoulder still have a road to travel before they could be said to be recovered.
That said, a lot of progress has been made over the last few weeks.
First, I have graduated to what is referred to in physio lingo as "resisted exercise." You and I call it pulling giant rubber bands. This is significant because my range of motion, while still not yet in the normal range (and may never fully be), is certainly in the range of motion for getting by. The problem is that I have no strength in the arm. In fact I have more range than strength. If I left up my left arm in front on me, I might get 130-135 degrees of rotation. But if I use my right arm to push my left arm up further, I'll get 175-180 degrees of rotation.
So now we're into strength building and re-activating the muscles that haven't had to work in months. Hence the rubber bands. I have eight exercises to do with the bands, plus one exercise with a free weight, a whopping three-pounder!
Other good news: I don't need to do stretches with a cane anymore. I'm flexible enough now that I can do some new stretches that do the job better and don't require the cane. And I'm now down to once-a-week visit to the physio dude.
So now the question is when do I get back on my bike and into my kayak? That remains to be seen. The Victoria Day weekend marks about six months since my accident, which was sort of the time frame mentioned by my surgeon, so that is a target that is on my mind. Sometimes I feel that Canada Day is a more realistic time frame, but we'll have to wait and see. The point is that I WILL be back on my bike and on the water this summer.
Woo hoo!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Poisoned Pet Food and Linus
With all the hubbub concerning the tainted pet food scandal, the thought has certainly crossed my mind that Linus suffered from similar symptoms before he passed away last year.
However, as he ate only dry food, his food supply doesn't seem to have been affected so it would be a stretch to think that he is a victim of this unfortunate event. While he did eat some wet food in his last days, it does not seem to be the kind that was tainted. And he was already in a bad way anyway. And further, the tainted food only started being manufactured on December 3, and Linus didn't have any wet food until the week of December 11, too soon to get the tainted food on the shelves, I think.
Still, it's a sad, sad thing. My still grieving heart is grieving more.
However, as he ate only dry food, his food supply doesn't seem to have been affected so it would be a stretch to think that he is a victim of this unfortunate event. While he did eat some wet food in his last days, it does not seem to be the kind that was tainted. And he was already in a bad way anyway. And further, the tainted food only started being manufactured on December 3, and Linus didn't have any wet food until the week of December 11, too soon to get the tainted food on the shelves, I think.
Still, it's a sad, sad thing. My still grieving heart is grieving more.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Harper Pulls a Bush
Prime Minister Harper continues to use plays from "President" Bush's neocon handbook, using "hardball partisan politics."
Under fire from opposition MPs over erroneous statements by Defence Minister Gorodn O'Connor to the House of Commons concerning Afghan detainees, Harper responded by saying, "I can understand the passion that the leader of the Opposition and members of his party feel for Taliban prisoners. I just wish occasionally they would show the same passion for Canadian soldiers."
Needless to say, all the Opposition party leaders are outraged.
Harper is using an old Bush tactic, attacking the and patriotism and character of his criticizers instead of dealing with the criticism, in this case O'Connor's acknowledged misleading of the House of Commons two weeks ago by saying that the Red Cross would keep Canada informed about the condition of prisoners handed over to Afghan officials by Canadian soldiers. Earl er this week, O'Conner apologized to the House, admitting that the Red Cross is under no such obligation.
Harper would rather ignore the fact that a senior member of his cabinet mislead the House, and would rather insult the people who caught him at it.
That's misplaced priorities, and that's classic Bush.
Under fire from opposition MPs over erroneous statements by Defence Minister Gorodn O'Connor to the House of Commons concerning Afghan detainees, Harper responded by saying, "I can understand the passion that the leader of the Opposition and members of his party feel for Taliban prisoners. I just wish occasionally they would show the same passion for Canadian soldiers."
Needless to say, all the Opposition party leaders are outraged.
Harper is using an old Bush tactic, attacking the and patriotism and character of his criticizers instead of dealing with the criticism, in this case O'Connor's acknowledged misleading of the House of Commons two weeks ago by saying that the Red Cross would keep Canada informed about the condition of prisoners handed over to Afghan officials by Canadian soldiers. Earl er this week, O'Conner apologized to the House, admitting that the Red Cross is under no such obligation.
Harper would rather ignore the fact that a senior member of his cabinet mislead the House, and would rather insult the people who caught him at it.
That's misplaced priorities, and that's classic Bush.
Staying on Message
So I'm surfing for news, and surf on over to CNN.com.
I bookmarked the International edition of CNN over the domestic American version because its jingoism and utter disregard for any story that questioned the Bush regime during the run up to the Iraq made me sick, and its choice to wallow in the most trivial of non-stories (Jon-Benet as one example) has not improved over time.
But the International edition does have the occasional story of interest, and today was one of those days.
Here's the front page:
Al Gore is testifying in Congress and using the phrase "global planetary emergency"! Wow, that's big news. Maybe, finally, the Washington politcos will finally wake up. Maybe, finally, the major American media will stop following the Bush line and take climate change seriously.
Maybe, finally, the proven fact of human-caused climate change will get some serious face-time on American media.
Let's see what the domesttic version of CNN has as their front page:
Shades of Jon-Benet. Okay, well, um, at least the front page mentions Gore testifying to Congress.
I think.
Somewhere.
Doesn't it?
There is an article entitled "Sceptics Frosty at Warming Warning." Wonder what we get if we click on that?
Wait a minute. This isn't anything like the International edition headline. What's going on here? Isn't the news the news? Isn't the truth the truth (even if inconvenient)?
How can the same news organization present the same set of facts with one slant for one market, and another slant for a different market?
They can't, of course. They have to stay on message. A single message.
And when I returned to the CNN International home page....
I bookmarked the International edition of CNN over the domestic American version because its jingoism and utter disregard for any story that questioned the Bush regime during the run up to the Iraq made me sick, and its choice to wallow in the most trivial of non-stories (Jon-Benet as one example) has not improved over time.
But the International edition does have the occasional story of interest, and today was one of those days.
Here's the front page:
Al Gore is testifying in Congress and using the phrase "global planetary emergency"! Wow, that's big news. Maybe, finally, the Washington politcos will finally wake up. Maybe, finally, the major American media will stop following the Bush line and take climate change seriously.
Maybe, finally, the proven fact of human-caused climate change will get some serious face-time on American media.
Let's see what the domesttic version of CNN has as their front page:
Shades of Jon-Benet. Okay, well, um, at least the front page mentions Gore testifying to Congress.
I think.
Somewhere.
Doesn't it?
There is an article entitled "Sceptics Frosty at Warming Warning." Wonder what we get if we click on that?
Wait a minute. This isn't anything like the International edition headline. What's going on here? Isn't the news the news? Isn't the truth the truth (even if inconvenient)?
How can the same news organization present the same set of facts with one slant for one market, and another slant for a different market?
They can't, of course. They have to stay on message. A single message.
And when I returned to the CNN International home page....
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
They Report, We Deride
Welcome to Pottersville has posted a whole bunch of faux pas by Fox News. Most are deliberate, although I would hope that some of the most outlandish are mistakes.
But I doubt it.
Here's three of my favourites, click here for more of Fox's best moments.
But I doubt it.
Here's three of my favourites, click here for more of Fox's best moments.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
We're Number One! We Are! Really!
According to this BBC poll, Canada was viewed as having a positive influence in the world by 54% of the respondents, top in the poll. Japan was also viewed as having a positive influence by 54% of the repsondents, but Japan also had a slightly higher number of people who said that it had a negative influence, 20% to Canada's 14% negative influence score, the lowest in the poll.
At the other end, The United States had a postive rating of only 30% and a negative rating of 51%. Only Iran (54%) and Israel (56%) had lower negative scores, with North Korea close behind (48%). Israel also had the lowest postive influence score at 17%.
At the other end, The United States had a postive rating of only 30% and a negative rating of 51%. Only Iran (54%) and Israel (56%) had lower negative scores, with North Korea close behind (48%). Israel also had the lowest postive influence score at 17%.
The Long Recovery Week 15
It's hard to believe that 15 weeks ago, almost four months, I was just coming out of surgery on my shoulder. Range of motion is still an issue, and as yet I'm still not doing any real strength training, but that should start any time now.
Today my doctor said that everything was as it should be. He ordered up another set of xrays, but he figures this will be the last set because the bone and the titanium look good. Now it's just a question of how well the soft tissue comes back.
Here's one of today's x-rays. This is from the side -- a profile shot, if you like.
Man, that's a lot of titanium.
Today my doctor said that everything was as it should be. He ordered up another set of xrays, but he figures this will be the last set because the bone and the titanium look good. Now it's just a question of how well the soft tissue comes back.
Here's one of today's x-rays. This is from the side -- a profile shot, if you like.
Man, that's a lot of titanium.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
At Least He's Not Wearing the Ears....
Okay, I've picked on Shatner long enough. Here's some vintage Nimoy.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
In Search of Cheney's Brain
The Vice-President, Dick Cheney, spoke to members of the American media on Air Force Two during his recent Middle East visit. But he insisted that he would speak only as long as he was indentified just as a "Senior Administration Official," not as "The Vice-President." Apparently he doesn't want to be associated with his own quotes.
However, the ploy backfired because he identified himself, and then spoke of himself in the first person during his opening statement, pretty much destroying his attempt at being anonymous:
Why Cheney, who has always spoken on the record as the Vice-President since February 2001, now wants to be an anonymous Senior Administration Official, is unknown, although there probably have been many times in the last six years when Bush had wished that Cheney had spoken anonymously.
Jeffery Feldman comments more on this story here, and the offical White House version (of an Interview with a Senior Official, released by the Office of the Vice-President no less) is here.
However, the ploy backfired because he identified himself, and then spoke of himself in the first person during his opening statement, pretty much destroying his attempt at being anonymous:
"Let me just make one editorial comment here. I've seen some press reporting says, "Cheney went in to beat up on them, threaten them." That's not the way I work. I don't know who writes that, or maybe somebody gets it from some source who doesn't know what I'm doing, or isn't involved in it. But the idea that I'd go in and threaten someone is an invalid misreading of the way I do business."
Why Cheney, who has always spoken on the record as the Vice-President since February 2001, now wants to be an anonymous Senior Administration Official, is unknown, although there probably have been many times in the last six years when Bush had wished that Cheney had spoken anonymously.
Jeffery Feldman comments more on this story here, and the offical White House version (of an Interview with a Senior Official, released by the Office of the Vice-President no less) is here.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
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