Oorgo

EElehkshun

I have to laugh.

Liberals are amazed they won, CPC are pouting they lost, NDP is back where they were, and the non-federal party BQ is celebrating .. for some reason. Stephen Harper: "You guys won't let me win so I don't wanna pway"
Paul Martin (hands over eyes): "Of COURSE we can keep a minority government going"
Jack Layton : Smiley emoticon, emoticon, emoticon.

I think the people who were answering the polling companies were either lying or didn't vote. Maybe they were among the 39.2% of Canadians who apathetically sat back and did nothing while everyone else chose who will run the country.

I have a cousin who didn't want to vote because she didn't like anyone.
"Well who do you think is the least horrible?"
her: "NDP"..
"well vote for them!".

Sheesh! If the 40% of the lazy populace would have done the same, the NDP would have had a minority government, or the official opposition.

Well, if anything, all you shmucks who didn't vote will have another chance to not vote in about 8 - 10 months. There's no chance in hell the Liberals will be able to hold on to a minority government of this size. The first time they bring up something in parliament that isn't popular, they'll lose the vote, get themselves a vote of non-confidence, and BAM you'r back at the polls.

REMEMBER JOE CLARK, 1979.

Warning! Warning!

I think that's a pretty accurate warning in my case

What's that damn kid doing after church?

I forgot to post a link that I found on geek@work last week, I was amused and disturbed all at the same time by this link to an article by Terry Jones on the Guardian.

It's easy to rationalize things when it pertains to aliens and "folks of a different cullah", but just apply those rationalizations to people you care about and see what happens

Salsa!

Woot! So I just found out our band is playing at this years Jazz Festival in Edmonton. We're is playing at the Sidetrack Cafe, $10 at the door, a good time for all.

How often do you get to play at 2 different jazz festivals for 2 different bands? Not often for me, that's for sure.

I'm pumped, this means I can go see some wicked jazz for free this week.... sweeeet...

Change

I changed the color scheme, you may vomit, it will be as expected.
If not, that is also expected.

I noticed how many blogs are using this common scheme, so I went the lazy way and instead of changing the actual scheme, changed the colors...

I learned my lesson well

Saturday's gig went really well, people were raving about how well we did.

We were scheduled to leave at 7:30 am Sat. but about 10 miles out of Edmonton the back tire on the bandleaders car blew... so we spent about an hour and a half putting on the donut and driving into Sherwood Park to get a new tire.

I didn't personally feel the gig was our best, I think we were a bit nervous. I was having issues with running out of air, perhaps it was because of the fuzz floating around in the air, perhaps just because my abs aren't what they should be. It could also have been nerves or overheating, it was a pretty big event, and the temp was pretty high. Oh yeah and I almost forgot that the bandleader left my chart book at home... YAY!

We had some excellent chinese food at (I believe it was) Saigon on 3rd in downtown Saskatoon, then walked about 20 minutes to get beer, and proceeded to drink for the rest of the night. Damn... I am not that young anymore, all day Sunday I was sicker 'n a dog... so Sunday was a right-off. I got home and Amber had a migraine, so she was pretty happy to let me take over taking care of Xavier. He was, of course very happy to see me, and I him. He's such a cool kid.

Saskatoon Jazzfest

Hey, if anyone is in Saskatoon this weekend, I'm playing at the Delta Bessborough Gardens for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. Our band is alongside Jesse Cook, and the Robin Nolan Trio. Should be a good event!

The Future is here.... and it's clean

This article from Penn State, has to be the absolute coolest thing I've heard about in the last few years. The folks there are able to generate electricity from domestic wastewater, and in the process CLEAN THE WATER. Whoa... It's like something out of Star Trek. I could power my house from my toilet, then the power cell could pump the water back into the toilet... complete recycling.

The possiblities for use are endless.. I wonder if the byproduct is considered purified, or sterile, or can be converted again into drinking water... at LEAST it could be used again for wastewater, or for watering your plants.

Xavier update

So I am being negligent in my raving father duties....

Last Wednesday Xavier started walking on his own. He will only do it between Amber and I (because he's too chicken), but he can definitely do it when he puts his mind to it. He's also understanding an almost disturbing amount of phrases and words. He may not be able to speak the words (he's a little lazy speech-wise) but he understands many things. For example, if he gives the phone to mommy and says "Daddy", she will phone me up and put me on speakerphone so he can talk to me and kiss the phone.

He's also decided he will only go to sleep when he wants to. If you take him to bed before his time, he will cry and scream seemlingly endlessly (30min +), but if he initiates it by crawling to bed he will grin, take his bottle and zonk out within a few minutes. We're working on that though, last night Amber was a hardliner, and finally got him to sleep even though he didn't want to.

He had an appointment with the Neurologist on Tues. and the MRI shows odd things, and doesn't go along with his present state. According to the MRI the bloodclot on the left side of the brain seems to still be there, and after a point there isn't blood flow. BUT according to the specialist he seems to be just fine, and there doesn't seem to be any ill effects. He said it may be that there is bloodflow, the MRI just isn't showing it, or there is enough of a trickle for normal operations. Either way he said Xavier would grow out of it.

He's got an assessment today, I bet they'll be blown away with his improvement, especially since they said he may not walk for a long time, or possibly have cerebral palsy. TAKE THAT, DOCTORS!

All Hooped up on Golfballs

Dammit! I've been hooked on ebay searching for new trumpets I can't afford.

Like THIS one.

Of course I should be able to feed and clothe my family before purchasing $1000 items that aren't essential. But dammit, they are COOL

I almost laughed my ass off after perusing the Makers of the Zeus ZTR100 Olympus trumpet. It's the cheesiest site, but the more you read, the more impressive they seem, in a wacked out sort of way.

I wanna buy one out of spite now.

welcome

Welcome to rural Alberta, please wait while we hit you with our racist jackass stick.

Alberta aboriginal candidate target of vandals

What's really sad is that is the riding where I grew up... I'm almost ashamed, but not at all surprised. Probably asshats I grew up with, or their kids.

get the slant

Ok... maybe I'm not done with politics...

What always infuriates me about elections, and it seems to be especially bad this time around, is the obvious slanted reporting from major media providers. Most noteably the use of an editorial as a news story, with no mention of it actually being an editorial. Here's an example:

'Martin Disappearing Quickly'

The above story is a typo'd version of the reporters concept that Liberal candidates are distancing themselves from Paul Martin. Sure, who knows, it might be the truth... but from that article it looks to me more like he's some rabid Conservative/Alliance supporter foaming at the mouth in his contempt for the PM.

Plea to news providers: Please Print EDITORIAL at the top / bottom/ anywhere on an article this slanted.

Ok one last thing

I pledge to stop talking about politics after this post, because truthfully, all it does is fan the flames of the hate-on I have for the political system.

The crap that comes out of Ralph Kleins mouth about Healthcare Really pisses me off. How can he speak for the entire province when he won't F#$@ing listen to what we say, or respect our opinions. Healthcare affects every one of us, and more privatization of it doesn't help anyone, except those who can afford it. "I need knee surgery, but have to wait, but Joe across the street mortgaged his house again, or spends caso he is getting it right away!" - how fair is that?

I'm worried about the direction the country is going, and the blindsided attitude the public has towards these important issues. Maybe the media, or politicians themselves are responsible for jading the public towards healthcare, so they just "Don't wanna hear about it any more". Just like environmental issues, people can only be concerned and freaked out for a limited amount of time, after that they become numbed, jaded and uncaring. Only when they come face to face with a situation where it affects them personally do they start jumping up and down, all red in the face.

Big Brother

Stephen Harper by Conservative campaign bus. (CP photo)

"I can see what you're doing... the thought police will be out to your location momentarily"

The misquoting media

I was listening to Counterspin on CJSR last night on the way home, and they were talking to a veteran reporter called Robert Parry about the Media's misreporting of the Reagan years, and all the atrocities that happened during his reign. Today I decided to look him up and I've been reading this excellent article about how the media has purposefully distorted and misquoted Al Gore's comments to make him look like a liar and fool.

Don't get me wrong, I think Al Gore has about as much personality as Stephen Harper (little to none), but hey ... everyone should have fair treatment in the news.

The Gall of Some People...

I was going through the CBC news for today and came upon this story about the BSE crisis and the majority of payment going to meat packers instead of farmers.

One specific quote from our esteemed Minister of Agriculture Shirley McLellan got my goat:

Right... so those farmers that got $75 ... have less to lose right? No farm land, house, machinery, feed, cattle, family, sanity to lose. Those multi-million dollar packing companies who most likely have insurance up the ying-yangfor this, they have much more to lose. Right?
OH and if so she KNEW about how the dollars were doled out, why didn't she come forward with this information instead of making the government spend our money with the audit!

The sheer flippance and calloused attitude the Alberta government has towards its people just infuriates me. And the fact that the Alberta people vote THESE SAME PEOPLE into government term after term. Ralph and his buddies don't care about you, they don't care about your children or the future, or farming, or anything. They care about MONEY, they care about fancy trips to New York where they spend tens of thousands on travelling expenses.

A friend of mine was the one that tipped off A-channel about Ralph's drunken visit to the Herb Jamieson center, he was told to say nothing, to "keep his mouth shut because this guy pays our bills", by the people running the center. He also helped escort the Premiere out of the center, all the while being bellowed at with "Do you know who I am?" and "I paid for this center".. When my friend went forward with the story he was promptly fired.

If only my "esteemed" fellow Albertans would take a look at the past 12 years of leadership at the hands of RK and the current state of our schools, healthcare, cities, and taxes, then look at the follies and disregard for the people that RK and his cronies have. MAYBE then they would wake up, shake off the apathy and vote someone, almost ANYONE else in.

UPDATE (sorta):
Oh, and looks like the PC's on the Federal front are just as wonderful. THanks Darren for finding the story about a B.C. Tory candidate who is defending private health care delivery... apparently Stephen Harper is also open to a 2-tiered Health system

And the Tories are creeping ahead in the Polls... SOMEBODY THROW ME A FRICKIN' BONE HERE PEOPLE!

The A$$wipes

Ok, I've ranted about my neighbours quite a bit, not so much in the near past ... here's an old log from a previously defunct MT install.

I've nicknamed them "The Asswipes", for reasons that will become obvious to you soon.

Here's my latest thing which is an ongoing problem.

A) They have a firepit in their backyard, which they insist on using almost every day.
 
B) They have no clue how they should act around it, or what they are allowed to burn. (even though I graciously printed out the bylaws and rules for firepits and gave it to them)
 
C) The "dad" or "boyfriend" or "leech" or whatever, is a freakin' firebug, who lets the kids put out the fire ... not checking on them.
  and
D) They don't care how much smoke or pollution they are pumping out, that fire has to be going dammit!

ANYways, yesterday it stopped raining so of COURSE it's primetime for fire fire fire. So I notice they are having problems getting the wet wood going, lovely black smoke, so they pull out the can of gasoline. No explosions, luckily. After what looked like 1/2 a sunday paper they have some semblance of a fire going.
A while later I look out... and to my wonderment they had salvaged a broken plant holder / something that's lacquered/stained from the alley, cut it up with a power saw, and were starting to burn it. Good god... what kind of crap are they breathing in from that smoke. OH and I forgot to mention that I saw treated posts and stuff in their pile of firewood too.

SO I look out a little bit later, and they are COOKING HOTDOGS over this carcinogenic/toxin laden ashpit. Yum! I can just feel my cells mutating and duplicating thinking about it!

And to top it all off I'm leaving to get groceries later, and their kid with ADHD is out playing in the fire with a stick. I say "One of your parents should be out here if the fire is going" (and I use the term parents loosely). He says "Yeah, whatever". Nice... that's it... it's time to fire off a letter to the friendly bylaw office.

Ronnie Really Remembered

I came across this from Norbizness' blog, and just had to share it.

This happens to every president, and to almost every person that dies.

No one likes to speak ill of the dead. Is it because of some sort of superstition thing? Maybe if you speak ill of the dead you are supposed to be cursed with them haunting you forever? Or maybe speaking ill somehow taints your soul... boowahahaha

Of COURSE, the cartoon is more like speaking the truth of the dead, not glamorizing his life, ignoring the bad and glorifying the good.

doppleganger

Weird... the more articles I read from Paul over at Sanity's Edge , the more I think he's my older doppleganger (of course I don't know if he's older than me, but I'm just making the assumption). He has wacked out neighbours that resemble mine, his wife thinks pretty much the same of him as mine does of me. ALTHOUGH, my musical "career" was never influenced hugely by sitcoms, although I used to really dig the Flinstones jazz music, and the funky backround tracks for animated Spiderman.

Yay

Saturday Amber and I bought a new computer desk for the basement, rather, Amber bought it for me for an early fathers day present and I chipped in some money. ANYways, it's nice you can see it HERE

I spent about 1/2 hour putting just the shelving part together, and I'm excited about getting back home and finishing it. My current desk looks like THIS, I've had it for ... almost 20 years... and it's kinda busted up... I guess I deserve a new desk.

It will be nice once we get the room done, with carpet on the walls to buffer my trumpet practising, and the stereo we are borrowing from / storing for Dan. A practice room... I will actually have a practice room... woot!

Undecided?

This was on Darren's blog a while back, but I'm going to revisit it.

Undecided on who you are going to vote for on June 30th?

Answer 19 questions, from The 2004 PoliticsWatch.com VoteSelector Quiz and see where you stand.

my results:
NDP: 100
PQ: 88
LIB: 59
CP: 41

C'mon people!

C'mon... if you're going to take the time to become an election candidate for your party, for your riding, at LEAST create a decent website, or keep it updated.

Here are the 3 of the worst websites for the candidates in my riding:

Peter Goldring for Conservatives
Janina Strudwick for NDP
Edward Spronk for ... get this... the "Christian Heritage Party"... good lord

What blows my mind in the NDP case is she's in her mid 20's .... I thought that most people in that age group could create a web page, or know the importance of the internet. I'm all for the NDP, but what is she going to do for my riding if a) I haven't seen ONE party sign in my area and b) her logo is Name/Nom.

It's June 8th people... 20 days to the election

The 2 parties that have the most impressive webpages are here:
(most surprising to me is the Green Party website, go GREEN!)
Harlan Light for the Green Party
John Bethel for Liberals

Update!
Looks like Janina Strudwick's web guys finally updated her site last night, and she was voted in as a candidate May 27, so I guess I can cut her some slack.

Worn out weekend

Well it's monday again isn't it? Sheesh, what a weekend.

Here was my schedule for the weekend :
(keep in mind I haven't had a weekend off in 2 or 3 months)

Friday: Work from 8:30 to 4:30
     Go to gig1 at 8:30, lasts until 10:30
     Go to gig2 at 10:30, lasts until 2:30
Saturday: Get up at 8:30
     Take care of Xavier
     Miss soundcheck that was supposed to be at 4 because I'm out looking at a new computer desk
     Go to gig 3 at 11:00, get grief for missing soundcheck
     Wait around for an hour before we start
     Go home at 3:30 am
Sunday: Get up at 11,
     Borrow the neighbours heavy-assed lawnmower
     mow the lawn
     Go to pick up new desk, doesn't fit in car
     Go spend more money on groceries than we thought... (boo)..

That's it...

I'm going to buy myself a diesel motorbike and start creating my own Bio-Diesel

Stick it to the man

Politics and arguing

I had an interesting conversation with Amber last night, interesting for me, but apparently very annoying and frustrating for her.

I like to argue. I like to contribute my opinions, counter others, break down theories and come up with new ones. It's not that I like to make people angry (in most cases), and it's not my intent to frustrate people so much they won't talk to me for awhile. It just happens sometimes. The combination of politics, myself and my mother-in-law are lethal in Ambers eyes.

Here's a summary of the argument/conversation:

I believe, and I've almost always believed, that when it comes around to election time you should vote for who you want to be in government. If you think that a candidate is going to uphold your values, and do good things for you, then vote for them right? Sounds logical.

Voting for a "Not in the top 2" is NOT throwing away your vote, but expressing your view of who should be running the place. Canada is NOT a bipartisan system like the United States, we have multiple parties, with multiple platforms, varying cultures and varying opinions.

The only time when this does not come into play is when a candidate you absolutely hate looks like they could be voted in, and you couldn't imagine them running the country/province. In this last case you would vote for whoever has the greatest chance of beating them. (I.E. the last federal election, when the Alliance party had following in the west, who wants those bible-thumping, abortion stopping, right-wing nuts governing them).

In the last example though, this turned out to not be the best route. It brought back in Jean Chretien for another round, and the money-wasting, do nothing, populace ignoring gov't reigned once more.

If the next election creates a minority government that would be great. It would make everyone in the government work harder, get those lazy backbenchers off their asses and give the underdogs a voice.

NDP ... well.. ok...

The more I hear about Jack Layton, NDP leader, the more I like him. Sure he comes off as a bit of a radical/loose cannon, and yes he's shoved his foot squarely in his mouth at least once, but after this article about comments he made regarding Paul Martin being responsible for the freezing deaths of homeless people.

I especially like this line:

When you are able to admit your own faults, to me that adds credibility to your character.

Stress Relievers

Stolen from Screaming Midget Magazine

What the

So I'm doing a search for my name (Oorgo) in Google and I come across oorgo.com ... what in hell!! You browse to the site and it's merely titled "Oorgo English" and has a poorly made animated gif that flashes from Oorgo to English.

Am I, or have I always been, some sort of real word in korean? Does oorgo mean "bad" or "dirty" or "wacko" that would be kind of cool.

The name originated from sort of random keystrokes when creating a character name for a D&D character in an ANSI graphic turn-based game on a local bulletin board called Viewline. The character was hairless, blue, ogrish, and liked to stomp on daisies. Maybe I should have copyrighted it... or at least registered the domain like I was meaning to... OH well...