What a great time to be sick!

I woke up today with chills and a fever. Lovely! I have this week off and it's not how I planned to spend my time...lying in bed and nauseated. Hope to be well enough to enjoy New Years.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining after what has happened in Asia. Holy crap!

Introducing...

...Winter! You guys miss me?

Respect

We could debate endlessly about the leniency in the punishment given to Todd Bertuzzi in his assault on Steve Moore...about why there have been so many murders in Toronto over the past month...about how kids do whatever they want in school without fear of reproachment...about why there has been so many incidents of racism in Europe relating to soccer. It all boils done to one word...RESPECT! No one has respect for anybody or anything anymore. What have you without respect?

photography

The rare Melanie posting!

Does everyone wish they were a photographer? I was reading another blog I came across on the Web (www.polemics.ca) and ended up scrolling through every single one of his posted photographs. I don't know what it is about good photography, but it really has the ability to provoke an emotional response...for me anyway. I would love to be able to do something like that.

But cameras are expensive.
And you need talent.
And I suppose for every great shot, there are 50 that weren't so great.
Oh well.

Melanie

Queen is back with Paul Rogers

I just heard on the radio that Queen will be touring in 2005. Their new singer will be Paul Rogers. He used to sing in Free and Bad Company. Should be interesting to see what happens.

Hold the tomatoes

One Burger King restaurant in Regina is not purchasing tomatoes as condiments for their burgers rather than buy sub-par tomatoes.

"Due to weather-related crop damage, there is a nationwide shortage of tomatoes that meet our high standards. We are currently out of tomatoes. Our sincerest apologies for this inconvenience," reads a sign at the Burger King order counter at Park Street and Victoria Avenue.

According to Mark Drouin with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the extreme hurricane season in Florida pounded tomato crops, causing a shortage of supply and an increase in prices.

Okay...Burger King being choosy...with all the condiments fast-food burgers have on them, you wouldn't notice if they slipped a piece of styrofoam in there, never mind a sub-par tomato. Whatever! The article this news piece came keeps on referring to tomatoes as a fruit. I thought it was a vegetable.

Follow-up to Ukraine Election

As mentioned in an earlier blog, it appears Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned in an attempt to kill him during election campaigning in September, a British daily reported, quoting the doctor who oversaw his treatment.

"This is no longer a question for discussion," Doctor Korpan said. "We are now sure that we can confirm which substance caused this illness. He received this substance from other people who had a specific aim." Asked if the aim had been to kill him, Korpan said: "Yes, of course."

Proof that Yushchenko was deliberately poisoned would be a devastating blow for his rival, the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, as the two candidates prepare for a repeat of a presidential run-off on December 26.

Hardee's Monster Thickburger

This burger, from an Amercian fast-food chain, is not for the diet-conscious. Read the image below for the death-defying stats.


Must taste so good though

Vivian Road Rocks!

Our band, Vivian Road, played a retrospective of 17 rock hits for our friends and family on December 4, 2004. The concert went off without a hitch and the approximate crowd of 120 had a great time. Thanks to everyone who attended as well as the opening band Hades (great job boys). We'll keep you posted with news of our next gig in the Spring. Hope to see you all then!

Songs we played:
• Supersonic/Oasis • What I Like About You/The Romantics
• Hard Day's Night/The Beatles • Misunderstood/Bon Jovi • Rockin' Me/Steve Miller
• 6th Avenue Heartache/The Wallflowers • Don't Go Away/Oasis
• Can't You See/Marshall Tucker Band • Sweet Home Alabama/Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Pink Houses/John Cougar • Keep Your Hands to Yourself/Georgia Satellites
• Take It Easy/The Eagles • Wanted Dead or Alive/Bon Jovi • Shine/Collective Soul
• Get Free/The Vines • When I'm Gone/3 Doors Down
• Love Removal Machine/The Cult


The Band

Whenever you're in doubt, ask yourself...

Cool it!

Alter Bridge

The new CD by Alter Bridge, formerly known as Creed, is rockin! The new singer, Myles Kennedy, was in the movie Rock Star. Near the end when Mark Wahlberg's character leaves the band, he pulls up a guy from the crowd who sings just like him...that's Myles Kennedy.

They still have that heavy guitar sound and the drumming really stands out. This might be the sleeper band of the year.

Lucky Strike leaves no spares

Last night I attended the grand opening of Lucky Strike, a bowling alley in the new Vaughan Mills mall. They had free snacks and drinks from 7-10 pm. Let me say that again ... free food and booze!! It was a great night. The bowling alley is pretty cool. It has your regular lanes but with couches to sit on instead of chairs and a lounge area with big screen TVs. In the second half of the alley is a big bar with tables and comfy booths. It's a bowling alley for the 21st century. Give it a shot!

Ukraine Presidential Candidate Poisoned?

I've been following the weird and sad story of Viktor Yushchenko, a man who was running to become president of the Ukraine. Over four trying days in September in the middle of his David vs. Goliath run against the Moscow-backed political establishment, the once-robust 50-year-old Yuschenko fell mysteriously ill and there has been an astonishing transformation in his appearance.

"The dramatic changes that you see in Yushchenko are extreme," said Dr. Barney Kenet, a dermatologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital. "There is swelling of his eyelids, his nose, and an overall enlargement of his face with pebbly skin."

What caused his sudden transformation has baffled some of the best European doctors, ABC reported. And his story has quickly taken on all the qualities of a spy novel. He accuses his political opponents of poisoning him. His doctors are investigating whether his symptoms were the result of biological weapons. One specialist received death threats while treating him, and asked for police protection, ABC reported.

Through it all, the indefatigable politician is leading a widening and exhausting popular rally against the election last weekend that, he says, unfairly denied him his country's presidency.
ABC reported he vows to keep fighting and says that nothing can make him give up. As of today, the fight continues.


Before and after!

Everyone Has a Twin

I always thought that Will Ferrell and Chad Smith (drummer for The Red Hot Chili Peppers) looked like brothers. See for yourself.


Separated at birth?

Too much water is risky...unbelievable!

I just read an article on www.canoe.ca that says too much water is bad for you. It looks like people who are taking large volumes of fluid develop protein in the urine which causes kidney damage over an extended period of time.

Read the article on the Canoe website by clicking here.

Winter Sucks!

Today was the first morning of difficult driving conditions, and it really wasn't that bad. Still, it took me 40 minutes to get to work instead of the usual 15-20. I often take a less-travelled road for most of the way to bypass all the traffic. Because it was less travelled, it was pretty slippery this morning and at one point I slid three times while braking...I couldn't stop! Pretty freakin' scary. I had left enough space between me and the cars ahead of me that I was in no danger of hitting them. In the words of Dustin Hoffman, "I'm an excellent driver."

This brings me to my point of how much I hate winter. Every year my hatred for it grows. What is its purpose people?! Taffic jams, cold weather, expensive heating bills, shovelling...all stress inducing. I think the only reason we have winter is so we can appreciate all the other seasons that much more. It's going to be a long four months!

Another Lovely Oil Spill

As much as 170,000 litres of oil could have dumped into the ocean during a malfunction aboard the Terra Nova oil platform off the coast of Newfoundland. Petro-Canada estimates only about 20 to 25 per cent of the oil will be recovered. The rest will dissipate into the ocean and eventually break down.

When were we ever given the keys to this planet and why? The way we treat it is similar to the way teenagers treat the house when parents are on vacation. The transgressions on the Earth however aren't remedied with Mr. Clean.

The Grudge

This movie gave me goosebumps. I haven't been this freaked out in a long time. It was tense right from the beginning and it never let you relax. The Japanese horror movies are pretty cool...remember The Ring? I think it's the way they have the possesed move...robotic-like. Check it out!

Scott Feschuk of the National Post

This guy makes me laugh out loud! He writes for the National Post newspaper...Sports and Arts & Life sections. If you get a chance to read any of his articles, you'll be hooked to his comical writing style. His NFL predictions are the best thing since sliced bread.

I recently found out that he wrote some speeches for Paul Martin during his past campaign.

I'm not sure if his site works but you can give it a try... www.scottfeschuk.com.

Pinball Makes History

CFL Factoid: Congrats to Pinball Clemons, coach of the Toronto Argonauts, who will become the first black head coach in Grey Cup history. There's never been a black head coach in the Superbowl either.

Imlach: Satan #2

I'm just about finished reading '67: The Maple Leafs, Their Sensational Victory and the End of an Empire, and have come to this conlcusion. Not only was Harold Ballard the devil who caused the Leafs to become the laughingstock of the NHL from the proud franchise they were with Conn Smythe at the helm, but Punch Imlach was just as much of an asshole. During the 60's, he gutted the Leafs' core of young players and stars because they didn't get along and traded them for money which he used for personal reasons, as did Stafford Smythe and Ballard. How they won championships during the 60's says more about the players than about ownership and management. Imlach did the same thing when he re-joined the Leafs in the late 70's by trading away Lanny McDonald to prove a point to Darryl Sittler that no one should challenge him as coach.

The Leafs haven't played a game this year yet through this book, are still giving me ulcers.

The Swan

I watched most of this show last night for the first time with my mouth open in disbelief. People, this show has sunk to levels I thought I'd never see while lucid. People write in to this show, hoping that they'll be selected, to undergo cosmetic surgery and liposuction, under the guise that this will make their life better. The phony tension created by the ditzy host is so bad that it makes me scream with rage. Apparently, on this show, the bigger you boobs get, the more self-confidence you'll have and therefore become a better person. What a great way for kids to learn values! I guess television caters to all types of IQs.

26 minutes, 16 seconds

I did a 5 kilometre run at Sunnybrook Park this past Saturday and ran my fastest time yet...26 minutes and 16 seconds. That was tough! I plan on training harder to run it in under 25 minutes.

Raptors win!

The Toronto Raptors win their season opener over Houston. This season is the perfect opportunity for them to widen their fan base. With no hockey, the Leaf fan may tune in to the Raptors more often.

Bush wins...surprising to me

Am I missing something? I thought change was inevitable?


Look at Bush's book!

How did you get your licence?

I wasn't aware of the rule that states when driving in a light mist, you must go 20 km/h slower than the posted speed limit. SOME PEOPLE SHOULD JUST TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION...I'LL PAY FOR IT!

This "work stoppage" is shambles

Here are a few comments on this NHL strike/work stoppage/lockout...whatever it is, it's getting ridiculous. The reasons behind the stoppage may not be ridiculous; the league is losing money, the players might be making too much, the owners are idiots for signing them to lucrative contracts and the game is watered-down due to too many teams in non-hockey cities.

I can't take this strike seriously if most of the NHLers are going to Europe to play. In a strike, you are sacrificing for the good of the union or the group. Where's the sacrifice here! You're going to Europe and getting paid AND taking jobs from Europeans. Don Cherry complains about Europeans coming to the NHL and taking Canadian jobs. Well the tide has turned and I haven't heard him say anything about Canadians taking away European jobs. It's hard to get behind the players when most are still making great money. Again, where's the sacrifice?

Let's imagine you worked for Bell Canada and all the employees went on strike to demand better working conditions. You are home pinching pennies, trying to figure out how to pay the bills, when you hear about half of your co-workers deciding to work for Rogers. What is the point? Where is the sacrifice? Your life really hasn't changed. I undestand that the players need to make money to survive...most owners are making money through their other business ventures. The thing that bothers me the most is that they could have done something about it way before the Collective Bargaining Agreement expired but both sides couldn't get a deal done...egos always get in the way.

It's frustrating for us, the fans, because we have no say in it and we're at their mercy. I love hockey but will I love it the same when they decide to come back? I haven't missed hockey yet but I know I will soon. Perhaps there is a way to let the NHL know that we won't take it anymore. Check this link out.

Ozzy sings the Bee Gees?

Today on 97.7 HTZ.fm I heard Ozzy Osbourne sing the Bee Gees' tune, Stayin' Alive. Whaddup with that? The Apocalypse is near folks!

Duthie in the 'hood

Melanie and I went for a nice Fall walk yesterday afternoon around one of our neighbourhoods. The weather was awesome. As we strode down one street, a family walked towards us...husband, wife, two kids and a dog...the complete package. We walk by them and the guys says hello. I'm stymied as I recognize him but can't remember his name for the split-second as they pass us by. Too late to say anything other than hello, James Duthie, TSN host, passes us by.

Funny Website

Someone actually spent time to create this website. I think it's ingenious and pretty funny.

http://www.ihaterogers.ca/

Are the Cubs next?

Now that the Red Sox have won their first World Series since 1918, are the Chicago Cubs next? They haven't won a championship since 1908. And why is it called the World Series? All the teams are based in the US. What about the rest of the world? The Jays don't count anymore...they're dying a slow death. Give them time before they skip Canada like the Expos. I think patriotism is cool but it would be nice if the Americans showed a little humility once in a while. As usual, what do I know?

The DaVinci Code

I just finished reading this book. The library had it on Fast Track, a 2-week borrowing time. I couldn't put it down and finished it in 1 week. The concepts and stories in this book are apparently all true. To be educated in this alternate religious view is wild! You don't have to believe it but knowing that it might be true is enough to freak you out! Read the book.

Proof that it's a small world

On Sunday afternoon I was at a wedding. Also invited was my 11th grade English teacher, Mr. Freedman, who happened to go to high school with the groom's father. I hadn't seen him in 20 years but he looked exactly the same. We had a quick conversation and he was pleased that an ex-student approached him and said hello. He was the only teacher who made Shakespeare fun and understandable.

Good Leafs joke...thanks Lou!

The day after the Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs (what else is new?), they were at the ACC cleaning out their lockers. Nik Antropov invited the boys over on Canada Day for a party and all the players agreed to come.

"Can you all bring beer?" he asked the team. Domi suggested that he call Quinn and tell him to pick up the beer. Quinn agreed to this and said that he would pick it up and bring it over.

Canada Day came and Quinn loaded up his car with case after case of beer for the team and headed over to Nik's place for some fun. On the road, he got stopped at a light and heard the car next to him honking like crazy...some man yelling "GO LEAFS GO, GO LEAFS GO!"

Quinn rolls down his window and looks at the man, Leafs flags still hanging all over his car.

"Hey Quinny!" the man yells. "What's with all the beer?"

Quinn replies, "I picked it up for Antropov."

The man looks at the beer in the back for a moment before yelling, "Good Trade, Good Trade"

Yankees vs Bosox Re-revisited

Well, the greatest comeback in baseball history, if not pro sports, happened last night. The Red Sox came all the way back from 3 games down to beat the mighty Yankees. Will the momentum carry them through to a World Series victory?

The Smart Car

As I was driving home from work today, I saw my first Smart car. It is freakin small! It almost looks like a remote control toy. Probably does 8000 km per tank though.


The Smart Car!

Canada Cup 1976

TSN telecast the Canada-Sweden Canada Cup game from 1976 last night. They will continue to show games from this series every Tuesday night. It was awesome to see Borje Salming playing for the Swedes in his prime (25) as well as all the Canadians like Sittler, Orr, Hull and Vachon. When the starting players were introduced, they skated towards their blue lines. There was a standing ovation for Salming because the game was played in Maple Leaf Gardens...I got goosebumps! Considering all the eventual Hall-of-Famers in that game, it was pretty boring.

You couldn't help but notice the equipment on the players. The padding was significantly smaller than it is today. It looked like they weren't wearing any protection at all. The skates looked like I made them in my basement. I would love to see Lafleur flying down the wing in today's skates or Bobby Hull taking a slapshot with today's sticks. It was fun to watch.

Crest "Fresh Citrus Breeze" Toothpaste

I've been using this toothpaste for a couple of weeks now, just to try something different. Can't get into it. It was amusing for the first couple of days but my mind tells me I need a minty tasting toothpaste to make my mouth feel fresh.

Yankees vs Bosox Revisited

Hold the phones...it looks like the Red Sox might make the biggest comeback in baseball history. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Did I mention I hate both teams. What a series though! I want the Sox to finally beat the Yankees but I so want the Red Sox championship-less streak to continue...it's part of baseball history.

Don Cherry...Greatest Canadian?

There's a vote here in Canada to determine who is the greatest Canadian. Don Cherry has garnered enough votes to make the top 10. Don Cherry? I like Cherry but this is ridiculous! The greatest Canadian should be one who has had a major influence in the country and around the world. Cherry talks only of hockey...not good enough. There were also no women voted to the top 10. Here are the names (in no order): Tommy Douglas, John A. Macdonald, Terry Fox, Frederick Banting, Lester Pearson, Alexander Graham Bell, David Suzuki, Pierre Trudeau, Wayne Gretzky, and Don Cherry. Doesn't Cherry stand out like a sore thumb?

Yankees vs Bosox

What a series. Can the games get any longer? They're about 4 1/2 hours long. Looks like Boston will have to wait another year before they can win a championship. They haven't won the World Series since 1918! And I thought the Leafs had problems. Is there a way both teams could lose? I hate them both.

This is hockey for the next year

I can't believe that this is what the Air Canada Centre will look like on days the Toronto Maple Leafs are supposed to be playing. What a bunch of losers! It sucks that I can't watch but they're the ones losing millions...not me. I'm not sure if anyone cares at this point. Let's see in a few months.


This is the Air Canada Centre in Toronto

Presidential Debate Pet Peeve

I have a new pet peeve when it comes to politicians. It's something they do and I notice it more than ever, probably because of all the recent debates in the U.S. and here in Canada. I'm sure it's something they are told to do as it makes them look better. I call it the "fist point." The politicians' handlers are telling them that it's rude to point and it can also be accusatorial. So what they do now is make a fist and then put the thumb beside the index finger. They flatten the fist out and then point with it. Keep an eye out the next time you see Senator Kerry give a speech. He does it a lot.

Halloween Costume

Well, it's that time of year again to figure out what to be for the upcoming Halloween parties. I'll probably go as Frodo since my wife has all the accoutrement to go as Arwen (for those of you living under a rock, these are Lord of the Rings characters). All I need to buy are pointy ears. I heard about another cool thing to be...static cling! Just wear all black and pin things to your clothes, like socks, tea towels and underwear (clean of course but it's your call) and spike your hair up...unless you're follicly challenged. I'd really like to go as SpongeBob SquarePants...he's the coolest! Any ideas?

The Passion of the Christ

I watched it the other day. The man is beaten from the start of the movie right until the very end(!) proving once again that Hollywood can sell tickets with violence...even at the expense of the son of God!

There's nothing in this movie that you don't already know, except of course, that he was viciously beaten within inches of his life for a couple of days before being crucified. Hey Mel Gibson, if you're going for the obligatory violence to herd an audience, at least put in some interesting tidbits or events about the man that people may not have known. What do I know.

John Daly designs golf course in Niagara Falls, ON

John Daly is designing a golf course named Thundering Waters Golf Club just 1500 yards from the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. It's situated next to Marineland Theme Park and is only two blocks from the fashionable Fallsview Tourist district, home of the new billion-dollar Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.

Daly designed the upscale golf facility in conjunction with Canadian golf course architect Bo Danoff. "I love this location...Niagara Falls is a world-renown address and Thundering Waters is a landmark project" said Daly.

The golf course is set to open in the Summer of 2005.

I'm not throwing to Barry!

Barry Bonds was walked 232 times this year by National League pitchers, which set a record. The leader in the American League was Eric Chavez, of the Oakland A's, with 95. I can't get my head around 231 walks!

John Cerutti dies at 44

Ex-Blue Jays pitcher and all-around nice guy has died. He was the Blue Jays colour commentator on SportsNet. They found him dead in his SkyDome hotel room. Can you believe this? So far the doctors have said he died of natural causes. At 44?!

CIBC's Run for the Cure

Today, my wife and I...along with 30,000 others...ran the CIBC "Run for the Cure," 5 kilometre run in downtown Toronto. All the proceeds go towards the fight for breast cancer. The run wasn't timed as it was all for the cause...but I still timed myself and after fighting through some slower joggers/walkers for the first kilometre or so, my running partner, Lisa, and I picked up the pace a bit to finish in 28 minutes. This was my first "race" since public school and was glad to get it under my belt. My wife and I are going to try to enter some timed races before we start training for some 10 kilometre runs. I'm very proud of my wife Melanie who finished in 33 minutes. She did an excellent job and has come a long way since we started training. Here's to finding the cure one day!

Ex-Leaf Garth Butcher on trial

I just read in the Totonto Star that former NHLer Garth Butcher is on trial for sexually assaulting a 23 year-old. No evidence of a date-rape drug was found in a urine sample taken from the woman who has accused Butcher. Apparently, it was the custom for a pub waitress, which is co-owned by Butcher, to ride with him back to his hotel when he visits Toronto to keep him company. It was her turn to go. She had some drinks and says she was feeling "tipsy." Butcher invited her to check out the suite's bedroom and then asked for a massage. He then massaged her and she passed out only to awaken with her pants and underwear removed and Butcher on top of her having sex.

Nice! Hell in a handbasket I tell you!

Feed her to the lions!

Just read in today's Toronto Star that a 22-year-old woman spent the weekend dancing and watching movies at a friend's place while she left her 2-year-old daughter at home by herself. The child died of dehydration and Clara Dasilva is being charged with manslaughter. The little girl had diaper rash so severe, prosecutor David Wright told the court, it was the equivalent of a second-degree burn. Apparently, this was typical of the treatment the woman gave her daughter.

This is a solid vote in favour of the death penalty! You can't be human and treat a child like that, especially your own.

Oprah's free cars not really free

Thanks but no thanks Oprah! Many of the 276 recipients of the new Pontiacs that she gave away last week are going to have to fork over thousands of dollars in taxes. While Pontiac agreed to pay for most local charges, state sales tax and licensing fees, the recipients have to report the cars to the IRS as income. This extra income can push them into a higher tax bracket. For a nearly $30,000 car, that probably means, for most of the recipients, shelling out $7,125 for the "free" car.

Best sports fan's hat

I recently saw an ad for the CFL and in one scene they showed an Edmonton Eskimos fan wearing the best hat I've ever seen. On his head was a small BBQ pit with a tiny rotisserie attached to it. They must have been playing the Calgary Stampeders because on the rotisserie was a plastic horse. The rotisserie could spin...fully functional! That's funny.

Norton Internet Security 2004

Holy crap! It took me almost 4 hours to install this last night. I couldn't uninstall the previous version I had and then the virus definitions wouldn't update automatically, not to mention the hour and a half it took for the two full scans to take place. I had to go to the Symantec website to figure out the problems and then download solutions. I started to feel like a beaten man, but everything came together and the program now works fine. But what a frustrating experience!

Hershey's Kisses with caramel

I recently saw a commercial for a drug store chain (not sure if it was in the U.S. or Canada), that was selling Hershey's Kisses with caramel inside them. I had no idea they existed. I need to buy them!! I love caramel. Does anyone know where I can get them? Mmmmmmm, chocolate. This is one of those things where you stop and say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Hershey's Kisses website

Ryder Cup runneth over

Geez did the Americans get spanked at the 2004 edition of golf's Ryder Cup. It was a pleasure to watch. This tournament is a reflection of the two different lifestyles. The individualstic Americans looked awkward as they tried to gel as a team. They only cheered or talk to each other when they were ahead. The team-oriented Europeans seemed like they were best buddies. You almost wanted to follow them around and have a drink with them after the match. The Ryder Cup is a team game and until the Yanks can understand this, they'll have a tough time getting the trophy back.

Read more.

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary. We celebrated by getting hot and sweaty...at out weekly run with The Running Room. The real celebration will be dinner at The Fifth sometime soon.

Gretzky in the middle

A friend of mine brought up a good point about the Team Canada photo which was taken after they won the Cup. And I quote, "Freakin egomaniac Gretzky, getting right in front of the team picture w/Lemieux...it’s all about him. I’ve never seen a GM do that."

He's got a point. Was he told to go there by the team or does he need to be the centre of attention?

As long as Canada keeps winning championships, I don't care where anyone stands or who's in the shot! Take a look at the picture in the second post under this one.

Beer is good for you!

A study, done at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont., indicates that the polyphenols in beer - substances derived from barley - boost antioxidant activity in the blood. "Antioxidant activity ... helps prevent the oxidation of blood plasma by toxic free radicals that trigger many aging diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cataracts," according to a news release on the study.

Wine's got 20 times more polyphenols than beer but they're not absorbed as well for reasons unknown.

The study found that one bottle of beer led to a beneficial increase in antioxidants but three bottles had the opposite effect, making the blood "pro-oxidant" and increasing the risks of many aging diseases.

It's understood now that moderate drinking is a protective thing. The converse of that is not heavy drinking - it's binge drinking. So that people's health can be enhanced by fairly significant levels of steady drinking, but people who take their eight pints of beer and drink them, instead of one a day, all on a Saturday night are at risk for health damages. Read complete story.

Numero Uno!

Canada dominates for another world championship. We never trailed during any of the games and went undefeated. Gretzky & Co. have put together two great teams, emphasis on teams, for the Olympics and now the World Cup. Lecavalier was named tourmanent MVP but I think Joe Sakic was the leader on this team. He worked hard every shift, created chances for his linemates and skated hard to get back on defence. Joe Thornton was also strong.

How long before another game? The NHL lockout begins today.


Champs again!

Mystic River

Just saw this and enjoyed it. The acting was great. However, can someone explain to me what the point of the movie was? The ending sent me to the land of "Wha?"

Heartbreak at Glen Abbey

So close yet so far away. That was nerve-wracking to watch Mike Weir almost win the Canadian Open. He had his chances but you can't keep letting the #1 player up off the matt when you have him down. I guess the pressure of the country's hopes was a bit much for his shoulders...think of the pressure. He still made awesome iron shots to the pins, except for the last playoff hole. If his putter was working, it was over early. Oh well, maybe next year!

The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Just found out that my favourite series of books, "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," will be continued! The first of the new four book series will be out in October 2004. It will be called "The Runes of the Earth." Click here for more on the books and the author, Stephen R. Donaldson.

Library Card

I got a library card yesterday. Oooooo, the excitement!

Coffee and bladder cancer

I don't drink coffee but found this story about the link between the two...

"Health Canada study finds link between coffee consumption and bladder cancer"
A new Health Canada study suggests that coffee consumption increases the risk of bladder cancer in men, and that the risk increases with the amount consumed.

Men who drank four cups of coffee or more daily were almost twice as likely to get bladder cancer as members of a control group who did not drink coffee, according to results published in the journal Chronic Diseases in Canada. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Canadian men; it has been estimated that 3,700 cases will be diagnosed this year.

Easy win for Canada in World Cup of Hockey

Down to the final four...Czechs, Finns, Yankees and Canadians. We sure looked good last night in eliminating the Slovaks. We now play the Czechs, on Saturday, who are always tough when something is on the line. I'm predicting another re-match from the '96 Cup final...Canada vs USA. Gold, of course, to Canada. Our line-up is too strong when compared to the other teams. Gold medal game on Tuesday the 14th.

Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend

A Jim Morrison autobiography by Stephen Davis
HOLY CRAP! This guy was a freak! If you've seen the movie, The Doors, with Val Kilmer, and thought that Morrison was nuts, you should read this book. I can't put it down because I have to see what this guy will do next! The drinking, the drugs, the sex, the music...he lived a long life in his short existence. I highly recommend reading this book, even if you don't like their music, because people and society like this don't exist anymore.

Actividay

Yesterday was full of athletic activities. I went to the driving range in the morning, went for a 24-minute jog in the evening and then immediately went to play ball hockey for an hour and a half. My body's a little sore today but my mind feels great, knowing that I got all that exercise.

Mizuno's Wave Legend 2

I just bought these running shoes and they're the best I've ever worn. I bought them at The Running Room and highly recommend them, providing they're designed for your foot type.


Wave Legend 2

In the long run

As I mentioned in a previous post, "The thigh bone connected to the pain bone," I'm in a Running Room clinic called Learn to Run. In this 10-week program, we run for longer periods of time each week to practice for the goal race at the end of the clinic, a 5K. Thursday's session is going to be run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeated twice. You're also supposed to get two practice runs in before the Thursaday class to help train. I just finished my second practice run and decided to run for a full 20 minutes. It felt great! I haven't done that in years. Wasn't easy, but I felt great when I finished. Not bad considering this past week-end was spent smoking and drinking way too much! I'm hoping to get hooked on running again, as I was in my teens, to help me quit smoking. Here's to dreaming...

Nokia 3595

Rogers is offering this phone to me for free if I renew my two-year contract with them. Anybody have any comments on this phone? I currently have the 3360 and have had no problems with it.

I'm on vacation

One week of rest and relaxation! That's the plan, anyway. I've got a long list of things to do and I've promised myself to get them all done. It's supposed to be sunny all week and then golf on Saturday! Nothing like R & R.

Hockey is Back!

Scott Niedermayer had a fight so you know this World Cup of Hockey means something. It's great to see skating take precedent over grabbing, although you can still see plenty of it. It's the best sport in the world!

World Cup of Hockey 2004

Game 1 has just finished and Finland has whipped the Czechs 4-0. We should enjoy this hockey now as we might not see any for a while. Does anybody really care about this tournament or has it's importance diminished over the years?

Funny post from another Blog

This made me laugh. From Idiodyssey.blogspot.com.

My Body is a Temple:
Much like the ones you find deep in the jungle - crumbling and overgrown with parasitic vines.

Too funny

Your Toronto Blue Jays

Hooking, hooking, foul.
Is anyone watching the Jays this year? I take a peak once in a while but only by accident. I stay to see the score but barely last an inning. Is it because they stink or has the Olympics taken away their audience? We need George Bell and Lloyd Moseby back!

Should have stayed in bed

It's only 9:05 in the morning and it's already shaping up to be a bad day. First thing that happens is the toilet stops working. I fix the chain that has come off the flush handle (those are my technical terms) and luckily the toilet empties its contents on the next flush. That's a load off my mind (pardon the pun)!

Now the drive to work gets a little dicey. I'm the first vehicle stopped on a red and watch the traffic exiting the highway off-ramp onto the street I'm on. A truck with a load of wood, piled very high on its extended flat-bed, is coming off the ramp a bit too quickly and it's flat-bed starts to teeter to the right. I'm looking at it thinking this dude is in trouble. He finishes making the left and the load spills onto the shoulder but the flat-bed bounces and jack-knifes so that it has blocked both lanes. The driver comes out, assesses the situation, and goes back into the cab of the truck, as cool as a cucumber. Meanwhile, cars are squeaking past this disaster on the right shoulder. I finally get through, 10 minutes later and get to work.

Feeling safe in my office, I start to check my email using Outlook. I get into the Calendar section and, for reasons beyond my control, start to adjust the Task settings. I'm not sure what I did but the tasks are now missing check boxes that were once there and there are columns within columns...it's a mess. After 15 minutes of trying to fix this blasted page, I leave my office in disgust and get some water at the office kitchen. I return to the scene of the crime and try one more thing. It works! Again, not sure what I did but I stopped making adjustments after that.

What does the rest of the day have in store for me?

Frodo lost his ring...happy ending!

Yes indeed, I lost my wedding ring while at my friends' cottage a few weeks ago and need to tell the world my story.

My wife was at home that weekend, busy with work, while this mouse played. After a few wobbly pops, a few of us decided to go swimming at around midnight. I didn't stray far from the dock as I can swim as well as a boulder. As I swam I had to fix my aqua socks, those rubber-soled sock/shoes that protect your feet from the bottom of the lake, as they were a little big for me and the foot action made them slide off slightly. Well, we stood on top of a small surf board as tried to surf on the calm lake. Did I mention the wobbly pops? We had enough fun and it was getting cold so we came in and dried off by the fire.

I grabbed a beer and as habit, attempted to click my wedding ring on the beer bottle. Being a drummer, I'm always tapping with my fingers. This time there was no sound on the bottle. I slowly looked at my hand and saw no ring. Holy crap! I could feel the heart attack a comin'. I quietly announce to everyone around the fire that I lost my ring. The world stopped for a second and everyone thought I was joking until they saw the look on my face. FYI: I have lost 20 pounds this summer so the ring is a bit loose. Everyone got up and tried to find this gold band in the middle of the night using one flashlight. I had no idea where it had come off so we searched the pea-gravel pathway from the house to the dock. Can you say needle in a haystack? We decided to give up the search for the night and try again tomorrow. Their condolences poured over me and I was dejected. I told my friend Bonnie, who seemed just as heart-broken as I was, that I could buy another one just like it but it just wouldn't be the same. People started to go to bed but I was in no mood for sleep, so, I stayed up all night with my buddy Roon and he tried to take my mind off it with some more beers.

The hours passed and the sun eventually came up. I tried another search for it around the cottage, inside the cottage, around the dock and I looked into the lake from the dock but to no avail. I had resigned myself to the fact that the ring was lost.

Bonnie awoke and took her 2 kids down for a morning swim while I had my breakfast. Everyone was awake at this point and out on the deck. I finished my breakfast and joined the group on the deck when all of a sudden, Bonnie yells out, "Paul, what do I get if I find your ring?" I yell back, "The world is your oyster. Anything you want!" She then says that she may have found it. I sprint down from the deck to the dock and see her wearing goggles and diving to the bottom of the lake. It's only about 4 feet where she was but she was in the vicinity of where I spent most of the time in the water that night. She comes up for a breath and says that she thinks she sees it. My heart pounds with anticipation as she dives down again. A few seconds later (it seemed like hours though) her hand shoots out of the water holding my ring. I shit myself! I yell to the gang on the deck that Bonnie found the ring and she gets out of the water to hugs galore. She tells me that she had to find it because she hated the look on my face last night. I slap the ring on my finger and thank her immensely for another 10 minutes. I owe Bonnie one...if not three! I realize that as I was adjusting my aqua socks, the ring must have been knocked off my finger. Damn aqua socks!

Melanie, my wife, was quite amused by this when I told her all about my adventure. Thank God for the happy ending. Quick check...yes, it's still on my finger.

The thigh bone connected to the pain bone

Ouch! I'm in serious ache mode. Last Saturday I helped my dad fix the interlock brick to my grandparents entrance way at their home. We removed all the brick, laid down some limestone, added railway ties as a border, leveled everything nice, and put the interlock back on. Starting the job at 9 am, I was hoping to have it done by 3 pm. Wrong! Leveling the limestone so the bricks lay with a bit of slope for drainage is not as easy as I remembered it to be. We finished at around 8 pm. Yes, I was hunched over or on my knees for close to 12 hours (insert punchline here). It was all worth it though. My grandfather has been asking me to do it for most of the year and we did a pretty good job. My grandmother was happy with it and that's all that matters.

And now the pain has found a home throughout every inch of my legs. There's some pain in my hands and forearms from carrying and placing the bricks, but it has settled mostly in the inner thighs. I rarely get sore here and realize how important these muscles are when walking...it looks like I've got a cactus in my gitch! To make matters worse, my wife and I have joined a "Learn to Run" program with the Running Room. We're supposed to get in two training runs before our Thursday group runs. I'm happy to say that I did the training run last night and we plan to do another tonight. Yes, it does hurt but the pain is telling me I'm alive and have actually used my body...in a good way.

Hope to get a pic of the finished work and post it here. Legs cramping...gotta go!

The Cold

The sun would not keep him warm.
His breath left his nostrils in a thick fog.
He looked around the barren land.
There was no horizon.
It seemed as if there was a circular wall of white and blue surrounding him.
His feet would not stop for he had to reach his destination.
He started to wonder if he would make it.
The tips of his fingers were numb.
The crunching of snow under his feet echoed through his mind
until he only heard one sound.
He looked up at the sun to break the hypnotic spell.
It burned his eyes but it felt good for it warmed his whole body.
His heart beat like tribal drums.
He felt his pulse in his hair.
Temperatures dropped like tears from a crying baby's face.
He could see his home now.
As he grabbed the doorknob, his skin froze to the metal.
His hand mechanically shot back as blood covered the doorway.
Inside he stepped.
He could not feel his ripped flesh hanging from his hand,
but it was good to be warm.

Yes...another groaner!

A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says: "A beer please, and one for the road."

E-mail Blog...these guys are good!

Technology these days is way beyond my comprehension. This is an excellent case-in-point. I posted this Blog via e-mail. The heading of this Blog is the e-mail subject and the text of the Blog is this message. Once I send it to my Blog e-mail address, it gets posted. How about that, friends!! I'm thinking of creating a website using a Blog. I haven't thought out the complete process yet but I'll give it a shot. Think about it...no domain name to buy, no hosting fees...posting via e-mail...sounds too easy.

Introducing...Alexander!

Here's our brand new nephew, Alexander. Ain't he the cat's pyjamas? We still have no idea what colour his eyes are...the dude's a professional sleeper!


Alexander the sleeper.

Another Groaner

I went to the butcher's the other day and I bet him $50 that he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. He said, "No, the steaks are too high."

Insomnia

The walls stare at me and wonder if I'll ever fall asleep.
The window looks outside, ignoring its inside environment.
The ceiling feels heavy on my head,
It is congesting my soul.
The closet, oblivious to my delusions, exists only to cause more delusions.
Blankets strangling my freedom,
Pillows pushing me forward, toward, onward.
I turn on my side and the world inside follows.
Who is watching my back?
It's facing the window for the whole world to see.
I can't see the corners of the room...they don't exist.
That's the space where solitude leaves.
Nothing enters and a void is created.
It swarms around my ignorance and rests upon my fears.
I hear the waves in my mind wash against the evil,
Slowly corroding them for the night.
Eyelids slam down against each other and the clock starts working,
Winding me down.
Imagination starts anew tomorrow.

BloggerBot Test

I just downloaded "Hello" from Picasa which allows me to post pictures in my Blogs. This is a test to see how it works.


The legend...and Borje.

Groaner

Two TV antennas meet on a roof, fall in love and get married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

Wabbit Twacks!

Cute on the outside, fiends on the inside? Yes, I'm talking about rabbits. They are quickly becoming my new obsession, just like Bill Murray's character in Caddyshack.

In our newish subdivision, we've noticed them scampering around the streets and our backyards. One made its way under our fence and took a break in our backyard. My wife noticed and called me over to see how cute it looked. I agreed, it did look cute but then my thoughts turned to what the heck are they doing here. There's no woods for them to frolic in, no open fields to run wild. But there are decks to bury under and sheds to live beside.

We have recently planted a garden in our backyard and noticed today that three of our plants (1 zucchini and 2 cucumbers) are gone. They've been eaten to the root as well as a few flowering plants. The scary part is that there's never one rabbit...we have noticed a baby bunny in our midst as well. How many could be out there? Will they eat everything we plant? Does the garden stand a chance?

I need some advice here! How does the garden coexist with these wascaly wabbits. Are there traps to set? Humane traps...for now. Should we fence the garden? Add moth balls to the perimeter...I hear that works. I'd love to hear some your comments on how the garden can survive.

The warmth is back!

I went for a walk today during my lunch hour and was amazed at how warm it is outside. Finally, the cold is gone and we can concentrate on outdoor activities. Isn't it nice that it doesn't get dark now until 9:00pm?

Mowing the lawn, taking walks, sitting on patios, cold beer while sitting on said patios...all of these I've missed during the horrible winter. There's nothing like feeling the warm sun on your face. This week-end we'll be planting a flower and vegetable garden in our backyard. Spring, the season which brings new hope and life! It's better than summer because it's just as warm and winter isn't around the corner. I always feel energized in May and that's because we've left our cocoons and are now out and about. Wearing t-shirts and shorts none-the-less. Does it get any better?

Canada wins another hockey gold!

We just won our second World Championships in a row with a 5-3 win over Sweden. Combine that with this year's Spengler Cup win and the Olympic gold and it appears we're back on top of the sport. Why? Here are my observations.

The teams are getting younger. You still need your veterans to lead by example but you need the younger legs for their speed and hunger. We also have a new generation of goalies, who like the forwards, are getting a chance to shine now that the torch has been passed to them.

Parity in the NHL is helping the World tourny become more competitive each year. Canada added Scott Niedermayer to the squad as the Devils were ousted in the first round. He may have been co-MVP with Heatley. Each year, top echelon teams are eliminated which leaves top calibre players available to be selected to the squad. Canada has more players to choose from.

Canada's skill level is starting to come to the fore. We've long been known as heart and soul players. Guys who would go in the corner, guys who'd drop the gloves, guys you'd want out in the last minutes of a close game. Now we have a fresh batch of younger, skilled players to mesh with the "down and dirty" guys who also have a bit more skill than their older predecessors.

It's our sport damn it!! I think we have had enough of other countries winning gold in our sport. As always, the original is usually better, and we're the originators of heart and soul. We'll do that little extra it takes to become champs!

Whatever the reasons are, it sure is nice to be on top of the hockey world again.

Graveyard Gangs

I have a fascination with cemeteries and love walking in them to view old gravestones. After sharing this with some friends, I was surprised to find out I wasn't the only one. It's very peaceful and many, like Mount Pleasant, are beautiful and are filled with walkers and joggers.

I've always wondered what happens in cemeteries during the night. I have a feeling that the undead gather sometime after 2 a.m. and do their walking. Some truly bad undead probably form gangs and travel to other cemeteries to rumble...to find out who has the toughest cemetery in town. Like bats, they are nocturnal so all must return by sunrise.

None of this would come to mind as you stop and look at Joe Blow's stone...loving father of three and devoted husband who walked this earth from 1912-1987...yet there he his now, smashing skulls of other undead and looting the nearest cemetery with his ghostly mates.

Is this what happens in cemeteries at night? Do you believe in ghosts?