A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Billie Holiday, jazz legend, died exactly six days before I was born. She was younger than I am now. I cannot remember exactly when I first heard her but I do have directory of mp3's that bear her name. Thankfully, I caught an hour program on the Biography Channel. I learned a great deal more.

What an amazing life story! A main theme expressed in the hour program was not to make her into a victim; as she made her own choices which involved drugs, booze, and destructive relationships. I would NOT have learned much from the official website bio.

Let's sanitize the truth, shall we? When I taught in Saudi Arabia, the young cadets always admitted, "America is too free." They were attempting to tell me that they'd have trouble exercising self-control in America. In the 'Kingdom', a Wahabi regime keeps vices restricted in order to prevent individuals from having to learn and exercise personal restraint.

If those boys only knew how truly similar some aspects of life in modern America are. They don't know about the Disney-ification of media in the United States. In many ways, US society's avoidance of adult themes in the name of moral virtues, is a more insidious form of restriction. The self-imposed censorship is promoted from the same incorrect belief; namely, that average citizens are not able to deal with the truths of the human condition.

We could face occasionally unpleasant facts and grow up a bit. We could handle reality and maybe learn a little something in the process.

Labels: music, opinions, Saudi Arabia

I was interested in learning about 5.1 sound when I was first researching the purchase of a home threatre system. I ultimately selected an Onkyo two years ago. I feel it has been worth every penny although prices have subsequently fallen due to the wider adoption of such equipment.

You could be at a stage where you want to learn more about the topic. This simple, 6-page, PDF file was downloaded from www.dolby.com in 2003. It no longer appears to be available there but is a nice introduction to general, surround-sound information. Click the screenshot to load a 300K PDF file.

When I was young, I thought only grandmothers could last 63 years.

Well, just that many years after its creation, I decided to . . . Play it, Sam.

This time around, of course, Casablanca was on a DVD.

So, . . . here's looking at you, kid!

Labels: movies, stars

Yesterday was an unusual Wednesday. Normally, our morning schedule includes computer lab during the first hour of the 3-hour class. That's when this picture was taken.



This image, however, does not show that we studied for three hours in the afternoon too. I sent an email thanking them for their good work. We met twice in order to make up for time when the BCIT campus was closed. Last week, the support staff were on strike. Actually, the same situation exists today, but my class doesn't meet. Things are due to return to normal on Friday.

Labels: BCIT, students

Happy
Birthday,
Sister!

I am mildly affected by the lack of light during the winter season. Yesterday's wonderful, healing sunshine came at an opportune time. Although the days are now getting noticeably longer, we do tend to suffer though many dark and gloomy January days on the west coast.



It would be better physical exercise if I were to swim in the pool everyday. Generally, I forego the effort and just go downstairs for a dip. The hottub is enjoyable even on the most dismal of days. Its maintenance has been an uphill battle for the new resident manager though. Yesterday, the water was a tad too cool . . . but then again . . . I do like it hot enough to turn a lobster crimson.

online

As a youth, I lived in a small town with a year-round population of 2000. To be more accurate, I lived nearly three miles from downtown Sunapee in a suburb called Wendell, NH. So in reality, I grew up near several hundred people. The amazing thing about that area is how similar it looks today. Not a lot has changed in the past forty years. Thomas Wolfe was probably right. Maybe I can't go home again, but it's nice to know if I did that it'd still look the same.

We've now lived in British Columbia coming up on nine years. That's the longest I've stayed in one place since becoming an adult. New Westminster is relatively small, as far as municipalities go, with a population of around 55,000. Yet, it is in the middle of the urban Vancouver landscape.

Here, things don't stay static for long. The photograph above was taken in the rain yesterday. The front building shows where we rented upon arrival from Dubai. We stayed on Agnes Street for two years. Now, across the street, the entire slope is being readied for the construction of new highrises.

Labels: New Hampshire, New Westminster, Sunapee

Today in History:

Yerba Buena, the settlement on the San Francisco Bay, was officially named San Francisco in 1847.

Whatever its name, I think it is the U.S. city that truly doesn't feel like a U.S. city. Here are a few blog entries from a previous trip.

Labels: San Francisco

I'm intrigued by how urban myths, hoaxes, and email humour circulate on the Internet. There are always some common elements but many portions eventually become personalized. The first occurs because it's so easy to select and copy; the latter happens as each contributor wants to make a better 'fit' for a specific audience.

Here is a well-worn version received by email yesterday. In order to view alternate copies, see what Google can offer. Strangely doing a search for God created green salad produced much more consistent results than God created yogurt.

---

In the beginning, God created Heaven and Earth and populated the Earth with
broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of
all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and
Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man
said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some
sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that
Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and
sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size
14.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island
Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman
unfastened their belts.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in
which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and
chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more
weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and
said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's
Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those
extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not
have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried
before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with
nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy
center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still
satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double
cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes!
And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into
cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery. So, Satan created HMOs
and Canada's government-managed healthcare.

Labels: food, humour