"I labour under the notion I'm incredibly fascinating as these pages bear witness. Friends, both far and wide, are frequently pestered to keep abreast of my life and opinions by visiting. As well, I offer greetings to folks who accidentally stumble upon these treasures."
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- Phone: 604.524.6197
- Cell: 778.235.6668
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
All the News that Fits ...
Last night, I had one of those 'wow' moments. You know, those rare times when a whole new world opens up because one's learned of a new technology? Oh, gads .. if you're a self-described news junkie .. then have I got a revelation for you!
RSS = Really Simple Syndication
Don, we shared information about the Google News. It is a completely automated news page that's created without human editors. It is possible for them to get hundreds of news media updates every few minutes because of a software framework called RSS (XML).
RSS has grown in importance, in part, because of the preponderance of blogging. It is a way of sharing items between web sites and programs. Running in real time on regular web servers, updates can occur constantly. The concepts are quite complex, but the program is fairly simple. I just downloaded an RSS News Reader (Aggregator) called NewsDesk. It comes with a few dozen publications set up. (There are thousands, no probably tens of thousands, of 'feeds'.)
Just a headline and a few lines from the net publication appear within the reader. However, the person can then click on the headline in order to load the page. Hundreds of thousands of people no longer slog their way through a multitude of pages on popular news sites. They now save time by going after only the content they're interested in. (It means that writers will have to pay close attention to creating good headlines.)
Any site that bothers to put up an RSS feed can be subscribed to. There are even work-arounds that provide RSS features to web sites that don't provide one.
RSS = Really Simple Syndication
Don, we shared information about the Google News. It is a completely automated news page that's created without human editors. It is possible for them to get hundreds of news media updates every few minutes because of a software framework called RSS (XML).
RSS has grown in importance, in part, because of the preponderance of blogging. It is a way of sharing items between web sites and programs. Running in real time on regular web servers, updates can occur constantly. The concepts are quite complex, but the program is fairly simple. I just downloaded an RSS News Reader (Aggregator) called NewsDesk. It comes with a few dozen publications set up. (There are thousands, no probably tens of thousands, of 'feeds'.)
Just a headline and a few lines from the net publication appear within the reader. However, the person can then click on the headline in order to load the page. Hundreds of thousands of people no longer slog their way through a multitude of pages on popular news sites. They now save time by going after only the content they're interested in. (It means that writers will have to pay close attention to creating good headlines.)
Any site that bothers to put up an RSS feed can be subscribed to. There are even work-arounds that provide RSS features to web sites that don't provide one.
A Lot of White
If it's going to happen .. the week between Christmas and New Year's is it! Thousands of people in the area feel like kids again today!
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Santa you rat!
I wrote to you on December 24 and again on December 26. Now I fear I am wasting my time and will not bother anymore. However, I think you are really a jerk for not bringing me a wide-screen TV. I was extremely nice during 2003 but I have seen no reward for my good behavior. I have waited and waited but did not get my TV nor did I get any response from my previous messages.
My lawyer and I had a very long discussion and we have decided not to press charges. But please be advised that you have now made an enemy because of your negligence. I plan on starting an Internet campaign to bring attention to your obvious malice and disregard for my feelings. You will live to regret the day you ignored my simple request for a high-definition television.
Your adversary,
Dennis Hurd
P.S. As my hamster had to eat up the cookies you left, he has become fat and lazy. Also, I drank that bottle of wine in one sitting and now find myself beginning a new addiction for the new year.
Monday, December 29, 2003
Silk and Ice
When I was taking yesterday's picture at the Quay, I took this one too. You can send it along as a photo message to someone you want to impress. It's much cheaper than sending real flowers!
View a Webshot Photo
I've got a number of albums on webshots.com. Check 'em out now!
[Editor's Note: I now use Flickr.]
View a Webshot Photo
I've got a number of albums on webshots.com. Check 'em out now!
[Editor's Note: I now use Flickr.]
Labels: Flickr (Page 1), flora and fauna, Q4_2003, Quay
Sunday, December 28, 2003
A Little White
In last Friday's photo of Christmas Day, there's not a hint of white. But as last night's precipitation was frozen, I'm able to include a dash in today's picture. Granted, it's not much but it makes things feel a little more like winter.
The Esplanade is under supervision of New Westminster's Department
of Parks and Recreation. (See an autumn picture of the same area in this
blog's October 27th entry.)
The Esplanade is under supervision of New Westminster's Department
of Parks and Recreation. (See an autumn picture of the same area in this
blog's October 27th entry.)
Labels: New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003
EcoTeach Foundation
How's this for youth entrepreneurship in fund raising! I know Garrett, the author. The organization is legitimate, so please pass along this information to those who may be interested.
Hi, I am Garrett and I'm helping my sister. She is going to Costa Rica this spring with they Eco-teach. She is so excited! She will spend time in the Tropical Rain-forest, protecting sea turtles, planting trees and visiting farmers. She is selling coffee to earn her way. The coffee is Ten dollars a pound. You can have it in Ground or whole bean. It is strait from Costa Rica farmers and 4 dollars from every pound goes to them and one dollar goes to Eco-teach.
I have designed a web site for my sister. it tells you all about the coffee. It is named ...
Becca's Coffee For A Cause.
I hope you buy some coffee.
Till next time,
Garrett Wirta
My sister's webmaster
Hi, I am Garrett and I'm helping my sister. She is going to Costa Rica this spring with they Eco-teach. She is so excited! She will spend time in the Tropical Rain-forest, protecting sea turtles, planting trees and visiting farmers. She is selling coffee to earn her way. The coffee is Ten dollars a pound. You can have it in Ground or whole bean. It is strait from Costa Rica farmers and 4 dollars from every pound goes to them and one dollar goes to Eco-teach.
I have designed a web site for my sister. it tells you all about the coffee. It is named ...
Becca's Coffee For A Cause.
I hope you buy some coffee.
Till next time,
Garrett Wirta
My sister's webmaster
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Moose on the Loose
Yesterday was the start of the real shopping season. Merchants have taught people to hold off on gift buying until after Christmas day. So, Boxing Day sales in Canada now generate larger crowds than the run up to the holiday.We're not much into the great, end-of-the-year, buying-spree extravaganza. Although I make most purchases whenever there's a need, I did want to venture out yesterday. The crowded Canadian Superstore was enough to send me scurrying right back to the apartment. I did succumb to one purchase though. It's something that will have to be packed away with the Christmas ornaments. They all must fit into one shoe box and this guy's going to make it difficult! He was CDN $4.94 only.
So, here's a 38-second Windows Media Video clip of my singing moose. I was sure that a video file would be better than a picture .. but had forgotten how tiny, fuzzy, and unclear net video must be in order to fit down a standard modem.
Friday, December 26, 2003
We experience fairly warm and wet winters on the west coast. Statistically,
there's a one in ten chance that there might be snow on the ground on
Christmas day. It last occurred in 1998. This year, obviously, it didn't.
The picture was taken yesterday at the Rose Garden area of Queen's Park
in New Westminster.
Labels: Christmas, New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003, Queen's Park, weather
Ready for Fight on Boxing Day
Hey Santa,
This is a follow-up note to my letter of Wednesday.
I waited all day yesterday for your delivery. I figured that since I got my request in late that you were having a bit of trouble getting my wide-screen TV here on time. So, I was quite patient.
Yet now it's Friday and still no show! What's up? No elves answered my email! I am now waiting for the televison AND an apology. If we can't rectify this problem, I am going to have to consider litigation.
Formerly yours,
Dennis Hurd
P.S. I had to feed the cookies to the hamster and you didn't even touch the bottle of wine that I left for you!
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Express Delivery to Balcony
CBC Television has a great line up of specials for the Christmas season. There are many holiday classics. It's a Wonderful Life was on again last night. (I mentioned that movie in my December 13th entry when it showed on NBC.) Of course, it is only black and white but it looked great over satellite and an S-video connection. There's something quite seductive about richly-restored b&w movie prints.
Yet, this points to my current problem. My television is now 10 years old! It travelled by ship from the other side of the globe when I left Dubai. It's a 27" Hitachi 'flat screen'. Being multi-system is now an unnecessary option as North America uses only NTSC. It works flawlessly, but 'I want more' as a local electronics chain advertises.
Dear Santa,
I'm sorry to make this request so late but I assume that your sleigh still has some extra room. Your elves do process last minute email requests, don't they? Please bring me a wide-screen, high-definition TV for Christmas. I've been a good boy and don't need a plasma, or even an LCD model. A simple new, projection 46" Hitachi will do nicely. The fireplace burns natural gas, so you should just drop off the set via my balcony window.
With anticipation,
Dennis Hurd
P.S. Also, please advise as to the beverage you'd like me to leave with tonight's cookies.
Yet, this points to my current problem. My television is now 10 years old! It travelled by ship from the other side of the globe when I left Dubai. It's a 27" Hitachi 'flat screen'. Being multi-system is now an unnecessary option as North America uses only NTSC. It works flawlessly, but 'I want more' as a local electronics chain advertises.
Dear Santa,
I'm sorry to make this request so late but I assume that your sleigh still has some extra room. Your elves do process last minute email requests, don't they? Please bring me a wide-screen, high-definition TV for Christmas. I've been a good boy and don't need a plasma, or even an LCD model. A simple new, projection 46" Hitachi will do nicely. The fireplace burns natural gas, so you should just drop off the set via my balcony window.
With anticipation,
Dennis Hurd
P.S. Also, please advise as to the beverage you'd like me to leave with tonight's cookies.
Labels: Christmas, humour, Q4_2003, television
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Let It Snow
Okay, I seem to be getting completely into this Season's Greetings fixation.
View a Rocky Mountain Vista
So, click the link to view a photograph taken last week. It was from a Greyhound bus window somewhere near the Alberta / British Columbia border. It is best viewed at 1024 X 768. (The falling snow has been painstakingly added for dramatic effect!)
View a Rocky Mountain Vista
So, click the link to view a photograph taken last week. It was from a Greyhound bus window somewhere near the Alberta / British Columbia border. It is best viewed at 1024 X 768. (The falling snow has been painstakingly added for dramatic effect!)
Hooray, today there's going to be 8:12 hours of daylight. The sun rose two minutes ago and will set at 4:17 this afternoon. The days have started getting longer. Amen!
Labels: Q4_2003
Monday, December 22, 2003
Five ... Golden Tuques
Click the player to hear a 4:48-minute song by Bob and Doug McKenzie. It's a Canuk-inspired version of the 12-Days of Christmas. Oh, by the way, a toque has become the Canadian term for a knit, pull-over, winter stocking cap for one's head. (This Windows Media Player file requires the minimum of a solid 56K modem connection.)
Labels: Christmas, IP, Mediaplayer, Q4_2003
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Not a Creature Was Stirring? (2003)
H3 joins in the wonders of the holidays. (Oh no! This is
now just like a silly, photocopied Christmas newsletter!)
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Walkingwaydowntown
We're now back from Calgary. I was trying to think of what today's entry could summarize or what event would be best remembered. There was one thing ...
It was near freezing so one wouldn't expect to see crowded streets. Yet, they sometimes looked quite bare! Where were all the people? Surely, the downtown workers didn't stay home because of the temperature. After a bit of traipsing around we discovered the 'Walk +15' signs. (See a pdf map.) Unlike Montrealers who can spend the winter in an underground shopping and subway system, Calgarians can spend a good deal of their time walking through and between buildings on an over-the-road, pedestrian walkway system.
During the trip, Jay asked if I remembered a Canadian movie that we'd seen a few years ago. He said it was shot in those Calgary walkways. He has such a good memory! I found the plot summary in the Internet Movie Database.
Waydowntown (2000)
It was near freezing so one wouldn't expect to see crowded streets. Yet, they sometimes looked quite bare! Where were all the people? Surely, the downtown workers didn't stay home because of the temperature. After a bit of traipsing around we discovered the 'Walk +15' signs. (See a pdf map.) Unlike Montrealers who can spend the winter in an underground shopping and subway system, Calgarians can spend a good deal of their time walking through and between buildings on an over-the-road, pedestrian walkway system.
During the trip, Jay asked if I remembered a Canadian movie that we'd seen a few years ago. He said it was shot in those Calgary walkways. He has such a good memory! I found the plot summary in the Internet Movie Database.
Waydowntown (2000)
Labels: Alberta, Canada, movies (Page 1), Q4_2003
Friday, December 19, 2003
There's no place like ...
Thursday, December 18, 2003
All Friday on the Dog
We're heading to the Greyhound station pretty early tomorrow for the 7:15 AM (local time) departure. As the sun rises we will be travelling toward Banff. Then later during the morning, we'll be climbing back over the Rockies and some of BC's other mountain ranges. BC's wide and it'll be nearly 9:00 PM (PST) before we pull into Vancouver.
This morning we saw The Last Samurai. I like films when I come away feeling I've learned something while being entertained. I did.
Labels: movies (Page 1), Q4_2003
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Transit Passes
In order to squeeze out every penny from the day pass, we rode the rails today. We managed to visit an LRT station that's only been open for two days.
The weather guy on the news is talking about how warm it is, but I'm freezing! I never wear gloves in Vancouver so I promptly lost a pair I'd brought along. There seems to be quite a difference between Calgary's dry 3 degrees and those wet 12 degree days found in Vancouver!
Today, we went up the Calgary Tower. The view was worth the admission
of ten bucks. Here's a shot looking west towards the Rocky Mountains.
The weather guy on the news is talking about how warm it is, but I'm freezing! I never wear gloves in Vancouver so I promptly lost a pair I'd brought along. There seems to be quite a difference between Calgary's dry 3 degrees and those wet 12 degree days found in Vancouver!
Today, we went up the Calgary Tower. The view was worth the admission
of ten bucks. Here's a shot looking west towards the Rocky Mountains.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Downtown Calgary
Today the temperature got up to about 5 degrees Celsius. There's ice on some sidewalks which seems unusual for us. We're right on the edge of the downtown core in the Sandman Hotel. Although housing sprawls across the suburbs, the downtown is quite compact. I think there's just shy of a million people here. The LRT Trains are free down the street we're on but I've still walked my poor feet off. Maybe tomorrow we can buy a transit day pass.
Monday, December 15, 2003
As High as a Kite
The 22nd floor of the Sandman is fine!I've discovered how to get a hotel deal: First, you research the very the best deal you can on Expedia. Then you dial up the chain directly and say that you're about to hit the enter key. They won't want to pay the rather expensive fee to the web agency, so they'll undoubtedly offer you a better deal. Even if they are at a loss at doing more than a few dollars cheaper, you can still demand a better room!
Greyhound Canada was efficient and comfortable; however, travelling through the night isn't as easy as it sounds. The stations are all nice. (This is unlike the ugly, dirty ones we visited when we once rode to Reno.) By taking the bus, we were able to travel directly here. If we'd have driven we would have had to allow an overnight in each direction cutting down on the time in Calgary.
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Week's Entries Due Later
An occasional blog update may occur while we're in Calgary because I might duck into an Internet cafe or my hotel's business centre. I'll bring my digital camera, but will probably not find an access point to get the pics off the Smartmedia card.
So, please return next weekend to the see entries from December 14th to 19th. I shall post trip photos and additional comment upon our return.
In the meantime, perhaps you can find something interesting to read at blogger.com.
So, please return next weekend to the see entries from December 14th to 19th. I shall post trip photos and additional comment upon our return.
In the meantime, perhaps you can find something interesting to read at blogger.com.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
It's A Wonderful Life
The popular Christmas classic showed on NBC tonight. It was as heartwarming as usual but wouldn't you really rather spend an evening in downtown Pottersville than in boring Bedford Falls?
Free Wi-Fi
Here's an interesting nerdy article: TechTV | Free Wi-Fi Blankets San Francisco.
Labels: Q4_2003, San Francisco, technology
A Song on Christmas CD
Click the player to hear the 2:48-minute song mentioned in one of yesterday's blog entries. It is Santa Baby sung by Eartha Kitt. (This Windows Media Player file requires a 56K modem connection, at minimum.)
Labels: Christmas, Mediaplayer, music, Q4_2003
Friday, December 12, 2003
----- Original Message -----
Date: Friday, December 12, 2003
Time: 09:45 AM PST
Submitted by: Tim Conklin
Browser Info: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0)
Subject: Dennis Hurd's Web Form
It's 9:44 Friday morning and a slow day at work. Dennis, I'm going to give you two of my favourite links. The first is a link to the Penlovers website. I use it to navigate to Stylophiles on-line magazine. They have excellent graphics. The second link is to the Beowulf in Cyberspace website. It too has good graphics and a lot of information about the Beowulf story as well as interesting info on Anglo-Saxon England. I hope you and your bloggers (blog readers) enjoy them.
Best regards -- Tim
www.penlovers.com
www.heorot.dk
----- Response -----
From: Dennis Hurd
To: Tim
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 10:21 AM
Oh lord, how do I collect friends with such antiquated ideas? Timothy loves fountain pens! He believes that thoughts should be scratched out on smashed, dead trees with dark-coloured pigments. Yikes, it sounds rather archaic, doesn't it? To add insult to injury, earlier in the morning, it was suggested that I put this blog on parchment and lock in a vault for safekeeping.
How quaint, the both of you are! I feel like I'm swimming against the tide.
Anyhow, I appreciate your participation and links, Tim. : -)
Date: Friday, December 12, 2003
Time: 09:45 AM PST
Submitted by: Tim Conklin
Browser Info: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0)
Subject: Dennis Hurd's Web Form
It's 9:44 Friday morning and a slow day at work. Dennis, I'm going to give you two of my favourite links. The first is a link to the Penlovers website. I use it to navigate to Stylophiles on-line magazine. They have excellent graphics. The second link is to the Beowulf in Cyberspace website. It too has good graphics and a lot of information about the Beowulf story as well as interesting info on Anglo-Saxon England. I hope you and your bloggers (blog readers) enjoy them.
Best regards -- Tim
www.penlovers.com
www.heorot.dk
----- Response -----
From: Dennis Hurd
To: Tim
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 10:21 AM
Oh lord, how do I collect friends with such antiquated ideas? Timothy loves fountain pens! He believes that thoughts should be scratched out on smashed, dead trees with dark-coloured pigments. Yikes, it sounds rather archaic, doesn't it? To add insult to injury, earlier in the morning, it was suggested that I put this blog on parchment and lock in a vault for safekeeping.
How quaint, the both of you are! I feel like I'm swimming against the tide.
Anyhow, I appreciate your participation and links, Tim. : -)
Santa, Baby!
I really didn't know the song, Santa Baby.
Eartha Kitt's rendition ended up on this year's Christmas Compilation CD. (I think cards are rather dumb, so I send out a personalized, yearly music disc.) If you'd like a copy, there's still time before the holidays. Just email a request with your postal address, and I'll pop it into the mail!
Now, I've heard that song playing in stores and mall. I've discovered that it's also been sung by Marilyn Monroe as well as Miss Piggy!
Eartha Kitt's rendition ended up on this year's Christmas Compilation CD. (I think cards are rather dumb, so I send out a personalized, yearly music disc.) If you'd like a copy, there's still time before the holidays. Just email a request with your postal address, and I'll pop it into the mail!
Now, I've heard that song playing in stores and mall. I've discovered that it's also been sung by Marilyn Monroe as well as Miss Piggy!
----- Original Message -----
From: b.wirta
To: Dennis Hurd
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 6:48 AM
Subject: Re: Gimme a New Blog Topic
Dennis, I read your blog this morning all the way back to the final exam photo. All your work on your blog seems so transient. You need to print and save. Some future historian will love you.
Bret
----- Response -----
From: Dennis Hurd
To: b.wirta
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 6:55 AM
Subject: Re: Gimme a New Blog Topic
Print out and save? Pfff. Lame. What 20th century thinking that is! ... or maybe 18th?
If you look under my picture, you will see access to the archive vault. No information is lost .. but only the last seven days are on the main screen. Search works too .. so if I want to go back and see about when you visited .. I type in BRET. (One cannot do an easy search on paper.)
Bret, I'm betting that electrons will last longer than a leather binding.
==Dennis
From: b.wirta
To: Dennis Hurd
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 6:48 AM
Subject: Re: Gimme a New Blog Topic
Dennis, I read your blog this morning all the way back to the final exam photo. All your work on your blog seems so transient. You need to print and save. Some future historian will love you.
Bret
----- Response -----
From: Dennis Hurd
To: b.wirta
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 6:55 AM
Subject: Re: Gimme a New Blog Topic
Print out and save? Pfff. Lame. What 20th century thinking that is! ... or maybe 18th?
If you look under my picture, you will see access to the archive vault. No information is lost .. but only the last seven days are on the main screen. Search works too .. so if I want to go back and see about when you visited .. I type in BRET. (One cannot do an easy search on paper.)
Bret, I'm betting that electrons will last longer than a leather binding.
==Dennis
Thursday, December 11, 2003
East to the Land of Oil and Beef
Jay and I have some time off, so we'll head over to Calgary on the weekend. It's a bit over 1,050 km (650 miles) away. If not skiiers, who goes for a stay in Calgary in December? Many of its residents are probably on their way to Arizona, Mexico or a 'tropical' destination! That's okay; it's been a while since we've headed over the Rocky Mountains.
We last passed through Calgary in 2001. On that trip, we saw a lot of
Canada. In this picture we're at the big Falls. We did a 15,000 km
Vancouver-Newfoundland-Vancouver, camping trip for two months
of the summer.
We last passed through Calgary in 2001. On that trip, we saw a lot of
Canada. In this picture we're at the big Falls. We did a 15,000 km
Vancouver-Newfoundland-Vancouver, camping trip for two months
of the summer.
Labels: Alberta, Canada, Niagara Falls, Q4_2003, road trip, travel planning
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
New Feature: When I occasionally glimpse a weird, useful, cute, or interesting blog (at www.blogger.com), I'll post it.
The Illustrated Librarian
The Illustrated Librarian
Labels: Q4_2003
Bigger IS Better
I bought a monthly air-time voucher for my cell phone yesterday. I use a 'pay-as-you-go' service that doesn't have a monthly bill, but requires the purchase of time. While there, I was looking over things at the London Drugs electronics counter.
Do people really need to play games on the tiny, colour screen of a telephone? And is there REALLY a need to take and send mini-photos with one's phone? I've never even bothered to download ring tones for my present phone. Maybe, I'm just more involved in other things; but honestly, trying to 'keep up with the Jones' phone' seems somewhat frivolous.
I was a bit shocked by the size of the new sets nowadays. My Nokia is a few years old and if I were to replace it, I'd have to go to something roughly half its size. Then if I sneezed during a conversation, I might end up either snorting or swallowing the thing ...
Do people really need to play games on the tiny, colour screen of a telephone? And is there REALLY a need to take and send mini-photos with one's phone? I've never even bothered to download ring tones for my present phone. Maybe, I'm just more involved in other things; but honestly, trying to 'keep up with the Jones' phone' seems somewhat frivolous.
I was a bit shocked by the size of the new sets nowadays. My Nokia is a few years old and if I were to replace it, I'd have to go to something roughly half its size. Then if I sneezed during a conversation, I might end up either snorting or swallowing the thing ...
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Shopping at 6th & 6th
The majority of New Westminster photos that I've placed in this blog have been from the downtown area. The apartment is here, so it is most common for me to take a walk around here.
Yet, for over twenty-five years most business development has taken place uptown. This term must be taken quite literally as it's a fairly steep incline to the top of the hill. That could be one reason why my 'walks' are along the river rather than uptown! Yet, when I want to go to the library, hit the mall, visit my dentist, or sneak in to the closest McDonalds, I drive about a mile up 6th Street.
The area near the intersection of Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue is the
city's main shopping area.
Yet, for over twenty-five years most business development has taken place uptown. This term must be taken quite literally as it's a fairly steep incline to the top of the hill. That could be one reason why my 'walks' are along the river rather than uptown! Yet, when I want to go to the library, hit the mall, visit my dentist, or sneak in to the closest McDonalds, I drive about a mile up 6th Street.
The area near the intersection of Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue is the
city's main shopping area.
Labels: dentist, New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003, Royal City Mall
Monday, December 08, 2003
Tell It Like It Is
I'm finishing up the final exams right now. Marking twenty-one papers is a real chore! I find Aaron Neville's music helps provide a suitable environment for this task ....
Doh
Vancouver Courier
Hole Lotta Love
Michael Kissinger
Friday, December 05, 2003
Rick Farmer, Tyson Konecny and Alishia Hebert are on a mission.
Piling out of a gunmetal blue 1969 Ford Falcon station wagon, the three walk with an air of determination common in these parts. Like many British Columbians, they've come to Burlington, Wash.--an innocuous strip mall of a town between Vancouver and Seattle--for one thing. Dozens of things, actually. Doughnuts. And not just any doughnuts. Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
(Click here to continue the article. LINK NO LONGER ACTIVE!)
Hole Lotta Love
Michael Kissinger
Friday, December 05, 2003
Rick Farmer, Tyson Konecny and Alishia Hebert are on a mission.
Piling out of a gunmetal blue 1969 Ford Falcon station wagon, the three walk with an air of determination common in these parts. Like many British Columbians, they've come to Burlington, Wash.--an innocuous strip mall of a town between Vancouver and Seattle--for one thing. Dozens of things, actually. Doughnuts. And not just any doughnuts. Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
(Click here to continue the article. LINK NO LONGER ACTIVE!)
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Bucks in a Buxton
The new, Queensborough Wal-mart was fairly packed. Wal-marts usually are. I just returned from buying a new wallet. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but I can only remember buying about three wallets ... ever!
I wonder how long an average guy keeps the same wallet.
I wonder how long an average guy keeps the same wallet.
Labels: New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003, Walmart
Light Rain
Hundreds of folks came to watch last evening's parade on Columbia
Street. The rain was very light.
Labels: Christmas, Columbia Street, New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003, weather
Saturday, December 06, 2003
Our Santa Parade This Evening
The 17th annual Christmas parade takes place on Columbia Street in downtown New Westminster. It begins at 4:00 PM and after the parade comes the lighting of the tree at Hyack Square. This city is fun because of its small size as well as its sense of history and community. Some other cities in the Southern Mainland are merely suburbs of Vancouver with no unique character of their own.
Labels: Christmas, New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003
Friday, December 05, 2003
Today's the Final Exam!
Today, at the Burnaby Campus, we'll write the final examination
for our COMM 0003 Course.
Labels: BCIT (Page 1), Q4_2003, students
Thursday, December 04, 2003
1 .. 2 .. 3 .. Audio Testing
Click the player to hear a short (2:46 min.) MS Media Player message from me. (Maybe, you've not visited with me recently and have forgotten the sound of my voice!)
Labels: Mediaplayer, Q4_2003
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Salmon Swim to Source
Last night, I sent out the regular monthly newsletters. They are related to the alumni from my high school and the site that I created and maintain. The names on the email reminded me of last summer when I returned to Sunapee, NH and attended our 25th reunion. Thankfully, the Internet had provided a means for getting hold of many of the former classmates.
Hey, Lori would NEVER make rabbit ears in a photo, right?
Hey, Lori would NEVER make rabbit ears in a photo, right?
Labels: Class of 1977, email, Internet, New Hampshire, Q4_2003, Sunapee
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
How'd I Miss Logan Lake?
I was on the Net and cannot remember how I came across the name. I found a place that's only 3 hours from Vancouver that we've not been. When one wants to go east there are only three possible routes from the city of Hope. Logan Lake seems to be between several of those routes. Hum .. snowmobiling? Must be at a high elevation to have snow. We must take a weekend trip! (The town boasts about its great fishing too. So, this entry DOES connect to the previous one through a 'fish thread'.)
District of Logan Lake - Offical Web Site
District of Logan Lake - Offical Web Site
Monday, December 01, 2003
Today begins the fourth month of entries to this blog. To view past posts, look to the right under my picture and you'll find access to my weekly archive vault. You may want to try a search of this blog for particular keywords as well.
Labels: Q4_2003
Something fishy ...
Somehow, I had missed Finding Nemo at the theatres. I got the DVD at Blockbuster yesterday. What amazing technology to tell a story! One would think that believable water would be a difficult computer generated effect. The scenes were extremely well done and beautiful. Surely, the guys at Pixar were just showing off.
These were NOT Nemo's buddies. I took the photo
of these fish at the New Westminster Quay Market.
These were NOT Nemo's buddies. I took the photo
of these fish at the New Westminster Quay Market.
Labels: movies (Page 1), Q4_2003, Quay
Sunday, November 30, 2003
You are My Sunshine ...
Today there're no clouds and there's brilliant sun. Last Friday, I was ready to take on more rain, but today I'll settle for this! I love it here. I love the mountains and the year-round green. I love warm summers and mild winters. I love an environment that is not static.
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Nutcracker Suite?
This photo seems to fit right into the upcoming time of the year. It looks like a gigantic, German nutcracker to me. In what other season are walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts sitting on your coffee table? This is actually the world's largest tin soldier. He stands right here at the New Westminster Quay. This guy is nearly 35 feet tall and weighs in at 5 tons! Perhaps he needs to cut down on his carbohydrate intake. His waist looks quite trim though, so I guess he just has a big skeleton (of steel).
(To read more comments and pictures about Quay entries on this blog, enter a query into the SEARCH WEBLOG option to the right.)
Friday, November 28, 2003
Today there's not been enough sunlight to merit switching off the inside lights. It has been pouring rain for hours and hours! After 15 years in a desert, I was immediately appreciative of a wet climate. Yet, seven years ago, when a new arrival in Vancouver, it may have seemed a tiny-bit depressing. A dark day such as this now feels quite comforting! I'm ready for more rainy days, so bring 'em on!
Temple Gardens
As with nearly every picture on this blog, I shot this with my digital camera. Click it to visit a link that points to information about the Buddhist Temple in Richmond, BC.
Labels: digital camera, Q4_2003, temple
Thursday, November 27, 2003
From Country to Bird
Yesterday, I wrote about the country of Turkey. Today, I'm writing on a day when many birds by that name are eaten!
This year on October 13th, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving. Now, we extend best wishes to those in the U.S. celebrating the day.
This year on October 13th, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving. Now, we extend best wishes to those in the U.S. celebrating the day.
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
Rewind Another 400 Years
My previous entry mentions visiting the ruins of a university which was active 1600 years ago. Today, let's virtually visit a spot which promoted the collection of knowledge four hundred years prior to that. (And I thought my necktie selection was ancient!) Jay and I took several vacations to Turkey. On one trip, in 1995, we walked around the ruins of Ephesus. As it was a winter trip, we were the only people at the ruins of the ancient city.
Background:
The Celsus Library is one of the most spectacular buildings in Ephesus. The building was started by the Council Gaius Julius Aquila in 110 A.D. as a memorial for his father. The construction was completed by Gaius' successors in 135 A.D. The facade of the library was reconstructed in the 1970's and stands as a testiment to the eternal human quest for knowledge.
Web Information - The Library at Ephesus
Background:
The Celsus Library is one of the most spectacular buildings in Ephesus. The building was started by the Council Gaius Julius Aquila in 110 A.D. as a memorial for his father. The construction was completed by Gaius' successors in 135 A.D. The facade of the library was reconstructed in the 1970's and stands as a testiment to the eternal human quest for knowledge.
Web Information - The Library at Ephesus
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Ancient Scholars
Yesterday's entry about our city library, started me thinking of other locations for study. My thoughts wandered to a summer spent travelling in India. I clearly recall walking through ruins in Bihar province in 1994. I was going to look through my personal photos to find one suitable for scanning. Luckily, when at the computer, it was easier to do a Google search than to look through our suitcase of old photos! The link below has more pictures, and probably better ones, than I have.
Here's the Background:
Nalanda was a Buddhist University of the 5th century A.D. It flourished for at least 700 years. A famed Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang, studied at this University for five years in the 7th century. He has left fantastic accounts of the activities at the University. At the time, it attracted 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from China and the Indian sub-continent.
Web Pictures - The Ruins at Nalanda
Here's the Background:
Nalanda was a Buddhist University of the 5th century A.D. It flourished for at least 700 years. A famed Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang, studied at this University for five years in the 7th century. He has left fantastic accounts of the activities at the University. At the time, it attracted 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from China and the Indian sub-continent.
Web Pictures - The Ruins at Nalanda
Monday, November 24, 2003
Law Courts Location Once a Library
Here is a bit more downtown New Westminster history. I took this picture of water cascading down the fountain at the Law Courts building. On this site stood the former Carnegie Free Library. It was occupied from 1905 to 1958. The area is on Carnarvon Street and one block from this apartment. The library moved to its present, up-town location at that time. However, it has a longer, and more interesting history. This information appears on the library's web site:
The Library holds the distinction of being the first public library in the province of British Columbia. It owes its existence to two events. In 1865, New Westminster was the capital of the mainland colony of British Columbia, recently carved from the forest on the banks of the Fraser River by the Royal Engineers. When the Regiment disbanded, it donated its collection of books brought from England to create a public library for the City. At the same time, Queen Victoria offered a copy of her late husband Prince Albert's speeches "to the public libraries of her more important colonies".
To continue reading about the history of our library, please click this link.
Labels: library, New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003
Sunday, November 23, 2003
Burr Theatre
The photo to the right was taken from the New Westminster downtown parkade. The old, painted signage is on the back of a building now known as the Burr Theatre.
The Burr that is recognized by this name is a hometown boy who was born here and now eternally rests in a cemetery in New Westminster. Raymond Burr was best know as TV's Perry Mason and, later, as Ironside. However, he was involved in a multitude of films too.The Burr Theatre building, dating from 1927, has a very interesting history. Click the link to visit the official site. It is on Columbia Street and approximately a two-minute walk from this apartment.
Labels: New Westminster (Page 1), Q4_2003, stars, television
procrastination: to put off intentionally and habitually.
The midterm exams were sitting on the kitchen table for all of Friday and Saturday. Now that it is Sunday afternoon, I've finally got down to correcting them.
Labels: complaints, Q4_2003
The weatherman hinted that we might have a bit of snow on the ground when awaking this morning. It's cool but rainy. Darned.
Saturday, November 22, 2003
The Final Say
Don has the final say on this topic by adding:
"I might add that one of the reasons we drive such long distances so readily is also a result of our cheap gasoline. Here is a link to a website I found comparing gasoline prices in USA and the rest of the world.
World Gasoline Prices - 01/03
As usual, I don't think N. Americans, both Canadian and US varieties, appreciate how inexpensive things are for us and the standard of living we enjoy."
"I might add that one of the reasons we drive such long distances so readily is also a result of our cheap gasoline. Here is a link to a website I found comparing gasoline prices in USA and the rest of the world.
World Gasoline Prices - 01/03
As usual, I don't think N. Americans, both Canadian and US varieties, appreciate how inexpensive things are for us and the standard of living we enjoy."
Friday, November 21, 2003
How far is it? About an hour.
How can a request for distance sometimes elicit a response measuring time?
Continuing on the topic of hitting the road, I notice a big difference in perception between the east and west sides of our continent. The whole US eastern seaboard, from Portland, ME to Atlanta, GA and right on down to Key West, is essentially a continuous super-sized set of suburbs. So, one never has far to go. On the other hand, in the west there can be miles and miles between settlements. These differences have made many people 'out west' (where the states are big) more tolerant of long-distance driving. Whereas, people 'back east' prefer to live within a dozen miles of their job, in the west, I know people who routinely commute a hundred kilometers (sixty or seventy miles) each day.
In this 2002 picture, in order for our visitor to see a high school alumnus,
we easily made a 'road trip' a few hundred miles south.
Continuing on the topic of hitting the road, I notice a big difference in perception between the east and west sides of our continent. The whole US eastern seaboard, from Portland, ME to Atlanta, GA and right on down to Key West, is essentially a continuous super-sized set of suburbs. So, one never has far to go. On the other hand, in the west there can be miles and miles between settlements. These differences have made many people 'out west' (where the states are big) more tolerant of long-distance driving. Whereas, people 'back east' prefer to live within a dozen miles of their job, in the west, I know people who routinely commute a hundred kilometers (sixty or seventy miles) each day.
In this 2002 picture, in order for our visitor to see a high school alumnus,
we easily made a 'road trip' a few hundred miles south.
Thursday, November 20, 2003
Cultural Differences: Road Trips
Here's a picture taken last year from the Glacier Highway (37A) in BC.
We were on a road trip just for pleasure. This scene is around a 1500KM
(900 miles) north of New Westminster. The highway heads to the cities
of Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK. The Alaskan panhandle juts down taking
more than one third of British Columbia's coastline.
Don, a regular reader and contributor, sent the following in response to Monday's entry:
"A travel gene is an interesting premise. I think it's more like we emanated from folks who started out travelling and we just grew up as a nation of travellers. It's sort of, "Well, we've come this far; what's a few hundred miles."
20 odd years ago, I stopped in Brighton, England to visit a couple I had known in Iran (I was on my way home from 'the Revolution', but they had fortuitously left 6 months earlier). I enquired about a couple who had been our friends and asked if they had seen them. They replied in astonishment, "Lord no. They live in Wales." That would have been a several hour trip (less than a day) on the train, so