Two or three people have asked me about this recently so I figured I would post it here so I can easily find it again. As a larger guy, and recently having flown on three airlines (Sunwing/Hola, Skyservice and Southwest) I can tell you that the holster is much more desirable than having an electronic device jabbing into your liver or kidney for several hours. Take a look and happy shopping.
Ciao.
Wearable holster systems, cell phone cases, PDA cases, smartphone cases, handheld PC cases, PSP cases, PlayStation Portable cases, digital camera cases, MP3 player cases, CD player cases and cellular phone accessories, PDA accessories, handheld PC accesso
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
Where's Dtrini?
To the uninformed, I am currently in moving hell. I love the adventure of a new home. I hate the journey getting there. I want to be able to just, Jeannie style, blink myself to the new locale. Unfortunately, reality being the bummer it is, we instead have to pack all our shit up and move it our damn selves.
This past weekend, my sister Gemini and a former co-worker and friend of mine helped DW with packing the kitchen. Let me tell you, the packing was neither pretty nor elegant nor organized, but in the blue collar vein, "Git 'er done", it was completed Friday night when we thought it would take two days for sure. DW just had some minor things and other items to deal with during the day on Saturday.
Our nephew Hammy also came out and gave us a hand on Friday and Saturday. We got some loose, non-boxed items and fragile essentials into TR for the first visit to the new homestead. TC and I obtained the garage door openers, the mailbox key and the house keys from the realtor agent earlier that evening. So, we transported the stereo cabinet and our precious main stereo components up and showed them the house. We made plans on what we wanted to move next and headed home for some rest before the big push the next day.
On Saturday, with little sleep, I got up and continued packing boxes in the basement. We were not getting the Uhaul rental truck (a whole separate post is coming on those assholes) until 5PM so Hammy, TC and I, plus my buddy AL would be running some initial transfers back and forth to the house with the unboxed, unboxable and sensitive/fragile items in the POS and TR. I think we made about three or four trips total doing that.
I had to stay at the house at 2PM to wait for Rogers to show up and install our new Home Phone (cause I hate them less than I do Bell Canada, but not much now) and the cable for TV and Internet. The Home Phone guy was there and working by about 2:30. He had to drill a hole for a line from the right side of the house into the basement so it took him a little time. The next guy had not shown up yet when the first guy was leaving just after four so I asked DW to call in. I was on call so I did not want to tie up the BB at the time since it does not receive email when the phone is operating.
We were told that the Rogers guy had until 5PM so what was the issue. The lady DW was speaking to told the dispatch that I was waiting there and that it was after four so we wanted to be sure he was coming. Five o'clock rolls around and no guy. He calls and either tells DW or leaves a message that he was running late and apologized but we were next. Six o'clock rolls by and there is a door bell. DW said the guy sounded West Indian but there was an Oriental technician at the door. There are West Indian Orientals, but none of them are stupid enough to work for Rogers so I knew this was not the guy. Turns out the first tech was still at the last stop so they sent someone else. This guy says, when he finds out the phone dude was here, that if it were him here earlier, he would have volunteered to pull the other work order and complete it all since he was already here (since all of them do everything anyhow). We both agreed that it was dependent on the tech that showed up.
He went off and connected everything and left me a very long connection in the basement as I had asked, plus an extra splitter and two short lines in the living room so that the stereo and TV could be connected. Unfortunately, the builder's were very shortsighted as they did not think to run phone and cable to every room in this day and age. The room we designated as office/hope-to-be-nursery has neither. So, for now, the Internet will have to be connected in the master bedroom until I can rectify that issue. So, with the entire afternoon in the tank, nothing to eat since morning, and a cold Blue (ugh) in my belly, I headed back home in the hopes of finding KFC still there and some helping hands. Thankfully, I found both.
BB and her fiancee plus Reddlion was waiting at home. I got in, quickly inhaled the last of the KFC chicken from the bucket and was ready for action. The truck was there and we just needed to form our plan, our chain gang and get it done. It took about two and a half hours to fill the 17ft truck with all the boxes we had in the living room, the Webber, two bikes, the bar fridge from the garage, the snowblower, a couple of IKEA shelf rails, one DVD shelving unit, some cushions and assorted other loose bits. We also threw some loose and fragile bits into the cars and headed out. Unloading, especially with a few more hands, was a bloody dream and took all of a half hour. Pizza arrived as we were doing this so it went even faster after that. Nearly had to thump the PizzaPizza dude though, as buddy sees us offloading and actually thought it okay to walk past us into the garage to enter the house. Uhm, er, how about NO?
Truck unpacked, kitchen almost finished set up thanks to DW and KJ's diligent work while we were packing the truck at the old house, pizza in the belly washed down with some beverages and we were one tired, but happy and satisfied clan. I was not felling great so I went upstairs to the living room and laid down on the cushions for a little while. Apparently, I was sawing some serious wood before DW woke me to say goodbye to our guests and helpers. It was 2:30AM and time to go old-home and leave new-home for the time being.
When we woke up yesterday, DW, TC and I were beaten and tired and felt dragged out. TC and I were talking when she corrected me by saying that we really only had three days left before the move. Holy Crap!!! The child was right as Sunday was a basic right off as we simply could not get much done and Thursday 9AM is when the moving dudes were showing up. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is all we gots left. Shite!!! So, I was going into work today to show my face but that is now scrapped in favour of working from home and trying to get some boxes packed so if DoubleD can come out and help me later, I will be ready to fill his vehicle. If he cannot, then the POS and TR will continue to run back and forth until we cannot move anymore. We will repeat this for three days, hopefully with Hammy's assistance on one day at least, to try and get as much of the stuff out before the movers come in. It makes it faster and easier for them and cheaper for us as a result; and that was our goal in the first place.
Well, that's it for now. I know I still have Cuba and Vegas things to post, not to mention a whack of other stuff like why Uhaul is a shitty company, why Rogers sucks ass and why Bell can bite my right one. I will get to all those posts in the new home. Before I finish this long post, I would like to express deep thanks and gratitude from my family to all those that helped us this weekend: BB, EdWood, Hammy, Gemini, Marshmallow, Reddlion, KJ and the boys, and AL. We appreciate all the time, effort and backbreaking you performed and endured to help make our move smoother, easier and cheaper. We hope to return the effort in kind one day soon.
Next post will probably be on Friday with a final word on the move itself and some pictures. I will try to post beforehand but I cannot make any promises as work and the move will be all encompassing. Unless, of course, I get bored at either and take a break in front of a working, connected computer. :)
Ciao.
This past weekend, my sister Gemini and a former co-worker and friend of mine helped DW with packing the kitchen. Let me tell you, the packing was neither pretty nor elegant nor organized, but in the blue collar vein, "Git 'er done", it was completed Friday night when we thought it would take two days for sure. DW just had some minor things and other items to deal with during the day on Saturday.
Our nephew Hammy also came out and gave us a hand on Friday and Saturday. We got some loose, non-boxed items and fragile essentials into TR for the first visit to the new homestead. TC and I obtained the garage door openers, the mailbox key and the house keys from the realtor agent earlier that evening. So, we transported the stereo cabinet and our precious main stereo components up and showed them the house. We made plans on what we wanted to move next and headed home for some rest before the big push the next day.
On Saturday, with little sleep, I got up and continued packing boxes in the basement. We were not getting the Uhaul rental truck (a whole separate post is coming on those assholes) until 5PM so Hammy, TC and I, plus my buddy AL would be running some initial transfers back and forth to the house with the unboxed, unboxable and sensitive/fragile items in the POS and TR. I think we made about three or four trips total doing that.
I had to stay at the house at 2PM to wait for Rogers to show up and install our new Home Phone (cause I hate them less than I do Bell Canada, but not much now) and the cable for TV and Internet. The Home Phone guy was there and working by about 2:30. He had to drill a hole for a line from the right side of the house into the basement so it took him a little time. The next guy had not shown up yet when the first guy was leaving just after four so I asked DW to call in. I was on call so I did not want to tie up the BB at the time since it does not receive email when the phone is operating.
We were told that the Rogers guy had until 5PM so what was the issue. The lady DW was speaking to told the dispatch that I was waiting there and that it was after four so we wanted to be sure he was coming. Five o'clock rolls around and no guy. He calls and either tells DW or leaves a message that he was running late and apologized but we were next. Six o'clock rolls by and there is a door bell. DW said the guy sounded West Indian but there was an Oriental technician at the door. There are West Indian Orientals, but none of them are stupid enough to work for Rogers so I knew this was not the guy. Turns out the first tech was still at the last stop so they sent someone else. This guy says, when he finds out the phone dude was here, that if it were him here earlier, he would have volunteered to pull the other work order and complete it all since he was already here (since all of them do everything anyhow). We both agreed that it was dependent on the tech that showed up.
He went off and connected everything and left me a very long connection in the basement as I had asked, plus an extra splitter and two short lines in the living room so that the stereo and TV could be connected. Unfortunately, the builder's were very shortsighted as they did not think to run phone and cable to every room in this day and age. The room we designated as office/hope-to-be-nursery has neither. So, for now, the Internet will have to be connected in the master bedroom until I can rectify that issue. So, with the entire afternoon in the tank, nothing to eat since morning, and a cold Blue (ugh) in my belly, I headed back home in the hopes of finding KFC still there and some helping hands. Thankfully, I found both.
BB and her fiancee plus Reddlion was waiting at home. I got in, quickly inhaled the last of the KFC chicken from the bucket and was ready for action. The truck was there and we just needed to form our plan, our chain gang and get it done. It took about two and a half hours to fill the 17ft truck with all the boxes we had in the living room, the Webber, two bikes, the bar fridge from the garage, the snowblower, a couple of IKEA shelf rails, one DVD shelving unit, some cushions and assorted other loose bits. We also threw some loose and fragile bits into the cars and headed out. Unloading, especially with a few more hands, was a bloody dream and took all of a half hour. Pizza arrived as we were doing this so it went even faster after that. Nearly had to thump the PizzaPizza dude though, as buddy sees us offloading and actually thought it okay to walk past us into the garage to enter the house. Uhm, er, how about NO?
Truck unpacked, kitchen almost finished set up thanks to DW and KJ's diligent work while we were packing the truck at the old house, pizza in the belly washed down with some beverages and we were one tired, but happy and satisfied clan. I was not felling great so I went upstairs to the living room and laid down on the cushions for a little while. Apparently, I was sawing some serious wood before DW woke me to say goodbye to our guests and helpers. It was 2:30AM and time to go old-home and leave new-home for the time being.
When we woke up yesterday, DW, TC and I were beaten and tired and felt dragged out. TC and I were talking when she corrected me by saying that we really only had three days left before the move. Holy Crap!!! The child was right as Sunday was a basic right off as we simply could not get much done and Thursday 9AM is when the moving dudes were showing up. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is all we gots left. Shite!!! So, I was going into work today to show my face but that is now scrapped in favour of working from home and trying to get some boxes packed so if DoubleD can come out and help me later, I will be ready to fill his vehicle. If he cannot, then the POS and TR will continue to run back and forth until we cannot move anymore. We will repeat this for three days, hopefully with Hammy's assistance on one day at least, to try and get as much of the stuff out before the movers come in. It makes it faster and easier for them and cheaper for us as a result; and that was our goal in the first place.
Well, that's it for now. I know I still have Cuba and Vegas things to post, not to mention a whack of other stuff like why Uhaul is a shitty company, why Rogers sucks ass and why Bell can bite my right one. I will get to all those posts in the new home. Before I finish this long post, I would like to express deep thanks and gratitude from my family to all those that helped us this weekend: BB, EdWood, Hammy, Gemini, Marshmallow, Reddlion, KJ and the boys, and AL. We appreciate all the time, effort and backbreaking you performed and endured to help make our move smoother, easier and cheaper. We hope to return the effort in kind one day soon.
Next post will probably be on Friday with a final word on the move itself and some pictures. I will try to post beforehand but I cannot make any promises as work and the move will be all encompassing. Unless, of course, I get bored at either and take a break in front of a working, connected computer. :)
Ciao.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
PS3 could aid medical research
This story, forwarded to me by LB, is an interesting one and it is not as far fetched as some people might want to initially think.
First off, I myself have run from time to time those other programs the article mentiones (i.e. SETI@Home, etc.). It is definitely an excewllent way to ensure maximum usage of your PC while helping mankind. The thing is, those programs come from respected sources and have been routinely checked to ensure no insidious items are contained within that could do harm to your system.
Now, Sony wants in on this random act of kindness? Uhm, personally, thanks but no thanks. Let's see, your track record is the betamax (which you refused to license to anyone or play nice in the sand with so it died), the Minidisc (which you took so long to allow proper licensing, it was still born even though a great technology), the Memory stick, because you simply believed that YOUR memory standard was better than the rest even though you are stuck with no-where-to-be-found 4GB top sizes when Compact Flash is at 8GB and beyond for less than your 4GB vapourware) and the granddaddy icing on the cake, the rootkit! Why the hell am I going to plop down nearly eight hundred bucks and then allow Sony of all companies to install untested, unchecked software onto it without knowing exactly what it will be allowing in and out of my home network?
The answer is simply that I would not, and until it is properly checked out (MsM, what are you doing over the holidays?) I would strongly suggest that you save your money or spend it over at the Wii or Xbox 360 counters (yes, I endorsed Microsoft). Sony has has lot to make up for and this little console and this supposedly benevolent program is simply not enough for me to bite. thanks Sony, but I think this Christmas, I will either be kicking my nephew's ass online or gyrating crazily in the living room as I try to hack and slash properly with the Wii's nifty wireless "nunchuck" controller.
Maybe next year Sony. Maybe not.
Ciao.
PS3 could aid medical research
First off, I myself have run from time to time those other programs the article mentiones (i.e. SETI@Home, etc.). It is definitely an excewllent way to ensure maximum usage of your PC while helping mankind. The thing is, those programs come from respected sources and have been routinely checked to ensure no insidious items are contained within that could do harm to your system.
Now, Sony wants in on this random act of kindness? Uhm, personally, thanks but no thanks. Let's see, your track record is the betamax (which you refused to license to anyone or play nice in the sand with so it died), the Minidisc (which you took so long to allow proper licensing, it was still born even though a great technology), the Memory stick, because you simply believed that YOUR memory standard was better than the rest even though you are stuck with no-where-to-be-found 4GB top sizes when Compact Flash is at 8GB and beyond for less than your 4GB vapourware) and the granddaddy icing on the cake, the rootkit! Why the hell am I going to plop down nearly eight hundred bucks and then allow Sony of all companies to install untested, unchecked software onto it without knowing exactly what it will be allowing in and out of my home network?
The answer is simply that I would not, and until it is properly checked out (MsM, what are you doing over the holidays?) I would strongly suggest that you save your money or spend it over at the Wii or Xbox 360 counters (yes, I endorsed Microsoft). Sony has has lot to make up for and this little console and this supposedly benevolent program is simply not enough for me to bite. thanks Sony, but I think this Christmas, I will either be kicking my nephew's ass online or gyrating crazily in the living room as I try to hack and slash properly with the Wii's nifty wireless "nunchuck" controller.
Maybe next year Sony. Maybe not.
Ciao.
PS3 could aid medical research
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Uhm, er, whoah!
Not much leaves me speechless, and I could wax on about the evil that is in human's minds blah blah blah. Maybe some other time. Right now, I simply am in shock at what lies within the mind of someone I enjoyed watching on TV for so many years. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has their moments, but sometimes, there simply has got to be more. This is one of those times. I don't know how this person is going to recover from what you will see in the video linked in this news story, but I actually hope he does. It just is too hard to accept that this is all he has left.
Ciao.
Ciao.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Pair Use The Force For Jedi Religion - Yahoo! News UK
Not sure if I should laugh or cry at this entry submitted by LB. The fact it is getting any attention at all is laughable. The fact that these people are serious makes me want to shed a tear.
Naturally, the Athiests out there are crying ou that there is as much hope this religion is real as all the others. Of course, they never would challenge the validity of a certain religion lest they all get stoned and jihaded all over the place.
Ciao.
Pair Use The Force For Jedi Religion - Yahoo! News UK
Naturally, the Athiests out there are crying ou that there is as much hope this religion is real as all the others. Of course, they never would challenge the validity of a certain religion lest they all get stoned and jihaded all over the place.
Ciao.
Pair Use The Force For Jedi Religion - Yahoo! News UK
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Curbly | DIY Design Community
Very cool site that I will add to the list on the right when I get some time. Look for some of these projects to show up in our house soon.
Curbly | DIY Design Community
Curbly | DIY Design Community
Friday, November 10, 2006
I'm back.
It will take a while to gather my thoughts and it will take several posts to work through it. The rule with Vegas is "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!" As such, I will have to be very selective on what I say because I have to respect the rule. I think I will try to do this in three posts named the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
As a summary, I will be returning with DW for a romantic getaway, with LB to basically allow him to experience all that I did, and with pure players like Famine and Skibum for some super late nights of cards and... well... other stuff.
Vegas is an interesting place, an exciting city and a beautiful city with friendly people in and out of the casinos. Situated basically inside of a bowl of mountains, it lends for a very unique layout and spectacular sight at night. When I post our pix from on top of the Stratosphere hotel, you will understand.
I know poker and gambling is not everyone's thing but don't count Las Vegas out as a vacation destination. There is so much more to do in the city and even into the neighbouring states of California (i.e. Death Valley, Los Angeles), Utah (i.e. Salt Lake, Salk Lake City, Provo), and Arizona (i.e. Grand Canyon). Don't forget that a lot of Casinos have family-oriented entertainment as well so you can catch various magic, dancing, singing and comedy acts throughout the year. For example, Prince is opening a new nightclub in Vegas that he will be performing at every weekend or something. Toni Braxton is back. Penn & Teller are lighting up the Rio. Cirque du Soleil has three shows running at three different casinos (though none of them are kid appropriate I think). There's some Canadian Prima Donna Witch and there's Rita Rudner, one of the most entertaining comediennes working today.
Alright, I really need some sleep. I just got in around 4AM, reacquainted myself with my home and my wife, got woken up before 8:30AM to meet the moving dude for an estimate and then I have been in and out of a dreamstate all day while trying to get some stuff done, failing miserably at the whole bloody lot. I had hoped to take DW to dinner and a movie but I think we will stay in, contemplate our movie and do something here instead.
Pictures and stories to follow as soon as I am able.
Ciao.
As a summary, I will be returning with DW for a romantic getaway, with LB to basically allow him to experience all that I did, and with pure players like Famine and Skibum for some super late nights of cards and... well... other stuff.
Vegas is an interesting place, an exciting city and a beautiful city with friendly people in and out of the casinos. Situated basically inside of a bowl of mountains, it lends for a very unique layout and spectacular sight at night. When I post our pix from on top of the Stratosphere hotel, you will understand.
I know poker and gambling is not everyone's thing but don't count Las Vegas out as a vacation destination. There is so much more to do in the city and even into the neighbouring states of California (i.e. Death Valley, Los Angeles), Utah (i.e. Salt Lake, Salk Lake City, Provo), and Arizona (i.e. Grand Canyon). Don't forget that a lot of Casinos have family-oriented entertainment as well so you can catch various magic, dancing, singing and comedy acts throughout the year. For example, Prince is opening a new nightclub in Vegas that he will be performing at every weekend or something. Toni Braxton is back. Penn & Teller are lighting up the Rio. Cirque du Soleil has three shows running at three different casinos (though none of them are kid appropriate I think). There's some Canadian Prima Donna Witch and there's Rita Rudner, one of the most entertaining comediennes working today.
Alright, I really need some sleep. I just got in around 4AM, reacquainted myself with my home and my wife, got woken up before 8:30AM to meet the moving dude for an estimate and then I have been in and out of a dreamstate all day while trying to get some stuff done, failing miserably at the whole bloody lot. I had hoped to take DW to dinner and a movie but I think we will stay in, contemplate our movie and do something here instead.
Pictures and stories to follow as soon as I am able.
Ciao.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Hold'Em part two
I needed a distraction which is probably exactly why I should not have played tonight. Anyhow, I still made it past a break and a change of tables (plus suffering through the antics of a loud, obnoxious jackass) and did not pay attention to the foundation of a flopped straight against my A 10 unsuited that wa paired up. Short stacked against way more agressive players, I tried to make a move with a middling pair and a nut flush draw. He unvieled his flopped straight and the writing was on the wall; my evening had come to an end.
Well, I still don't know the lingo, the positions or the odds, but I have learned and experienced a lot today. I know I have some good instincts and, if I pay attention, good reads on people. Our next poker night (Saturday) and the next trip down here (next September at the latest) should yield different results. I hope. :)
Ciao.
Off to see some girl scouts about their cookies. (Editor's note: working on little sleep and little patience and little energy. I may have to raincheque this one.)
First official regulation Hold'Em Tourney is OVA!
Well, I was on track to be in the money for a while. They were late in posting the total number of players but it was over fifty people. I made it through two breaks and was five people from the final table when I was getting short stacked from the 150 ante, and 300/600 blinds with a raise in both coming under three minutes later. Stupidly, I lost focus and patience and went all in when I knew I really should have retreated and waited for a better opportunity.
Instead his pocket pair of Jacks went up against my King and Queen of hearts. With no help on the flop, and insult after injury on the turn and the river, I was ousted from the tournament in 15th place. For my first tournament, I think I did well and I got some kudos from people playing since the Vietnam war. However, accolades and kudos are a harsh consolation prize when nearly fifteen hundred is on the line.
Another tourney starts registering at 5:30 for a 7PM start. I am debating sticking around for that and letting DoubleD and the boys go off without me. Of course, I could come back and play at noon tomorrow instead. The 7PM will have about 130 people Bryan the floor manager says so it is very tempting to go for the more lucrative pot and the larger test of will with more people vying for the jackpot.
I'll let you all know later which one I chose. By the way, Famine, you would have been proud the way I slow played my Nut Flush draw into a tripling of my stash when I hit it on the turn. :)
Ciao.
(Note: had trouble remote posting so the two entries are together instead of many hours difference.)
Friday, November 03, 2006
I'm off again.
Yeah, I know; sue me. DW is on her way home from work in Chicago, and then I am off in the morning with DoubleD and da crew to the big lights, big city of Las Vegas, Nevada. This is my first time in Vegas and hopefully there is not a repeat of the last fiasco that kept me from going (let's just not go there, okay?). So, besides a little coin being dropped on some low limit hold'em tables, I am looking forward to a little sight-seeing. A couple of us will hit the Grand Canyon, Area 51 and, my Madagascar-inspired favourite, Hoover Dam!
Also, I am dying (maybe wrong choice of words) to ride the roller coaster and drop zone type ride on the top of one hotel. I am afraid of heights but I love to push the envelope. The Drop Zone at Paramount Canada's Wonderland had my heart beating fast, a little vertigo happening and then I lost the ability to create sound the entire drop down until we landed. If I had had curry that day, they would have had to close the ride. Hmmm, I don't think I will have curry, or any drinks, before I attempt to go on the ones in Vegas (that is, if my fat ass is not too big for the ride, restriction-wise).
We're leaving in the morning, driving down the dreaded QEW and flying out of Buffalo in the afternoon. We are using Southwest and, if you have ever watched Airline on A&E you will understand, we want to make sure we are there well ahead of time and all checked in. Maybe pick up a mickey or a magnum. :)
We actually do not get into where we are staying till Sunday so I guess our bags will travel around with us for a few hours. I can put my feet up on it in a poker room or create a cosy spot to sit for the, er, wonderful lady serving our table. When we get to the room, I can basically sleep anywhere on anything so I will be the least picky of the lot. Half the time, I find the sofas in hotel suites more comfortable than the beds. Okay, not at the King Edward.
Sunday I think we should plot out where the 1.99-3.99 AYCE buffets are and correlate them to proximity of cheap small tourneys so that the walk is minimal between the two. Cheap (read free) booze is a given.
I will NOT be taking a laptop for the second trip away in a row. I was only going to take my camcorder but then I thought about it. I mean, HOOVER DAM; I am going to need the DSLR for sure. So, I will check out the baggage allowance and try to get in with a small carry-on and the camera bag. I should be good to go with that.
See you folks in a week. I will be back with more pics and stories next Friday. Be good. Be safe. Be happy.
Ciao.
Also, I am dying (maybe wrong choice of words) to ride the roller coaster and drop zone type ride on the top of one hotel. I am afraid of heights but I love to push the envelope. The Drop Zone at Paramount Canada's Wonderland had my heart beating fast, a little vertigo happening and then I lost the ability to create sound the entire drop down until we landed. If I had had curry that day, they would have had to close the ride. Hmmm, I don't think I will have curry, or any drinks, before I attempt to go on the ones in Vegas (that is, if my fat ass is not too big for the ride, restriction-wise).
We're leaving in the morning, driving down the dreaded QEW and flying out of Buffalo in the afternoon. We are using Southwest and, if you have ever watched Airline on A&E you will understand, we want to make sure we are there well ahead of time and all checked in. Maybe pick up a mickey or a magnum. :)
We actually do not get into where we are staying till Sunday so I guess our bags will travel around with us for a few hours. I can put my feet up on it in a poker room or create a cosy spot to sit for the, er, wonderful lady serving our table. When we get to the room, I can basically sleep anywhere on anything so I will be the least picky of the lot. Half the time, I find the sofas in hotel suites more comfortable than the beds. Okay, not at the King Edward.
Sunday I think we should plot out where the 1.99-3.99 AYCE buffets are and correlate them to proximity of cheap small tourneys so that the walk is minimal between the two. Cheap (read free) booze is a given.
I will NOT be taking a laptop for the second trip away in a row. I was only going to take my camcorder but then I thought about it. I mean, HOOVER DAM; I am going to need the DSLR for sure. So, I will check out the baggage allowance and try to get in with a small carry-on and the camera bag. I should be good to go with that.
See you folks in a week. I will be back with more pics and stories next Friday. Be good. Be safe. Be happy.
Ciao.
London Free Press - National News - St. Thomas father, 34, charged with assaulting his child online
Webster's or someone needs to work on a new word. SICK simply no longer covers what these people are. I heard the words daughter and pre-school this morning and it made me queasy. What is wrong with these people and why can we not simply round them up and shoot them publicly to help curb and stop this?
London Free Press - National News - St. Thomas father, 34, charged with assaulting his child online
London Free Press - National News - St. Thomas father, 34, charged with assaulting his child online
London Free Press - National News - Grocery store turfs poppy seller
Disgraceful!!! Do these Dr. Peppers realize that it is because of those vets they have the right to be snobby, stuck up assholes?!?!?!
London Free Press - National News - Grocery store turfs poppy seller
London Free Press - National News - Grocery store turfs poppy seller
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Auto Vault Canada :: Tire Vault Canada
If you have a vehicle you only drive a couple of months a year and never in the rain, this may be the service for you.
Auto Vault Canada :: Tire Vault Canada
Auto Vault Canada :: Tire Vault Canada
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
A new use for duct tape?
I do not remember "babysitting" being on the list of 101 things to do with duct tape.
Only in a trailer park, you say?
This story is simply too twisted for me to make light of at the moment. I am sure I will do so later.
Proof that book sense does not breed common sense.
Unbelievable that this idiot did this in this day an age. That kind of Darwin-award wannabe should have been put out of his misery and ours.
Finally, the Cuban experience.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I say that the pictures do not do Cuba justice; both for the positives of the country and for the negatives.
I have posted the link to our pictures taken from our recent adventure. We actually took over three hundred shots; we could easily have taken loads more but we had short funds and only ventured out to Havana and up and down the Varadero peninsula. What you see is what DW helped pare down. Feel free to skip through, run a quick slideshow or whatever.
When going to any foreign land, there is a certain amount of anticipation and apprehension. It is heightened when you are entering a communist country from a so-called free and democratic one; even if the two have been long time "friends". So, when we read that we could not take DVD players in (we had one) and then they checked and electronically logged (I think they scan the whole page in) our passport, and then asked to physically check our bags after they went through the scanner, we were a little on edge. No worries though and we were quickly sent on our way. We changed some funds as we needed to pay the bus driver to drop us to our hotel (remember, we went down on an alternate flight and therefore was not entitled to a hotel transfer). This cost us $10 (pesos) each, which considering the distance was actually a bargain. It would be much more than that in Toronto. I also was introduced to the local cervesa (beer): Cristal. There was an enterprising gentleman selling cold ones as we exited the airport. I was so thirsty that I drank one as we got our bags loaded and then another during our ride; DW sipped some of mine as she is not a big beer drinker.
We had to drop off a number of other people at various hotels along the way so we got to see a bit of the place before we hit our hotel, the Villa Cuba. I must say that even with the pictures online, I expected less than the hotel is. Unlike a lot of people we see bitching online, we went in understanding a certain level from the hotels in this country. We were not expecting nor paying for King Edward comfort. If we got clean, comfortable, basics with a decent beach and friendly, helpful staff, we would be satisfied; we were satisfied.
As most online reviews point out, unless you are willing to shell out big bucks to stay in the fancy hotels, do not expect a lot of the food in Cuba. It is not to say that the food was horrible or inedible, it just does tend to get repetitive and sometimes a bit on the bland side. I don't understand why they cannot get someone in to properly train the cooking staff to make use of the materials they have available. They get decent pork and fish and chicken and beef, lots of vegetables, rice and pasta. The cooks are simply incapable of doing better with those items. Okay, so saying that, we also say that if you are creative (i.e. carry cheese from he cold cuts section to be placed in your omelets at breakfast), you can eat very well for the week without getting too bored. Now, they do have two a la carte restaurants which are okay as a diversion from eating in the buffet. However, if you look at the menus in the pictures, I think you will see an item listed to the effect, "Naranja au natural" or something to that effect. When DW ordered that as her appetizer, she was presented with a very nicely decorated plate of a slice orange. Yep, just an orange.
The bars are in enough places that it is not too much of a walk to get to any of them. You can of course drink wine, beer, water, juices, coffee, tea, cocoa and soft drinks when dining. At the walk up bars, you get all the "fancy" drinks like the Cuban Libre (rum and coke), Sangria (DW's fave), Cuban Zombie, Margarita, Rum Punch and others. There is a bar just down a few steps from the lobby, the one at the pool, one at the beach and, we were told, one in the disco and in the 9th level tower (but we did not make either of those). You can basically drink from 7AM to 3AM as you bounce from bar to bar. You can eat 24/7, as we found out when we hit the cafe for a snack at 2AM the first night we were there.
The pool is nice and inviting to everyone. The main ring, right in front of the bar, is very shallow at one side and only knee deep before you walk up the stairs into the bar itself. Not quite a swim up bar but good enough. We saw enough stupid people and their filthy habit (smoking) infecting the pool with their ashes; really is sad if you cannot take a swim without smoking. Another ring has the shallow kiddies pool sharing space with the water activities section. The final ring is a deeper pool, about six feet.
The beach is quite amazing and it is easy to see why so many people flock to Cuba to enjoy it. While we did find chicken bones and and a piece of broken glass one day, we have to say that the beach was basically well kept and clean; no accounting for idiot tourists and what they throw where. Free to use are the paddle boats, windsurfers, kayaks and small catamarans (though the latter has someone go out with you and though you don't have to, carry a pesos or two). There are plastic, reclining loungers to use freely and permanent umbrellas made from local materials. The water is typically warm and was fairly calm except for one day that got a yellow caution due to the higher waves, wind and huge undertow. The depth changes quickly and often but we got out a fair bit before the water hit under my chin.
The pictures tell the tale of what Varadero and Havana look like. I will try to give a little of our experience in Havana. In a word, eye-opening. When we were told by LB and read a few reviews about the level of living in Cuba, it still did not stand out in our minds. When you are walking through old Havana, and you get accosted by those asking for items, and the items start with pesos but then runs the gamut through pens and pencils, to soap to clothes to gum to the hat on one's head (mine was a newly bought Snowbirds hat and was not leaving my head), you get a better understanding that while the people may have a lot more than a lot of folks in the world, they also have a lot less. We took about $100CDN worth of items I had purchased in the dollar store (an assortment of toiletries, school supplies and toys) to give out at the hotel to the staff that helped us enjoy our holiday. We never understood or imagined that on the street, at the cafe, in the park, hell, in the third largest cemetery in the world, that we would be asked for any of those things. And the most requested item? Candy. So, the next time we go down, we will devote a large portion to gum and candy.
Next time, I would like to stay at a hotel in Havana itself so that we can walk around a bit more and get in amongst the Cuban people themselves. When we were in St. Martin, we had a car to drive around in and being able to eat where we wanted to and speak to the local people made a huge difference to our holiday. It is also part of what convinced DW that we must retire there and open a bagel shop in St. Phillipsburg, but that is for another day and another story. If you find yourself in need of a vacation but low on funds, give Cuba a look. I think you would actually enjoy it more than Mexico and it is a heck of a lot safer too.
I have posted the link to our pictures taken from our recent adventure. We actually took over three hundred shots; we could easily have taken loads more but we had short funds and only ventured out to Havana and up and down the Varadero peninsula. What you see is what DW helped pare down. Feel free to skip through, run a quick slideshow or whatever.
When going to any foreign land, there is a certain amount of anticipation and apprehension. It is heightened when you are entering a communist country from a so-called free and democratic one; even if the two have been long time "friends". So, when we read that we could not take DVD players in (we had one) and then they checked and electronically logged (I think they scan the whole page in) our passport, and then asked to physically check our bags after they went through the scanner, we were a little on edge. No worries though and we were quickly sent on our way. We changed some funds as we needed to pay the bus driver to drop us to our hotel (remember, we went down on an alternate flight and therefore was not entitled to a hotel transfer). This cost us $10 (pesos) each, which considering the distance was actually a bargain. It would be much more than that in Toronto. I also was introduced to the local cervesa (beer): Cristal. There was an enterprising gentleman selling cold ones as we exited the airport. I was so thirsty that I drank one as we got our bags loaded and then another during our ride; DW sipped some of mine as she is not a big beer drinker.
We had to drop off a number of other people at various hotels along the way so we got to see a bit of the place before we hit our hotel, the Villa Cuba. I must say that even with the pictures online, I expected less than the hotel is. Unlike a lot of people we see bitching online, we went in understanding a certain level from the hotels in this country. We were not expecting nor paying for King Edward comfort. If we got clean, comfortable, basics with a decent beach and friendly, helpful staff, we would be satisfied; we were satisfied.
As most online reviews point out, unless you are willing to shell out big bucks to stay in the fancy hotels, do not expect a lot of the food in Cuba. It is not to say that the food was horrible or inedible, it just does tend to get repetitive and sometimes a bit on the bland side. I don't understand why they cannot get someone in to properly train the cooking staff to make use of the materials they have available. They get decent pork and fish and chicken and beef, lots of vegetables, rice and pasta. The cooks are simply incapable of doing better with those items. Okay, so saying that, we also say that if you are creative (i.e. carry cheese from he cold cuts section to be placed in your omelets at breakfast), you can eat very well for the week without getting too bored. Now, they do have two a la carte restaurants which are okay as a diversion from eating in the buffet. However, if you look at the menus in the pictures, I think you will see an item listed to the effect, "Naranja au natural" or something to that effect. When DW ordered that as her appetizer, she was presented with a very nicely decorated plate of a slice orange. Yep, just an orange.
The bars are in enough places that it is not too much of a walk to get to any of them. You can of course drink wine, beer, water, juices, coffee, tea, cocoa and soft drinks when dining. At the walk up bars, you get all the "fancy" drinks like the Cuban Libre (rum and coke), Sangria (DW's fave), Cuban Zombie, Margarita, Rum Punch and others. There is a bar just down a few steps from the lobby, the one at the pool, one at the beach and, we were told, one in the disco and in the 9th level tower (but we did not make either of those). You can basically drink from 7AM to 3AM as you bounce from bar to bar. You can eat 24/7, as we found out when we hit the cafe for a snack at 2AM the first night we were there.
The pool is nice and inviting to everyone. The main ring, right in front of the bar, is very shallow at one side and only knee deep before you walk up the stairs into the bar itself. Not quite a swim up bar but good enough. We saw enough stupid people and their filthy habit (smoking) infecting the pool with their ashes; really is sad if you cannot take a swim without smoking. Another ring has the shallow kiddies pool sharing space with the water activities section. The final ring is a deeper pool, about six feet.
The beach is quite amazing and it is easy to see why so many people flock to Cuba to enjoy it. While we did find chicken bones and and a piece of broken glass one day, we have to say that the beach was basically well kept and clean; no accounting for idiot tourists and what they throw where. Free to use are the paddle boats, windsurfers, kayaks and small catamarans (though the latter has someone go out with you and though you don't have to, carry a pesos or two). There are plastic, reclining loungers to use freely and permanent umbrellas made from local materials. The water is typically warm and was fairly calm except for one day that got a yellow caution due to the higher waves, wind and huge undertow. The depth changes quickly and often but we got out a fair bit before the water hit under my chin.
The pictures tell the tale of what Varadero and Havana look like. I will try to give a little of our experience in Havana. In a word, eye-opening. When we were told by LB and read a few reviews about the level of living in Cuba, it still did not stand out in our minds. When you are walking through old Havana, and you get accosted by those asking for items, and the items start with pesos but then runs the gamut through pens and pencils, to soap to clothes to gum to the hat on one's head (mine was a newly bought Snowbirds hat and was not leaving my head), you get a better understanding that while the people may have a lot more than a lot of folks in the world, they also have a lot less. We took about $100CDN worth of items I had purchased in the dollar store (an assortment of toiletries, school supplies and toys) to give out at the hotel to the staff that helped us enjoy our holiday. We never understood or imagined that on the street, at the cafe, in the park, hell, in the third largest cemetery in the world, that we would be asked for any of those things. And the most requested item? Candy. So, the next time we go down, we will devote a large portion to gum and candy.
Next time, I would like to stay at a hotel in Havana itself so that we can walk around a bit more and get in amongst the Cuban people themselves. When we were in St. Martin, we had a car to drive around in and being able to eat where we wanted to and speak to the local people made a huge difference to our holiday. It is also part of what convinced DW that we must retire there and open a bagel shop in St. Phillipsburg, but that is for another day and another story. If you find yourself in need of a vacation but low on funds, give Cuba a look. I think you would actually enjoy it more than Mexico and it is a heck of a lot safer too.
A fitting bit of revenge, don't you think?
Now while I don't believe that we should do the whole chopping off of limbs of thieves and such, this may just yet work out for the molesters of the world. I'll sign that petition in a heartbeat.
Ciao.
Ciao.
Sorry, but it just is not right!
Hmm. Treading lightly. What the f**k is wrong with some people??!?!?! Forget all the arguments about a woman's place and role in the various societies around the world. We may not always agree with it but it's not like we are not living in a glass house of our own on those matters. That said, we do not go around performing a ritual on our girl children that is supposed to keep their virtue but really ends up mutilating and traumatizing the victim. This practice really has to be stopped and simply think about what this man supposedly did to his own daughter with a pair of scissors sends chills up my back.
Why are humans the cruelest animal on the planet?
Why are humans the cruelest animal on the planet?
But wait, there's more...
When you first read the title of the article and the first few lines you figure that this is your normal story about some sick asswipe predator that has taken advantage of young children. You would be correct except for a few other details.
First, the ages of the children match the one of the girl that the teacher was fooling around with and got the harsh sentence of living at home with his wife and children in frigid Canada. Second, he's done this before and pleaded guilty to the previous crimes and is for some reason out of jail.
But wait, there's more...
His MOTHER helped to introduce him to families that had children of an age he could molest?!?! Okay, you love your son and all but you love him enough to help him hurt other people's children? She should be rotting in jail in the cell next to him for the next 508 years.
First, the ages of the children match the one of the girl that the teacher was fooling around with and got the harsh sentence of living at home with his wife and children in frigid Canada. Second, he's done this before and pleaded guilty to the previous crimes and is for some reason out of jail.
But wait, there's more...
His MOTHER helped to introduce him to families that had children of an age he could molest?!?! Okay, you love your son and all but you love him enough to help him hurt other people's children? She should be rotting in jail in the cell next to him for the next 508 years.
How wide is this fence to stand on?
Once again we have a chicken and an egg thing going on. The US, like Canada, has a sieve they laughingly call Border Security and Immigration and Naturalization. You have terrorists, murderers, rapists and all manner of human scum freely coming and going not only between our countries but from other countries. Hell, here in Toronto, we had a known Jamaican murderer deported at least seven times back to Jamaica but he keeps getting back in and committing more crimes.
So, is the answer to do what this and many other towns are doing in the US? Ban illegal immigrants? We saw how well that worked for the food industry when they stopped working for a day. How many offices will remain uncleaned in North America if all the illegal immigrants took tomorrow off? How many rich people's gardens, pools and homes will remain untended should that happen?
The fact of the matter is, North America was built by the immigrants. What's funny is anyone outside of the Native North American claiming that they are not an immigrant or an immigrant descendant. We ALL are. I would say that in New York City, I bet there are more natively born non-whites than whites, yet all non-whites are looked upon as immigrants. Ridiculous.
And that is the crust of the problem. That arrogance and perception in some, mostly those with power, wealth and influence, is a dangerous catalyst that is leading both countries towards a slippery slope of strife and unrest for many years to come. My folks stayed in Canada illegally, past their due date to return to Trinidad, in order to give my family a better life. LB is the only one of us four born here and all five grand kids are born here. We are all leading productive lives and my folks did tasks when they first arrived here that the whites of the time deemed beneath them. What would this country be if the backs of the illegal immigrants were not there to be built upon? What if there were no Europeans in the construction industry? Asians in the livery industry? Orientals to build the railroad in the west?
No one is saying not to protect your borders and to control the tide of people coming in because the support systems have to be in place to deal with everyone coming in. What people are saying is find a better way. This way can only lead to more division in a time when we really need to stand together for a change.
Now wouldn't that be a better law to work towards?
Peace.
So, is the answer to do what this and many other towns are doing in the US? Ban illegal immigrants? We saw how well that worked for the food industry when they stopped working for a day. How many offices will remain uncleaned in North America if all the illegal immigrants took tomorrow off? How many rich people's gardens, pools and homes will remain untended should that happen?
The fact of the matter is, North America was built by the immigrants. What's funny is anyone outside of the Native North American claiming that they are not an immigrant or an immigrant descendant. We ALL are. I would say that in New York City, I bet there are more natively born non-whites than whites, yet all non-whites are looked upon as immigrants. Ridiculous.
And that is the crust of the problem. That arrogance and perception in some, mostly those with power, wealth and influence, is a dangerous catalyst that is leading both countries towards a slippery slope of strife and unrest for many years to come. My folks stayed in Canada illegally, past their due date to return to Trinidad, in order to give my family a better life. LB is the only one of us four born here and all five grand kids are born here. We are all leading productive lives and my folks did tasks when they first arrived here that the whites of the time deemed beneath them. What would this country be if the backs of the illegal immigrants were not there to be built upon? What if there were no Europeans in the construction industry? Asians in the livery industry? Orientals to build the railroad in the west?
No one is saying not to protect your borders and to control the tide of people coming in because the support systems have to be in place to deal with everyone coming in. What people are saying is find a better way. This way can only lead to more division in a time when we really need to stand together for a change.
Now wouldn't that be a better law to work towards?
Peace.
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