January 23, 2010
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Go

Vox outplayed me last night, taking 4 of 5 games. I was not happy with my own play. I felt I played lackluster games. My attacks were premature. My reading was mediocre at best. Vox played solid games and smartly took advantage of everything I gave him. I’ll get my revenge next time.

Filed under: Go
January 20, 2010
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Better Times are Coming

On the occasion of the passing of Kate McGarrigle, I found myself looking on YouTube at videos of Kate and her sister Anna, when I stumbled upon this lovely clip from Adrienne Clarkson Presents featuring the McGarrigles with their old friend, Wade Hemsworth, writer of fantastic songs like Land of the Muskeg and the Shining Birch Tree, The Log Driver’s Waltz and The Blackfly Song. What a great treat to see and hear these great performers and songwriters together. I think you’ll enjoy this video.

Here is Kate McGarrigle with Rufus Wainwright

January 19, 2010
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Poor Side of Town

Here’s Johnny Rivers, just because…

This is from 1966. I just don’t know what to say about the dancers in the background. What are they doing?

Nick Lowe did a great cover of this tune on his 2001 CD, The Convincer. I couldn’t find that one on the inner-nets or I would have posted it too. That doesn’t mean I can’t post a different Nick Lowe song though. After all, it’s my party.

Here’s The Beast in Me

You may be more familiar with Johnny Cash’s take on this haunting tune…

Doesn’t that send shivers down your spine?

Let’s finish this post off with a little more Johnny Rivers to lighten things up a bit. Here’s Memphis…

January 19, 2010
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What’s happening to Canadian cheese?

Tuffy P pointed me to an article from The Bovine from March of last year: We’ve heard a lot about this from former Ontario dairyman Bernie Bailey, but it’s great now to have information from another source on just how major Canadian cheese producers are seeking to replace local Canadian fluid milk suppliers — that’s dairy farmers — with internationally-sourced milk protein concentrates. And of course they’ll still call the product “Canadian” cheese.

This can’t be good. Has anyone seen any updates since this piece was written?

January 19, 2010
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Hydro back in the news

I posted recently about continued problems with stray voltage on Toronto streets. I see this is in the news again.

From the National Post:

Toronto Hydro is admitting it can do little to prevent stray voltage, asking residents in a new ad campaign to tread carefully lest they or their pets be jolted by the electricity coursing below city sidewalks.

“What we are trying to tell customers is … step around any electrical equipment. If you have children, make sure they know not to touch or play around electrical equipment,” said Toronto Hydro spokeswoman Tanya Bruckmueller.

So far, two animals that we know of have died and one child has been zapped.  Another quote from the article: Now the city-owned hydro provider says it may never have the leaks licked, meaning the $3-million annual cost of running three trucks to survey the city for stray voltage would remain on the books. A massive sweep launched last January involved every Hydro employee testing metal handwells on sidewalks and the launch of a year-round mobile survey for signs of contact voltage.

The Toronto Hydro people would like us to take safety measures. We’re to keep away from areas where contact voltage might occur. That apparently is anywhere. Dog walkers are warned to take Fido out for a walk before the street lights come on, just to be safe.

Ms. Bruckmueller said Toronto Hydro is in the process of finalizing new safety standards that could see every handwell in the city replaced.

“It may not be done in a year, it may take a few years. But until then, you have a moral responsibility to make sure that people are aware of this, and are careful.”