waferisms

The drowned man

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Dad remembers starting to build a log cabin "up at Berens River".

Berens River is in Manitoba. It would have been in the 1930s, and on the reserve. Map link here.

Well, he got as far as laying out four logs, to start it off. Him and his brothers. But then his dad said "Herman, you can't do that." It was reserve land, and you just can't go and start building things.

And that's when he was asked to do the service the following Sunday. His dad was the minister there but he had to head off somewhere and needed someone to lay it out for everyone on Sunday. Dad didn't want to do it, that wasn't his thing, but he couldn't really say no.

And then the ferry came up to the dock, by the chief's place. It was the Kenora, a steamship that came up from Winnipeg. There was stuff for sale and everyone went down to see what it was all about and buy things, including alcohol.

One guy got drunk and was out in his canoe that had a motor. No, it didn't have a motor. Anyway he was so drunk he fell out of the canoe into the water and didn't come out.

So later, when Herman and his brothers and his cousin Ray went fishing they were concerned. See, they weren't in a canoe it was a, what do you call it? Anyway, it was like a row boat and they'd go really slow and troll and sometimes they'd catch something and sometimes they wouldn't.

But this time they were concerned that they might snag this guy trolling. That was something they didn't want to do. But they didn't. Someone had already picked him up out of the water and laid him out at a friend's place.

When Sunday came around Herman asked some other guy to say the service, and the guy did, and then he suggested that everyone head over to the place where they had laid out the drowned man for a wake.

Hit someone on the head with a frying pan

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:37:00 +0000

I don't get a lot of views on Flickr. Maybe because I don't post to three-million groups or something. But yesterday I noticed an old photo of a frying pan had 366 hits, plus another 20 so far today. What the...?

Someone's used it for a "bucket list" tumblr site, and it's been reposted and liked a fair bit.

Here's a screen shot:

The dog finds gold

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:33:00 +0000

The dog.

The dog found gold, and within a second it was almost down it's throat.

The boy shouted "No!" and tried to wrestle the item from the dog's mouth.

What was this thing? A stick? It was black, but looked like it was split down the middle. Maybe a mussel? What was a shellfish doing here?

Then the boy saw the tongue. In the middle. The black thing was a beak. The dog had found a bird head and was now stubbornly trying to keep it in it's mouth.

The boy and I tried to pry the dog's mouth open. The boy shouted, I growled. The dog was strangely quiet but wasn't going to open it's mouth. The beak started to separate from the head. Curses flew. No one wanted their finger in the dog's mouth. No one wanted to touch that thing, this head. Goose head. Young goose, gosling. Grey feathers.

Finally, with a bit of scooping and generous swearing the head came out -- with about nine inches of neck and gut. No wonder the dog wasn't growling. It was a wonder it could breathe with all that gunk trailing down its own throat.

I kicked the head into the creek. Our hands were covered in dog spit and slime from the head. More swearing. The dog immediately started for where he found the head. Gold!

Grandpa's loose tooth

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:17:00 +0000

My dad, said mom, always had this loose tooth in front. He got it when he was kicked in the mouth by a horse as a youngster.

Whenever he ate anything it was funny, she said, because this tooth would bend out of his mouth. It didn't seem to bother him enough to see a dentist or have a friend pull it.

In fact, said mom, he never saw a dentist. I guess he must have when he was younger. But never as an adult.

Anyway, mom continued, one supper he was complimenting mother on how tender dinner was. She didn't remember what it was, but he went on and on about how he could cut it with his fork -- he didn't need no knife or nothing -- and he was eating and chewing and then suddenly his tooth came out, just like that.

Public art: Lightmodal in Surrey, B.C.

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Here's art with no vision, goals, and probably no legacy.

I stole those words from the Necklace Projects website (www.necklaceproject.ca/), which Lightmodal is the Surrey contribution. As I write this (December, 2011) there isn't yet a gallery page for this part of the project, which is "an inter-municipal collaboration for public art."

Each contribution is supposed to reveal an "inner light of each community."

A lack of information

So far, there's little information available about Lightmodal.

The designers are Organelle Design. Unfortunately they only have photos on their site. No explanation.

It was unveiled September 30, 2011, as part of Culture Days. Information is limited:

Lightmodal is a zero energy, environment responsive public artwork. Inspired by naturally occurring light phenomena like auroras in the sky and bioluminescence in the water, the artwork’s light patterns are generated in reaction to the surrounding motion, vibration, and sound of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Viewers were bussed in.

Architizer has a brief blurb, from before the opening:

Urban Visuals and Organelle Design were selected among a talented pool of artists and architects as winners of the Necklace Project Competition for the City of Surrey. As a public art piece, the project is conceived as an interactive, light-based installation along the elevated Skytrain line. The piece will be activated by the confluence of transportation modes by a series of vibration, acoustic and electrostatic sensors. The result is an organic, aurora borealis-like display of colors that celebrates technology and alternative means of transport.

On our own

And so, with very little information, we're left to our own devices to interpret this piece. No problem, here's my take; but first, let's make explicit our criteria:

Public art should be interpretable and able to be appreciated by the greater part of the taxpayers. It is, after all, public, and not everyone has a fine arts degree or an appreciation of whatever the latest conceptual trends are.

So, let me put forth my ad-hoc and totally arbitrary rules for judging whether a piece of public art is successful. Note that these rules don't apply to art in museums, galleries or on your fridge – only art in public meant for the public to enjoy:

It should be recognized as something other than infrastructure. It needs to be able to be appreciated and seen as something special, or different from, say, a sidewalk. In other words, people should be able to recognize it as a piece of art.
It should be physically accessible. Since it's public the public should be able to get to it and observe it without difficulty.
It should be understandable. This is a tough one, since what is understandable will vary from person to person. Let me (once again, arbitrarily and without explanation) say it should be understandable by someone with (at most) some college education who is willing to spend some time thinking about it. The difficulty of comprehension should be similar to those crossword puzzles in the commuter papers. I hate those things, I'm not really a word person, but they're designed so an 'average' person can get most of it done in half-an-hour.

I have a few further thoughts about public art (don't get me started!). Public art is a public service, and should serve the public. Therefore it should have a function that helps the community. That function should fall into one (or more) of the following categories:

Commemorative (your classic bronze statue of some important person on a horse)
Didactic (a piece that explains or teaches something)
Inspirational (your spirit soars and you dedicate your life to...)
Engaging (something for kids to crawl on and play with)

Let's look at Lightmodal

And so, on to the art!

I first noticed it on a walk up the Surrey Parkway Greenway, which runs from the river up the hill alongside King George, and under the Skytrain. It's on what's called Peterson Hill, just north of where 132 Street meets King George. That's about level with 112th Avenue if you think that way. It was during the day and I noticed the metal arcs fastened to the underside of the the Skytrain, with solar panels on the ends. The area is rather isolated. A ravine crosses nearby. There are a few empty lots. Someone asked if I had a cigarette. The structure extends for about half a block and then stops.

Given Whalley's reputation I assumed that it must be an experiment in lighting the sidewalk at night. They'd try it out here, and if successful they'd roll it out elsewhere. Maybe it was cheaper than real lights. There wasn't any documentation that I could see.

Later, an email exchange with the City's parks department informed me that it was, in fact, "part of a public art piece titled the ‘Green Necklace’." They gave a link to the culture days site. I recognized the Necklace Project name from seeing the unveiling and subsequent head-scratching of the piece in New Westminster.

My wife remembered seeing Lightmodal at night when driving across to New Westminster. There were coloured lights, she remembered. It looked pretty cool, she thought, but she was driving past and only saw it for a few seconds.

I walked back down to it after dark, with the camera. I got off the Skytrain at Gateway. I don't think any buses stop near there. It took about 20 minutes, and through some areas where a few of the best minds of every generation were destroyed by madness, howling hysterical, if not naked. One asked for a cigarette, and didn't believe me when I said I didn't have any. Really, I didn't.

Lightmodal doesn't light up the sidewalk very well. Instead the lights go on and off and change colour depending on the traffic going up and down the hill. King George is a busy highway. It's pretty neat, but the area is dark, isolated and lonely. I was concerned about that character who wanted a cigarette. So after a few minutes I headed back up the hill, past the crazies, and to the warm light and bustle of Surrey Central.

Let's assess this art

Time to critique! How does Lightmodal measure up to the standards I set out earlier?

It's possible I had a few screws loose, but it's not clear to me that this piece is recognizable as art, unless you walk underneath it at night. I would never have found out about it except as a result of an accidental correspondence. It does stand out as something special. The metal arcs are unusual, but without further clues it could be anything. Since it's part of a regional project, shouldn't there be some sort of sign or documentation stating what it is and how it ties into the project as a whole? Even if I had recognized it as something worthy of my vast art criticism facilities how can I possibly be expected to tie it into the greater project?

The placement of the piece is also problematic. It's inaccessible except by foot. There's no place to park and no bus service. It's in a noisy, uninviting area of the city. It's on a highway for Pete's sake. People do not stroll up and down this hill, linked arm-in-arm. Bums lurk in the nearby ravine. People driving by may get a glimpse, but that's about it. It's just not very public.

If you do walk by at night though – perhaps you missed the last Skytrain, your ride disappeared and now you're walking back to Burnaby or something – Lightmodal is understandable and enjoyable. I don't think it's a deep piece. It's more of a technical exploration, a sort of big groovy light organ.

In terms of function, it's a piece about engagement: watch the traffic and see how it affects the lights. You're not going to feel inspired by this and you won't learn anything.

And I really, really hope it's not showing the true "inner light" of Surrey.

Public Art: an urban screen

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Electric Speed at the Surrey Art Gallery's urban screen

Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. Friday. December 2, 2011. 5:50 pm, but in winter, when the sun sets at around 4 or 4:30 it seems like 8 pm. At least it's not snowing.

And that's what it says on the side of the rec centre. "At least it's not snow."

The whole wall has words, headlines, splashed in projected light over it.

It's opening night. There's a table, covered in blue cloth. Hot chocolate sits in a snug dispenser. Insulated. a tray of chocolate cookies. And literature. Four neat piles of papers and brochures. I stare at the wall. I glance at the table. The woman in red sees an opportunity.

"Are you here for the opening?" she asks.

I confess that I'm here by accident, but ask what's going on.

This is Surrey Urban Screen, part of an "outreach program of the Surrey Art Gallery." [city site source] It's been active since the Olympics, over a year and a half ago. You can see it on the left-hand side from the Skytrain as you head from Gateway to Surrey Central.

Tonight is the opening for Electric Speed, by Melissa Mongiat and Mouna Andraos. The basic idea is it's a collage of headlines from the past year. Viewers can participate by texting to a phone number that's on the side of the building.

5:55 pm. There are about 20 people on the edge of the parking lot looking at the wall, the urban screen. Four art gallery volunteers huddle around the hot chocolate table. I notice three, no, four toques. Skateboarders glide along the sidewalks next to the building. There's a skate park right next door to the Chuck Bailey rec centre. A few brave lads venture over to the hot chocolate. It lures them to urban screen and ART. They hurry back to the skate park, to reality, to their world.

A few linger for the cookies. They have those short fixed-gear trick bikes. They drop them casually onto the sidewalk. Cookies. Hot chocolate. It must be close to freezing.

"Why is it here?" I ask one of the docents. I'm curious why this wall, why this space for this program. She doesn't know.

"It's urban screen," she says.

A boy with a red rhino on his helmet asks "Can I take a sheet and read it later?" He's holding a cookie.

The docents are enthralled. Success! Urban screen has touched the youth of the nation.

Where are the artists? It's opening night. 6:04 pm. There are now about 22 people in the parking lot. No artists. They stand at a respectful distance from the art, and from the hot chocolate. The youths come and go. Some of the art people venture to the table too, but then retreat to the safety zone of the parking lot.

There's a talk at SFU Surrey tonight about urban screens. It's given by Mirjam Struppek, who's from Germany. She writes about urban screens, about lights on walls. And tonight she's talking about them. SFU Surrey is just up the street, maybe a kilometer away.

"They don't have walls in Germany?" I ask the docent.

I'm not sure she gets the joke.

Inside the rec centre some girls play badminton.

Outside there are two groups of people: the art people who stand in the parking lot. They look at urban screen. To the side about 20 or so young people are using the skate park. They do tricks with bikes and skateboards. In between is the table. The hot chocolate and cookies. The literature. And behind it all is urban screen.

The consolation of philosophy - Boethius

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:16:00 +0000

Boethius in prison. Waiting.

I've been reading an Elizabethan translation of Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy. It's one of those things I've read so much about, but never got around to wading through.

This version (Project Gutenberg) also has the latin. I can't read that part, but it's interesting to see the text presented in two languages, chapter by chapter.

A few things that stand out
1. The Consolation of Philosophy isn't about how philosophy as a subject matter has consoled Boethius, it's about a goddess called Philosophy who provides a consolation, or argument to him on why he should accept things as they are. This immediately reminds me of Parmenides whose work is dictated to him by a goddess called Truth (or somesuch).

2. The text is presented as alternating poems which introduce the following prose exposition. Because much of the subject matter is about the vanity of existence, etc etc, the Testament of Villon springs to mind, where his longish poem (of the same general theme) is interrupted by shorter pieces (like "Ballad des dames du temps jadis").

3. Because we know Boethius wrote this in prison knowing he was going to be executed (524 AD), there's a poignant urgency to the piece. He's struggling with coming to terms (a la Job) with why this unfair judgment is on him. It's not abstract. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius has a similar feel: that work was created as a sort of personal notebook that somehow accidentally became published. Immediacy.

Well worth a read.

Don Quixote: the table of contents

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Gustave Doré:
Don Quijote de La Mancha
and Sancho Panza, 1863

Don Quixote is so extraordinary it's worth several, many, multiple excessiveexegeses. Stories are set within stories; plots thread and unravel. Questions remain unanswered. Allusions are set. References to literature and history are rich, varied and complicated. And then, because I'm reading it in translation, undoubtedly most of it is lost.

The table of contents is pleasurable in itself. Here it is from one of Project Gutenburg's editions:

The history of Don Quixote de la Mancha
From the Spanish of Cervantes.

London:
James Burns
mdcccxlviii.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTERS

I. The quality and way of living of Don Quixote

II. Which treats of Don Quixote's first sally

III. An account of the pleasant method taken by Don Quixote to be dubbed a knight

IV. What befell the Knight after he had left the inn

V. A further account of our Knight's misfortunes

VI. Of the pleasant and curious scrutiny which the Curate and the Barber made of the library of our ingenious gentleman

VII. Don Quixote's second sally in quest of adventures

VIII. Of the good success which the valorous Don Quixote had in the most terrifying and incredible adventure of the Windmills, with other transactions worthy to be transmitted to posterity

IX. What passed between Don Quixote and the Goatherds

X. A continuation of the story of Marcella

XI. The sage discourse continued; with the adventures of a dead body

XII. Which treats of the grand adventure of Mambrino's helmet, with other things which befell our invincible Knight

XIII. Of what befell Don Quixote in the Sierra Morena, being one of the most extraordinary adventures related in this faithful history

XIV. A continuation of the adventure in the Sierra Morena

XV. Of what happened to Don Quixote's Squire, with the famous device of the Curate and the Barber

XVI. How the Priest and the Barber proceeded in their project; with other things worthy of being related

XVII. Of the new and agreeable adventure that befell the Priest and the Barber, and of the beautiful Dorothea

XVIII. Which treats of the beautiful Dorothea's discretion; with other particulars

XIX. Of the ingenious method pursued to withdraw our enamoured Knight from the rigorous penance which he had imposed on himself

XX. The pleasant dialogue between Don Quixote and his Squire continued; with other adventures

XXI. What befell Don Quixote and his company at the inn

XXII. Of the dreadful battle betwixt Don Quixote and certain Wine-skins

XXIII. Containing an account of many surprising accidents in the inn

XXIV. The history of the famous Princess Micomicona continued; with other pleasant adventures

XXV. A continuation of Don Quixote's curious and excellent discourse upon arms and learning

XXVI. Of occurrences at the inn; and of many other things worthy to be known

XXVII. The agreeable history of the young muleteer; with other strange accidents

XXVIII. A continuation of the extraordinary adventures that happened in the inn

XXIX. In which the dispute concerning Mambrino's helmet is decided; with other adventures that really and truly happened

XXX. The notable adventure of the Holy Brotherhood; with an account of the ferocity of our good Knight, Don Quixote

XXXI. Of the strange and wonderful manner in which Don Quixote de la Mancha was enchanted; with other remarkable occurrences

XXXII. Of the ingenious contest between Don Quixote and the Canon; with other incidents

XXXIII. The Goatherd's narrative

XXXIV. Of the quarrel between Don Quixote and the Goatherd, with the rare adventure of the Disciplinants

XXXV. What passed between the Curate, the Barber, and Don Quixote, concerning his indisposition

XXXVI. Of the memorable quarrel between Sancho Panza and Don Quixote's Niece and Housekeeper; with other pleasant passages

XXXVII. The pleasant discourse between Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the bachelor Samson Carrasco

XXXVIII. The discourse continued; also the wise and pleasant dialogue between Sancho Panza and Teresa Panza his wife; together with other passages worthy of happy memory

XXXIX. What passed between Don Quixote, his Niece, and the Housekeeper; being one of the most important chapters in the whole history

XL. Don Quixote's success in his journey to visit the Lady Dulcinea del Toboso

XLI. That gives an account of things which you will know when you have read it

XLII. Wherein is related the stratagem practised by Sancho, of enchanting the Lady Dulcinea; with other events no less ludicrous than true

XLIII. Of the strange adventure which befell the valorous Don Quixote with the cart, or Death's caravan

XLIV. Of the strange adventure which befell the valorous Don Quixote with the brave Knight of the Mirrors

XLV. Wherein is continued the adventure of the Knight of the Wood, with the wise and witty dialogue between the two Squires

XLVI. Continuation again of the adventure of the Knight of the Wood

XLVII. Giving an account of the Knight of the Mirrors and his Squire

XLVIII. Of what befell Don Quixote with a worthy gentleman of La Mancha

XLIX. Where you will find set forth the highest proof that Don Quixote ever gave, or could give, of his courage; with the successful issue of the adventure of the Lions

L. How Don Quixote was entertained at the castle or house of the Knight of the Green Coat, with other extraordinary matters

LI. The adventure of the Shepherd-Lover, and other truly comical passages

LII. An account of rich Camacho's wedding, and what befell poor Basil

LIII. The progress of Camacho's wedding; with other delightful accidents

LIV. An account of the great adventure of Montesinos' cave

LV. Of the wonderful things which the unparalleled Don Quixote declared he had seen in the deep cave of Montesinos, the greatness and impossibility of which make this adventure pass for apocryphal

LVI. Which gives an account of a thousand trifles and stories, as impertinent as necessary to the right understanding of this grand history

LVII. Where you find the grounds of the braying adventures, that of the Puppet-player, and the memorable divining of the fortune-telling Ape

LVIII. A pleasant account of the Puppet-play; with other very good things

LIX. Wherein is shewn Don Quixote's ill success in the braying adventure, which did not end so happily as he desired and expected

LX. Of some things which he that reads shall know, if he reads them with attention

LXI. What happened to Don Quixote with the fair Huntress

LXII. Which treats of many and great matters

LXIII. Don Quixote's answer to his reprover; with other grave and merry accidents

LXIV. Containing ways and means for disenchanting the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, being one of the most famous adventures in the whole book

LXV. Wherein is contained the information given to Don Quixote how to disenchant Dulcinea; with other wonderful passages

LXVI. Wherein is recorded the wonderful and inconceivable adventure of the afflicted Duenna, or the Countess of Trifaldi; and likewise Sancho Panza's letter to his wife Teresa Panza

LXVII. In which is continued the famous adventure of the afflicted Duenna

LXVIII. Of the account given by the afflicted Duenna of her misfortunes

LXIX. Wherein the Countess Trifaldi continues her stupendous and memorable history

LXX. Which treats of matters relating and appertaining to this adventure, and to this memorable history

LXXI. Of the arrival of Clavileno; with the conclusion of this prolix adventure

LXXII. The instructions which Don Quixote gave to Sancho Panza, before he went to his government; with other well-digested matter

LXXIII. Of the second instruction Don Quixote gave Sancho Panza

LXXIV. How Sancho Panza was carried to his government; and of the strange adventure that befell Don Quixote in the castle

LXXV. How the great Sancho Panza took possession of his island, and in what manner he began to govern

LXXVI. Of a dreadful alarm which Don Quixote experienced

LXXVII. Which gives a further account of Sancho Panza's behaviour in his government

LXXVIII. What happened to Don Quixote with Donna Rodriguez; as also other passages worthy to be recorded

LXXIX. What happened to Sancho Panza as he went the rounds in his island

LXXX. Which narrates the success of the page that carried Sancho's letter to his wife

LXXXI. A continuation of Sancho Panza's government; with other entertaining passages

LXXXII. A relation of the adventures of the second disconsolate or distressed matron, otherwise called Donna Rodriguez; with the letters of Teresa Panza to the Duchess and to her husband

LXXXIII. The toilsome end and conclusion of Sancho Panza's government

LXXXIV. What happened to Sancho by the way; with other matters which you will have no more to do than to see

LXXXV. Which treats of matters that relate to this history, and no other

LXXXVI. Of the extraordinary and unaccountable combat between Don Quixote de la Mancha and the lackey Tosilos, in vindication of the matron Donna Rodriguez's daughter

LXXXVII. How adventures crowded so thick on Don Quixote that they trod upon one another's heels

LXXXVIII. Of an extraordinary accident that happened to Don Quixote, which may well pass for an adventure

LXXXIX. What happened to Don Quixote going to Barcelona

XC. Of what befell Don Quixote at his entrance into Barcelona; with other events more true than ingenious

XCI. Of the adventure of the enchanted head; with other trifling matters that must not be omitted

XCII. Of an unlucky adventure which Don Quixote laid most to heart of any that had yet befallen him

XCIII. Wherein is given an account of the Knight of the White Moon; with other matters

XCIV. How Don Quixote resolved to turn shepherd, and lead a rural life for the year's time he was obliged not to bear arms; with other passages truly good and diverting

XCV. Of the ominous accidents that crossed Don Quixote as he entered his village; with other transactions that illustrate and adorn this memorable history

XCVI. How Don Quixote fell sick, made his last will, and died

Sign of the new age times

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:21:00 +0000

The sign listed the services offered:

Reiki
Meditation
Yoga
Counsellor
Life Coach
products and apparel

Quibble Creek Greenway: a variety of urban paths

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:08:00 +0000

View from above.

Greenways are still rather new in North American city planning. The term was coined in 1995, and the idea of planning urban pathways that don't pander to the automobile still seems fresh. Here's an overview of greenways in Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenway_(landscape)].

The City of Surrey, in B.C. Canada, has been developing a network of greenways. The city has an advantage over, say, nearby Vancouver, in that there are still undeveloped right-of-ways for power lines, as well as existing informal footpaths running along creeks and behind developments.

Here is the City of Surrey's Greenways master plan:
http://www.surrey.ca/plans-strategies/3114.aspx

It looks like the map (a downloadable pdf) was last revised August 11, 2011. It shows 31 greenways, either in existence or planned.

Quibble Creek Greenway

Let's look at one greenway that's partially complete and covers a few different types of urban paths.

The Quibble Creek greenway looks like it will eventually run from Bear Creek Park, along Quibble Creek up to what looks like will be the new South Fraser Perimeter Road along the river. There's a greenway called Riverside planned along that route too, running west to east, just south of the Fraser River.

Quibble Creek is number 22 on the city's greenway map.

I hate to quibble, but we always called this creek Bear Creek as a kid – it runs through Bear Creek Park – and the City's bike map labels it Ursus Creek. This will have to be looked into in more detail later.

The Quibble Creek Greenway includes a riverside footpath, an short area that follows the road, and sections that are wide and paved, separated from any road traffic.

The itinerary

What to expect.

Start on King George Highway, about half a block north of 88 Avenue. A sign lets you know that the Quibble Creek Greenway is cleaned by the Port Kells Art Club. Thanks guys! That's a long ways to come to pick up garbage. A narrow gravel path meanders North to 92 Avenue following the creek fairly closely. It's not wheelchair accessible or great for street bikes, but is easy to follow. You can see how this section closely follows paths picked out by generations of kids, or perhaps even older trails!

At 92 Avenue the trail ends. Turn right, and then take the second left at 138 Street. It's marked with the green bike path lanes. You may see a group of older men playing cards on the sidewalk as the street turns. Resist the temptation to join in. These guys are undoubtedly pros and you'll just lose your shirt. Instead, Hook up with the paved area under the power lines and follow it to 96 Avenue. If you go East on this greenway you can follow a straight line through Green Timbers as far as 168 street.

But we're not going East. Go North. The paved area follows the power lines, crosses a creek, but stops behind the hospital, on a continuance of 138 Street. That's it for this part of the greenway, but if you're adventurous there's an unpaved parking lot on the other side of 96 Avenue that allows you to continue following the power lines to within spitting distance of Fraser Highway.

A small creek (a tributary to the redoubtable Quibble?) blocks further progress, along with some blackberry vines. If you preservere you can traverse this inconvenience (perhaps with a dampened foot if you miss your step) and pick up the paved greenway on the other side of Fraser Highway.

This continues under the power lines to 102 Avenue.

And there it stops. The power lines create an obvious clearing for where the greenway can continue, up to the Fraser River, about 2 miles away. But that will have to wait for construction.

Conclusion

No conclusion. Once completed the Quibble Creek greenway will give a pleasant North/South route from Bear Creek Park to almost the river. As it is currently it's a series of incomplete separate foot paths, roadway shoulders and paved bike/foot pathways. To wax poetic we can see this as a microcosm of the greenway system as it stands today: incomplete, but a with lot of promise. The powerline paths in particular will be a real gem when completed. Even now, there are always people on the existing short sections: walking their dogs, strolling with partners or kids, or using it as a greener path from here to there.

This article first appeared in http://www.southofthefraser.com. Link to article here.

A trip to Kamloops, B.C.

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:50:00 +0000

Hello, loving family.

A parking lot in Kamloops

Here's a view from my hotel room. It really looked like this, I didn't do any photoshopping or anything. It kind of looks like it's from 1903 or something, doesn't it? Actually, although this view looks pretty dismal, the town does have a pretty main street with small shops, hanging flower baskets, and staggering drunks. I run into one or two every time I go for a walk. That makes three so far, which really isn't that much, but enough to make an impression. One guy was meowing like a cat. He tried to get up off the curb, but after a few struggles with uncooperating legs gave up and sank back down onto the cement.

Who stole my gear? (Please return it)

I'd like to know the story behind the cardboard sign. Poignant, isn't it? I'd like to help, but maybe he or she shouldn't have left their gear out on the street corner in the first place. And who would return it to such a public place where someone else will just take it?

Anyway, I'll try to take a few (boring and predictable) touristy pictures and send those. They have a beautiful park right on the Thompson River, which is about four blocks from where I am. The water is running high --so high they had to close a few paths. they're under water right now. We were there many years ago one some trip or another. I remember Julian as a small child on the beach.

I'll see y'all soon,

-d

A Canadian federal election: electing personalities through proxy

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 17:38:00 +0000

In this article:

The electoral system doesn't work the way we think it does
Parties control candidates
A few alternatives (just for fun)
The invisible candidate
Sign-making tips for better electoral success

The Canadian federal election is on Monday.

The system of electing representatives from various areas (ostensibly based on population) has evolved into something different from its original form. We still elect people in ridings, but they no longer represent us in a conclave of other representatives. Instead, they represent their party to us, the electors.

We haven't quite caught up with this shift, or know how to make it work more effectively.

How does this work?

First, very crudely, the Westminster system doesn't assume parties. That was added later. The English parliament would originally have a leader, the prime minister, who would then create his cabinet, the ministers, from those elected. Although reasonable in principle it's unstable in practice. It makes sense for people of similar inclinations to group together for mutual aid and benefit. Thus the party.

The party exists as its own company of adventurers, with its own bylaws, rules, regulations and platform of ideas. The party selects or elects (from party members) candidates for ridings. The candidates owe their allegiance to the party.

In fact candidates may run in ridings that they know nothing about or have even visited. This is a crucial separation of the idea of electing someone to represent your area in a national forum, and yet it is never brought up.

Why does no one notice these odd discrepancies?

The obvious answer is it doesn't matter. The person elected does not represent or stand for their riding, they represent their party to the riding. MPs will show up locally at important events like Remembrance Day where they will represent the Government of Canada, but otherwise they are next to invisible. No one expects their representative to push for concerns that would only benefit their riding.

So the de facto electoral system is where several parties present their sales pitch to the public. The party that has the most members elected forms the government.

Some alternatives, just for fun

It would make sense, then, that if the individual ridings no longer matter to abolish the ridings and parliament itself. People could vote for the administration, the managing company as it were, that they'd like to run the country for the next few years. It would be much like how a strata selects a management company to run an apartment complex.

Another option that would make more sense would be to apply something like the single transferable vote, so that parties that get, say 15% of the popular vote get 15% of the seats.

Of course, it won't happen

They haven't been able to get rid of the useless senate; how can you expect real reform?

Something new: invisible candidates

However this election has seen the Conservative party, the party in power, try something interesting: candidates are instructed not to speak or participate in public forums. I exaggerate a little, but not by much. In all-candidate meetings the Conservative candidate will often not show up. Many are invisible. Those that aren't muzzled deliver canned phrases that are carefully vetted by the party.

The reasons are obvious: the party doesn't trust them. All parties control what their candidates can and can not say, but most try to get them in front of as many people as possible. But not the Conservatives. Instead, they're trusting on the brand they they are presenting: a management company guided by the careful hand of Stephen Harper.

It's not just the Conservatives

But it's not just the Conservatives who are pushing their brand this way. The NDP's signs have "Jack Layton and the BC Team" along with the local candidate, or sometimes even just the name "Jack Layton", even though it's not his riding. The NDP brand is Jack Layton.

The Liberals are struggling, because their brand just doesn't have the same cachet. Is this what's behind the NDP surge?

In all cases the trick for the parties is to convince the public to vote for their brand.

A few tips for the sign makers

With these points in mind, how can election signs be better presented to convince?

The NDP is closest to the ideal: they have their strongest point, Jack Layton, on every sign. The candidate's names could be made smaller. After all, they don't matter, people are voting for the party (or against the other party...). They could also have two or three words or a positioning statement that sums up what the party stands for. And I notice very few have a call to action.

How about something like:

Vote for

Candidate Name

Party

Effective - Proven - Efficient

Vote for

Candidate Name

Leader's Party Name

Effective - Proven - Efficient

Now we have a sign that reflects what we think is going on!

rain rain rain

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:08:00 +0000

it should be splashing away.

The whale

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:22:00 +0000

I was looking over the ocean, suddenly this fin pops up: it looks like a shark fin. Shark! But wait, this isn't Australia, it's British Columbia.

What else has something like a big fin sticking out of its back?

Orca! 20 feet from the beach! And me, without a harpoon!

This was unbelievable. Fortunately, I had my camera. I hussled down to the beach and started taking pictures. Then I realized there were a bunch of seals around the orca.

Wait a minute. Don't orcas eat seals? Why would they be bobbing around something that would tear them to bits?

That's when I realized it wasn't an orca. It was a seal lounging on its back. Every now and then it would flip over, exposing a flipper that, with my questionable eyesight (but fertile imagination) was easily transformed into a killer whale.

The rest of the evening was a bit of a bummer, although I discovered a house with a beautiful view (see attached). It wasn't for sale, and, in fact, it had several signs letting passers-by know they weren't welcome to loiter in the area, but maybe with the right offer...

Tweets from New Westminster

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

UMapper view of tweets coming from New Westminster, B.C.

Yes, a redesign will do it!

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 +0000

The vultures are circling. Waiting... waiting... now!

We're not a design firm or an ad agency -- we’re strategic marketing and communications: a collective of consultants and creatives from diverse areas of expertise who work in seamless, integrated teams.

We ensure results.

Our strategy is to build awareness and enthusiasm. We establish an appropriate identity with the full suite of creative, to extend the brand. To tell the broader story we art-direct custom photography.

We create international, yet community-focused brands that are at once modern, strong, inclusive and empowering, shifting brands with only one name. We create new logos and brand identities, art direction and crafted brand standards for social marketing endeavours.

A communications campaign that breaks through! We target a broad range of demographics, with sub-brands for programs under your umbrella.

We develop unique identity appropriate packages with a name and brand story, and translate them into the logo, identity package and labels. Each is designed to be an engaging conversation piece.

We leverage the existing brand, the equity garnered among the community and the track record with a new story to unify all the offerings. We subtly update logos, and tell the up-market story in everything.

Our extensive SEO work elevates you to the top of the listings on key search terms.

Inspired by your energy and enthusiasm, we desire to graphically share how your approach defies convention. We design new logos, create new identity packages, develop advertising and a new positioning line.

The new identity is launched with a brand story and becomes an internationally recognized icon that resonates.

All brand communications, from business cards to letterhead to website to merchandise, are represented in a comprehensive graphic standards manual.

In the alley

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:13:00 +0000

True story.

Apparently.

Rob was in the alley behind work. In the alley you can be 'real'. It's not like the sidewalk. There, you have your persona, your mask. You're civilized. But in the alley, you can be you. You can be 'real'.

Rob was in the alley behind work, being real. In the alley was a bag man, with bags. About three bags, big bags, bags filled with cans and bottles.

The bag man was in the alley. He was being 'real'. He had put his bags down. Three big bags of cans.

The bag man was in the alley, being 'real'. He had put his bags down, and now he was texting.

Welcome to Vancouver.

Reading: the kobo ereader experience

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:30:00 +0000

For the last year or so I've been jotting down what book I'm reading. Usually I send it as a tweet, and then, when I collate the Aphorisms, I can relive that book, however briefly.

In mid-September I bought a Kobo. It was cheap. It came with 100 books already on it. It could read pdfs. I thought I'd give it a try.

I haven't been to the library since.

I mostly use it on the commute, or at night before going to bed. It's light and small. I can hold it with two fingers. And yet the screen is as big as a paperback page, which is more than adequate.

Image via WikipediaIt's biggest advantage for me, though, is that it holds so many books. Instead of being committed to one or maybe two books at a time, now I can juggle many more, plus the pdfs I read for work. I find around five books to be comfortable: a comedy, some short texts (ie Aesop), a heavy piece, and a lighter work or two of fiction. Something for every mood.

The pdfs have been a bit of a disappointment. Most are created to be printed (and read) on a letter-sized medium, and despite the ability to zoom and rotate, it still feels awkward. Still, it's convenient not to print out the various papers and documentation I have to read.

Something I haven't been able to try is the newspaper and magazine subscriptions. I have to wait for a firmware update, but I'm looking forward to what that experience will be like.

Here is the list of the books I read from September to the beginning of November (alphabetically, by title):

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle
Aesop's Fables
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Beowulf
Book of Nonsense, by Edward Lear
Confessions of an English Opium Eater, by Thomas de Quincey
Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War, by Sallust
Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon
The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Island of Doctor Moreau, by H.G. Wells
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Secret Agent, by Joseph Conrad
Sh*t my Dad Says, by Justin Halpern
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, by David Sedaris
Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll
The Winning of Canada: A Chronicle, by William Henry

That seems like quite a bit for about two months, but some of them were quick reads. Note all the Sherlock Holmes, which I would never have read except they came with the Kobo. I enjoyed them thoroughly, though, especially the references to Holmes cocaine habit, and how many newspapers they read (several a day!).

I bought two books: Squirrel Meets Chipmunk, which is a series of Aesop-like tales, but with dark, dark morals; and Sh*t My Dad Says, which is hilarious.

Unfortunately, I can't share these books, as I normally would have, because they're tied to the reader. That's a real drag, because I'm not going to lend my Kobo. I need it myself.

The problem with Job

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 20:08:00 +0000

The problem with Job is he is rewarded at the end.

He gets new wives, a new (or several new) family and becomes wealthier than before.

Wouldn't it be better if God tells him these things don't matter in the end? Wouldn't it be a better lesson that we can lose our property or our family without compensation?

Shouldn't it be enough to believe or be content wherever and however you are?

Image via Wikipedia

In fact, a better Job than Job may be Croesus, the king of Lydia and a very devout and superstitious man. After getting advice from the Oracle and Delphi he invaded Persia and was defeated. He then became Cyrus' slave and advisor. However, instead of moaning on a dung heap Croesus helps out Cyrus to the best of his ability, at least according to Herodotus.

Croesus also holds the gods accountable for his defeat, donating his fetters to the Delphic Oracle and asking for an explanation. The gods, through the priestesses, give a more satisfactory answer than God gives Job. Croesus accepts these explanations, although what else can he do, and we learn about the wheel of fortune.

Three miscellanious memories

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:06:00 +0000

One:

The man on the Skytrain was suntanned, relaxed, poised, standing. Shorts. Sandals Polo shirt - black. He had a shaved head and tribal tattoos on his face. All over his face.

It certainly was compelling.

Two:

Later, a clean-shaven fireman from Burnaby -- slick in clean polyester and new practical work shoes -- helped the ancient old lady on and off the Skytrain.

Three:

Now, in the warm early evening, 6 pm exactly, I'm killing time while I water plants, but not thoroughly. About five or ten minutes on each section. Another ten minutes and then I'll go, carrying my work bag (black, handle starting to go) and the extension cord I forgot on Saturday.

The poor man's macro

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:54:00 +0000

The technique is to take your regular lens (in this case a fixed 50mm), turn it around and hold it by hand to the camera body. Yeah, crazy.

Focusing is almost impossible. The depth of field must be about 1 millimeter. On top of all this, on my camera I don't have the diopter properly set up, or maybe my glasses are a little off --or something. Whatever I try to put into focus never turns out that way.

The trick for me is to put the subject on an angle so something, anything, has to be in focus. The brain, not realizing it's almost entirely chance that that piece is in focus assumes that must be the important bit.

Et, voila, near-instant macros!

Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:49:00 +0000

From: D
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 2:15 PM
To: C
Subject: Strawberries

Hey, you didn’t pick up your strawberries.

From: C
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:03:58 -0700
To: D
Conversation: Strawberries
Subject: RE: Strawberries

Hey, I haven't been in since Monday. Will they last until tomorow?

c

p.s. Thanks!

From: D
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 4:07 PM
To: C
Subject: Re: Strawberries

It’s the plants. I think they’ll last, they’re pretty hardy. Except last
time, but now I know better.

-d
PS MP dummy is happening Monday apparently.

From: C
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:23:10 -0700
To: Don Schuetze
Conversation: Strawberries
Subject: RE: Strawberries

Yay for the plants. Thanks. I tried to grow some from seed this year and I
got 1 really good strawberry and a few not so good - this from 20 plants. I
have higher hopes for the wild ones.

I just emailed P and B about the dummy. I was planning (hoping) to
work on it tomorrow night.

From: D
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 4:27 PM
To: C
Subject: Re: Strawberries

My experience is it takes a few years for a strawberry plant to start
producing decent amounts - both wild and domesticated.

I haven’t tried any GMO strawberry plants though. Perhaps those have a

faster maturation date, especially if they’re crossed with rabbits or guinea
pigs. Of course, the side effect may be a peach-like fuzz, but if you can
get plants to produce quickly and profusely, then I’m sure peeling a pelt
off the fruit is of small consequence.

-d

From: C
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:42:36 -0700
To: D
Conversation: Strawberries
Subject: RE: Strawberries

I doubt they'd cross strawberries with rabbits or guinea pigs. The protein
would be quite low quality plus, no omega 3s. It would make more sense to
cross with fish, say salmon or halibut. Quick growing, better protein and no
fur. I believe they can modify the scales to be edible and odourless. Sounds
win win to me.

From: D
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 5:01 PM
To: C
Subject: Re: Strawberries

That’s intriguing, but salmon take four years to mature, don’t they? And
they’re only good for one run. Maybe oolichan are a better bet. They come in
swarms and are loaded with excellent oils (if you’ve never had oolichan you
have no idea how repulsive this is).

However, if I sit back and think of the descriptive words I’d like to apply
to strawberries I come up with phrases (besides the obvious 'delicious’)
like 'juicy’, 'succulent’ and perhaps even 'meaty’. That sounds like a
quality steak to me.

I think we should mix rabbits with cows, and apply the resulting abomination
to strawberries for the best and biggest strawberries ever! As an added
bonus, they could fertilize the ground and generations of drunken teenagers
can try tipping them over in the middle of the night.

-d

From: C
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:24:23 -0700
To: D
Conversation: Strawberries
Subject: RE: Strawberries

I've never even heard of oolichan before so I had to look them up. All that good fat is a bonus for sure but I'll have to take your word on their repulsiveness. Great ops for names, though.

I also like your idea of the rabbit/cow/strawberry mix. Hey, we have beefsteak tomatoes. Why not strawberries? Unfortunately, now I'm envisioning huge brown, odiferous berries. Not too appetizing. Hey, do they still make that red dye #2?

From: D
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:41:10 -0700
To: C
Conversation: Strawberries
Subject: Re: Strawberries

I think they still use red dye #2 to make strawberry blondes.

Aphorisms from tweets, volume 23

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:56:00 +0000

The Tyee – Facebook Follies: The New Crowd-Sourced Lit - http://goo.gl/ptrj - Amazing article on how “online confessionals” can become art.

Tue Aug 31 2010 06:30:27 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Battery etymology: from assault to bombardment to electrical batteries (perhaps via ‘discharge’) http://is.gd/eGzXd
Fri Aug 27 2010 04:53:27 (Pacific Daylight Time)

I wish I had brought my bird book.
Thu Aug 26 2010 18:47:43 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Garbage Truck Driver Accidentally Picks Up Hobo http://t.co/387IfYy
Thu Aug 26 2010 18:21:15 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Periodic Table of Typefaces http://post.ly/tqxE
Thu Aug 26 2010 04:31:40 (Pacific Daylight Time)

The oil industry is hot in SE Saskatchewan. Companies buy blocks of hotel rooms. That’s why I ended up in Stoughton.
Mon Aug 23 2010 18:57:40 (Pacific Daylight Time)

back in Saskatchewan, this time Stoughton and Estevan
Sun Aug 22 2010 16:17:06 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Bears guarded B.C. grow-op: RCMP http://t.co/JUbHdUk
Tue Aug 17 2010 22:15:32 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Picked up apples and cut out the worms and scabs. There’s enough left for at least two apple crisps.
Sun Aug 15 2010 19:13:35 (Pacific Daylight Time)

How truthful was Odysseus? http://goo.gl/fb/9yC1y
Sat Aug 14 2010 09:34:48 (Pacific Daylight Time)

What A Robot Needs http://post.ly/rn3w
Sat Aug 14 2010 06:35:08 (Pacific Daylight Time)

The child sounded like a seagull
Fri Aug 13 2010 21:49:52 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Your fears erased here. Daily. http://post.ly/qp2h
Sun Aug 08 2010 10:37:08 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Lots of Olympic souvenirs left, 5 months later: http://is.gd/e7URp
Sat Aug 07 2010 14:58:53 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Poco Shuts Down Lemonade Stand http://bit.ly/cMnhlP
Sat Aug 07 2010 14:56:55 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Homeless Voyeurism in re:place Magazine: http://is.gd/e61fG
Fri Aug 06 2010 06:55:17 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Funny t-shirt: “this was supposed to be the future” http://post.ly/qTCD
Thu Aug 05 2010 21:43:14 (Pacific Daylight Time)

KLIM can discovered in a secret garbage dump http://post.ly/plB6
Sun Aug 01 2010 12:19:03 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading: Xenophon by J.K. Anderson - a thematic biography of the early Greek historian (follows Thucydides)
Sun Aug 01 2010 03:09:21 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Aphorisms from tweets, volume 22

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:55:00 +0000

Reading: Travels with Herodotus, by Ryszard Kapuscinski. Memoirs and observations of a Polish reporter during the cold war.
Wed Jul 21 2010 06:40:51 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Well, that was tiring. Summer!
Sat Jul 17 2010 12:56:29 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Which Dystopian Future Is Right For You?: http://is.gd/dukh2
Fri Jul 16 2010 07:04:36 (Pacific Daylight Time)

map of the universe: ancient hebrew http://post.ly/n9NM
Wed Jul 14 2010 06:30:15 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Just read: “It’s Greek to Me! Brush up on your classics” by Michael Macrone, a compendium of phrases that can be traced to the ancients
Fri Jul 09 2010 21:42:23 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Candwich -- The Canned Sandwich http://bit.ly/91GkBV
Fri Jul 09 2010 21:33:23 (Pacific Daylight Time)

The calendar as a wheel http://post.ly/mM34
Thu Jul 08 2010 05:32:41 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Orange, Green + Yellow on Commercial Drive (World Cup)
Fri Jul 02 2010 09:08:46 (Pacific Daylight Time)

July 1st – Canada Day Party #NewWest Farmers’ Market (RCFM) http://bit.ly/brcyq2 - Dixieland band!
Mon Jun 28 2010 06:44:02 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading: Click by Bill Tancer. “This is interesting,” I thought. It took about a chapter before I realized I’ve read this book before.
Sat Jun 26 2010 22:18:27 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Ball cap slogan du jour: “I (heart) zombies
Fri Jun 25 2010 08:07:21 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading: The Battle for Gaul, by Julius Caesar. A common way of ensuring peace at the time was to take hostages.
Thu Jun 17 2010 06:52:15 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Most used phrase at IABC course: “drink the kool-aid”
Mon Jun 14 2010 10:36:27 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Write Your Name in Different languages and scripts: http://is.gd/cFUvw
Mon Jun 07 2010 07:12:46 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Melting Ice Caps Expose Hundreds Of Secret Arctic Lairs - http://onion.com/bLUmzv - It doesn’t mention the fortress of solitude...
Tue Jun 01 2010 05:41:10 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Water Footprint: Metro Vancouver http://bit.ly/bZOz1O - 25 litres for a potato!
Tue Jun 01 2010 05:36:15 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Aphorisms from tweets, volume 21

noreply@blogger.com (waferboard) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:54:00 +0000

shatner does “rocket man”. Yes, it’s as good as you’d expect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQwXOCKNLY
Sat May 29 2010 19:07:28 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Apparently (I learned this from a trip to North Battleford, Sask), the “rebellion” of 1885 is now referred to as the “resistance”.
Sat May 29 2010 15:41:21 (Pacific Daylight Time)

James Peters’ photos from the war of 1885 (where they got Riel) were the first photos taken under fire. “The empty battlefield”
Sat May 29 2010 15:40:17 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading (and looking at): Circumstances Alter Photographs, Captain James Peters’ Reports from the War of 1885, by Michael Barnholden.
Sat May 29 2010 15:38:55 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Spent the afternoon lazily playing board games outside with the boy.
Sat May 15 2010 20:51:08 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading: Merchant Kings: When Companies Ruled the World, by Stephen Bown. Covers 1600-1900, a mere trifle.
Mon May 10 2010 21:37:53 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Just read: Conquistadors by Michael Wood -- breezy narratives following Cortes, Pizzaro, Orellana and de Vaca.
Mon May 10 2010 21:35:29 (Pacific Daylight Time)

CBC News - Technology & Science - New genome shows Neanderthal trace in humans: http://bit.ly/bSeCFN
Fri May 07 2010 06:39:08 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Micro magazines and a future of media http://bit.ly/aSdlSv -- I came up with the name micro magazines for a similar idea too. Honest.
Thu May 06 2010 06:58:36 (Pacific Daylight Time)

CBC News - British Columbia - 1st grey whale in 100 years spotted in Howe Sound: http://bit.ly/bPRE4B
Tue May 04 2010 06:48:42 (Pacific Daylight Time)

I couldn’t see any rudbeckia at the #NewWest plant sale. So sad. I had forgotten my glasses though, so maybe I missed them. It was busy.
Sun May 02 2010 14:25:20 (Pacific Daylight Time)

There’s a new pedestrian overpass over McBride, built by Onni “for the people of New Westminster” #NewWest. Not yet open.
Sun May 02 2010 11:25:53 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Lost and Found: Soviet Lunar Rover: http://shar.es/m5Jur -- It looks rather steam-punk
Wed Apr 28 2010 06:58:00 (Pacific Daylight Time) via ShareThis.com

The rain is pulling all the cherry petals off the trees.
Sat Apr 24 2010 11:19:08 (Pacific Daylight Time)

They’re renovating the Royal Tower Hotel. North side: you can see the tiles where there was once a roof-top pool. 6’6” to 9’ deep!#NewWest
Sat Apr 24 2010 11:17:49 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Bernoulli: “The value of an item must not be based on its price, but rather on the utility it yields.”
Wed Apr 21 2010 21:05:46 (Pacific Daylight Time)

North Battleford http://goo.gl/fb/thcat
Tue Apr 20 2010 07:13:56 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Reading: Abarat Days of Magic, Nights of War, by Clive Barker. The illustrations really make this. It’s almost a graphic novel.
Sun Apr 18 2010 19:27:00 (Pacific Daylight Time)

POSTDICTIVE, retrodiction: predicting known, but past events http://post.ly/a2pu
Tue Apr 13 2010 03:07:06 (Pacific Daylight Time)

The Growing Size of Jesus’ Last Supper. It’s been super-sized. http://bit.ly/9ooROr
Tue Apr 13 2010 02:50:20 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Don’t Mess with Third Graders. Pluto is still a planet. http://bit.ly/9b2Wby
Tue Apr 13 2010 02:48:50 (Pacific Daylight Time)

North Battleford, Saskatchewan is unbelievably quiet.
Tue Apr 13 2010 02:01:00 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Flash Gordon I http://goo.gl/fb/SkNNS
Sat Apr 10 2010 15:31:11 (Pacific Daylight Time)

The idea is “wikipediazation” of the news: instead of ‘stories’ think ‘topics’ that can be continuously updated. http://icio.us/zovpqy
Fri Apr 09 2010 06:25:33 (Pacific Daylight Time)

Full atom-power ahead!
Sun Apr 04 2010 10:41:31 (Pacific Daylight Time)