Last week I was reminded how really lucky we are to live in a society with "freedom of the press". One of our local dailies trumpeted, "One year to go," while the other had another point of view: "365 days to go."
They were referring to the 2010 Winter Olympics, which true to Canadian form are going to leave those of us who voted against them in the first place, paying for them years to come. Not a word about that in the orgy of Olympic boosterism last week.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Lego at Science World
There's a new exhibit of Lego at Science World. Marc spent an hour just studying the city. He was much more interested in the intricacies of the city, than in the really big items that, frankly, weren't that impressive except for their size. After we checked out the rest of Science World and saw the Roving Mars Omnimax movie, we came back and looked at the city for another 45 minutes.
Winter Cycling Vancouver Style
I went for an hour ride last Monday, out to Port Moody along Hastings and the Barnet Highway. It was -7 C when I left and -4 C when I got back. I used to commute all winter in Ottawa, but I was wearing big winter boots in really loose toe straps, not clip-on racing shoes, and I had a coat the covered down to my crotch. Going out dressed like a racer at those temperatures, I need to put on some wind protection for my crotch, and wear booties even if it's dry.
To top it off, I had a flat. There's so much crud on the road, and I took one of those big staples in at the edge of the tread. At least I was in the sun, so I didn't freeze while changing the tire. Had it happened a few hundred metres later, I would have been in the shadow of Burnaby Mountain. As it was, I was warmer standing in the sun than riding. Obviously that's the effect of the wind when I'm riding.
Whinging aside, it was really nice to go out and just ride.
To top it off, I had a flat. There's so much crud on the road, and I took one of those big staples in at the edge of the tread. At least I was in the sun, so I didn't freeze while changing the tire. Had it happened a few hundred metres later, I would have been in the shadow of Burnaby Mountain. As it was, I was warmer standing in the sun than riding. Obviously that's the effect of the wind when I'm riding.
Whinging aside, it was really nice to go out and just ride.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Vancouver Snow
All our neighbours who have lived in Vancouver all their lives say they've never seen this much snow in Vancouver. Even the famous snowstorm of 1996 was like a 36-hour phenomena. Wednesday, December 17 was the start of the snow and it hasn't let up yet. And of course, Vancouver doesn't know how to deal with snow. Here are some pictures.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Funny Comment on the U.S. Elections
This is pretty funny: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/28/real-time-with-bill-maher-new-rules-look-beyond-the-candidates-skin-color/. Stick with it when it starts to look like it's going to say bad things about single mothers. The real point is about the privileged jerks that have delayed my retirement by several years due to their game playing with mortgages.
If you're watching the video, the political stuff starts at about 2:30.
If you're watching the video, the political stuff starts at about 2:30.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Camping in Manning Park
We went camping at Lightning Lakes Campground in Manning Provincial Park. The campground is five km off Highway 3 where the Manning Park Resort is. The campground is probably 1,300 m above sea level, so in late August it's getting really cold at night. I would guess that Saturday morning at 5:00 AM when I got up (thanks to the cat throwing up in the tent), it was probably only a few degrees above zero.
Marc did the learn to fish course. He was great at casting. The province runs learn to fish programs now because they're selling fewer fishing and hunting licenses every year. The argument (at least to people like me) is that someone who uses the outdoors will care for the outdoors. (I think there's lots of people in BC who use the outdoors -- they just don't do the same sports as the people who are currently BC Liberal MLAs.)
On the way home we walked through the Othello Tunnels, a sequence of tunnels in the Coquihalla Canyon. This stretch of railway cost three times as much per kilometre as the typical piece of track at the time. Of course it turned out to be too expensive to maintain the section what with rain storms and avalanches.
We had great weather, probably because we were east of the summit of the Coast Mountains range. As soon as we got down to Hope, the heavens opened. Angela commented that we always seem to drive through a deluge on our way back to Vancouver from the interior.
Marc did the learn to fish course. He was great at casting. The province runs learn to fish programs now because they're selling fewer fishing and hunting licenses every year. The argument (at least to people like me) is that someone who uses the outdoors will care for the outdoors. (I think there's lots of people in BC who use the outdoors -- they just don't do the same sports as the people who are currently BC Liberal MLAs.)
On the way home we walked through the Othello Tunnels, a sequence of tunnels in the Coquihalla Canyon. This stretch of railway cost three times as much per kilometre as the typical piece of track at the time. Of course it turned out to be too expensive to maintain the section what with rain storms and avalanches.
We had great weather, probably because we were east of the summit of the Coast Mountains range. As soon as we got down to Hope, the heavens opened. Angela commented that we always seem to drive through a deluge on our way back to Vancouver from the interior.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Science World with Benjamin
Marc and his friend Benjamin went to Science World today. Here are the pictures:
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