Some Banjo Music.

Okay, likely not the kind of banjo music most people were expecting.  But hey, not everyone plays bluegrass on them.

Oh, Alanis.

More than once I've commented on the weird names people give their kids.  Given some of the names celebs give their kids it's no surprise normal people do the same.  For example Alanis Morrisette just had a son.  She and her husband named him Ever Imre  Not sure if that's supposed to be one name or his first and middle names.  I hope it's the latter, for his sake.

When I Rule The World 6.

When I rule the world the term "going commando" for not wearing any underwear will be banned.  For that matter I'll probably require people to wear underwear. 

Phony War.

If you're an American who has wondered if the "War on Christmas" idea has any play in Canada, now you know.  I came across this sign this morning on a local bus.  It's rather silly as far as I'm concerned.  Note that the first couple of lines are a slight variation on a classic phrase of Edmund Burke.  But really, not celebrating Christmas in a way acceptable to the sponsors of this sign is evil?  As is usually the case when I see someone use the phrase politcally incorrect without irony the feeling I get is the person in question wants the right to behave like a jerk.  They want their traditions respected, but are unwilling to do the same for others.

If they want to put "Christ back into Christmas" they should allow others to put paganism back into Christmas.  After all the Gospels don't actually give a date for Jesus' birth, since the writers apparently didn't think that this information was important. Instead later figures in Christianity adopted the date given its proximity to the Winter Solstice, which was celebrated by numerous cultures before Christianity. Many of the traditions we associate with the holiday also had existing roots.  When you think about it this was rather a clever move.  Not only would it appeal to possible converts by allowing them to continue celebrating a familiar cultural ritual, but it associated the birth of Jesus with the yearly birth of a new cycle in the depths of winter. 

Ironically many throughout the history of Christianity denounced the celebration of Christmas and/or its trappings like the Christmas tree.  It was even banned for a time in the United Kingdom and pre-revolutionary United States, and anti-Christmas beliefs persisted in much of the US afer the American Revolution.  Given that the US is the source for the "war on Christmas" idea this is especially amusing.

Casting Call: Julian Assange.

Given that we saw a big screen film about the guy behind Facebook of all things I'm sure we'll see a big screen Hollywood film about Wikileaks.  Reading an article about Julian Assange today in Forbes magazine a thought came to mind about who should play him in that film:  Neil Patrick Harris.  Harris looks close enough to Assange for Hollywood.  Whether he can do a convincing Australian accent is another question.

Gather Round The Tree.

Don't have a Christmas tree?  Feel free to spend some time around this one.  It's a humble one, and this photo really doesn't do it justice.

Enjoy the holidays, and try not to drink or eat too much.

Gas In Saskatoon, December 24, 2010.

The gas companies gave us an early present at mid-week.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 105.9 cents a ltre at most locations.

When I Rule The World 5.

When I rule the world I'll have to give myself an appropriately awesome name.  Supreme Commander?  His Great Munificence?  Ruler of the Universe?  Of course when you rule the world people are likely to refer to you as Giant Scumbag or something equally nasty if they can get away with it.

Good And Bad.

More than once I've come across an alcohol container lying by the road, in a park, or in some other public place.  But today was a first for me.  I came across a Kokanee beer can while riding the bus.  I doubt having booze on the bus is any more legal than having it in a private vehicle.  On the other hand it's better for someone to be drinking on a bus instead of drinking while they're behind the wheel.  And in case anyone is concerned the can was stuffed behind one of the rear seats, so it wasn't there because of a bus driver.

When I Rule The World 4.

When I rule the world the song "The Little Drummer Boy" will be banned.

The Holy Grail.

Another late night of playing poker on Pokerstars, and another unusual hand.  I'm playing a 25 cent sit and go, and with my chips getting very low about 15 minutes ago I went all in.  Fortunately I hit the ultimate poker hand, a Royal Flush.  In my case it was a hearts Royal Flush.  This is not a hand you're going to see very often.  Within the last 24 hours I had a 9 high straight flush in another tournament, although it  didn't keep me from getting knocked out short of making any money.  Funny how things go that way.

When Is Having Four Kings Not Good In Poker?

When you're playing Omaha Hi/lo and that's your starting hand.  I was playing a freeroll on Pokerstars last night and actually had that dealt to me.  I wonder what the odds of being dealt such a hand are in the real world.

Gas In Saskatoon, December 17, 2010.

The upward trend continues.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 107.9 cents a litre at most locations.  Will we see another rise before Christmas?  It wouldn't surprise me.

Remember This Song?

If you do it means you're getting old, friend.  Frankly I'm surprised I remember it given that the Canadian TV show it was associated with debuted when I was four.

Go Go Voyager 1!

How many electronic devices do you have that still work after 32 years of hard use?  For most of us the answer is not many if any.  But NASA can point to their Voyager spacecraft.  Launched back in 1977 the plucky probes are still providing valuable data.  Observations taken this year by Voyager 1 indicate that it has gone beyond the influence of the solar wind and is about to enter interstellar space.  Not bad for a spacecraft designed with late '60s-early '70s electronic technology.  It's now so far away from Earth that a signal from it takes 16 hours to reach Earth at the speed of light.  Hopefully it and its sister craft Voyager 2 will continue to operate for years to come.

Ugh.

It's because of computers that you can read what I write, and I can write and post it.  But when they have problems you want to tear your hair out.  Fortunately my recent computer problems were mainly just annoying, and I didn't lose any really important files.

Gas In Saskatoon, December 3, 2010

It's been a bit, but another period of stability has ended.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 104.9 cents a litre at most locations. 

What A Maroon.

Tom Flanagan has long been a fixture on the Canadian right.  I've never had much time for  him, and his latest comment doesn't help.  Last night he stated on a CBC News program that the Americans should assassinate troublesome Wikileaks head honcho Julian Assange.  He later retracted it.  But I wonder, is he trying to get the attention of Fox News?  That sounds like the kind of thing one of their pathetic pundits like Glenn Beck would say.  Somehow I doubt this will work as an audition, as I doubt they pay attention.