Don't Ask Me.

If you're looking for a loan, you'd best ask someone else.  I didn't win the gigantic Lotto 6/49 prize tonight.  I didn't even win ten bucks.  If you won it, congratulations.  And if you feel like giving me some of it, I sure won't say no.

Wanted: Sun.

If you've got any spare sunshine please send it here tomorrow.  The current forecast indicates we won't see any sun in Saskatoon until at least Tuesday.  Given the amount of snow around we want a slow melt, but not as slow as it's currently going.  It's really getting tiring given that it's almost mid April.

Gas In Saskatoon, April 12, 2013.

Another price drop to report.  The price of gas actually dropped on the weekend to 117.9 cents.  It then dropped again midweek. Gas in Saskatoon is now 114.9 cents a litre at most locations.

Big Money.

If you buy lottery tickets in Canada you may find the lines a bit long this week.  No  one won the main prize in Canada's national lottery, Lotto 6/49, last night.  So Saturday's prize will be a wopping 55 million, the largest in Canadian history.  Sure, that's not the monster the Powerball lottery in the US has reached, but that's still lots of money.  I'll take it.

 Amongst the throng of buyers I'm sure will be a few people who normally mutter about the lottery being a tax on the stupid, and so on.  Really big prizes tend to do that.

Of course the obvious question is how big the prize for the next draw will be if no one wins on Saturday....

Gas In Saskatoon, April 5, 2013.

After a period of stability we had a tiny drop.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 118.9 cents a litre at most locations.  Boy, that 1 cent reduction will sure save you a lot of money at the gas pup.

Not Cooked.

As I was riding the bus into downtown this morning I wondered when the Canada Geese might arrive.  The instant I did I saw a pair near  the University Bridge.  Given that this morning looked and felt more like mid November than the beginning of April I suspect they may be wishing they hadn't arrived here yet.  Crows have also begun arriving, but they'll probably have an easier time of it until the snow is gone given their scavenging habits. On the other hand, the hawk I've heard here in in the East College Park neighbourhood might have some trouble spotting prey, assuming it isn't still hiding under the snow.

My Pedestrian Dreams.

I should never take naps.  I always sleep longer than I should, and feel kind of off for a while after I get up.  But at least today's nap produced some always valuable REM sleep.  Unfortunately the resulting dream was so dull.  I dreamed I was on a new Saskatoon Transit bus.  A normal bus, no lasers, killer monsters on board, or anything to spice it up.  Just me sitting in the back of the bus.

I really need to get some excitement in my life.  It might make for better dreams.

It's Nice...

...getting paid, isn't it?  Good thing I have some money in my pocket, because my bank is likely closed tomorrow.

VAGINA!

Vagina.  If you're disturbed by this word, there's something wrong with you.

(Inspired by this.)

Rename?

The names we give things can be so interesting.  In English today's date on the Christian calender is called Good Friday.  When you think about it this is kind of an odd name, since today is the day Jesus was supposedly killed.  Wouldn't a more appropriate name be Evil Friday?  Or Murder Friday?  Of course since he supposedly died at the hands of Roman law enforcement perhaps the appropriate name should be Execution Friday.  For that matter Easter could be called Good Sunday, since that's when Jesus supposedly came back from the dead.

I Could Be A Boxing Judge.

Seriously, I could.  I couldn't be any worse than the judges at last night's boxing card in Chicago, as presented on ESPN's Friday Night Fights.  If you saw it, did you think the Kermit Cintron-Adrian Granados fight went Cintron's way, as one judge decided, or that it was a draw, as the second judge decided?  I sure didn't.  Or how about the other 10 rounder, featuring young fighter Donovan George against veteran Mexican fighter David Lopez, which had an identical split?  Again, not me.  So, if the powers that be in Illinois are reading this, I'd be perfectly wiling to fly out there and judge some fights for you.   I'm sure I'll do a better job.

Redundant.

One of the channels we get with our current cable package is Fight Network.  I find it amusing that they have disclaimers that the programming has scenes of violence, and that viewer discretion is advised.  Seems redundant to me.  If you didn't realise a channel called Fight Network, and programming such as the Glory kickboxing tournament I was watching last night, contains violence you probably shouldn't be watching TV.

Orange Boot.

Looking out the window this morning I spotted something I hadn't seen on our street before.  A van parked across the street had a parking boot on it.  It would seem the owner hasn't been paying his parking tickets.  It would be interesting to know how high the amount of unpaid tickets has to get before your vehicle will be booted.  The City of Saskatoon page on the subject doesn't indicate an amount, but the impression I get from past stories on the subject is that it has to be pretty high before they'll take action.  At least the vehicle is sitting in front of his home, cutting down on the problems he might have with it being in a busier location, or having had it booted while he's doing something important with it.

I've been lucky.  I can count the number of parking tickets I've had on one hand.  More importantly I've paid them promptly, which results in a discount on the fine and no worries about future problems.

Goodbye, Peter.

Original Yes guitarist Peter Banks has died.  He was 65, and apparently died of a heart attack.  Banks had played with Yes bassist Chris Squire in the bands The Syn and Mabel Greer's Toy Shop before the latter mutated into Yes, a name Banks came up with.  Although only supposed to be temporary the name stuck.  Banks appeared on the group''s self titled debut and the followup Time and a Word.  He and the rest of the band because increasingly at odds, and he was kicked out in 1970, to be replaced by Steve Howe.  Banks continued in the music business with the bands Flash and Empire during the '70s, along with several solo albums and various collaborations. 

In tribute, here is Yes's "Astral Traveller."

Very Slow Day.

It's just after 4 PM here, and I've had no hits.  Where is everyone?

Guess I need to write more, and write more interesting material.

When Will You Rise Up?

Serously. A bunch of you are in the process of once more kowtowing to the silliness that is Daylight Savings Time.  When are you going to stand up for yourselves and reject this horrible scheme?  And those of you here in Saskatchewan who want it introduced here, for shame!  We don't need this harmful, outmoded concept imposed on us.

Gas In Saskatoon, March 8, 2013.

Once more I'm proven not to be psychic.  Gas actually went down this week.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 119.9 cents a litre at most locations.

Zip!

It's almost midnight again.  The days seem to be going by very quickly lately for me.

Payment Due.

Dontcha hate it when some money you've been waiting for doesn't appear when you expect it?

Gas In Saskatoon, March 1, 2013.

Not much trouble reporting on gas prices this week.  They only went in one direction, up.  Gas in Saskatoon is now 121.9 cents a litre at most locations.  I suspect it's going to be a while before we see a price drop again.