Like

Now THIS is legroom!
In coach class, no less.

Ice Ice Baby

This shot needs a couple players, a Zebra dropping a puck and a cephlapod carcass.
Otherwise it's some rather nice ice.

On The Road Again...

Off to Hockeytown!
(Beware the Octopus!)
TBG

Addition to the Blogroll

Look over there to your left- you'll find a new entry on the blogroll.
Take a wander over to North and see the fun stuff he has at his site...

You could even add him to your RSS reader...

(I particularly like the Wednesday's Whiteboard of Wisdom.)

Welcome aboard North.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Think Carefully Before You Give An Answer...

Overheard up in the press level today...

Epic Beard Tech: "You want these five cables labeled?"
Yours Truly: "Sure."
EBT: "Ok... How do you want them labeled?"

Geez, do I need to define every little detail?

YT: "I don't really care, just make sure they're labeled."
EBT: "Okay! Here're your feeds... π, cake, buick, cheese, giraffe..."

Oy veyz!

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

You're The Reason We Can't Have Nice Things, Hipster.

Dumbassery on parade, Phoenix edition.

Yours truly, standing in line behind two hipsters at Tulley's Coffee in Glendale AZ.
7:20AM on Monday morning.
I will spare you the complete description of this pair, but imagine the $50 black t-shirt, black framed glasses with tiny lenses, too much hair product, and effete whispery voices...

Hipster 1: "...But the Rethuglicans will never pass the new jobs bill, no matter what Obama does to make it good for them."

(YT's ears perk up. This is going to be rich.)

Hipster 2: "Fuggin' a-holes. I'm never going to be able to get a job."

H1:"You've got a job. It's just not a job you like."
H2:"Yeah, but it the jobs bill passes, I might be able to get a job in my field."
(Oh, I have just GOT to pursue this...)
YT: "Pardon me for intruding, but I just HAVE to know... What exactly is 'your field'?"
H1: (laughs)
H2: "What are *you* laughing at? I happen have a degree in First Nations Art studies."

Really? First Nations Art Studies?

And you wonder why you can't get a job in your "field"?
AND you think Stimulus II WILL enable you to get a job in said field?
AND you think it's the Republicans fault that you are unemployable in your field.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Mr. Og's Bladed Tool Survey

"If all the other cool kids were driving their 'blogs off a cliff would you drive yours off the cliff too?"
But of course!

So Og issued a challenge of sorts this fine morning...

"Take the knife out of your pocket and take a picture of it, and post it. Or post a picture of the same knife from a brochure or whatever."

And when The Neaderpundit throws down, all the cool kids respond...
Joanna, JayG, Pissed, North, Marko and Breda all put theirs up...
(Although Pissed's offering shows the effects of his time served on The Short Schoolbus.)

I'm not necessarily one of the cool kids, but I can emulate them...

I picked up a CRKT Pazoda from Fry's Electronics several months back when I lost (yet another) utility pocket folder to the TSA.
(Yes, my fault for not remembering it was in the pocket of my backpack.)

It's got a sharp blade, serrations where they are needed, a good bladelock, and is easy to open and close one-handed...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Talk Like A Pirate, if you have the opportunity, time and energy.

I'm too damn tired to muster up an "Arrgh" or an "Avast" for today's celebration...
I can, however, throw a couple traditional illustrations of perpetrators of war-like acts of robbery and other criminal action upon the high seas thusly:
Avast, ye scurvy dogs... Heh.

And one can't ignore a recent favorite...
Stranger Tides, indeed.

It seems like International Talk Like A Pirate Day is much more popular than the analogous Keep Silent Like A Ninja Day practiced by the Ninjas R Better Than Pirates crowd.

Know why? Listen to your Uncle Jay- he wouldn't kid ya.

How many girls do you know that dress up like Ninja Wenches on Halloween? (The empty bottle of Capt. Morgan is a nice touch...)
Damned few, I'm telling ya.
Go practice your Google-fu and let me know what you find.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Advancements in Health and Fashion

Dr. Calvin Rickson, a scientist from the University of Florida has invented a bra that keeps women's breasts from jiggling, bouncing up and down, and prevents the nipples from pushing through the fabric when cold weather sets in.


At a news conference, after announcing the invention, a large group of men took Dr. Rickson outside and kicked the shit out of him.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Music Interlude The Ghost of Stephen Foster

A tasty ditty from Squirrel Nut Zippers...



"Met the Ghost of Stephen Foster at the Hotel Paradise
This is what I told him as I gazed into his eyes:
Ships were made for sinking,
Whiskey made for drinking,
If we were made of cellophane, we'd all get stinking drunk quite faster."

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Booze

I caught this on my RSS reader this morning and it rang so true-

So very many of my best stories start with "We were drinking pretty heavily and..."

Not so often with "I was having a great Cobb salad when..."

(Astute Constant Readers will begin "Tossing Salad" jokes in 3...2... )

H/T to PISSED at the Feral Irishman who speaks sooth...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Overheard in the Arena - Dissing the Tech Staff edition.

Yours Truly: "Shouldn't we get building IT involved with this?"

Arena Guy: "IT? Are you kidding?"

YT: "No, seriously. Wouldn't they be able to help?"

AG: "Nope. The best way I could explain it is that 'IT' it the last two letters in the word 'SHIT'.

YT: "Ok. Not calling IT then... Who shall we call, the Bank of America?"

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Signs of the Crapocalypse

Think before making irrevocable decisions.



TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Day 65...or 103, depending on how you figure it...

Just keep smiling and doing your job...
We promise, we'll let you go home soon...
TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Another Day, Another Arena

The scene of much angst on my part...




TBG - on the Left Coast

Hello, Security?...

Hi, we're from The League, and we're here to fix your system...
TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

DTW, 9/11/11

Curb to Departure Gate time: 1:07
They're pulling out all the stops this morning. Everyone gets Nude-o-scope scanned, everyone gets a palm swab & scan, they even have a team of TSA dogs on station at the checkpoint...but I'll be damned if I can figure out how they trained them to sniff out toenail clippers and bottled water.

Bright spot of the day: the Nice Delta Lady didn't charge me an extra $90 (on top of the $35 I already paid) for my bag being overweight.
NDL:"Your bag is 56lbs...That's too much. Can you move something to your other bag?"
TBG: "Sugar, I've been on the road since May. I quit playing 'missionaries & cannibals' with my luggage about 6 weeks ago. Charge me."
I've moved shoes and tools around too many times to keep under the 50lb limit. I'm over it.
I think it was just expediency (and she was either too guilty to charge me $90 for 6lbs, or she was just too lazy to for the paperwork...)
I *know* it wasn't my charm and dashing good looks.
Regardless...
Now if I can just get a seat change...
5 hours in 43C will suck if I can't finagle a bulkhead or emergency row.

TBG - Day...hell, I don't know, 60-something?
(edit to add link. Really GR? You couldn't google it yourself, you had to send an email?)

Laboring On Labor Day Weekend

Sunday AM: Air Canada Center Centre
(I wish the darned Canucki would learn to spell.)

Day Three and a half in Toronto...Day 54 since I've been home, and day 82.5 of this project.

Woo hoo.

I'm needing some musical attitude adjustment.

The Perfect Child turned me on to this one, and it's perfect for the way I'm feeling today...
(The PC is probably quite pleased with the USF win over Notre Dame yesterday...
Even if it did require Divine Intervention to get it done.)

Zac Brown Band - Knee Deep
(Feat. Jimmy Buffett)

Gonna put the world away for a minute
Pretend I don't live in it
Sunshine gonna wash my blues away
Had sweet love but I lost it
She got too close so I fought it
Now I'm lost in the world tryin to find me a better way

Wishin' I was
Knee deep in the water somewhere
got the blue sky, breeze and it don't seem fair
the only worry in the world
is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise, there's a fire in the sky
never been so happy
never felt so high
and I think I might've found me my own kind of paradise

Wrote a note, said "Be back in a minute"
Bought a boat and I sailed off in it
Don't think anybody's gonna miss me anyway
Mind on a permanent vacation
The ocean is my only medication
Wishin' my condition ain't ever gonna go away

Now I'm knee deep in the water somewhere
Got the blue sky breeze blowin' wind thru my hair
Only worry in the world
is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise, there's a fire in the sky
never been so happy
never felt so high
and I think I might've found me my own kind of paradise

This champagne shore washin' over me
It's a sweet sweet life livin' by the salty sea
One day you can be as lost as me
Change your geography and maybe you might be

Knee deep in the water somewhere
got the blue sky breeze blowin' wind thru my hair
only worry in the world
is the tide gonna reach my chair
Sunrise, there's a fire in the sky
never been so happy
never felt so high
and I think I might've found me my own kind of paradise

Come on in
the waters nice
find yourself a little slice
grab a bag
pack it light you'll never know until you try
when you lose yourself
you find the key to paradise

TBG - ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Boston Bruins - Love the Bear

The bear is the best...
I was thinking about trying out for the part; I have the right attitude, but I don't have the right accent.



TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Things You Don't Want to Hear

Overheard at Second Cup @ 6:20 AM Saturday (coffee shop on Bay St.)
Two girls still in Friday Night Out garb having coffee and splitting a muffin.
TBG is minding his business, reading the Globe and Mail.
(By the way, Les Perreaux: Fuck you, motherfucker. Take your pity elsewhere.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Girl 1: "...your boss says 'We need to talk'."

Girl 2: "Ha. Your boyfriend says 'We need to talk.'; The boss says 'Come to my office.'"

G1: "Right. Or worse- 'Are you busy?'"

G2: "How about- 'Do you know how fast you were going?'"

G1: "This is Mr. So-and-So from BMO calling about your account..."

G2: "Oooo. I hate that. -How about this- Your mom, crying in the bathroom."

G1: "Yeah. How about your boyfriend crying in the bathroom."

G2: "Mine usually cries in the bedroom."

G1 & G2 Laughing...

Then the realized I was listening to them...

TBG: "Know what creeps a guy out? When a girl starts a sentence with: 'My old boyfriend used to...'"

G2: "I think the worst thing would probably be 'Honey, I'm late.'"

G1: "Then the girl usually hears 'We need to talk.'"


Canadian Girls: Scary from the word go.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Spider of Damocles - Part 2

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Departing DIA - Standing Ovation

I was already in a foul mood.

Checked out of the hotel at 4:30am, headed for DIA and all the fun of an international departure.

Gassed up and dumped the car, got the shuttle to the terminal, got checked in with minimal effort, even got a bulkhead seat. Woo hoo.

Elapsed time- 2 hours.

Really, Denver? 2 Hours?


Now the fun begins- the TSA Checkpoint @ DIA has always been bad for me, hence the "arrive early as possible" policy for departures from Denver.



So- 6:40am and I'm in line to clear security for a 9:00 am flight.

And the line is loooong.
And since I've been flopped about on so many different airlines I haven't hit any milestones in the Frequent Flyer hierarchy, so I'm standing in line with the hoipolloi.
The only positive thing is they have the Family Lanes and Expert Traveler Lanes once you pass the first mouth-breather that checks your ID, so in theory things should be smoother.

And wouldn't you know, the couple-traveling-with-two-screaming-infants jump into the Expert Traveler line, one person in front of me.
"What's wrong with people? Can't they read the signs?" I said, just loud enough for the woman (business traveler) in front of me to hear... She rolled her eyes.
"You'd think the TSA would help direct these people to keep the flow moving."

You're asking alot honey, that would require a TSA mindset that actually wanted to HELP people, not make them miserable.

Screw it- I'm not in the mood to ruin their day...yet.
And the line is moving slow anyway...

Why is the line moving so slow?


Because it's coming up on 7AM, opening time for all the shops and kiosks in DIA, and all the day workers are jumping to the front of the line to get to work.

You've got to be shitting me, guys... Like five shoeshine guys troop to the front of the line, throw down  the plastic pie plate with their pocket junk and breeze through without even an "pardon me" or a "fare thee well".

You know how you always think of the perfect response, quip, cutting remark or I-shoulda about 10 minutes after the fact? Well, I was trying to be proactive- coming up with a plan of action for when I was up at the front of the line and one of these little bastards tried jump the queue...

Adding insult to injury, the literacy-challenged mom-pop-and-two-screamers are having issues getting all their crap squared away and into bins for the X-Ray...
While they struggle, more cashiers and cleaning staff jam their way past the granola munchers and Precious Snowflake 1 & 2.

And my Irritation Index is peaking.

And I know exactly what I will be saying and doing should someone throw down a bin in front of me and try to cut me off. I've had ten minutes to come up with a plan, and I have one that will probably work and not get me thrown in the DIA TSA holding tank...

Mom and dad and the yardapes finally make it past and are into their secondary screening - TSA Idjits are pawing through their diaper bags and inspecting all the flotsam and jetsam that accompany Travel With Kids, including mom's breast pump. Lovely.

Business Lady is next and as she pushes her bag and shoe bin into the XRay, a 5'0" Hispanic dude with a cleaning company t-shirt logo plops down a bin with his shoes and crap in front of my bag and stands behind Business Lady.

Bullshit, motherfucker.

I took his bin and placed it on the floor and slid it back down the line about 10' with my foot. The several other people in the Expert Traveler line looked at it and smiled...

The dude looked at me like like I'd sprouted horns and a tail....

He looked at the TSA guard at the metal detector- looking for diving intervention.
TSA Guy shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't getting involved.


"I'm allowed! You can't..." Queue Jumper sputtered.

"Wrong. I can. And I did.
And if you think you can just jump in here and inconvenience me without even being the least bit polite about it, I don't feel like I need to be the least bit polite either. I don't care if you DO work here, you should at least TRY to act civilized and ask permission or at least say 'excuse me'."

Two guys behind me gave me a thumbs up and a "Yeah, you tell 'em." and a couple further back started clapping, which spread through the line quickly. Both my line and the one next to mine- everyone that had been seeing the parade of day labor waltz through the checkpoint was clapping and hooting at the Queue Jumper.

I turned back around- slid my stuff into the XRay and TSA Guy waved me through as he tried to keep from laughing out loud.
The TSA Girl behind the XRay was laughing and shaking her head...
"That was beautiful." she said as she passed my bag through.

I never even looked back to see what happened to Queue Jumper. The other guys in line behind me came through laughing.
"That was awesome. I wish I'd had my phone out to catch that on video." one guys said.
I got several smiles and thumbs up as I was repacking my bag and putting my shoes on... I even got an encouraging word from the TSA guys.
"They are supposed to ask before jumping to the front of the line, but people don't usually call them on it."

The rest of the trip was a smooth downhill glide after that; I even sailed through Customs in Toronto like a breeze... I should have gone and bought a lottery ticket.

Of course, I remember the last time I was in Toronto...

Seeing the CN tower brings back some memories...


Yeah, I knew there was a reason I like Toronto.


TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Lies & the Truths Behind Them

(yeah, you just keep believing that shit...)

































by Justin Barber- NOT Beiber 

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

The OnesDay Meme - 8/31 Edition

Obama goes to a primary school to talk to the kids to get a little PR.
After his talk he offers question time.



One little boy puts up his hand and Obama asks him his name.

"Walter," responds the little boy.

"And what is your question, Walter?

"I have 4 questions:
First, why did the USA Bomb Libya without the support of the Congress?
Second, why do you keep saying you fixed the economy when it's actually worse?
Third, why did you say that Jeremiah Wright was your mentor, then said that you knew nothing about his preachings and beliefs?
Fourth, why are we letting Brazil drill for oil in the Gulf, but we aren't allowed to?"

Just then, the bell rings for recess. Obama informs the kiddies that they will continue after recess.

When they resume Obama says, "OK, where were we? Oh, that's right: question time.. Who has a question?"

Another little boy puts up his hand. Obama points him out and asks him his name.

"Steve," he responds.

"And what is your question, Steve?"

"Actually, I have 6 questions.

First, why did the USA Bomb Libya without the support of the Congress?
Second, why do you keep saying you fixed the economy when it's actually worse?
Third, why did you say that Jeremiah Wright was your mentor, then said that you knew nothing about his preachings and beliefs?
Fourth, why are we letting Brazil drill for oil, but we aren't allowed to?
Fifth, why did the recess bell go off 20 minutes early?

And sixth, what the HELL happened to Walter?"

(shamelessly stolen from my man Scott) TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Quote of the Day - Body Cavity Search on Aisle 3 Edition

People what knows The Big Guy are aware that I have a limited number of comments, jests and japes that I am willing to use at an airport, TSA gropestation or Customs checkpoint...

And by-and-large, most airport employees (gate attendants and ticket agents especially) hve either lost their sense of humor or just fail to bring theirs when they report for duty.

Which was why I was horrified and amused at the oh-so-funny comment from the girl at the bag drop counter in Calgary.

When she tried to heft my bag onto the cart, she wasn't able to lift it...

"Jeez- How much depleted uranium ya got in there?" she asked rather loudly.
Loud enough, in fact, to cause the guys at CATSA (the Canuckistan equivalent of the TSA) to all look over at me and start putting on fresh rubber gloves...

Thanks, Hon. 'Preciate it.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Quote of the Day - Canadian Fast Food Edition

Per Technician John-
"I think I found the perfect fast-food partnership...
Tim Hortons & Wendy's.
Just think: A large Frosty and a box of 40 Timbits."

That might be a little overkill, there, Skippy.


The name "Timbits" sounds a little creepy to me...
Especially given their shape and size...


Ew.

Yo! Mr. House! Please consider a name change to your tasty round confections so I don't sound like a perv when ordering them.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Books, I read 'em.

The NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy novels with the ones I have read in bold: 

(Been trying to avoid this 'cause I'm busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest...  But here we go... )


1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams (All 4 books in the trilogy) 
3. Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card (and sequel)
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin (Just started this series)
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke (including the sequels)
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey (All the Pern books.)
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny (I liked Roadmarks better)
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven (Again, all the sequels too)
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Gaaah. This was not what I expected)
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God’s Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard (all 30 or 40 books.)
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man’s War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel’s Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock (only 6 books of the series)
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer’s Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony (This dude was worse than Philip Jose Farmer when it came to finishing a story.)
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis 

Nerdly admission: I actually still own most of these books.

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Busy Busy

Been busier than a set of jumper cables at a family reunion in Mississippi, so blogging has been a bit light...
A few posts and observations have been building up...  

1. Food Options

One thing about spending many many non-event hours in arenas is that food options are somewhat limited.
If you don't want to break the work flow by leaving the building to get lunch, you have two options...
Either brown bag it, or... Machine Cuisine
Mmm. Stale Doritos. Yum.

2. Quote of the Week - Edmonton to Calgary edition.

The trip between Edmonton and Calgary has some really wide open spaces. JR: "Dan Craig described it like this- If your dog ran away on Monday, on Sunday you could still see him running." True dat.

3. Beverage of Choice

I'm not a beer drinker...
So when there's a dearth of Rum,
(Or like in Edmonton where it's $8 CAD for a Captain & Coke)
I do have options...
A nice cool glass of Johnny Jump Up...

I'll tell you a story that happened to me,
One day as I worked in Edmonton AB;
The sun it was bright and the day it was warm;
Says I a quiet pint wouldn't do me no harm.

I went in to a bar for a bottle of stout.'
Says the barkeep to me 'All the beer is sold out;
Try whiskey or brandy, ten years in the wood.'
Says I, 'I'll try cider, I've heard that it's good.'

[Chorus:]
Oh never, oh never, oh never again,
If I live to a hundred or a hundred and ten;
I fell to the ground and I couldn't get up,
After drinking a quart of that Johnny Jump Up!

4. Location is Everything

Where else would you expect to find Moriarty but in Sherlock Holmes' shadow?
Pretty creative bar names.

And last, and probably the most puzzling...

5. Damn, they've got some mean junkies in Calgary. 


a. That's a pretty stout container.
They have to make it hard to get at the goodies inside...

b. ...Because the Calgary junkies have no problem with stealing and using used needles, I guess.

c. Big container... Is that because they're using giant needles? Or is it a quantity thing?

d. This receptacle was outside the Saddledome and the Calgary Stampede grounds...
Lots of junkies at the hockey games and the rodeo?

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Earthquake Reaction

As with everything else that "unexpectedly" happens these days...
Just wait to see what kind of knee-jerk reactions, new procedures and
government-driven precautionary regulations get put in place due
to the earthquake...

TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

Location Location Location

Huh. So that's where they come from. Who knew?
TBG- ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE