No More Buses for Me

Normally I like to keep my blog light-hearted, amusing and topical but today I’m afraid it will only be the last of the three with a little disturbing and mind-boggling thrown in.

If you’ve been anywhere near a newspaper or heard the news on TV or radio in the 24 hours or so then you’ve heard about this story that is making headlines around the world.

If you find yourself wondering why I bothered to write anything about this incident, this is just me trying to come to grips with what happened and convince myself that this really took place. I still can’t believe it.

The video below from CTV gives a fairly accurate description of what transpired so I won't rehash the details. If you don't know what happened, have a look at the video to bring yourself up to speed.

There are eyewitness accounts that say the attacker after decapitating the victim, carried the severed head to the front of the bus and dropped it on the ground in front of the witnesses. Am I crazy to be stunned by this. It shocks me to imagine and to realize that this is happening in Canada. I think that is probably what baffles me the most. I just can’t grasp that something like this could happen here.

This is a story that you know there has to be more to it. The attacker was either mentally disturbed or something happened to set him off. Nobody in their right mind would ever do such a thing.

One police Staff Sgt. was quoted as saying, “It’s not something that regularly happens on a bus.” Really?!?! No Shit Sherlock!! Especially in Canada!

I’m not trying to say that Canada is all rainbows and gumdrops and a place where crime doesn’t exist and evil people don’t dwell. Sadly we have our share of murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gangs, drug dealers and everything else you might find in other countries. It just isn’t always to that extreme.

This incident I would class as extreme. I’d also call it odd, weird, sick, disgusting, a waste and many other words to describe how horrible this is.

I try to imagine what it will be like for the family of the victim and how they will cope and come to terms with the loss of their loved one in such a horrendous, disturbing and senseless manner.

At this point there are so many questions yet to be answered; the biggest of which has to be “why?”

Lilly Pad On Water

Lilly Pad On Water
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

With the summer weather hit and miss this season I've had a tough time getting out to enjoy my photography hobby.

I did manage to pull off the side of the road at a local marsh last week. There was some light rain falling but I figured I wouldn't melt so I grabbed my Nikon and trudged through some of the reeds and tall grass to get near the water.

That's where I snapped this shot of a lonely Lilly Pad covered in raindrops and floating atop the still water.

I was quite pleased with how it came out. I manged to get a a few other shots from that day that you can check out on my flickr site if you like.

Clip of the Week - July 28/08

Time for another clip of the week.

There wasn't a whole lot to pick from this week. I guess it was a boring week.

I did manage to come across a quick clip showing a minor league baseball game brawl last week. This drives me crazy every time I see stuff like this.

People are always talking about fighting in hockey and how bad it is but when was the last time you saw a bench clearing brawl. They rarely happen in a hockey game at any level.

However, it doesn't matter at what level of play in baseball, a fight involves the benches clearing every time. Well, maybe this incident will finally bring about some changes...but I doubt it.

Having said that, I still enjoy seeing the odd hockey brawl from time to time.

When I Win the Lottery. . .

I have an Uncle and I believe his favourite five words are…”When I Win the Lottery.” Every time I chat with him, that’s what he dreams about. Let’s face it; who among us wouldn’t want to or hasn’t at one time had a dream about the big pay day?

Unless you’re one of the lucky one’s either born into wealth, a Prince in an Arab country or have some how managed to become a self-made millionaire, odds are quite high you’ll never truly know what it’s like to be “rich”.

Oh sure, I’m rich in many ways, just not in the pocket. I have a loving and supportive family, a few close friends, many other friendly acquaintances and my health, although not perfect, isn’t as bad as it could be. However, unless some long lost relative leaves me a fortune, I’ll likely have to worry about money my whole life.

So what do those of us without money dream about…winning the lottery of course. Here in Canada we have a couple of good lotteries that can at times get jackpots up to 25 to 40 million. When you compare that to the U.S. where the Power Ball pot can reach over 100 million, it doesn’t sound like much. Of course in Canada, our winnings are tax free which means if you win a 30 million dollar jackpot, you get the whole 30 million.

Since I’m quite sure I’ll never have to worry about it, I’ve never actually taken the time to think about what I’d do with the money if I won it.

For starters, let’s say I won 20 million. That’s a nice round number. The first thing I’d do after picking up the cheque and contacting my bank is disappear for a little while and take some family with me. I wouldn’t be going on a big spending spree; I just want to get away from all of those long lost friends and solicitors who have a tendency to show up at your door.

After a short period of time I’d resurface and make sure any debts are paid off to the bank to get me back to even. Luckily at this point it wouldn’t take too much to do that.

So now the fun begins. I’d probably put 10 million in the bank and leave it there for now and use the other 10 to do a few things, including giving some money to my family. I’d make sure all of my parents bills were taken care of and I’d give them a million to start. I’d do the same for my brother.

So with about seven of the 10 left I’d probably fly to Florida and start looking for a nice house. I figure I can get a very nice home for one million. I could probably furnish it nicely for a couple hundred thousand. And of course I’d need a couple of vehicles to go in my three car garage. Nothing too expensive…maybe an Escalade and something a little less flashy and more fuel efficient as well.

Did I mention I’d never work a job again? I suppose that’s understood.

I’d also make sure I had a new home back in Canada and make sure my parents are looked after. They would be more than welcome to stay at my place in Florida as well. Of course, if they wanted it, I’d get them a home down there. My parents aren’t the flashy type and my mother is not one to spend money frivolously so their money would last a very long time.

Once I’m established and my immediate family are taken care of, next I’d make sure the rest of my family is looked after. My aunts and uncles who I still keep in touch with would probably receive a gift of some kind…most likely in the form of cash.

Boy, it’s kind of fun spending this imaginary money. So where does that leave me? I have 10 million in the bank and I’ll say I have three million of the fun ten left.

Time to go on a trip and I think I’ll take some family members with me if they want to go. I’ve seen only a fraction of the world so far having been down to Panama, Belize, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. So I’d say it will be a month long trip to Europe as I’ve always wanted to see Scotland where my family comes from and see our family castle. I figure that should take care of a good portion of the remaining three million.

After returning I’d have the other 10 million to live off of for the rest of my life. I’m pretty sure I could do that as long as I don’t go crazy spending money. I can’t foresee myself building the “Bundyland Ranch” with a zoo and amusement park.

I think I could live my life quite happily from that point on.

Alas, the reality is I haven’t won the lottery and I have to resign myself to the fact that I’ll likely be working until the day I die and won’t likely see retirement. Even if I live that long I won’t be able to afford to quit working so I’ll just have to enjoy the relaxing times when I can and pretend that my weekends are my retirement.

Yikes…that’s pretty damn depressing. I think I better get to the store and buy some lottery tickets fast.

She See's Me Doesn't She?

So I'm sitting in the line to get gas on Saturday and we all know how exciting that is. Who doesn't love spending 50 bucks for half a tank?

Any way, I'm sitting there for about 45 seconds waiting for the guy ahead of me to finish when all of a sudden I notice some movement to my right. Sure enough, here's a woman in a small Chrysler product backing out of a parking spot.

Seeing that I'm only 5 feet away from her she has to see me in at least one of her mirrors doesn't she? At the very least she has taken a peek over her shoulder to see if any kids, people or cars are directly behind her that will prohibit her from leaving her parking spot immediately, right?

NOPE!

It wasn't until she put the back end of her car into the side of mine and came to a sudden stop that the realization came to her that she probably should have taken at least a quick gander to determine if someone might be in her path of travel.

"Oh I didn't even see you there", she says to me after we exit our cars. I'm doing my best to not be a hot head and to deal with her in as pleasant a manner as possible. I don't know if my grinding teeth were audible to her or not.

The gray-haired woman was obviously upset and embarrassed by the circumstances and was somewhat apologetic. I think she was in more disbelief than I was. Hmmm...I got hit by a woman driver...shocking.

Luckily the damage wasn't so severe to keep me from using my chariot. I think her car stopped when it hit my front right tire and that helped to limit the damage to the fender which is no longer aerodynamically shaped. The dents were quite obvious and my anger was still in check.

We exchanged insurance information and I bid her a good day. I finally got my gas and pulled away from the pump and stopped briefly in the parking lot well away from any listening ears and proceeded to vent my anger to myself. It was only a verbal venting and the tongue lashing I would have liked to have given her was only heard by the victim in this whole affair.

So now I have to make plans to get my car repaired during my vacation in August. Not exactly my idea of a fun time. I can only hope the woman who hit me gets nailed by her insurance company for being so stupid and irresponsible and that perhaps she'll remember the mirrors in her car serve a purpose other than for checking her make-up.

(True Story)

Clip of the Week - July 21/08

If you're like me at all then you've probably been sick and tired of all of the campaigning, mudslinging, hype and news coverage of the United States election this year. And the real campaigning is only just beginning!

I hate to say it, but I'm at the point where I'm almost hoping for a disaster somewhere in the world just so CNN will cover something other than politics for five minutes. Some days I'd like to sick the wolves on Wolf Blitzer and the rest of his politics covering counterparts.

Of course after the years of hype and anticipation, in the end they're just going to elect one of these two guys that everyone will eventually hate any way. They can either elect McCain who many feel is another George Dubya with a "kill 'em all" attitude or Obama who has no experience and will prove how over his head he's gotten himself in no time.

In the meantime, the folks at Jib Jab have come out with another fun political cartoon and song for us all to enjoy. Have a look at it below.

Learn To Drive Will Ya!

I don’t think I’m telling you something you didn’t already know when I say that there are a lot of really bad drivers on the road. It’s not that they can’t keep their vehicle on the street; they just don’t know the rules of the road.

The simplest rules are forgotten most often and unfortunately this lack of knowledge or the sheer lack of common sense of some road warriors will be the cause of many accidents.

Now, I’m not about to make this a male versus female issue even though the majority of the offenders in my experience are women. While that may be the case, men and young drivers are just as guilty.

I’m also not going to harp on those with a lead foot. I myself have been known to creep over the speed limit from time to time, especially on the highway. The fact that I think the speed limit on the major highways should be raised from 100 to 120 kilometres per hour is just my opinion. I love to travel in the U.S. because the speed limits on the Interstates are higher than they are here in Canada and you can actually get where you’re going in much better time. Not to mention the traffic seems to flow better as well for some reason.

This discussion I am more concerned with some simple regulations of the road that people just don’t have a grasp of and I’d rather see the police start ticketing these individuals rather than someone who is 10 or 15 km’s over the limit. So here are my current driving pet peeves:

1. Turning into the Wrong Lane at an Intersection
I’m sure you’ve all seen this before and this one drives me crazy. Picture yourself sitting at a stop light waiting to turn left onto a four lane road (two lanes in each direction). There is also a car waiting across the intersection facing you waiting to turn right to travel in the same direction as you. The light turns green. What should the drivers do? According to the law you each turn into the closest lane. That means you turn left into the passing lane while the car facing you turns right into the curb lane. That’s how it should work but I would say nine times out of ten one of the cars cuts across into the far lane cutting me off. At this point my horn, hand gestures and foul mouth all go into action. Where are the police when you need them?

2. Driving in the Passing Lane
This one really steams me sometimes, especially when the car is going slow. Once again you’re traveling down a four lane road. The right lane is the driving lane and the left is the passing lane. I know this might come as a shock to some, but they call it the passing lane for a reason. You go out there to pass someone and then you pull back over to the right into the driving lane and continue. You don’t stay out there and keep putting along. The folks who really tick me off are the people who stay in the passing lane because they’re eventually going to turn left onto another road. Get the hell over until you’re almost at your turn. Surely to goodness you can change lanes half a kilometre away. You don’t need to drive 5km in the passing lane before you turn. Where are the police when you need them?

3. Passing on the Right
Along the lines of the last one, possibly as a result of someone driving in the passing lane you may have to pass on the right if they’re going too slow in the wrong lane. That is the only time I condone this. However, recently I was coming to a stop light in town and was preparing to make a left turn. Some asshole in a truck came flying up beside me on the right and swerved in front of me cutting me off and jammed on the brakes for the light. I was pissed off to say the least. So for the remainder of the light, I had one hand on the horn and the other flipping the bird. Road rage? Perhaps. Pointless? Also perhaps but it makes me feel better and in a situation like that, that’s all I care about. Where are the police when you need them?

By the way, I have to give thanks to my brother for teaching me to use the horn. He does it all the time in Florida. Maybe it’s an American thing. It accomplishes nothing but it feels so much better to help release the anger. After all, like the Hulk, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.

4. Merging Into Traffic…You Don’t Have the Right of Way
I see this all the time as I’m traveling along the 401 highway. I’ll be motoring along in the driving lane (right lane) and as I approach an area where traffic can enter the highway I can see cars preparing to merge onto the motorway. Normally most drivers would move over to the left passing lane and allow those cars entering the highway an easier and clear spot for them to do so. However, sometimes the traffic is thick and you can’t move over. These idiots feel that they have the right of way to merge when actually they don’t. They will force their way on to the highway and nearly cause an accident or at the bare minimum make the oncoming traffic hit the brakes to avoid them. What they should have done is waited for the traffic to pass and the lane to clear before proceeding. They do NOT have the right of way. Where are the police when you need them?

5. Not Using the Ramp to Accelerate to Speed
Going hand in hand with number four is this one. Drivers who instead of using the on ramp to get up to speed before entering traffic, merge immediately while only doing half the speed they should be. Meanwhile, the traffic coming up behind this “tool” is forced to weave around or brake to avoid hitting said “tool.” Use the damn on ramp for its intended purpose. They make it long for a reason. Where are the police when you need them?

6. Approaching an Intersection with the Stop Lights Out
Finally I come to one that is near the top of my list of most annoying ignorant driver screw-ups. This has been a common one this summer as we’ve had a number of storms that have caused power outages at intersections. As you approach an intersection and you notice that the power to the stop lights has been interrupted and they aren’t working, what should you do? In this case you don’t just go flying through the lights if you happen to be travelling along the busier road. That’s a great way to cause an accident. Instead, you treat the intersection as a Four Way Stop.

That’s right; you must come to a complete stop and allow the car or cars to the right of you that were at the intersection first to proceed before you continue your journey. It’s really quite simple but once again, we have a lot of people driving today that either have forgotten what they learned or just don’t care and that’s why people are dying on our roads. Where are the police when you need then?

People can talk about drivers using cell phones or speeders causing accidents. I won’t deny that those situations can lead to fender benders or worse but I bet there are just as many accidents caused by people who don’t know the rules of the road rather than by those who choose not to follow the rules.

If any of the above situations sound like something you may be guilty of, I hope I’ve helped to refresh your memory and perhaps next time you find yourself in one of these situations, you’ll remember to do things properly. Happy Driving!

Oh, and to answer the question I kept asking about the police…check a Tim Horton’s parking lot.

Clip of the Week - July 14/08

Attention all owners of trailers, motor homes or any high profile vehicle. It is always best to take note of your surroundings while your vehicle is in motion or while towing a trailer.

This was never more evident than when this gentleman decided to take his fifth wheel camper through the drive-thru bank in Texas.

Luckily, both the driver and his ten-year-old son escaped quickly out the passenger side of the truck and were unharmed. I can't say the same for the rest of the items involved.

Forty and Single Sucks

The countdown is on as my 40th birthday is fast approaching and the inevitable seems unavoidable. Is forty old? By today’s standards and with the population of Canada living longer on average, I suppose it isn’t considered “old” per say but it’s obviously pushing that “old” threshold.

So what is old? I used to think you could be considered old if you took your current age and doubled it and if you figured you’d never reach that age, you were officially old. I’d sure like to think I’ll reach the age of 80 but I can imagine it won’t be a pretty picture if I do. I’m in pain now after a round of golf but I guess only time will tell.

I think what actually concerns me more is the fact that I’m 40 and “single.” Growing old alone seems more and more likely with every passing day. Of course I won’t be completely alone as I always have family in the world but as someone who as a teenager pictured himself with a wife and kids by the time I reached this age, that is probably my biggest disappointment.

I realize I'm not the only person in this situation in the world and it happens to men, women, rich, poor and everything in between. In fact, I think singer Kylie Minogue is 40 and single still. I wonder if I could get her number from someone?

Never finding the love of my life and taking that step from bachelor to husband and family man is a bit of a let down. And I had such a good role model in my father. Don’t get me wrong. I have a lot of fun as a single guy and can do whatever I want, when I want but I suppose it’s one of those “the grass is always greener” scenarios.

I haven’t given up looking for the future “Mrs. Me” but the search area has shrunk and the opportunities are few and far between. Where does a 40 year old guy go to find a potential soul mate or at the very least a date? Church, grocery store, singles dances, Tim Horton’s? I’m beyond the bar scene and to be honest, the bar was a great place to meet women but they usually weren’t looking for a boyfriend. It was like going fishing for the “one night stands” in those situations.

I don’t go to church except for weddings and funerals and I don’t think God would appreciate me showing up at his house of worship without me wanting to be there for at least some of the right reasons. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. I also can’t see myself hanging out in the fruit section at the grocery store asking potential single ladies if I could squeeze their melons to test their freshness. I mean, how do you approach a woman in that situation? Do I stroll up beside her with a roast in my cart and ask her what she thinks of my meat. Seriously, I don’t have a clue which is probably one of the reasons why I’m in the situation I’m in.

And then of course I’m a realist so I know in the competitive game of “Wheel of Wife” there are the obvious strikes against me. While I’d like to imagine that women like a guy for his personality and not for how he looks, the fact remains I have a pretty darn good personality and I’m as single as the Pope. My humour, good upbringing, stable family life and friendly disposition count for nothing since physical attraction is the first thing that peaks anyone’s interest, even my own.

The problem with me is I have plenty of physical attractiveness; it’s just hidden underneath a whole bunch of skin and on this large frame of mine. But I know there's always hope because I’ve seen other big guys with a wife and kids so I know it can happen.

The fear of rejection is also something you never get used to. Or at least, I’ve never gotten used to it and it keeps me from taking chances all the time. I was at a wedding this past weekend and there was one woman there who I knew was single and available. She is quite attractive and has a great personality and although I can talk to her as a friend and we can joke around, I just couldn’t bring myself to make an effort to take it beyond that. In a word…I’m a big chicken. OK, maybe that was two words.

Having said all of this I have had some interest over the years but it just never worked out. I dated a girl a number of years back a couple of times and although she was very nice, it just didn’t “click” for me if that makes sense. Looking back on the experience I have to smack myself in the head. The signals were all there so I could have at least slept with her right? Damn my parents for raising me to be a good man. Where was that devil on my shoulder when I needed him?

So I’m turning 40 and despite the fact that I’m not married, I don’t have kids, I’m not working in my prefered field, I haven’t been with a woman since gas was 68 cents a litre, my body is aching on the best of days and I need to win the lottery to get back to even…I’m doing pretty well and I’m fairly happy. I guess that’s all that really matters...isn't it?

Clip of the Week - July 7/08

With the 2008 Summer Olympics quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to show you one of my favourite summer Olympic moments.

This goes back to 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia and of course with the games being held in the United States, there was a big hope on the part of the Americans that they would win not only the 100 Metre Mens final but the 4X100 Metre Mens final.

Of course now we know they didn't win either and in fact it was the Canadians who won. Donovan Bailey won the 100 final in World Record time and then along with his team-mates they cruised to the Gold medal in the 4X100 final as well.

Here now is video of that Men's 4X100 Metre final.

(I apologize for the music in this clip...it's all I could find and I guess the person who did it thought it made it better. Of course, I don't agree.)

Dave & Melissa's Wedding

I had the extreme fortune to not only attend but emcee the wedding of two of my friends this weekend.

Dave and Melissa were married on Saturday July 8, 2008 and it couldn't have been a more perfect Canadian day. Sunshine, warm and everything went perfect.

The reception was both humourous and emotional at times and the party that followed could have gone all night if not for those darn liquor laws as everyone had a fantastic time.

Congratulations to Dave and Melissa and may you share a long and happy life together.

If you're interested in seeing more photos from the day, just click here to have a look.