Bundy's Blog

Me, Myself & I

2012-01-15T15:11:00.001-05:00

Me, Myself & I
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I belong to an online photography challenge group where every week a new project is listed. In each project are the guidelines for the challenge. This could be a black and white photo, or landscape or more technical images using our Nikon cameras.

On the most recent challenge the subject was "In My Kitchen" where your photo could be anything, provided it was taken in the kitchen.

Rather than pull out the toaster or find something simple to just point my camera at, I decided to make the challenge even harder by challenging my editing skills as well.

I came up with the idea to photograph myself playing cards. But I didn't want to be playing solitaire so I had to create opponents. Nobody else was around so I decided to play against myself.

I took three separate photos (four actually but that version of me was blocked out by the me in the foreground) of me playing cards. As you can see in the image I even had wardrobe changes.

The hard part came next. I had to get all three images into one photo and make it look right. This was a challenge as I'd never tackled a project this complicated before. I'm sure for those with a lot more skill than me, this is a routine undertaking but I've never done much with layers and masking in Photoshop. It was a learning process.

After two days of trial and error, searching the internet for video tutorials and lots of cursing, I finally managed to complete the project as you can see. You can click on the image to see it larger on my Flickr page if you like.

Having done this once, I now have a feel for how it works and will look forward to trying it again in the future.

New Year's Day Frozen Marsh

2012-01-01T20:08:00.001-05:00

Frozen Marsh (B&W)
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

Happy New Year!!!

I didn't stay up too late last night but did manage to see 2012 arrive. I wasn't long going to bed after though. I rang in the New Year watching CNN of all things. Actually, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin were quite entertaining.

Once I got organized today I decided to grab my camera and head out to get my first images of 2012. I had good intentions but Mother Nature had other plans. Instead of the usual cold and snowy weather we should be getting this time of year, I ventured out into mild and rainy conditions.

But I couldn't come home without something. I didn't take as many photos last year as I would have liked and even though I don't make resolutions, I am hoping to be a bit more active with the photography hobby.

Just when I thought I'd give up, I pulled my car up to an area near Brighton Bay and spotted a couple of swans napping on the thin ice. They didn't cooperate either but I spotted this scene you see here that I thought would make for an interesting subject. I think it works really well as a black & white image.

So, 2012 is off and running and so is another year of looking through the lens.

Funniest Video of 2011

2011-12-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

I've watched my fair share of videos over the year but this one is by far the funniest one I've come across. I honestly laughed so hard watching this I was in tears.

Now you should know that I'm a huge hockey fan and unlike a lot of other people (mostly tree-huggers) I am a fan of Don Cherry. I agree with 95% of what he has to say regarding the game and his support of the Canadian military is second to none. The troops love Don! He's a colourful, outspoken hockey commentator on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada and a former NHL Coach of the Year. He also has a style of his own.

Having said that, I'm sure even Don would get a big charge out of this video which is very well done. I have to admit, when I watched this edition of Coaches Corner recently, I also thought Don was trying to play us a tune.

An ad will pop up on the video, just click on the "X" to get rid of it. Enjoy!

Top 15 Sexiest Survivor Ladies

2011-12-29T19:03:00.000-05:00

The 23rd season of Survivor on CBS is over so I figured it was time to update my list. The popular television reality series maroons a group of strangers in a desolate location to compete in a game to Outwit, Outplay and Outlast each other until the lone Survivor remains to collect 1 million dollars.

Each season is different in some ways as the producers try to reinvent the game to keep it fresh but even then if the castaways aren't entertaining or they don't keep our interest, it's easy to turn the channel and watch anything else. This past season certainly wasn't one of the best in my opinion.

The one formula to the show that never disappoints is the sex factor. Lets face it, I'm not the only red-blooded heterosexual male who will tune in to watch beautiful young women in bikinis frolicking in the sand and surf.  

I'll suffer through having to listen to annoying characters like "Shambo", Sue Hawk, Ace and the idiot Jonny Fairplay if it means I can also enjoy watching the smart and sexy women I have listed below.By updating this list from my original posting I am still clearly targeting my male readers more so then my valued female readers but I'm a guy so it's only natural. And of course the could be missing obvious selections that you feel are worthy of top 15 status but this is my list so don't get too upset if I missed one of your favourites.  

To be honest, this list really hasn't changed much at all with only one addition to the previous posting and one lady removed. But there was one young lady this past season who I feel is worthy of being added. So without any further ado, lets get to the list.  

There are a few who were very close to making my new list including Elisabeth Filarski (Hasselbeck), Alexis Jones, Kelly Shinn, Danni Boatwright, Ami Cusack, Monica Padilla, Stephanie LaGrossa and Eliza Orlins. They are all beautiful women from the show but I figured I'd better keep the list to the top 15. Here we go:

Top 15 Sexiest Survivor Ladies

Click on images to see them larger

Number 15 - Candice Woodcock

Survivor Cook Islands, Heroes vs. Villains

Number 14 - Kelly Sharbaugh

Survivor Samoa

Number 13 - Brenda Lowe

Survivor Nicaragua

Number 12 - Amanda Kimmel

Survivor China, Micronesia & Heroes vs. Villains

Number 11 - Sydney Wheeler

Survivor Tocantins

Number 10 - Heidi Strobel

Survivor Amazon

Number 9 - Sarah Jones

Survivor Marquesas

Number 8 - Ashley Underwood

Survivor Redemption Island

Number 7 - Kelly Czarnecki

Survivor Gabon

Number 6 - Jenna Morasca

Survivor Amazon & All-Stars

Number 5 - Mikayla Wingle

Survivor South Pacific

Mikayla has also posed in Playboy. NSFW

Number 4 - Jennifer Lyon

Survivor Palau

Sadly Jennifer lost her battle with breast cancer on January 20, 2010 at the age of 37.

Number 3 - Parvati Shallow

Survivor Cook Islands, Micronesia & Heroes vs. Villains

Number 2 - Amber Brkich

Survivor Australian Outback & All-Stars

Number 1 - Natalie White

Survivor Samoa

Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Bring On Those Gifts!

2011-12-19T20:07:00.000-05:00

With the big day only a few sleeps away I wanted to take a quick moment to wish all of my regular blog visitors, family, friends and anyone else who just happens to stumble across my little corner of the internet all the best for a safe and festive holiday season.

I love receiving gifts as much as the next guy but as I've gotten older I've learned to appreciate family more and spending time with the people I love is now the most important thing. I won't get to spend this special time of year with all of my family as some are just too far away to make it home or have other plans but hopefully we'll be together again soon.

Life is too short to take family for granted and if you don't enjoy the time you have with them now, you might regret it later in life.

So to everyone and especially my family and close friends I hope you have the Merriest of Christmas' and a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Now...someone pass me a holiday beverage.

2011 Viral Videos

2011-12-18T21:12:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of you may have seen these videos already but I just had to share them in case you didn't. There have been a lot of videos that went viral this year and these are just a few of my favourites. I hope you enjoy them.

This first video is so typical and could easily happen to my parents or any senior citizens for that matter. Here this sweet couple sits in front of a computer trying to figure out how to take a picture with the webcam all the while they're actually capturing the whole moment on video. Take a look.

Going back to the 2011 Super Bowl, this was one of the few ads that gave me a good chuckle. And being a Star Wars fan probably didn't hurt either. Here we see a kid trying to use "The Force" to move or start things around the house. He's shocked when it finally works.

And finally, how could you not get a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart when two elderly former CFL football players (Angelo Mosca & Joe Kapp) got together at an event during Grey Cup week in Vancouver. Apparently these two never forgot how much they hated each other back when they played. Well, they settled it this time.

So there you have it. Just a few of the thousands of videos that went viral this past year. Hope you enjoyed them. I can't wait to see what 2012 brings us.

Goodbye Jacques

2011-12-17T23:12:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to wake up this morning and hear that the Montreal Canadiens had fired coach Jacques Martin. As any life long Habs fan will tell you, when the team is struggling, we all take on the roll of the teams General Manager and try to assess what needs to be done to get the team on track and winning once again. It sucks to see anyone lose their job but this one was a long time coming.

After making it to the Conference Final just two seasons ago, the team saw a first round exit in the playoffs last season and so far they're struggling to stay around the .500 mark this year and time is quickly running out to make up ground and secure another playoff spot.

This isn't the Toronto Maple Leafs I'm talking about where missing the playoffs is not only tolerated but in recent history...expected. In Montreal where hockey is a religion for the fans of Le Canadiens, missing the playoffs is not something that they'll stand for and certainly won't put up with quietly.

So to no surprise over recent weeks the call for a change at the Head Coaching position has been gaining strength. Montreal fans are the most knowledgeable in the NHL and when they see something is wrong, odds are good the owners of the team and GM know it as well.

Now I'm not going to sit here and say that Jacques Martin was the only reason for Montreal's lackluster start to the season. His style of coaching and plan of attack was never well received in Montreal even when the team was doing well. The team has always succeeded when they used their superior speed and skill rather than trying to out muscle their opponents. Under Martin as of late, that game style disappeared. Instead of running and gunning they were sitting back and protecting leads. OK, let me rephrase that. They were trying to protect leads but doing a bloody awful job of it.

As I mentioned, Martin was only part of the problem and as witnessed tonight, the other problems were painfully obvious. Horrible decisions while in possession of the puck have been a trademark of the Habs of late. Giveaways in the defensive zone have become common place and those turnovers have more often than not found their way into the back of the net.

The power-play continues to be abysmal although it's hoped that the addition of Tomas Kaberle will help to turn that around and I think it has had an effect already.

The next big move the team needs to make is to fire the current GM Pierre Gauthier who has done very little to improve a deteriorating situation. I honestly think his days are numbered unless he can swing a deal to improve the teams offensive output and poor showing in the standings.

That brings us to what I think is the biggest elephant in the Montreal dressing room. The goal scorers aren't scoring. Where has Michael Cammalleri's pin point accuracy gone? I'm a big fan of Cammy's but this season he's looking more like Scott Gomez than the pint sized powerhouse we've seen in recent years. I'm sure he'd be the first one to admit that. By the way, how is Gomez even a part of this team still? He should have been gone at the end of last season.

As far as I'm concerned, if I was the GM there's only about 10 players or so on the roster that I'd keep and the rest should be trade bait. We have some good promising young talent but aside from Plekanec, Pacioretty, Cole, Subban, Cammalleri, Desharnais, Moen, Weber, Georges, Gil, Kaberle and Price, any of the rest could be shipped elsewhere to bring in some better talent.

I know I'm dreaming but at this point I have to dream because the reality of the situation is tough for this Habs fan deal with. At this point I'm just about ready to see them start Youppi at left wing.

Subway Romance

2011-12-13T16:57:00.000-05:00

I'm a healthy (for the most part) early 40's male who still has sexual urges and desires but I can't imagine ever being this drunk or this horny.

I've had some major drunken moments in my past that have seen me pass out and fall down in some rather odd and at times precarious spots. I should add, these awkward and sometimes embarrassing moments took place during my late teens and early twenties. It's not only that I've matured but to be honest, I just got sick and tired of feeling, well, sick and tired the day after my drunken episodes.

What got me on to this subject was what I heard about recently and perhaps you saw the story as well. A couple was charged with engaging in a lewd act on a Toronto subway after another passenger complained he saw them having sex. The two were seen by other passengers, one of whom captured a video of the episode and posted it on a website that includes "uncut" material.

It was about 2:30am on a Sunday morning when the two were spotted on a train and one passenger went so far as to push the yellow emergency stop strip. You'd think this might have caused the two stinking-drunk lovebirds to end their subterranean session of bumping uglys, but it didn't. They exited the train and dropped down on the station platform where they continued to polish the floor tiles.

It took about 14 minutes for the cops to arrive, which was plenty of time for them to complete the task. I don't think I would have been able to finish that quickly with all of those eyes starring at me. Too much pressure to perform. So I have to give the young man a little credit for that I suppose. Not to mention, if they were as intoxicated as reported, I'm surprised he was able to get the job done at all.

Of course Toronto Transit was quick to frown upon this type of action with it being such a public place. I will say one thing, the TTC has always encouraged people to "Ride the Rocket". Perhaps this couple took it a bit too literally. I guess charges weren't the only thing laid that night.

OK, I better stop now.

My 2011 Christmas Wish List

2011-11-28T19:10:00.001-05:00

It’s just not possible that we're coming to the end of another year. Sadly I have not kept up with my blog this year as much as I would have liked. Call it lack of creative juices if you like. Honestly, I think I’ll blame it on Twitter. That darned thing has become a mini blog for me as I share my thoughts on a daily basis there. If you’re on Twitter, feel free to follow me at bundyman and you’ll see more of my uncensored thoughts...along with a lot of Montreal Canadiens chatter.

But that’s not what this is about. As I have done the last couple of years, it is time once again for me to sit down and compile my annual list of items I would love to have on my Christmas Wish List. If past years are any indication, Santa obviously doesn’t have enough room in his sack for most things.

Traditionally the Bundy Wish List has included items of a more unrealistic or even humourous nature. These gifts range from a slight possibility of receiving to no chance in hell of seeing under my tree. It’s more of a “Not in Your Wildest Dreams Christmas List”. Of course there are a few which could legitimately find their way into my possession and in fact some on past lists have...just not the really really expensive items.

So, let’s have some fun shall we?

Western Digital Hard Drive - 2TB
Cost: $210

iPad 2 - 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G
Cost: $849

Photoshop CS5 (Mac)
Cost: $800

Nik Software Plugins Suite
Cost: $600

Apple Time Capsule - 2TB
Cost: $300

Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro Lens
Cost: $1000

Nikon 600mm f4.0 VR II Telephoto Lens
Cost: $11000

Bose Lifestyle V35 Home Entertainment System
Cost: $3800

Sharp AQUOS 80" 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV
Cost: $5000

Win $50 Million Lotto Max Jackpot
Cost: Price of a Ticket

Rendezvous with Blake Lively & Alice Eve
Cost: A Guy Can Dream Right?

2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sports
Cost: $2.5 Million

2012 Bentley Continental GT
Cost: $200 000

Lakefront Home in Canada
Cost: $2.5 Million est.

Waterfront Home in Florida
Cost: $4 Million est.

So there you go. Not everything made the list but I only have so much time and room to post it.

Of course, these are just things and the most important items are having a healthy and happy family and good friends. No price tag could be put on them.

I hope all of your Christmas Wishes come true and may you have a Merry Christmas.

November Walk

2011-11-06T16:10:00.001-05:00

Autumn Forest
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I've been having some major computer problems lately and have been majorly frustrated so I had to do something to get my mind off it.

So yesterday I decided to grab my camera and head to my favourite Provincial Park to get some exercise and snap a few frames.

It was a gorgeous day for November with clear and sunny skies and a comfortable 8 degrees. It was a little cooler next to Lake Ontario out in the open by the water but back in the woods out of the light winds it was much more pleasant. My hands were a little chilly but overall it was spectacular.

Lots of geese, swans and ducks were spotted in the marsh although once they saw me they moved away quickly which meant no photos. That's OK, I have plenty of images of swans and don't need anymore unless they're doing something other than floating.

Walking near Jobe's Trail I ventured off the beaten path and captured some images of the leaf covered forest floor. Here you can see one of my images which also includes a fallen birch tree covered in moss. I gave the final image sort of a soft dreamy effect.

I had to take advantage of this great weather while I could because there's been plenty of snow all around us the last couple of weeks and it's only a matter of time before everything turns to white. Of course that can produce some nice images as well, provided my camera doesn't freeze.

Little Balls For Cancer

2011-10-18T19:19:00.000-04:00

Mark, Lyle, Andy and Bundy strike a pose

For the eleventh straight year I recently took part in the Terry Fox Golf Tournament and although we remained dry, everyone had a bad hair day thanks to the gusty winds.

The forecast heading into the day was calling for wind gusts up to 80 km/h, rain and cool temperatures. Luckily we only saw a few brief drops of the wet stuff and thanks to being dressed for the day it wasn't all that chilly after all. However the winds didn't disappoint which made for some tricky club selections.

OK, the truth is we usually try to win the tournament as I think we've won it at least four times in the past but there were a couple of teams that may have brought in a few ringers which meant our chances were very slim. But other than bragging rights, the real reason we play is to raise money for the cause...cancer research.

Well, we didn't win. In fact we struggled all day long in the best ball game and eventually finished at one over par. It's the first time in eleven years that we didn't have a single birdie the entire round. We weren't the only team to struggle.

It was amazing how many times we'd hit what appeared to be an excellent tee shot only to have the wind swallow the ball up and drop it or move it no where near the trajectory should have taken it. Mother Nature had our number and all we could do was keep our hats from blowing off and shake our heads in disbelief.

For the second year in a row our team consisted of Mark Adams, Lyle Williams, Andy Koetstra and myself. We had a lot of laughs as we struggled along and over $8000 was raised for the cause. I don't know if they'll be having the tournament next October but if they are, you can bet we'll be there again.

They Seem Smaller

2011-10-14T23:28:00.001-04:00

Flying Tackle
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

This past week I finally had a chance to get up to my old high school and check out some football action. Of course the last time I had the shoulder pads on was in October or November of 1986. Ya, I know I'm old(er).

Of course I brought my camera along with me to see if I could grab some shots of the action and I did.

I was hoping to see the senior football game as it's usually a bit better for photographing but it was the early game and by the time I got there after work, the junior team was already playing.

One thing I noticed right away was how small the players were. Some were really small compared to the others. I don't remember our team being that small when I was that age but maybe they were. I do know our senior team was much bigger. In fact, I think our offensive line (myself included) averaged about 240 pounds. We were a force to be reckoned with for sure.

Football was the only reason I went back to school for Grade 13 and a fifth year on the gridiron. I was quite emotional after the final game came to an end. The tears were flowing, partly because I knew I'd never play again and also because on the second play of the game I pulled my groin muscle and finished the game in agony. There was no way I was coming out of the game. The coach used a whole roll of tape around my thigh to help minimize the pain but it didn't do a whole lot.

I was quite some time recovering from that injury but looking back I know I made the right choice. I would have regretted leaving the game and watching from the sideline. Some great memories from those days.

Camping Season Ends

2011-10-06T23:47:00.001-04:00

Enjoying The Sunset
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

On the final night of their camping season, I visited my parents at their trailer by Lake Ontario. Of course I was promised a tasty roast beef meal so I couldn't say no to that.

After supper I packed mom and dad into the car and took them for a drive through the park. Our hope was to see some deer but sadly there weren't any to be found. Thanks to the cull of the deer in the park a few years back, the numbers continue to be quite low and sightings are very rare compared to past years. Don't get me started on that though or we'll be here a long time.

Any-who, on the way back to the campsite and our last campfire of the season, the sun had set and left an amazing orange glow on the horizon. The sky was almost entirely void of clouds which normally wouldn't be my choice when it comes to photographing a sunset but I couldn't resist.

The folks got out of the car while I was snapping some shots and walked over to the shoreline. I moved in behind them and managed to capture a few images of them silhouetted against the orange horizon. I thought this one looked particularly good.

Come Closer, I Won't Bite

2011-09-23T16:38:00.001-04:00

Come Closer, I Won't Bite
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I was driving on my way to my parents trailer for supper last night when I spotted this sucker slowly inching across the road.

Where he was coming from I have no idea but his destination was the marsh. At the rate he was going, he still had a lengthy trip ahead of him.

I pulled my car over to the side of the road and grabbed my camera. Several other cars slowed down to have a look and a few other folks got out and joined me for a look and this prehistoric looking fella.

This was one of the many images I captured of this snapping turtle. They're a fairly common site around these parts but I'd never actually stopped to photograph one. Usually I'm just trying to avoid hitting them and doing damage to the bottom of my car.

And Boom Goes The Dynamite

2011-09-22T15:24:00.001-04:00

I had a quality sports moment last night. They don't happen nearly as often as they used to for me.

Wednesday night is my usual golf night. Normally in the summer it's Men's League but that came to an end for this year a few weeks back.

I debated whether or not to go as the weather was not looking good. Rain was on the way but I figured I'd take a chance we'd get the round in.

We were playing a best ball scramble with about 16 guys or so. My foursome included Jim Conley, Dave Reid and Tom St.Denis. We started on hole one and we parred it. My tee shot wasn't horrible but we didn't use it.

Next we moved over to the second tee and waited for the group ahead of us to putt out and vacate the green. Dave had the first crack at it and didn't give us much to work with.

Nobody else wanted to go next so I walked over and tee'd my ball up. I went through my usual pre-shot routine tugging on the shoulders of my shirt and adjusting my hat. I never take a practice swing on tee shots.

I settled the club in behind my Calaway Diablo ball and quickly started my back swing. I was using a nine iron for a bit more distance as I've been getting a lot of loft on my tee shots this year.

Down my club came with full force as I contacted the ball sweetly in the centre of the club face. As expected it was launched on a lofty flight and a good trajectory towards not only the green but the pin as well.

I bent over to pick up my tee and lost site of the ball momentarily. The guys liked what they saw as the ball fell towards the earth and I stood up and located the ball just before it contacted the green about two feet right of the hole.

The ball took a short hop left and then began to roll gently toward the cup. I stood there in disbelief as I watched the ball disappear into the jar.

The guys let out a roar and I'm sure I was grinning from ear to ear as they gave me high-fives in celebration. Tom and Jim didn't even bother teeing off.

After taking the trip to the green, I made my way across the dance floor and using my divot tool I fixed my ball mark. I then gazed into the cup and spotted my Calaway resting comfortably in the bottom of the hole.

I reached in and pulled it out and safely tucked the ball away. I was done using that ball forever. I will eventually be given a plaque to commemorate the occasion and will affix the ball to it for a keepsake.

This was my second ever ace and although the first one was special, this one made me happier as I was able to witness the ball going into the cup. My first ace came on an elevated green and it wasn't until I got to the green and couldn't find my ball that we checked the hole.

It was one of those moments all golfers dream of and I enjoyed every minute of it. I just hope it isn't another eight years until I get my next one.

Corn Field Sunset

2011-08-31T16:30:00.001-04:00

Corn Field Sunset
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

Once again I've been just too darn busy to write anything serious lately despite plenty of interesting subjects.

Jack Layton's passing, Hurricane Irene or the recent storm right here in Ontario that spawned tornadoes and lit up the sky better than any Canada Day fireworks display.

But as always I usually have my camera with me when I'm out and about and on this particular night I was driving home from the trailer and watching the sky. The place where I thought I'd be able to get some nice sunset photos didn't really provide anything special.

However, as I was driving past this corn field the clouds in the distance were an amazing orange colour and I thought the tall corn in the foreground might make for an interesting silhouette against the sky. I thought the final result was worth sharing with you.

Lightning Strikes Twice

2011-08-15T00:35:00.001-04:00

Lightning Strikes Twice
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I have been trying for a very long time to get some photos of lightning that don't suck. It finally happened for me on Saturday night.

Sitting by the campfire at Presqu'ile Park along Lake Ontario we watched during dusk as the storm rolled down the lake. Although we could see lightning, it was too far away to photograph.

Finally the storm got a bit closer and the group decided to head for our respective trailers and call it a night.

My night was just beginning as I set up shop under the awning with my trusty tripod and Nikon. Just as I was ready to start shooting, the lightning had moved off. I figured I had missed my chance.

I decided to change my focus to the light rays coming down from the cloud covered full moon. Some of those shots turned out pretty good but I was till disappointed I didn't get my elusive storm photos.

All of a sudden there was a flash in front of me and a crack of thunder. Holy crap, another storm front was moving in and I had another chance. I didn't waste the opportunity.

I managed to get four or five impressive shots of the lightning as it struck the lake and near the lake shore. I was a very happy photographer.

In this particular image you can see the lightning has broken into two separate strikes from one bolt.

On a night when I figured my camera would stay in the car, an unexpected opportunity popped up and I was glad I had the tools handy to get the job done.

Presqu'ile Lighthouse

2011-08-09T23:30:00.001-04:00

Presqu'ile Lighthouse
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

With all the bad stuff happening in the world right now, it's nice to be able to get away for a bit and escape the madness.

Since I'm not one to bury my head in the sand, it's much easier to grab my camera and head out and forget mine and the world's troubles by getting creative.

Here is another recent photo I shot of the Presqu'ile Provincial Park Lighthouse at the point of the peninsula where Lake Ontario meets Brighton Bay. I liked the natural framing of the trees and the cool looking clouds which I thought helped to make the image more interesting.

I also thought the image looked better in black and white.

Milky Way Lake

2011-08-08T23:23:00.001-04:00

Milky Way Lake
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I'm enjoying some time away from work right now and one of the things I don't have time for when I'm working is my photo hobby.

So I'm trying out some different things with my new Nikon D7000. One of the reasons I bought the new camera was for it's ability to take better long exposure photos and shoot images at higher ISO's with less noise. Those of you who dabble in photography will know what I mean. It's a pretty big deal.

Anyway, I had a clear night at the trailer next to Lake Ontario the other night so I popped my camera onto a tripod and started experimenting and this was one of the resulting images.

In the photo you can see the lake and the orange / yellow glow of the lights of Rochester, New York reflecting off the clouds. You can also see the Milky Way and a whole pile of stars. At the top of the image you can also see two lines crossing in the night sky. Those are actually satellites that are orbiting the earth that happened to be going by.

It's experimenting like this that leads to interesting results and what I enjoy about my photography hobby.

Top Big Brother Babes

2011-07-25T20:11:00.007-04:00

Watching television in the summer time was anything but interesting for many years. Your options were reruns, sports (which is OK but no hockey) and maybe some old movies. At least, those were the only things that interested me.

But back in 2000 the summer television viewing became a bit more interesting, provided you enjoyed watching Reality TV. Some will argue whether there is such a thing as reality TV as many skeptics feel most of these shows are ultimately scripted or at the very least influenced by the producers of the programs. Personally I could care less. I watch shows like this to be entertained so it makes no difference how they're produced.

In the year 2000, North America was introduced to Big Brother. The show is based on a group of strangers, known as HouseGuests, living together twenty-four hours a day in the "Big Brother" house, isolated from the outside world but under constant surveillance with no privacy for three months.

Like Survivor, another of my favourite reality shows, one major point of interest for the viewers is the inclusion of some attractive participants. Over the years there have been some very pretty ladies to enter the Big Brother house.

I give you now my own personal Top 15 Babes of Big Brother from Season one all the way to Season 13. You may not agree with the order or you may feel someone is missing that deserves to be on the list. Keep in mind, this is MY list and reflects my own views. Here we go!

Top 15 Babes of Big Brother (U.S.)

Number 15
Jean Jordan - Season 1

Number 14
Natalie Cunial - Season 9

Number 13
Amy Crews Ouellette - Season 3

Number 12
Lisa Donahue - Season 3

Number 11
Laura Crosby - Season 11

Number 10
April Dowling - Season 10

Number 9
Danielle Donato - Season 8

Number 8
Janelle Pierzina - Season 6

Number 7
Jen Diturno - Season 9

Number 6
Porsche Briggs - Season 13

Number 5
Jessica Hughbanks - Season 8

Number 4
Michelle Maradie - Season 4

Number 3
Jordan Lloyd - Season 11

Number 2
Britney Haynes - Season 12

Number 1
Cassi Colvin - Season 13

There you go! My choices for Top Babes of Big Brother up to and including Season 13. I know there are a lot of other lovely ladies who could have made your list but you can always leave a comment and share your opinions.

The Final Shuttle Launch

2011-07-07T20:52:00.001-04:00

STS-135 Atlantis Prelaunch (201107070015HQ)
Originally uploaded by nasa hq photo

Being a huge fan of the American Space Shuttle program I will be sad to see the final vehicle lift-off this Friday (weather permitting).

I have followed the program from the very beginning and ridden along with the high's and lows. It will be the end of an amazing era and I'm happy I was around to see it.

My hope is that when Atlantis completes STS-135 I will once again in my lifetime see NASA continue manned space flight in the future.

The American economy is not as strong as it once was so I can understand cuts being made but when you consider all of the amazing advancements that have come from efforts to get man into space, it has certainly been an expensive although necessary success.

I wish a safe and exciting flight to the final Space Shuttle Program astronauts.

144 Years Young

2011-07-01T09:45:00.001-04:00

Where has the time gone? Seems like only yesterday we were canoeing through the uncharted lakes and rivers of this vast and beautiful country discovering all of the magnificence it had to offer.

Now here we are celebrating the 144th birthday of this spectacular nation.

From sea to sea to sea we take pride in so many things truly Canadian. From our abundant fresh water lakes and rivers to our unsurpassed scenery, Canada has become a beacon of hope and destination for so many around the world.

Canada is known for many things but the one thing I hear most often from foreigners visiting our homeland is how friendly and polite we are. That is something to be proud of.

The Maple Leaf red and white flag is a symbol of peace and friendliness which is probably why so many people use it when traveling to let others know where we're from. I've even know Americans who have used it to avoid problems.

Canadians are starting to recognize more and more how lucky we truly are to live where we do. And it makes me
proud to see more people waiving the Canadian flag with pride. It's OK to be patriotic and show it. It's not rude or arrogant to flash the red and white as a sign that you are a proud Canadian.

So on this Canada Day, let's see the pride in our nation displayed in excess and show the world what we already know. Canada is the best country on this planet.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Nothing Routine

2011-06-30T14:25:00.001-04:00

I sit here reading one of the Toronto newspapers and the headline reads "Routine stop for speeding vehicle turns deadly".

Somehow I can't imagine that any traffic stop would ever be considered routine anymore after what transpired to take the life of York Region Police Constable Garrett Styles on Tuesday morning.

Reading the transcripts of his radio chatter with dispatch while he was pinned under the van driven by a 15 year old he had only moments before pulled over for speeding are heart wrenching.

Pleading for help and in pain with his life slipping away while at the same time showing concern for the person and his passengers who will eventually claim his life with their actions, shows an officer willing to do his duty up to his final breath. Such a heroic and inspirational act by the 32 year old cop and father of two.

What happened?

Somehow the boy panicked and tried to drive away. Styles apparently tried to reach for the keys and got hung up and was dragged about 300 metres before the van entered a field and rolled on top of the officer.

Pinned at the waist he was able to radio a 10-33 for officer needs emergency assistance.

Despite all efforts to get to the scene, extricate him and administer medical attention, Styles was pronounced dead just over an hour later.

The 15 year old driver has been charged with first degree murder and no amount of punishment will be enough in my mind. He made some very bad choices starting with taking the vehicle in the first place and his nightmare is only just beginning.

The same can also be said for the family of Const. Styles who have lost a son, a husband and a father to another senseless and completely avoidable tragedy. Actions have consequences and sadly most people don't realize that until it's too late.

People Eating Tasty Animals

2011-06-23T09:41:00.001-04:00

If you're a person who chooses to not eat meat I respect your choice and won't protest your decision. But why do some of these holier than thou individuals feel the need to force their personal choices on others?

The choice these individuals make to not barbecue a tender and juicy piece of steak is fine for them but don't think for a second that the scare tactics of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) will persuade me to put down my fork and A1 Sauce. It's not going to happen.

I don't care how a cow finds its way to the butcher. I just want to know how much it's going to cost to sink my teeth into its fleshy goodness.

We "Meatatarians" aren't stupid. We know all about the slaughter houses and how the process works. We just don't give a rats ass provided it results in succulent mouth watering medium rare flavour.

I stopped respecting PETA several years back when they were throwing blood or red paint on fur coats. The real final straw was when they compared the beheading of a Canadian bus passenger to what happens to an animal. The day my life or the lives of other humans, including those PETA members becomes less important than a pig or cow is the day I will lose all faith in humanity.

Yes I respect their opinion but I don't have to agree with it and never will. Don't get me wrong, I will enjoy a salad from time to time but usually right before my Prime Rib shows up all bloody on a plate in front of me.

So you PETA folks can continue to wrap yourselves in plastic and cover yourselves in red paint to try and prove a point but when you're done, feel free to meet me at the Keg for a thick T-Bone.

Wild Weather

2011-06-10T11:54:00.001-04:00

I never put much stock into the idea that the world would end in 2012 as the Mayans predicted but judging by the weather this Spring in the U.S. and just this week here in Ontario, I may need to rethink things.

This has been the wettest Spring I can remember and although I don't have the evidence to prove it, it could be the wettest in recorded history.

Lots of rain in itself isn't too bad but it has made life miserable for farmers whose fields were too wet for planting. By the time August rolls around, I'll be hankering for some corn on the cob so it better start growing soon.

Flooding has also been a major problem this year both north and south of the border. Quebec and Manitoba have had many damaging and life impacting floods. When you can waterski down your street, that's a problem.

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms have also been disastrous in many communities with wide spread devastation wiping out entire communities. The twister in Joplin was by far the worst to date. I can't imagine what that must have been like for those who survived.

Just this past Wednesday we had severe thunderstorms go across the province. That was scary enough.

I was golfing that evening when within a matter of minutes a black ominous cloud moved in. I knew it wasn't going to be good. We had just teed off on our 13th hole of the round when the horn went at the clubhouse telling us to get off the course and seek shelter.

Like the idiot I am at times, I decided to go get my ball from the green and grab the balls of the other guys. By the time we reached the green with the cart, the sun was gone and the blackness had arrived. I picked up my ball just as the wind came up and I could see small branches and tree limbs breaking off and blowing towards me.

I ran as fast as I could back to the cart and we started towards the clubhouse dodging downed branches along the way. As we reached the bridge by the 17th hole a down burst of wind blew through the trees behind the green. We sat there and watched as a pine tree snapped off part way up like a toothpick and smashed onto the green below.

Seeing only that brief amount of natures fury reminded me just how helpless you can feel in situations like that. Once we felt a brief lull in the wind we drove as fast as we could among the trees and made it back just as the intense lightning started.

Looking up in the parking lot, several of us noticed the clouds which looked like nothing we'd ever seen before as they rotated much like you'd see prior to a tornado. It was humbling to witness this firsthand. Everyone was fine but a little on edge.

While I'm sure the world will be around for at least a few years yet, experiences like this certainly have left some doubts in my mind.

News Oddities For May

2011-05-24T16:57:00.002-04:00

It's time for more news of the weird and wacky with comments by me thrown in for good measure.

Despite the bold prediction by a California preacher who foresaw the world's end would take place this past Saturday at 6pm, Harold Camping has now revised his apocalyptic prophecy, saying he had a slight miscalculation and was actually off by five months. He now says the Earth actually will be obliterated on Oct. 21 of this year. Camping, who predicted that 200 million Christians would be taken to heaven Saturday before global cataclysm struck the planet, said that he felt so terrible when his doomsday message did not come true that he left home and took refuge in a motel with his wife. His independent ministry, Family Radio International, spent millions — some of it from donations made by followers — on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 recreational vehicles plastered with the Judgment Day message.

**He probably left home for fear that the brain dead morons who believed him and gave away all of their money and possessions were going to track him down and make sure he saw his maker. Come on, lets be honest. Do you really think God would end the world before Oprah's final show had a chance to be aired?**

The infamous black bears of Christina Lake, B.C., appear to be weaning themselves off dog food, according to the man who once fed them $100 worth of kibbles a day. Allen Piche pleaded guilty in March to feeding the two dozen wild black bears on his property. He'll be sentenced in the fall but in the meantime was ordered by the B.C. Conservation Society to stop the practice, which had been going on for years. Police discovered the docile bears when they raided a marijuana grow operation on Piche's property last August. Initially, there was speculation the bears were guarding the marijuana, but Piche denied that was the case.

**Police became suspicious about the marijuana when they found the bears wearing tie-died Grateful Dead t-shirts and suffering from a serious case of the munchies.**

OK, I never promise my comments will be funny.

Going To Pumps Gives Me Gas

2011-05-10T16:16:00.004-04:00

I'm at the point right now where I keep a little white flag in my car just in case I need to surrender. Every time I go to the gas station to fill up the tank, I get a bit closer to waiving that flag while yelling, "I give up!"

Like most Canadians, I can't take much more of this gouging and the unnecessary price hikes. But is that really what's happening?

It amazes me how easily the price can jump up six to ten cents at one time but rarely does it ever drop by large amounts. Actually, I know of one gas station where it does that several times a day. They just boost the price up on their own during peak hours of traffic and then drop it back down at the slower times. No price fixing there (sarcasm).

I realize other countries have it even worse than we do but I live here so this is what I have to deal with and complain about. Today gas in parts of Ontario topped $1.40 per litre. That's about $5.30 per gallon. A year ago at this time we were paying roughly 96.9 cents per litre.

What really grinds my gears is that the price of crude oil didn't even rise, so what is the reason for screwing the Canadian public other than greed?

The usual response of people when asked about the rising prices is, "what can I do about it? I need the gas to get to work to make money to feed myself and my family so we're forced to pay whatever they want to charge us." And that response is exactly what the big oil and gas companies want to hear. It's music to their ears as they roll around in their billions of dollars in profits.

Whenever these companies are confronted by the media, they concoct any number of excuses to justify the increases which drives the commodity up on the markets. The latest is that flooding along the Mississippi River in the U.S. could slow gasoline deliveries and possibly disrupt production. Are you kidding me? What a line of bullshit. When did they start raising prices based on something that "might" happen and "might" cause a problem? Not only that, but the gas that's already in the tanks under the gas station magically got more expensive since it was delivered? That's impressive!

The last time we saw prices like this was in 2008 when a barrel of oil cost $140. The price today is around $100 per barrel. What gives? Sounds like profit taking to me and the rich getting richer while average Canadians continue to see more money leaving their wallets than they can earn.

Is the Canadian government out of touch? The MP's all claim to hear our complaints yet nothing ever gets done about it. It's not even about the party in charge. All parties that have been in power have watched this happen year after year. When it comes right down to it, it would seem the government can do nothing but perhaps lower the tax on gas.

Understandably the price of gas will rise in the Spring as more people are driving more often and the demand for gas becomes greater. This will help to drive the price up even higher. Also, we pay more taxes on gas in Canada which if removed would bring our prices down to about the same price as our American neighbours are paying. Of course, that would mean less money for our government to send to other countries as aid. But don't get me started on that right now. I'd love to see Canada take just five years of not providing financial help to other countries to see what we could do with all that money right here.

Ultimately what will happen is the gas prices will continue to rise while the demands are high and Canadians will continue to bitch and complain but in the end, that's about all we can do...and I do it well.

Show Me The Money

2011-04-16T15:29:00.004-04:00

Why are people so cheap?

This is the question I have found myself asking a few times over the last year or two and it kind of annoys me.

Sure, I don't like to throw away money but if I really like something and want to have one to keep for myself or know I'll enjoy having a certain item, I'll spend the money to get whatever it is.

Other people it seems, only truly want something if they can get it for free.

OK, here's what I'm talking about.

As many of you know I enjoy photography as mostly a hobby. There's something about it that gives me enjoyment and makes me happy. I don't know if it's the thrill of seeing something you've captured in an image or the work that goes into a finished product but I get a kick out of it.

From time to time I have sold the odd image of mine. I don't have a business and I certainly don't advertise but there have been some friends and people who have appreciated my efforts enough to want to have a copy of my work for their very own. I'm all too happy to oblige them, but at a cost.

You see, while it is a hobby, it's still time consuming and a lot of effort goes into producing a final image that you might see.

A typical shoot might last anywhere from one to four hours, depending on what I'm photographing. Could be less, could be more. That is just the first part of the process.

Next I have to go through the hundreds of images I shot on a particular subject and pick out the images I like the best. Of those, I may select only two or three photos that I really like. Next comes the editing process. In the old days this would be done in a darkroom with stinky chemicals and could take hours or days to achieve the final result you're looking for. Today, with the computers and software available, this process happens much quicker and easier but is still very time consuming.

On one image I could spend an hour or more playing with the exposure, curves, contrast, colour, white balance, layers, etc...you get my point. The image isn't done at the moment you push the shutter release button on the camera. There's a lot of time and effort that is spent in front of a computer screen tweaking things to my liking.

People only see the finished product and probably don't have a clue how much time is spent on each individual image. Not to mention the thousands of dollars I had to spend on photographic equipment and software. It's an expensive hobby.

So now that you have an idea of the work that goes into a completed image, maybe you can understand why I might be a little bothered when someone who wants a copy of one of my photos thinks I'll just give it away for free.

I don't charge a lot for my work but apparently to some people they don't think paying for a photo that they really like is worth it. That's fine with me, but don't let me catch you with a copy of one of my images obtained through other means or we'll be talking in front of a judge.

I do appreciate those who have purchased my work in the past. It's nice to know they like what I do so much that they're willing to pay for it. The money is nice but the pride I feel when others enjoy what I do is even better.

Recently I had an inquiry about one of my photos which had actually won a contest in the past. They asked if they could have the full resolution image file of the photo so they could go and have a print made themselves. Ahhhh...I don't think so. I never give out my images for others to do with as they please. No photographer with any sense of pride in what they do gives away their work or shares their image files.

They wanted the image to hang in their building which I had no problem with but when I sent them a list showing the cost for the different available sizes for the image...well, lets just say the conversation has come to an abrupt end so far. Who knows, maybe I'll still hear from them but I'm afraid they're not getting anything for free. I'd rather the image sits on my hard drive until I die than diminish my worth and my work by giving it away.

Am I wrong? Isn't my time and effort worth $25 - $100? I think it is.

Lazy Swim

2011-04-10T15:44:00.001-04:00

Lazy Swim
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

I took advantage of what was by far the most perfect day so far this Spring and got out to enjoy it after doing some yard work in the morning.

I struck out for Presqu'ile Provincial Park where there were quite a few people who had the same idea.

I eventually found my way to the "Calf Pasture" area and found a pair of swans feeding quietly in the waters of this sheltered area.

I spent about an hour there by myself photographing and watching these two amazing birds as they went about their business eating whatever they could find under the water.

Eventually about four more people showed up and this obviously was too many for the swans as they drifted further out towards the Brighton Bay away from us.

It was an enjoyable hour I spent in the company of these large birds who I'm sure will be having cygnets before too long. I'll be sure to try and get back there sometime soon to see what nature has produced.

Election Time...Again

2011-03-29T11:51:00.001-04:00

What did we do to deserve this? Why in heavens name are we going to the polls yet again?

I'm all for the democratic process and electing our representatives but I just can't see why were doing this now.

The Liberals, NDP and Bloc must enjoy a good ass kicking because if the polls are any indication, that's exactly what they're in for.

I have never claimed to be a 100% supporter of any party and have voted both Conservative and Liberal in the past. I always vote and usually with my instincts and my instincts are telling me that Stephen Harper and the Conservative party are still the best option.

I like some of the candidates from the other parties but to be honest I don't trust any of the other party leaders. Iggy seems like one shady SOB who needs to have his eyebrows tweezed. He was not the answer to the parties leadership problems and until they fix that, they'll continue to flounder.

Layton has always come across to me as someone longing for the spotlight and would be willing to flip flop any which way as long as it benefits him.

Duceppe and the Bloc are laughed at by the rest of Canada for believing they actually live in a country within Canada. They're like the little ones sitting at the kids table at Christmas.

My prediction is come May 2nd, millions of dollars will have been spent, hundreds of hours of news time on TV will have been wasted and we'll end up right back in the same spot we were before this election was needlessly forced upon us.

Earthquakes, Tsunami's & Radiation

2011-03-19T14:42:00.004-04:00

What a crazy world we live in right now.

Uprisings in African countries are popping up day after day it seems. Dictators continue to think they're untouchable. While all of the chaos in Egypt, Libya and other locales are happening and would make watching the evening news interesting, none of it compares to the catastrophe in Japan.

The land of "Hello Kitty" and Karaoke has been left with nothing happy to sing about. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck on Friday March 11, 2011 killed thousands and left thousands more missing.

A natural disaster on this scale would be bad enough but who could have imagined it would get even worse? Shockingly it has gotten worse as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered major damage resulting in not one but four reactors going on the fritz. So while people in Japan are searching for survivors and recovering the dead, they remain on edge with a seemingly never ending number of aftershocks and the fear that a nuclear meltdown is in the process and they could be glowing in the dark before too long. What a mess.

You don't need me to give you details as I'm sure you've heard it all on the news and with the story that is constantly changing I couldn't possibly keep up to speed with it all.

The one thing that has been inspiring with all of this has been the reactions of the Japanese people. Of course they are frightened, shocked and questioning what to do next but they're also freakishly calm.

Being in Canada I can't really draw on any personal experience or history that would compare to what the people of Japan are going through but I have a hard time imagining Canadians being as calm. Lets face it, if this had happened in Montreal, there would be looting and rioting in the streets because...well, that's what they do every chance they get it seems.

Sure Canadians are a respectful, peaceful and courteous bunch who have proven in the past that when called upon to stand and fight, we do it better than any other country in the world. History has shown that in past wars. So, I'd like to think we would react similar to the Japanese. I certainly know we would do what we could for our friends and neighbours.

I can only speculate but I'm guessing mayhem would ensue south of the border in the U.S. While they may be very patriotic or seem to be by how vocal they are about it, I still think they'd lose their minds. Heck, even with the minute and harmless traces of radiation that are finding their way to the shores of the Home of the Brave, people are panicking to the point that anti-radiation pills are selling out. One can only imagine the pandemonium that would ensue should something similar happen in North America.

My hope is that we'll never find out what would actually happen in that scenario. In the meantime we'll continue to send aid and assist our friends in the land of the rising sun and hope for the best.

Chara Was Reckless

2011-03-09T10:05:00.002-05:00

I, like all other Montreal Canadiens fans sat in shock and disbelief after Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins lambasted Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty on Tuesday night.

Had the hit taken place anywhere else on the ice it wouldn't have been as severe but because it happened near the benches where Pacioretty's head made contact with the glass partition, the play resulted in the Montreal forward being knocked out and left motionless on the ice.

Did Chara intend to cause such a horrific impact which could have turned out even worse? Only he knows for sure but watching the countless replays I have to think Chara knew what he was doing and where he was going to check Pacioretty. In fact it appeared as though Chara made sure he was going to contact the pole.

I'm not suggesting Chara was trying to cause injury despite the fact the same two players had a run in the game before. I don't think Chara is a dirty player but his size as the biggest player in the league does come with some added responsibility.

He has to be aware that he can inflict a lot of damage if he wants to and in a situation like this where it was clearly a late hit to begin with, he should have backed off. He didn't and that is why the league must step in and punish him so he will maybe think twice before doing something so reckless in the future. Next time the player could leave the ice in a body bag instead of a stretcher.

UPDATE: The NHL decided no suspension was warranted. In my opinion the NHL made a colossal mistake and have now set a precedent that they will have to stand by in the future. To say that because the 6' 9" Chara "didn't leave his feet" to finish the illegal play is insane. He wasn't checking Shaquille O'Neal. Safe to say the Zdeno Chara will be Public Enemy #1 in Montreal for a long time.

Photo Fun

2011-02-27T12:19:00.004-05:00

After sitting here wracking my brain trying to get my creative juices flowing to put forth some words of wisdom or create some controversy with my own warped sense of humour and thinking, I've decided that I just don't have anything thought provoking to share. I can't recall the last time I struggled this much to put my thoughts in my blog.

To be honest, I need to invest in a new laptop. My old one died and I had been using it to write most of my postings while at work when I had some free time to do it. Since it stopped working, my blog posts have taken a sharp decline.

In the meantime, I've found a little time lately to put my photography skills to use. My new camera has been patiently waiting in the bag for me to pull it out and give it a workout. So I've managed to take a few shots worth keeping.

I'm actually working on my second photography book right now. My first one was enjoyed by many, although I never actually sold any copies. Everyone just looked at my copy. To be honest, that's all I really wanted any way. I take all these photos and most people never see them unless they gather around my computer. A book is a great way to share them with others by having it laying out for family and friends to look at.

Here are a few of my latest photos that people seemed to enjoy. Hope you like them as well.

The Psychedelic Pslinky

Go Habs Go

Will Winter Ever End?

It's A Bird

February Blahs

2011-02-16T18:35:00.003-05:00

I don't know if it's the time of year or I'm just uninspired lately but I've been struggling to come up with ideas for blog postings.

Sure I could just do updates to my daily life but honestly, who wants to read that I went to work again, ate mashed potatoes and meatballs for supper and have been dealing with a nagging cold lately?

My life just isn't that exciting!

It doesn't help that the only time I seem to leave the house is to go to work. I come home and begin my exciting evenings of eating, watching TV or messing around on the computer before I go to bed to rest up for the exact same thing the following day.

My social life has disappeared. I used to get out on weeknights with buddies, go to hockey games, party on weekends and basically have fun. Now the only regular interaction I have with other humans is via Twitter, Facebook or Flickr.

Of course the time of year has a lot to do with it. I don't get out much in the winter. At least in the spring, summer and autumn I can go golfing, camping or get out in nature with my camera and take photos.

It's not that I don't like talking to people. Hell, for nearly 14 years I made a living by talking on the radio and going to events and dealing with the general public. But after that job ended I went into a shell and shut myself off from almost everyone except my family and a few other people. I hid from society without even being conscious of the decision.

The last six plus years have been tough on me in many ways after having a happy life turned upside down unexpectedly and I admit it hasn't gotten a lot better. But I'm still the same guy with the same social skills. I just need to take those skills out of mothballs and use them more.

As for being motivated to write more on this blog, I'll continue to come up with ideas and share my thoughts when I can get my brain lubricated a bit better. Anyone have some WD40 I can borrow?

Snow In Canada, Go Figure

2011-02-02T20:09:00.004-05:00

Once again the hype was bigger than the actual storm as Ontario was hit with what I would consider a mild snow storm. I think we ended up with close to 20cm.

Not a bad dumping but to listen to the experts and Meteorologists the day before the storm you'd think we were going to be stranded in our homes for days.

That of course was not the case. In fact, even the weather gurus were apologizing tonight on the news for messing this one up. OK, these things happen from time to time.

Part of me can't help but wonder if the Toronto mentality to snow has changed over the years. Perhaps it's because so many cultures call Toronto home now that came from countries where snow wasn't common or maybe the city folks are just becoming winter wimps. Whatever the reason, they seem to panic at the sign of snowflakes while those of us in the more rural communities just sit back and laugh at them while we calmly clear away the latest dusting of the white stuff.

Poking fun at the people of Toronto has gone on for many years but I think things really took on a life of its own back in 1999 when then Mayor Mel Lastman called in the Canadian Army to help dig out Toronto following a significant blizzard. About 118cm fell over several days and brought the city to a halt. The rest of Canada laughed at them for having to seek the help of the Canadian Armed Forces.

I came across this video that always makes me laugh when I watch it. It pokes fun at the people of Toronto and how they react to the most common site in Canada for six months out of the year.

Best Music Video EVER!

2011-01-27T19:20:00.002-05:00

I miss the days when you could turn on Much Music and you knew you were going to see an actual music video. I suppose the same thing goes for MTV in the U.S.

Back in the 80's when these two channels came on the scene they were driven by the music video and to be honest, there have been some amazing, groundbreaking, controversial and technically stunning music videos over the years.

When I think back to my teen years and the hours I spent watching Much Music and the videos, I think of it not as time wasted but as the soundtrack of my youth.

The first video that really peaked my interest was by the Canadian singer, Gowan and the song "A Criminal Mind". As it turns out, it's still one of my favourite songs by a Canadian but the video sold me on it. "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits was another cool video back in the day and arguably the best of all-time is probably "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.

Of course there were some duds in there as well. Among those I'd include the group Right Said Fred with "I'm Too Sexy" and Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" to name just a couple. Honestly, there are just too many to mention.

One video was filmed not too far from where I live and is by the Canadian band Honeymoon Suite. They shot the video in Prince Edward County in Ontario and at Sandbanks Provincial Park. The song was "Wave Babies" and it starts off by taking a ride on the Glenora Ferry which of course is still in operation today.

But on rare occasions a video comes along that just makes you stop and stare. You become transfixed by what you're watching and no matter how hard you try, you just can't look away. Such a video came along in 2004 and it has the rare combination of falling into the category of being just an awful song with a compelling video. Have a look at it for yourself and see if you agree. I give you Eric Prydz with "Call On Me".

Love To Hear The Boos

2011-01-22T22:52:00.002-05:00

Here's a short video for all of my readers who happen to be fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs...or just hockey fans in general.

This is actually quite well done even if the topic might be tough for Leafs fans to stomach.

Like Rodney, There's No Respect

2011-01-20T16:36:00.004-05:00

Every time we turn on the sports these days, the number one topic that keeps bring brought up by the so-called experts is headshots in the NHL.

The majority of these hockey analysts feel the National Hockey League needs to make changes to their rules in order to force players to stop taking dangerous liberties on opposing players. Their feeling is that suspensions and more costly fines will get the job done and force players to stop targeting the heads of other players.

OK, maybe it will. I'm certainly no expert on the subject and I can honestly say if I was told I couldn't play the game I love for ten games and would lose $50-thousand dollars of my salary, I might think twice.

Hockey is a contact sport and accidents happen but one way to stop these "accidents" from taking place would be to penalize those who come in contact with the head of another player, even if they didn't mean to. Zero tolerance would be the term I suppose.

Recently Sidney Crosby became the latest poster boy for headshots when he was nailed not once but twice and has since been sidelined with a concussion. First he was "accidentally" hit by David Steckel of the Washington Capitals during the Winter Classic game. Steckel denies he did it on purpose but what do you expect him to say. Anybody who saw the replay knows he fully intended to hit Crosby. He had to see him and his non-reaction after they came together made it even more obvious.

The very next game Crosby was the target again as his head was the only thing between the glass and a hit by Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Do you think this would have been tolerated years ago had it been Gretzky on the receiving end? The league would have had something to say about it and better yet, his teammates would have taken matters into their own hands.

Marc Savard was the victim of one of the cheapest and nastiest headshots I've ever seen when Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke blindsided him. What did Savard's Boston teammates do? Not a whole hell of a lot. I guess we're into the kinder gentler Bettman NHL now.

So what is the answer? Rule changes will likely be the end result but the real change has to come from the players themselves. There's no honour and respect among many of the players today. It's one thing to make contact with a guy coming at you but far too often the blindside hits or hits from behind to the head are the most damaging.

Until the players themselves realize that this crap needs to stop, there will continue to be a steady stream of stretchers to the ice and stars on the injured reserve list.

News Oddities For January

2011-01-10T19:31:00.003-05:00

It's time for more news of the weird and wacky with comments by me thrown in for good measure.

Police say a man who had three outstanding warrants for his arrest gave officers a false name during a traffic stop — but ended up in custody anyway because that man was also wanted. During a traffic stop in Great Falls, Montana, Jonothan Ray Gonsalez told police that his name was Timothy Michael Koop Jr. The officer learned a man by that name was wanted in Hill County and arrested him. A a search of Gonsalez after his arrest turned up half a gram of methamphetamine in his jacket pocket and he was charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs. To add insult to stupidity, a charge of issuing a false report to law enforcement was added.
**Why didn't he pick a different name of someone that he knew wouldn't be wanted by police like Willie Nelson, Charlie Sheen or Lindsay Lohan?**

Authorities in Delaware say a man broke into a house, got drunk and couldn't make his way back outside — so he called police for help. Police say 44-year-old John Finch was trapped in the home partly because he'd broken into it before, back in April. That led the homeowner to change the locks so that a key was required — even inside. No one was home when Finch broke in again, through a rear window. He stayed for a few days, drinking five bottles of liquor. He was too drunk to climb back out of the window, however, and called police, who arrested him.
**He has a lawyer but hasn't been in front of a judge yet. It seems he's too busy setting up the jail house chapter of Mensa.**

A man confessed to robbing a bank after his wife saw a surveillance photo on the evening news and alerted them. A camera got a clear shot of the man with a pony tail and scruffy beard robbing the First Bank in Bradenton, Florida. The robber got away. According to reports, Manatee County Sheriff's officials got a break when Afra Sandifar saw a news report about the robbery. She called authorities and told them her husband was the robber. That's when 45-year-old Troy Sandifar fled the couple's apartment. Deputies stopped his vehicle but Troy Sandifar refused to get out. They say he ingested what appeared to be drugs before they were able to arrest him. He was taken to the hospital, where authorities say he confessed.
**See guys...this is why you don't buy your wife a Chia Pet and dieting books for Christmas.**

OK, I never said my comments would be funny.

He's a Real Hoot

2011-01-06T19:22:00.004-05:00

Finally the holiday season is behind us and life can return to normal. Well, as normal as it ever is.

I haven't had any time to devote to the blog lately which I feel bad about but there's not a whole lot I can do about it. Besides, I really haven't had a lot on my mind lately worth blogging about.

By the way, if you're on Twitter, I spend a bit of time on there most days sharing my opinions on different things. I guess in a way each Tweet is a mini 140 character blog each time I type something. You can see my most recent Tweets in the right hand column of this blog but you can also follow me on Twitter as well. I know a lot of you aren't into it and that's fine. I realize it isn't for everyone.

Anyway, I bought myself, I mean, Santa brought me a new camera for Christmas so I managed to get out with it on the final day of 2010. I was about to head home from my outing without photographing anything too interesting when I saw something big land beside the road I was slowly driving down.

After it took flight again I realized it was a Barred Owl and he was close enough for me to snap a few shots. I pulled the car over, grabbed the camera and my 70-300 lens and started shooting. I wasn't overly happy with what I was getting being too far away so I ventured across the frozen marshy area while praying I didn't break through the ice and get a soaker. The ice held for the most part.

I watched as the owl flew to the ground again and caught an unidentified rodent which it carried back to his perch and ripped apart with both it's beak and claws. Do they call them claws? Any way, he made short work of the rat like corpse.

Moving as close as I dared I eventually snapped a few photos I felt were keepers. Below is one I really liked. There are a few more where this photo is stored on Flickr if you care to have a look.

Please remember my photos are copyrighted so look but don't steal. :-)

My 2010 Christmas Wish List

2010-12-12T11:37:00.007-05:00

I'm shocked that another year is almost over. It baffles the mind how quickly the days pass and before we know it we're into another holiday season and preparing for the start of another new year.

Something I've done in the past as Christmas approaches is sit down and complile a list of items that would be on my Wish List for Santa to fill.

But traditionally the Bundy Wish List has included items of a more unrealistic nature. These are gifts that range from a slight possibility of receiving to presents that I have no chance in hell of seeing under my tree. It’s more of a “Not in Your Wildest Dreams Christmas List”. Obviously a Lotto Max win of 50 million would be nice or to instantly lose a bunch of weight would be my first choice but for this list, I’ll only mention actual items that could be purchased...but not by me personally.

Before we begin, I can update that over the past year I have either received or purchased some of the items or variations of the items on last years list. Sadly no new vehicles or homes were included in these.

So, let’s have some fun shall we?

Logitech Harmony 900 - Universal Remote
Cost: $400

Xbox 360 Game Console
Cost: $300

Garmin Nuvi 3790T - GPS
Cost: $500

Apple iPhone 4
Cost: $660 (received)

Apple iPad 64GB
Cost: $750

Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera
Cost: $1400 (received)
Still would like the Nikon D3x worth $8000

Bose Lifestyle V35 Home Entertainment System
Cost: $3800

Nikon 600mm f4.0 VR II Telephoto Lens
Cost: $11000

Samsung 60" 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV
Cost: $3200

Unlimited Tickets and Airfare To Any NHL Games
Cost: Priceless

2011 Cadillac Escalade
Cost: $83000

2011 Bentley Continental GT
Cost: $200000

New Home and Land in Canada
Cost: $2500000 est.

New Home in Florida
Cost: $4000000 est.

So there you have it. I'm sure I've forgotten a few items but if I get these on Christmas morning I'm sure I won't be upset.

Of course, these are just things and the most important items are having a healthy and happy family and good friends. No price tag could be put on them.

I hope all of your Christmas Wishes come true and may you have a Merry Christmas.

Now I'm In The Spirit

2010-12-06T16:29:00.008-05:00

I don't know why but each year I seem to have a tougher time getting into the holiday spirit. I can't explain why. Maybe it just happens as you get older or perhaps you need to experience something that helps to trigger that joyous feeling.

This year I was able to get that feeling sooner than normal.

It wasn't seeing the Christmas lights coming on that did it. The early arrival of some snow had no effect on me. Shopping in the malls with the songs of the season playing didn't set it off.

No, this year it was a commercial that gave me that warm feeling and desire to unwrap some items.

Why don't you watch this and see if it helps your spirit rise.

Almost Hockey Night Roadkill

2010-11-28T11:59:00.003-05:00

Last night just prior to the second game on Hockey Night in Canada, commentators Scott Oake and former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes were giving their thoughts on the upcoming game between the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers.

As usual, this was taking place at the opening in the boards where the Zamboni will enter and exit the ice for cleaning.

It just so happened that they were on the air as the big machines were leaving the ice and had to make a move to avoid being resurfaced themselves.

Not only was it a good job to move out of harms way but Weekes shows his professionalism by continuing his thoughts on the match-up while Oake tried to hop in the lap of a season ticket holder.

Pat Burns Passes Away

2010-11-19T20:44:00.004-05:00

After a hoax earlier this year and unconfirmed reports of his passing were found to be untrue, we were a bit skeptical when we heard the news tonight about Pat Burns death. Sadly, this time it's true. Coach Burns has passed away at the age of 58 after a long battle with lung cancer.

He is easily my favourite NHL coach of all-time.

Burns' career spanned 14 seasons and 1,019 games, from 1988 to 2004. He won a Stanley Cup with the Devils and earned a record three coach of the year awards (Jack Adams Award) - a record he still holds.

After he retired as a cop in Montreal he eventually made his way to the NHL with stops in Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New Jersey.

What I'll remember most about Burns was his passion and how he never hid his emotions on the bench. He always stood up for his players and his coaching outbursts became legendary.

Soon after, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and in 2005 another new cancer attacked his liver. In 2009, he was again diagnosed with the disease, this time terminal lung cancer.

It was following this third diagnosis he decided to forgo further treatment.

On March 26, 2010, he made his final public appearance, when the Quebec town of Stanstead, near the U.S. border, announced it was building an arena bearing his name.

Not surprisingly the legend was met by a standing ovation and said the honour was one of the highest points of his career.

Burns knew he likely wouldn't be around long enough to see people skate on the ice. "I probably won't see the project to the end," Burns said at the time. "But let's hope I'm looking down on it and see a young Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky."

I hope that every day where you are now Pat is like winning a Stanley Cup.

The one thing I had hoped to see before he passed was his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There's no doubt he will be in there one day but the powers that be really blew it when they didn't elect him to the Hall this past year.

Here now are a couple of video clips of Pat Burns that I enjoyed and thought you might as well.

WARNING: The first clip contains some foul language.

Pat loses it on the bench

Pat doing a commercial for Bad Boy in Toronto

A slide show tribute with music (The Best)

Continue Profiling, End the Groping

2010-11-17T17:31:00.005-05:00

In a perfect and peaceful world, racial profiling wouldn’t be an issue because there would be no reason for it to take place in regard to concerns for safety and security.

News Flash! This isn’t a perfect world and if profiling leads security and anti-terrorism organizations to individuals who are hell bent on causing death and destruction before they’re able to reach their targets, then how can that possibly be a bad thing?

I understand that not every Yemeni, Arab or Muslim person is a terrorist but they shouldn’t be focusing their blame for being singled out while travelling on the security people. They should be angry with their fellow citizens of the same nationality who continue to pose a threat to freedom loving people such as myself. That’s the reason why they’re being pulled aside for secondary checks, interviews, body scans and explosive detection screening by national security agents (CSIS) in Canada and other similar organizations around the world.

OK, it’s not fair I’ll admit but who said life was fair. If the shoe bomb were on the other foot and it was Caucasian individuals flying planes into buildings, slipping on to planes with bombs or blowing up subways and trains, then I would fully expect the same treatment. I would be the person being scrutinized and picked out of the crowd when I travel.

That isn’t to say it doesn’t happen already. Just after 9/11 I was in New Orleans and before boarding my flight home I was checked with the wand twice and had to remove my shoes. I also had my luggage, both inside and out, swabbed down and checked for explosives. They don’t come much whiter than me.

Was I upset? Hell no, I wasn’t upset. We’re told to be at the airport three hours before our flight. This should allow plenty of time for not just the “profiled” people to be checked thoroughly but everyone boarding a flight. If you have nothing to hide then who cares if you get checked.

Where I do have a problem, and it sounds like I’m not alone, is with the new screening process in the U.S. whereby high school dropouts working as TSA’s are allowed to sexually assault you with foreplay to be able to pass through security. That’s right, they get to grope, prod and fondle you in search of anything dangerous. You can’t even have a cigarette when they’re done. If you choose not to have your naughty bits and pieces man-handled by Bubba, you can always select to have someone else scan your body with a machine that provides a strip search, without the dinner and a movie first.

Oh but these security officers are “rigorously trained to maintain the highest levels of professionalism.” What this really means is if the uniform fits and you can speak English, you’re qualified. A sexual predator has more training.

The really scary part is that kids are not exempt from this. Parents teach their children that strangers should not be touching them in their “special” places but I guess that doesn’t count for government approved workers. I’m sorry, call it what you will, but that is “sexual assault” by definition and doing it in the name of security is still wrong.

Why aren’t the same groups of people and organizations who get up in arms over Muslims being centred out for extra security scrutiny just as upset over the sexual assault of all passengers? I guess if it doesn’t only affect the visible minority it’s just not worth the trouble.

I suppose this is one of those, “you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t” scenarios. If we cut out the invasive security measures, the terrorists win. If we keep things the same, then I know I can just head to the airport when I’m in the mood for some random action with strangers.

Autumn in Canada

2010-11-15T17:16:00.004-05:00

Crisp cool nights, the leaves changing colour and all that other happy crap that comes with the arrival of autumn in Canada.

No, this time of year isn’t my favourite season but as bitter as I seem to be about it, I’ve noticed this year more than any other, I actually hate it a smidgen less than usual.

Boy, you people are going to start thinking that I’m turning into a sour and cantankerous old man. The truth is…I’m not old at all.

I enjoy life but I’m not going to lie, I enjoy it a great deal more when you can actually feel the heat of the sun, the leaves are green, the tee times are abundant and women wear a lot less. Yes, I’m a lover of summer, among other things.

For some unknown reason however, this fall I am feeling less Grinch like about the changing seasons and inevitable arrival of old man winter. Autumn 2010 has been quite pleasant. The weather has been comfortable and rather dry for the most part which always puts a smile on my face.

I even found myself out on the golf course this past weekend in only a t-shirt. Yes, I was wearing jeans but no sweater which was wonderful. The latest I’ve golfed in Canada in the past was December 15th but that was several years ago when I was bothered less by the frosty temperatures. I did golf once on New Year’s Day but that was at a friend’s golf course and it was just after midnight using glow balls on the snow. Alcohol was involved of course.

The one thing I absolutely despise in the autumn is raking leaves. Every year we do it three or four times as some trees empty quicker than others. That was the case again this year but the purchase of a leaf blower that also mulches made the job so much more…I don’t want to say enjoyable, but less time consuming and back breaking. Money well spent.

Knock on wood, we’ve only had a few snow flurries so far but that will change soon enough I’m sure. The next task will be to decorate for Christmas. I’m not too gung-ho about that job either but I think the lights look nice once they’re up.

One thing I can’t stand is when people go crazy with their Christmas enthusiasm. I don’t mind people being excited about the season but don’t turn your yard into a toilet bowl in which Christmas threw up on.

A house in my neighbourhood takes it too far and the gaudy decorations make me ill. Oh sure I’m betting the kids like them which is fine but personally, it’s a bit much having 15 blow-up items cluttering the front yard. On the plus side, all of the vehicles that usually park on the lawn are now in the backyard I’m guessing. Yes, we do have rednecks in Canada.

Probably the best thing about autumn is when the grass stops growing. This year has been crazy. Cutting the lawn twice a week was common so it’s nice to have a break from that. The downside is that although the mower is put away, it’s been replaced by the snow blower which I’ve already had running in preparation of the unavoidable winter storms to come.

So I’ll continue to enjoy the season as best I can. Unfortunately that likely won’t be for long. I just checked the forecast and we’re looking at highs of plus 3 by the weekend with possible snow. Crap!

Holiday of Remembrance

2010-11-10T16:29:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is November 11th which of course is Remembrance Day in Canada. I believe they call it Veteran’s Day in the U.S.

It’s a day where all citizens should take some time to reflect, remember and thank those soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of their country and freedom.

Lately there has been talk of making the day a national holiday or statutory holiday to allow more people to attend services and to reflect on the meaning of the day.

Nobody loves having a day off or working a holiday for double time and half more than me but you can put me in the category of those who think this is a bad idea.

Holidays are great but most are meant to provide an opportunity for families to be together on special occasions. Christmas, Easter, Family Day, Thanksgiving and Canada Day are the one’s that come to mind. OK, Canada Day is more about celebrating the country’s birthday than being with family but the two usually go hand in hand.

Remembrance Day wouldn’t be about family, it would be about, well, remembering the brave men and women who fought in past wars and sacrificed their lives as it always has been. I honestly don’t think the majority of people would use the day for its intended purpose. Instead they would most likely sleep in and not even care about the day or taking the time to remember with a moment of silence at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Of course the banks and government offices are closed already on Remembrance Day but they don’t count. They close on more days than anyone else. Heck, I think they’re closed on Groundhog Day.

I don’t think anything positive is gained by making Remembrance Day a holiday. School children can still be taken on a “field trip” to the local cenotaph or monument for the community ceremonies and I think that would continue to be a greater benefit and very educational.

When I was in public school, once Halloween was over, for the next eleven days we spent a lot of time talking about and studying about Remembrance Day, poppies and the meaning and purpose of it all. It is easily the reason why to this day some 30 plus years later I still appreciate the importance of it. We had to memorize the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields” written by Canadian WW1 physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. No kids, it isn’t a story about Homer Simpson’s religious next-door neighbour. Google it if you don’t know what it is and then kick your own ass for being so uneducated.

I heard that the local high school is planning a video conference call tomorrow with soldiers currently serving and fighting in Afghanistan. What a great idea and a perfect way to clearly illustrate what our men and women in uniform are doing right now while risking their lives.

There is no need to make this a holiday, especially if it comes at the expense of losing the existing Family Day holiday in February. If you’re going to make it a holiday then you should keep Family Day as well.

Any employer who won’t let their employees attend a local service should they choose to do so needs to be berated and made an example of. I think a couple of hours of lost time is a small sacrifice once a year compared to the thousands of lives Canadians have lost since WW1 all in an effort to ensure that our freedom and way of life continues. If you don’t agree than perhaps you should move your company to Afghanistan or Iraq.

Keep Remembrance Day as it is. I attended the local services the last two years but tomorrow I will be at work and unable to be there in person. But I will be remembering and taking my moment of silence at 11 o’clock. I have already set the alarm on my mobile phone to remind me just in case I forget. I don’t want to forget, and neither should you.

Pet Peeve #146

2010-11-05T16:26:00.005-04:00

On my way to work this morning I decided I had just enough time to stop into the local Mac’s Convenience store to grab a copy of the Toronto Sun newspaper.

Normally, even on a busy morning, I’m usually in and out in less than a minute. The newspapers are just inside the door right next to the checkout.

A quick scan of the barcode and exchange of a toonie and some change in return and I’m out the door back on the road with my morning news fix in my possession.

Seems like a harmless enough detour and transaction right? Not on this day!

I walked in the door and there was an older man at the counter and another guy about my age with a coffee in his hand waiting to pay for it. I grabbed the paper and took my place in line. I shouldn’t be waiting more than a few moments for these guys to pay and be on their way.

I give a quick glance at the clock and its 7:40am. I’m about 10 minutes from work and I have to be there for 8 o’clock but I usually like to be there at least 10 or 15 minutes early to let the guy who worked the night shift go a bit early.

I’m still standing in line. What the heck is taking so long? I peer around the shoulder of "coffee guy" and I see what’s happening. The old fellow has decided that this is the time of day when he should be checking his lottery and scratch tickets and cashing in his winning Nevada tickets. Are you kidding me?

Come on buddy! You may be retired and have all the time in the world to have junior behind the counter ringing your $2 and $5 winners through the machine but some of us are in a hurry. He couldn’t care less. He even pulls out an old change purse and dumps coins out to pay for more tickets while slowly counting enough to get the right amount.

The wait becomes painful and unbearable as I glance at the clock and five minutes has passed. It’s decision time. Do I put the paper back and just go? Do I give him a few more seconds or do I just toss the guy my toonie and tell him to keep the change?

Long story short, it was actually a combination of the choices. The retiree finally seems satisfied with his winnings and is slowly filling his change purse back up when coffee guy tosses some money on the counter and tells junior to keep the change. I quickly follow and do the same thing as the gentleman with the lottery tickets slowly exits the store without a care in the world or any idea of the delay he’s caused.

I made it to work before my shift started but I had to run some yellow lights and go a little faster than I normally would along the way.

Here’s a suggestion to anyone else who might find themselves in a similar situation as "Old Man Lottery". If you’re retired, do your business after 9am when most working people have made their way to work. Your lottery tickets won’t depreciate in value if you wait a couple of extra hours. And at the same time you won’t anger working folks who make a quick pit stop while on the way to their jobs.

Autumn Outings

2010-11-04T20:41:00.004-04:00

Sadly this hasn't been a very productive year with my photography hobby. I just haven't had nearly as much free time to get out and really have fun taking photos.

This autumn I have managed to find a bit of time to click the shutter a few times and came home with some images I've been happy with.

I thought I might share a few with you. Hope you like them.

White-tailed Deer in a field

A leaf covered lane

Walking into the woods

A Red Fox scratching an itch

Hockey Traditions Disappearing

2010-10-26T17:18:00.005-04:00

There’s something about the new hockey arena’s being built or that have been built in recent years around the NHL that just lack that "special" quality.

Oh sure, they’re big, clean and impressive and will seat a lot more people than the old rinks but they all look the same more or less. There’s nothing that sets them apart or gives them a unique appearance.

I’m not talking about the bricks and mortar so much as I am the atmosphere and even the oddities or history of the old barns.

For the record, I’ve only been in a few different NHL arenas over the years. I’ve been to both Maple Leaf Gardens and Air Canada Centre in Toronto and the Ice Palace in Tampa. I think the last time I was there it had been renamed the St. Petersburg Times Forum.

That’s right…I’m a die-hard life-long Montreal Canadiens fan and I’ve never been to the old Forum or the Bell Centre. It’s not that I wouldn’t like to but getting tickets is damn near impossible. I’d love to get my dad there once to see a game.

I guess what I’m hinting at is when you walk into the new arenas you just don’t feel the history or see anything different. Sure the Stanley Cup banners and retired numbers hang from the rafters to show the history of a franchise but the buildings have lost their charm. It’s kind of like how you’d feel walking into Fenway Park in Boston or Wrigley Field in Chicago. There’s a history there and you can imagine the old players from the past running out on to the field.

The Forum used to have the fence to separate the upper class from the cheap seats. I’m not suggesting that was a good thing but it certainly was different. In Boston the old Gardens used to have views of the ice obstructed by support beams. Not a fun spot to be sitting but still part of the charm. Of course who can forget the “Bunker” in Maple Leaf Gardens where Harold Ballard used to sit with former players? You don’t see that anymore with owners now sitting in luxury boxes high above the ice. Toronto stunk through those Ballard years but the old Gardens had some historic charm. In the photo shown you can see the bunker being taken apart and the stairs that lead up to it.

Even though I wasn’t a fan of the Leafs I can remember my last time going to a game there. It was the final meeting between the Leafs and Montreal before it closed. I got there early and walked the halls looking at the old black and white photos. I stopped and talked to Ron MacLean of Hockey Night in Canada for five minutes. I had interviewed and met Ron on my radio show a few weeks earlier and he made time to chat. Walking out into the seating area and looking up at the old rafters and building you felt the history. Prior to the game Ted "Teeder" Kennedy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard were introduced for the ceremonial face off and the standing ovation lasted for what seemed like 10 to 15 minutes. It was a special moment.

The two places that I know of that have attempted to keep the past alive are Chicago and Philadelphia. In Philly the Flyers during the playoffs will show video of the late Kate Smith singing God Bless America. It isn’t something you can see or feel when you walk into the arena but for those who are old enough to remember Kate when she was alive and hearing her sing, it brings back memories and gives you chills. In Chicago the one thing that made going to the Stadium a treat was hearing the booming organ playing. It was loud and shook the rafters. They didn't move the old organ to the new rink but a new one still helps to keep that original atmosphere and gets the crowd cheering. By the way, the old organ is now in someone's residence in Las Vegas.

I suppose long after I’m gone, the younger generation will probably look at these new arenas with the same sense of history but with the original six team league now a distant memory, the old barns just helped to keep some of the history and charm in the hockey experience.

Time For A Change

2010-10-25T17:35:00.002-04:00

After many many years of the same look and no major changes to my blog, I finally felt is was time for a bit of a refresh.

I hope my regular readers enjoy the new look and changes I've made. The blog itself is more or less the same but the new and improved look and few coats of new paint go a long way towards keeping things fresh. Or at least that's my story.

You might notice that some of my past postings don't look exactly right as they didn't adapt well to the new surroundings but a change was necessary for my own sanity.

So I hope you like the new look and continue to stop by when you can.

Thanks,

Bundy

Monster Lived Among Us

2010-10-20T16:41:00.009-04:00

***WARNING – Some contents of this blog posting are graphic in nature and may be offensive to some readers.***

Forget the creatures like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolfman in Transylvania. This October we’re dealing with a real life monster right here in my own small and tight knit Canadian community.

Colonel Russell Williams was the commander of Canada’s largest Air Force base, 8-Wing CFB Trenton, in the city of Quinte West. I live just minutes from the base and have so my entire life. The community has prided itself on the relationship between our military and the citizens of Trenton and the surrounding area.

That relationship has been strained as of late but for the most part, the non-military people of the community have been able separate the actions of the monster from the good work our men and women in the armed forces do each day.

The Canadian Forces are rightfully embarrassed to have had such a high ranking officer deceive them for so many years while being promoted through the ranks. But they weren’t the only one’s deceived by his secret life. The shock and disbelief felt by everyone in the community speaks volumes. How could such a high profile individual command the base and be well respected by day, yet be so evil and wicked by night? We may never know the whole truth.

Over the last several days, the real story of what took place by the depraved hands of Williams has come to light in a Belleville, Ontario courtroom. Hearing the disgusting and shocking evidence being read in court for the record has been difficult to listen to. Many people I know have chosen to avoid hearing the gruesome details of not only the murders but the sexual assaults and his actions inside the homes of those he invaded.

Williams had no defence and no choice but to plead guilty to a total of 86 repulsive charges including home invasions, sexual assaults and murders of Jessica Lloyd and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau. The vial descriptions of his actions ranged from breaking into homes of young girls to collect their underwear, dress in their undergarments and lie on their beds and masturbate while all the time documenting this on video and with a digital camera.

Samples of the more than 1,000 images were shown in court of Williams dressed in the underwear and lingerie of his victims and neatly arranging stolen undergarments to be photographed. He kept all of this evidence hidden in his homes in Ottawa and Tweed and the video and photographic evidence was meticulously organized and stored on his computer. This would be an orgy of evidence for police that they could use to incarcerate this beast for life.

***WARNING – Graphic details in the next two paragraphs.***

As awful as this was, the worst facts came on day two when descriptions of the two murders were read into evidence. The details were precise since Williams recorded the attacks on video which was recovered by police. Each woman used a different method of dealing with their attacker while hoping they would both be alive after it was over. Comeau fought Williams as best she could while being beaten, bound and raped. Sadly her efforts to find freedom failed to work. As she tried to escape, he knocked her out with a flashlight covered her nose and mouth with duct tape and watched her suffocate to death.

Lloyd’s approach was to be submissive and allow him to attack her repeatedly for hours while hoping to survive the assault. Williams was not about to let that happen though as he removed Lloyd from her home and drove them to his place in Tweed where the attacks continued. She suffered seizures and begged to be taken to the hospital and at one point knew her life was in danger and was heard on the video saying, "I don't want to die. If I die, will you make sure my mom knows that I love her?" Eventually Williams knocked Jessica out with a flashlight and used rope to strangle her. He’d leave her body in his garage for three days while he went back to work and flew to California. Upon his return he dumped her body in a heavily wooded area east of Tweed.

I had tears in my eyes as the details were gradually released. The horrific manner in which these two beautiful women were raped, beaten, tortured and killed was sickening. How could such evil exist? How could anyone do these things? How will the families of those he affected move on? How could another human being hear these women begging to not be killed and then end their lives so brutally? How could all of this happen in my own community?

He isn’t a man. He’s a soulless animal who should at the very least be castrated and tortured himself. If ever the death penalty would be welcome, this would be one of those times. It’s moments like this I wish we lived in a society of an eye for an eye but we are not all as sick and twisted as criminals like Williams. That is why he will spend the rest of his life behind bars before he spends the rest of eternity in hell.

My apologies to my regular readers who normally visit my blog for my lighthearted views of life but this story hit too close to home and I felt as though I had to talk about it.

Sex, Candy and Pumpkins

2010-10-18T17:31:00.004-04:00

Does anyone else remember when Halloween was just about dressing up and going door to door with friends begging for free candy? Don’t get me wrong, for the kids, I’m sure it’s still pretty much the same as it was when I was a boy but I guess things and perceptions change when you get older.

As an adult, it seems as though the event has taken on a different focus. You might even say it’s a more adult themed focus.

I’m sure when I was too young to notice there were adults who’d dress up and go to house parties or the local bars and have fun but I don’t recall seeing the types of costumes we see today back then. The costumes our parents and grandparents wore were, shall I say, more wholesome or traditional. Perhaps there were risqué costumes in the early and mid-1900’s but by today’s standards they’re exceedingly tame to say the least.

Oh sure the wee little children going door to door are still dressed up as cute characters that look adorable but the older kids and young teens seem to be influenced by our increasing culture of sex sells. I suppose there were probably girls dressing as Madonna back in the 80’s and wearing bras and panties but certainly not in my neighbourhood. Of course in Canada, quite often we had to wear our snowsuits under our costumes to keep us warm while trick or treating. Now we’re getting the Britney Spears and Lady Gaga impersonators wearing as little as possible even in the cold weather. What’s even more shocking is how their parents let them walk out the door looking like that.

I’m no prude but there are age appropriate costumes that should be worn. I have no trouble whatsoever with college aged girls or adults showing skin and dressing in sexy costumes. When you’re an adult it’s totally different and judging by some of the costumes I’ve seen over the years at bars and parties, the older girls get a lot of satisfaction of dressing up in as little as possible for both the shock factor and to get the boys all worked up. Heck, if I was a hot young woman, I’d probably do the same thing. I’m sure they enjoy teasing the guys.

As a man I can appreciate that. I’m certainly not opposed to having a look. After all, it’s not my daughter, sister or wife showing all that skin. But as appealing as that is to look at, I still prefer to think back to the memories of my youth.

Now we’re not talking Norman Rockwell type memories but still we had some good times at Halloween as kids. Much like my adult version, I wasn’t a small child and therefore my costumes compensated for this. The one costume I clearly recall wearing was an Old King Cole outfit from the nursery rhyme. It was a purple robe and crown and I had my pipe and bowl. I didn’t have my fiddlers three however. I think my mother made it for me.

For many years my mom was very popular with the local kids. She’d make candy apples. One year I even remember her burning herself quite badly while dipping the apples into the hot candy coating. She still has the scar on her hand where she was burnt. I know most of the kids in the neighbourhood loved them so much that they’d go directly to our house first, bypassing all others, to make sure they got one.

A few years later some sick and twisted individuals decided to start putting razor blades in apples so mom figured it was best to stop making them as parent’s stopped trusting any food that wasn’t factory sealed. I can’t say I blame them and I’m sure mom was ready to give it up as well.

The one area in which I had very little skill was pumpkin carving. That didn’t stop me from trying though. I’d draw the face design on the pumpkin and then I’d place newspaper on the kitchen floor before the carving began. The face was passable but nothing award worthy. We used to clean the seeds out of the pumpkin and then mom would bake them in the oven for us to eat. I remember loving them back then but years later I tried them again and they just didn’t have that same flavour. Perhaps I’d outgrown my seed eating phase.

Trick or treating was a lot of fun as a kid but like so many other things, I grew up and lost that childlike enthusiasm for it. I didn’t lose the love for eating treats and things that aren’t good for me though. Some things are just too good to give up on.

Mission Accomplished

2010-10-14T17:01:00.005-04:00

Who would have guessed at the start of the year that the feel good story of 2010 would come from a disaster over 2000 feet underneath a Chilean desert?

Yet here we are celebrating the human spirit as 33 courageous men battled everything from despair, starvation and darkness for 69+ days to not only survive but prove to the rest of mankind that miracles and good things can still happen.

The entire world watched and prayed from the moment a hand written note was pulled from the depths of our planet until the final miner took his first breath of freedom. This was truly one of those moments where everyone had to feel relief and elation with the outcome.

This incident could have ended badly as most of this type do but in a world where greed, power, politics, evil and petty interests are broadcast every day on the nightly news, wasn’t it great to witness something positive for a change?

No doubt the ordeal these miners faced from the moment the collapse happened and the dust settled three hours later to reveal their helpless situation until they found freedom was unimaginable. What a hopeless feeling they must have felt those early days. The physical and mental conditions were a test of their character.

The rescue itself was no small feat either and the crews who found them and ultimately saved them are all heroes. With so many things that could have gone wrong, they made all of the right moves to ensure that an already ugly situation didn’t get worse.

I couldn’t understand a word the miners or their families said when they were reunited but you didn’t need an interpreter to see the happiness, relief and love on their faces and in the tears they shed.

I have no doubt that before too long we’ll see this story being told on the big screen and in theatres around the world. But for those close to the story and the rest of us who watched the events unfold on TV, there was no emotional soundtrack or big name stars to keep us on the edges of our seats. This was a real, suspenseful human drama with a happy ending, just as everyone had hoped. And they all lived happily ever after.

Scary Movies For Halloween

2010-10-08T20:59:00.011-04:00

The month of October is associated with many things. The baseball playoffs, football, leaves changing colours, Thanksgiving (in Canada) and Halloween. And what goes along with Halloween…scary movies of course.

This started me thinking about what movies I thought were frightening. It seems what was considered scary when I was a kid isn’t thought to be as terrifying by today’s kids. I suppose the same can be said about me with my dad’s generation.

My father has told me the story of him going to the movie theatre as a young lad and being scared while watching Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein. By today’s standards, or even 70’s & 80’s standards, that movie isn’t creepy at all but at the time it probably kept kids up at night.

Of course during my youth and even as a younger adult I enjoyed the odd chilling flick from time to time, although it isn’t my favourite genre.

I decided to give it some thought and I’ve come up with my personal list of scary movies of all-time. Some are full-fledged horror movies while others are more suspense flicks that kept me on the edge of my seat. Oddly enough, as scary and creepy as it was, Weekend at Bernie’s didn’t make my list.

Bundy’s Top Ten Scary Movies

10 – The Mist (2007)
Stephen King isn't the master of horror for no reason. Never has a foggy day been more terrifying. The ending alone was worth the ride. Well, the ride wasn't great for some.

9 – The Shining (1980)
This movie freaked me out and when you add in a Jack Nicholson's "Here's Johnny" or "All work and no play" lines, it made for a great movie. Oh ya, another movie based on a Stephen King novel.

8 – The Ring (2002)
I dare you to watch this movie and then pick up the phone when it rings. I bet you can't. Of course having the beautiful Naomi Watts starring in the movie helped to ease my suffering.

7 – Psycho (1960)
Norman Bates taught me to never stay at a family run motel or leave the door unlocked when taking a shower. Just ask Janet Leigh. Alfred Hitchcock set the bar high and is rarely topped.

6 – The Thing (1982)
As a youngster watching this movie, I was terrified. The film follows a crew stationed at an Antarctic base stalked by a shape-shifting alien. The guys head that sprouts legs was a bit unnerving.

5 – Silence of the Lambs (1991)
I don’t know what terrified me more…the cannibalism or never agreeing to put lotion on when asked to by a psychopath. If I didn't like eating liver before I watched this movie, I certainly woulnd't want to eat it after.

4 – Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
I still remember watching this movie in the theatre as a teen and not wanting to go to sleep that night. Freddy might have come for me with his metal knife claws. This was no Edward Scissorhands. Wes Craven at his best.

3 – Alien (1979)
I’ve had an upset stomach before but nothing has ripped open my belly from the inside…yet. Do you think they have problems like this on the International Space Station and they just don't tell us?

2 – Jaws (1975)
This movie kept us from going in the water all summer in 1975. My dad assured me there were no fresh water sharks in Canada. It also produced one of the best lines in movie history, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

And my Number 1 Scary Movie of All-Time…

1 – Exorcist (1973)
I thought I was having a bad day until I saw that poor girls head spinning, the vomit and Priests freaking out. Of course I watched it all from under my blanket. Pea soup anyone?

So there you go, my choices for scariest movies of all time. Enjoy the movies!

They're Only Boobs!

2010-10-02T00:05:00.004-04:00

Why in this day and age is breastfeeding in public still such a taboo thing for some people?

There aren’t many things more natural than a mother allowing her child to quash those hunger pains by latching on to the homemade milk makers. Yet some people, or prudes as I like to call them, seem to think this is an activity that should only take place behind closed doors.

The majority of the time, you can’t see anything anyway, and believe me, I’ve tried. Of course I’m kidding because lets be honest, there’s nothing sexy or (pardon the pun) titillating in that situation. I’ve seen more skin and nipples protruding on the beach or just walking down the street. And even if you could see a nipple, is it really that big of a deal? I have nipples and in some cases, my boobs are bigger than some women’s, not that I’m proud of that.

Recently a woman in North Carolina was asked by a co-owner of a coffee shop to cover up while breastfeeding her baby. It wasn’t as if she removed her clothes in the store and let the kid suck away. As the woman described, “her head is covering whatever was open. I can’t imagine that anyone could see any skin…certainly not as much as what some of the teenagers run around in.” Even the popular social-networking website Facebook banned images of breastfeeding moms back in 2008.

OK, I’m not naïve. I realize that women’s breasts for whatever reason are a sexual lightning bolt for men. I myself have been known to look at the chest of a lady or two prior to making eye contact, although I wouldn’t technically call myself a “boob man.” Men don’t have them so obviously we’re fascinated by them but we’re also mature enough, I would think, to separate the sexual side from the functional side.

Not only is it natural but it’s also healthy for the child. According to the World Health Organization, Breastfeeding is the best source of nourishment for infants as it contains antibodies that help protect babies from common childhood illnesses, including diarrhea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide. It also reduces the risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life while helping women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster.

The WHO also says adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as lower rates of obesity. Obviously I wasn’t breastfed as a child or not enough. I made up for it by eating a lot more in the years to follow.

So I say, don’t stare, sneer or complain when you see a woman breastfeeding her child in public. Let’s commend them for being good mothers and encourage others to feel comfortable enough to do the same. We need to embrace the breast and squeeze out those who are against it. I for one would like to see the day when young mothers can flop out in the food court at the mall when Junior gets hungry without feeling ashamed or fearing criticism. That’s the world I want to be a part of.

Terrorist Changes Mind

2010-09-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

It sounds like a pretty good idea and if it works, maybe all of the inmates in our prisons will give it a try.

For those of you who don’t live in Canada and haven’t heard of the “Toronto 18”, I’ll give you a brief background. A group of 18 mostly young Islamic men decided to form a club. But it wasn’t like the “He-man Woman Haters Club” you might see on a black and white episode of The Little Rascals with Spanky and Alfalfa. They had picnics and camped in the woods and on the surface seemed like a harmless assembly of friends having a good time communing with nature.

However, things are not always as they appear to be and this group actually turned out to be and extremist Islamic terrorist group plotting amongst the evergreens to set off bombs in downtown Toronto, police stations, military bases and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

At any rate, the group wasn’t too bright and tried to purchase bomb making materials from the constabulary and eventually the majority of them were found guilty and sent to jail where the only attacks they’d be a part of would take place in the shower.

Now back to the pretty good idea I mentioned earlier. The 24 year old mastermind (I use that term loosely), Zakaria Amara, has now stated that he no longer believes in extremist Islamic ideology and therefore feels his life sentence should be reduced.

Of course to any freedom loving and educated individual who hears this idea, we have a good chuckle and then wish him an enjoyable and long stay at one of our better corrections complexes.

Under the often idiotic and perplexing Canadian legal system, this putz was actually allowed to argue this point in front of an appeals court. Luckily at least one of the three justices forced to listen to this crock of dog droppings took issue with the arguments.

Justice Michael Moldaver asked the most obvious question, “Why should we send a message to society that if you gave remorse we will forgive you? I’m hearing poor Mr. Amara but I’m thinking poor to the thousands of Canadians if his plot had worked.”

Amara’s lawyer is hoping to have the sentence reduced to 18-20 years citing the fact that his client is married, employed, has a child, went to college and is first-time offender. Honestly, does the lawyer really believe someone who appeared to have a pretty good life in this country should be given a break regardless of the fact that he had one moment of poor judgement? I mean come on! It’s not like he actually succeeded in killing thousands of people so he can’t be that bad! Right?

Maybe he has had second thoughts and finally come to realize what he thought was a worthy cause really wasn’t such a good thing and the life he had before having to rent out his body in exchange for cigarettes wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

What kind of precedence would this set if the appeals court falls for this baloney? Pretty soon the courts would be filled with rapists, murderers, pedophiles and every other scumbag behind bars confessing they’ve found God and changed their ways. Or maybe the ruling would only affect those losers who were just too stupid to get the job done. “I wanted to blow up the CN Tower but now I love everybody and know that killing all of those infidels, er, I mean wonderful fellow citizens was wrong.” To that I say, enjoy being the prison bitch you terrorist scum.

Golf Season Winding Down

2010-09-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

The leaves on the trees are changing colour and falling to the ground beneath and there’s a chill in the air now that autumn has officially arrived once again. Even as I’m typing this I can hear another flock of Canadian Geese heading to the warmer weather of the south.

With the arrival of fall we mark the end of one of the better summers I can recall in recent memory. Sure it was hot at times but there wasn’t a lot of rain during daylight hours which meant we could enjoy more outdoor activities like barbeques, games, picnics, swimming, camping and sports like my personal favourite, golf.

To be perfectly honest, I suck at golf compared to most amateur swingers. Sure I have my odd good or better than average rounds but most of the time I’m lucky to shoot bogie golf or better. I honestly believe my body type is my main hindrance; mainly the fact that I have more body than most. But I make it work as best I can and while it can be a frustrating game at times; I never get mad or take it too seriously.

What I enjoy most about golf is the social aspect. Just last night I went out with a bunch of guys from the men’s league and we split up into six teams for a 3-man scramble or best ball. Nobody gets serious, and everyone has a good time. I couldn’t make a putt to save my life but it didn’t matter. It was enjoyable to just swing the clubs on a beautiful evening and have some conversation with the guys.

That hasn’t been the case for the most part this season for me though. In fact, I haven’t golfed nearly enough this year and I suppose it’s partly my own fault for not forcing myself to go out. But it’s tough to find people to golf with at the times I’m able to go out. When I first became a member years ago, I had a regular foursome that would hit the course every Sunday morning from the time the course opened until the course closed for the winter. I’d be on the course three times a week. In recent years that group has disappeared and only I remain willing to do that.

There are other good guys I could easily golf with but when you work all week and have to get up early every day, it’s nice to sleep in a bit on the weekend to recharge the batteries. There are advantages to it but getting up at 6am to be on the course for 7am just isn’t a strong enough motivator for me. Sure I could do it provided my work schedule stays the same but I guess I love my bed more than my putter most days.

I certainly didn’t get my monies worth this year but that’s all on me. By my count to this point of the season, I golfed a total of 26 times this year including men’s league. Of those 26 times, eight of them were a full 18 holes while the rest were just rounds of nine holes.

But there’s still time, weather permitting, to play more swing and swear before the snow flies. The weather “experts” say it’s supposed to be a warm autumn season so I could still have plenty of opportunities to lose some balls amongst the leaves before storing the clubs for winter.

Who knows; maybe next year I won’t be feeling as tired and I’ll find more inspiration to swing the clubs. Perhaps I should join the women’s league, that could be instant incentive right there.

Lookout, Here Comes Winter!

2010-09-14T20:37:00.004-04:00

I know I’m not the only person left shaking his head wondering where the heck summer went. It seems like just yesterday that I was shedding my spring jacket and pulling my shorts out of storage in anticipation of the warmer weather. But here we are on the verge of another autumn and of course that will quickly be followed by winter.

It just doesn’t seem possible but as I gaze out my window the signs are most definitely there. The leaves are starting to change colour and many are already giving up on life and dropping to the ground. The air is beginning to cool and on many nights already we’ve needed to wear coats to keep warm.

It’s comical how in the spring when the temperature reaches 15 degrees we’re walking around in shorts and t-shirts remarking about how warm it is. Yet at this time of year we struggle to stay comfortable and some will even slip into their winter coats. I guess that’s what they mean by being acclimatized.

When I visit Florida in the winter I see the same thing. I’ll leave temperatures of minus 20 here and arrive there where it’s 40 degrees warmer yet I’ll be walking around in shorts and a tank top while the locals are bundled up from head to toe. I dare say anyone who has never left Florida in their lifetime that really wanted a shock should visit the Great White North in February.

I was asked one time by a Floridian several years ago, “How cold does it get in Canada?” My response was, “Have you ever walked outside and had your snot freeze?” Please pardon the graphic description but my thesaurus didn’t have an alternate suggestion for the word “snot.” Needless to say he was shocked and in disbelief. I actually would have described it to him in a much nicer fashion except he had aggravated the hell out of me prior to that by calling me “hoser” and saying “eh” more than a few times. Of course in most cases that wonderful look is actually caused by our breathing.

Of course I’m not complaining about the summer we had. Sure we had a stretch or two of some very humid conditions where it felt like it was over 100F but it was a much drier summer than last year and for the most part very comfortable.

I was working steady all summer which was a good thing but when I did have some free time, there were a few things that made this past summer quite enjoyable. I can’t speak for other parts of the country or continent but the corn crop this year was spectacular. I went for a drive along some roads next to corn fields and the plants were eight to ten feet high in some spots. And boy did it taste good. I don’t like to make a pig of myself but there’s nothing like fresh corn on the cob to complete a meal.

The water of Lake Ontario was not only the cleanest I’ve seen it in years but warm as well and I managed to slip into my Speedo and dunk my ample physique into the waters a few times while at my parent’s trailer.

Speaking of the trailer, something I’ve done every year since I was born was spend time at the trailer. The relaxation and social aspects are especially agreeable but for me the best part is sitting next to a campfire with family and friends and peering skyward to scan the millions of stars that reveal themselves. You can feel quite insignificant after taking in that view. The International Space Station made several passes as well and there are always satellites to be spotted as they circumnavigate the earth. This summer we were also treated to one of the better meteor showers of recent memory and enjoyed watching these hunks of space rock burn up and leave trails as they raced across the heavens.

It was a good summer with no major storms or tornadoes like last year. I had one bolt of lightning come very close to me at work one afternoon that forced me to change my underwear but beyond that Mother Nature seemed to take pity on our part of the world.

So with summer winding down I now have to start getting prepared for the unknown as winter approaches. Last year we were blessed with only a couple of significant snowfalls as the worst stayed to the south but I’ll have the snow blower tuned up and full of gas in anticipation of the inevitable. Now I just need to go buy some long-johns and dig out my balaclava to truly be prepared.

It's Election Season....Yawn!

2010-09-13T21:21:00.003-04:00

The last time I was excited for an election was in 1986 when I was running for President of my high school, which I won by the way. I didn’t make any crazy promises that I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep. Instead I just promised to try and make school a more fun place to be, and I think I accomplished that with more school functions, spirit weeks, pep rallies and dances. Plus we tried to have a positive impact on the community and the world around us.

One of my happier moments came during the Rick Hansen “Man in Motion” tour when we quickly raised several thousand dollars and I was able to present the cheque to Rick as he came rolling by the school. At Christmas I dressed as Santa and visited lots of kids at many of the local Elementary schools. I remember at one point one of “Santa’s” white eyebrows came off revealing my brown one underneath without me knowing. A little girl on my lap asked why I had one brown and one white eyebrow. Thinking as quickly as I could I explained that due to the lack of snow on the ground, the reindeer kicked up some mud when we landed and it I didn’t have time to clean it all off. I think she bought the story.

In recent years I just haven’t cared about elections at any level of government because I figure I’m going to get taxed to death regardless and my opinions really don’t matter to politicians. They just say and do what they want anyway once they’ve been elected.

The upcoming local municipal election which should be of interest to me has nothing interesting to offer and to be quite honest, as someone who always votes, I just don’t see the point this time around.

I actually know many of the candidates personally but when you live in a town where those with money control what “really” happens, it seems pointless to cast my ballot. It’s not that I don’t respect these people. I appreciate that they are serving their community and give their time to sit on committees and council to try and effect change for the betterment of our city.

Honestly, I don’t know what I expect from these people but I certainly don’t expect much. At the local level I suppose as long as the infrastructure like roads and sewers are being upgraded and I can see or know that some positive work is being done, that’s all I can ask for. Of course, the street I live on has been desperately in need of resurfacing and new sewers for many years. I had been told the work would be done this summer but it never happened. I have since been told that it will now be done in 2011. We shall see.

On the Provincial level I don’t have a clue who I’ll vote for next year. One thing is for sure, it won’t be for the Liberals as Dalton “Pinocchio” McGuinty has got to go. I’m ashamed to admit that I actually voted for the Liberals the last time. When McSquinty campaigned and promised to not raise taxes if elected and then once elected the first thing he did was raise taxes…he angered a lot of people.

The guy I feel sorry for is the local MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament) who I actually know and like and would support again but by voting for him I’d be voting for McTaxy and I refuse to do it. So I will be voting in that election but I’ll be casting my vote for anyone but the Liberal party. Sadly the alternatives are limited there.

The alternatives at the Federal level are even more limited. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party still seem to be the lesser of three evils. I don’t live in Quebec or I’d say four evils with the addition of the Bloc Party.

The Liberal Party is being led by a guy with about as much charisma as a stick. In fact he makes Prime Minister Harper look like a party animal. Add to the fact that he seems shady and untrustworthy and it’s not hard to see why the Conservatives should feel pretty comfy once the next election call takes place. As for the NDP’s, do they even have official party status anymore?

When it comes right down to elections, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t vote. I always say, if you don’t vote then you don’t have a right to complain and if there’s one thing I like to do, it’s complain. So you can bet I’ll be grabbing my voter card and heading to the nearest polling station come Election Day and casting my vote for whoever has angered me the least over the last few years.

Driving Is Bad For My Health

2010-09-07T21:25:00.005-04:00

I used to love getting into my car and going for a drive. Lately, that hasn’t been the case as I find myself becoming more and more stressed behind the wheel.

Admittedly, I do have a bit of road rage but it’s never been more than just cursing at other drivers or pedestrians. OK…I usually don’t actually curse at them so they can hear me, it’s more to myself, but on the rarest of occasions I will let someone have it with both barrels.

I mean, they deserve it! Bad drivers and people who either don’t know the rules of the road or just refuse to follow them really irritate me. In fact, I would say that every time I travel some place, someone will do something stupid to make me want to force feed them a driver’s handbook.

Now I’m not suggesting that I’m a perfect driver and never do anything wrong but I know how to use my signal and I always drive at least the speed limit and turn into the proper lane.

The examples of how people annoy and frustrate me are endless. Some of the most common annoyances lately include:

- drivers treating stop signs as yields and blowing right through them.
- turning into the wrong lane at multilane intersections.
- Not using a turn signal or waiting until they’re starting to turn before activating it.
- Women drivers in general are the absolute worst in all areas. I’m sure some are OK but most I’ve seen have a lead foot and talk on cell phones.
- Riding the brake. One foot on the gas and the other on the brake so their brake lights are on constantly. How the hell do I know if you’re actually going to make a stop?
- driving 60 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. Just driving too damn slow all together.
- pulling out without looking for oncoming traffic.
- cars flying by you on the highway and then cutting in front to take the exit.
- using the high beam lights but refusing to put them down until you flash your lights. Some still don’t put them down.
- drivers who have high beams on during daylight hours.
- drivers who can't wait for one car to go by before pulling out but would rather cut you off and force you to slow down.
- the list goes on and on.

It’s not just people behind the wheel that stress me out. I don’t know why but lately I’ve noticed more and more people walking on roads and refusing to move over when I approach them in the car. They have the room but I guess they feel as though they are entitled to the road and I should go around them. Of course I do because I don’t want to hit them but they’re putting their lives at risk just to be stubborn. They don’t even move to single file but remain walking two or more side by side out into the road. Sometimes I’ll pull right up to them just to see if they will get over. It’s one thing if there’s no sidewalk or walking / biking lane for them to use but when they’re walking where they shouldn’t be, I just want to pull up behind them and blast the horn to give them a wake-up call.

Speaking of cyclists, when did the law change that states they must ride with traffic? Lately I’ve noticed more and more riders driving on the wrong side of the road heading into oncoming traffic. I’m pretty sure that’s still not allowed.

Oh the things I see every day that annoy me to no end. I don’t like to let it bother me but stupidity and ignorance are two things that really get under my skin and lately they’ve been stressing me out. Maybe I need to see my doctor to get some time off work. Of course I’d have to take a cab and keep my eyes closed the whole way.

Where Were You?

2010-09-06T21:41:00.005-04:00

There are events that take place during our lives that impact us in such a way that we remember where we were or what we were doing when they happened.

Perhaps you can distinctly remember in great detail the moment your first child was born, your wedding day or the proposal. More often than not, we tend to remember more tragic occasions such as where you were when you heard U.S. President’s Kennedy or Reagan was shot. If you’re old enough, perhaps you recall Pearl Harbor or when John Lennon was shot or the exact moment when you found out that Elvis Presley died.

Certainly personal tragedies will always be remembered with the passing of loved ones, family or friends. Those moments stay with you until your day comes.

The most recent major event, that I’m sure anyone old enough to remember, happened nine years ago this coming Saturday September 11th. Of course I’m speaking of the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

I had no personal connection to these events. I didn’t lose a loved one on that day back in 2001 but any freedom loving person had to feel attacked indirectly. Several of my fellow Canadian citizens were killed that day along with people from many other countries so there was a connection in that regard.

Sitting in front of the television last night I watched not one but two documentaries about the events of that day. The myriad of emotions that I felt then came rushing back. Nine years after the attack I’m still as pissed off and shocked as I was when it all unfolded on the television screen I was watching back in 2001.

Watching the second plane go into the other tower as I did years ago felt just as fresh and sickening. Seeing the countless people choosing to plummet to their deaths after jumping from the tops of the buildings with the knowledge that they wouldn’t survive the fall was horrific. How unimaginably bad was it up there? Their fates were sealed when the planes hit but at that time they didn’t know the towers were going to fall. It’s hard to imagine the pain and terror that those people were facing when jumping to your death seemed like the better option.

These and other images from that day are seared into my memory. I often wonder if having memories like these that you can’t erase are similar in any way to the painful memories our war veterans take with them. Many don’t like to talk about them. As horrible as my memories are I think it would be much more painful to have experienced it in person rather than watching it from hundreds of miles away on a screen.

There were happy, heroic and inspiring stories from 9/11 as well. Firefighters found a man perched on top of the rubble sitting above a section of staircase still standing. As the second tower collapsed, he rode it all the way down and somehow survived. There were several firefighters buried in the rubble that were trapped and injured but they were found and pulled out alive. And of course the passengers of United 93 who attempted to regain control of their aircraft over Pennsylvania are heroes. They didn’t survive but they fought back and kept those terrorists from reaching their intended target.

Where were you that day when you heard the news? I was still working as a morning radio announcer at that time and was expecting to be on-air for another hour and a bit when one of the news guys poked his head into the studio and told me about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. I rushed to the newsroom and the closest television to watch what was happening. I distinctly remember saying, “There’s no way that was an accident. It’s a clear day! They hit it on purpose.” A short time later everyone’s fears were realized as we watched the second plane enter the picture and slam into the other tower erupting into a giant fireball. The only question at that point was how many more had been hijacked and where were they going to hit?

I quickly got back on-air and brought my listeners up to speed on the events unfolding in New York. I found a live ABC news feed on one of the satellite channels and decided to dump all regular programming and broadcast that instead. We stayed with that most of the day.

The world I knew changed that day. Terrorism was always something that happened a long way away on the other side of the planet. Now we live with that fear every day. It reminds me of growing up during the Cold War and wondering every day if this was the day the missiles would fly. Now we wonder if this is the day the terrorists will blow up buildings, subways or vehicles. Most days I try not to think about it, but it’s always in the back of my mind.

So where were you on September 11, 2001 when you heard the news? Please feel free to leave a comment and share your 9/11 memories. I’d be fascinated to hear them.

I can't believe I have to add this but for those of you who are conspiracy theorists, you can keep those thoughts to yourself. I'm not a believer and won't allow those asinine thoughts into my blog.

Space Station Flies By

2010-08-29T00:33:00.003-04:00

Earlier tonight I was visiting my parents at their trailer by Lake Ontario. It was a gorgeous evening for a campfire by the lake.

I had my iPod Touch with me and as a night sky watcher, I also had my Satellite Flybys App installed and handy. It's a cool little gadget that gives you the times that the ISS and other old rockets and space stuff will be flying over your area.

So knowing that the space station would be passing by, I set up my camera on a tripod and waited for it to appear.

Below you will see the results of my effort. Obviously the streaking light is the space station. In the first you can see it passing through the Big Dipper and in the second it is moving away from me. Both photos were 30 second exposures.

I thought you might find them interesting so I figured I'd share them with you.

Crashing Scares Me...Not Flying!

2010-08-28T12:01:00.004-04:00

I don’t know if I’m just paying more attention but it seems as though there have been more planes falling from the sky lately. Every time I look at the newspaper or watch the news on TV, one more aircraft has crashed somewhere in the world.

They still say that flying is the safest mode of transportation but what they don’t say is that you’re less likely to walk away from a crash involving a plane then you are from a car. Of course there are fewer drunk drivers behind the yolk of an aeroplane so at least we have that going in our favour.

Flying isn’t something that I fear although I’m not a huge fan of it. Crashing on the other hand is something that I have a major phobia about. There’s just something about being 35-thousand feet in the air with nothing underneath you in a machine built by people who might have been having a bad day or serviced by a mechanic who forgot to follow the checklist that makes me feel a little anxious.

Of course being a big man, most aircraft seats aren’t really built for me. So the added fear of possibly plummeting to earth while being uncomfortably squeezed into a seat doesn’t excite me either. If I’m going to die, I’d prefer to be as cosy as possible.

I’ve never had any close calls but I did have a scare during my very first flight. I was flying from Toronto to St. Petersburg, Florida with a friend of mine named Doug. Neither of us had flown before and we were a bit apprehensive. For most of the just over two hour flight things went well. We had one moment when we saw another plane outside our window that we felt was closer than it should be. When we commented about it another passenger behind us also remarked at how it seemed odd but no problems occurred.

As we began our descent into the airport for landing we flew into a thunderstorm with lightning visible in the clouds. My anxiety level rose as the plane began to jostle around more and more violently. We had a woman sitting next to us who was a “veteran” flyer who said this was normal and not to worry. Her opinion changed when we hit one air pocket and the plane dropped rapidly sending loose items in the plane flying. It was the most terrifying three to four seconds of my life. Instinctively I grabbed the seat in front of me while at the same time grabbing the hair of the woman in that seat as well. Oops!

We eventually made it out of the storm and landed safely. The woman next to me said that was her worst experience on a plane and I was hoping it would be mine as well. I swear to you when I walked off the plane I got down and kissed the ground. I’ve flown many times since then and all have been much better experiences. The best was when I flew in the cockpit of a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. It was a media flight and I knew the pilot so he invited me up to the flight deck. It was so much more interesting and impressive to have that vantage point. Plus, knowing the pilot seemed to put me at ease.

Even keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground is no guarantee you’ll survive a plane crash. Sometimes karma and bad luck play a nasty role. I think back to the recent accident in the U.S. involving an unlucky man jogging on the beach. A small plane was making an emergency landing on this particular beach and the only thing in their way that they couldn’t avoid was this jogger listening to his iPod while having his back to the plane. He never saw it coming.

I guess what it all boils down to is that it doesn’t matter whether you fly or not, when your time is up on this earth there’s nothing you can do about it so I try to live my life without fear as much as possible. You won’t catch me doing crazy things to increase the risk of dying but you can’t go through life worrying about what might happen or you’ll miss enjoying an all too short life while it does happen.

Fatties Fashions Forgotten

2010-08-24T16:22:00.000-04:00

If you believe what you read, the world is getting fatter. I think this is probably true judging by what I see every day. I suppose it all depends on what you consider to be overweight.

I’ve been overweight my whole life. It wasn’t easy as a youngster dealing with the name calling and finger pointing. Kids can be cruel but I eventually learned to accept it and ignore it as best I could. It bothered me more when I was just starting out in school but lasted into and through high school to a lesser extent. By that point I had developed some pretty thick skin and had just learned to laugh it off on the outside. Inside was a bit of a different story.

I never slipped into deep depression as I’ve always been a pretty happy person enjoying life and spending time with people who like spending time with me. There were times when I’d feel depressed but it wasn’t something that I’d dwell on for long. I refused to let others make me feel like less of a person because I was different. Of course, as is common for many people like me, I’d eat more when I was feeling low. It’s a comfort thing I guess.

Dealing with being overweight has always been difficult on many levels. Romances were rare, people I considered very close friends were few but that’s probably normal for everyone. I was actually quite active in competitive sports playing football, rugby, badminton and track & field in high school along with all of the intramural sports.

After that I played a lot of baseball, sometimes five or six nights a week and weekend tournaments. I enjoyed it until I broke my hand swinging the bat one night. That was in 2002 I believe and I’ve never picked up a glove since. I did switch to golfing but bad ankles and knees from a combination of size and physical abuse in sports has resulted in my needing to use a golf cart now instead of walking the course. The uneven ground is torture on my joints.

No it isn’t easy being fat and although I’m happy with who I am I’d still prefer to be a bit thinner. I actually don’t eat a whole lot but my activity level has dropped so it’s tough to shed the pounds. I was recently on a ten day mini-holiday and I lost ten pounds without even trying. Don’t ask me how it happened but it would be nice if it continued.

What really infuriates me about being a person of size is the limited selection of clothing available to me. It’s tough to be trendy when you can’t find clothes that fit and the number of places that actually sell plus-size attire is limited to only one store in my area. In Canada I find it to be almost impossible to find clothes I’d be comfortable wearing, and when I do, it costs an arm and a leg to purchase them. You don’t find Wal-Mart prices at the Big and Tall store. The selection leaves a lot to be desired as well and they still barely carry the sizes that I need.

That’s why I love going to Florida. Not only do I get to see family that I don’t see often enough but there’s a store in Sarasota called Casual Male XL which caters to the plus size man and they have a much better selection of clothing to choose from. For the record, they have stores all over the United States but that just happens to be the one I visit.

I can find sporty shirts, shorts, pants and trendy t-shirts that look good. I even found a golf windbreaker by Reebok the last time I was there that was actually too big. Now the prices still aren’t exactly inexpensive but I’d rather pay a bit more for clothing I’ll enjoy wearing then having to settle for something I really don’t like.

Trust me, clothing is only one of many areas where being overweight can be a pain in the ass by getting in the way of things and living life. I’ll always be fat and I’m OK with that. It’s who I am and who I’ve been all my life but it doesn’t define me and I don’t let it control me. If someone sees me and judges me based on their preconceived opinions of overweight people, they’re missing out if they don’t take the time to really find out who I am.

Stewie Griffin Sings

2010-08-14T00:53:00.009-04:00

I am a huge fan of the television show Family Guy. There will never be anything as good as The Simpsons but this show comes a very close second.

Tonight I was watching the episode entitled "Ocean's Three and a Half" where Bonnie finally gives birth after seven years and Joe has to borrow $20-thousand dollars from a bookie to pay for Bonnie's medical bills.

One of the best Stewie bits takes place in this episode as he falls in love with the new baby, Suzie Swanson, and decides to make a music video for her while singing the Bryan Adams song, "Everything I Do I Do It For You."

What I love about the video is that it uses almost every artsy video cliche that we've seen over the years including the block man used by Dire Straits to the room full of candles that Sting uses in a video by The Police.

Any way, this is probably more for my own amusement but if you're interested, have a look. You might get some enjoyment out of it.

Perseid Meteors Don't Cooperate

2010-08-13T11:22:00.004-04:00

After a couple of hours of sitting next to a campfire and looking skyward I came away with a sore neck and about 50 sightings of the Perseid Meteor Shower last night.

In the past as a kid I can remember my dad and I sitting out until three in the morning watching for what was supposed to be an impressive display. It never materialized and we might have seen a handful the entire time.

Last night with little effort on our parts we had a great view of a much more impressive show. Now, it didn't produce the predicted 100 meteors per hour that we heard about on the news but we did see approximately 15 to 20 per hour including some very impressive fireballs.

The only downside on this clear and perfect night for viewing was the fact I was unable to capture a single one using my camera. It wasn't for lack of trying on my part but they just didn't fall where my lens was pointing, or if they did, they were too faint to pick up and not the more impressive meteors.

It wasn't a total loss with the camera as I did manage to get a few interesting photos of the night sky and some star trails as you can see in the photo below.

© 2010 Mark Kennedy

A Summer Hockey Break

2010-08-03T21:01:00.003-04:00

We interrupt the summer of 2010 for this moment in hockey history.

The heat of summer has been getting to me and I'll admit, I'm going through a little hockey withdrawal with another NHL season still two months away.

I overheard some young men the other day talking about the Team Canada Gold Medal win at the past Olympics in Vancouver and they were saying it was the greatest moment in Canadian hockey history.

Now although it was a great game between Canada and the United States and will certainly rank as one of the biggest moments in Canadian hockey history, I can't say I'd agree with it being the greatest hockey moment for Canada of all-time.

OK, maybe for them it is because they're too young to remember some of the others or weren't even born yet so I suppose they don't have anything to compare it to.

For me, the 1972 series between Canada and Russia was truly a great moment in Canada's hockey history and I would say it most likely will remain the biggest moment of the sport for our country.

However, that isn't my favourite hockey moment. For me, nothing will ever top the 1987 Canada Cup and the final best-of-three game series between Canada and Russia which went the distance and included two overtime games before the deciding third game.

Not only was it thrilling to watch but the game itself was better officiated back then and players were allowed to get away with more which made it more entertaining overall. Of course I can still remember laying on the living room floor with my dad yelling at the TV and cheering as the game was tied late in the third period.

Our nervousness quickly disappeared as we watched Gretzky and Lemieux break out of their zone with about 1:30 left to play and we screamed and jumped to our feet when Mario snapped the puck home for the game winning goal.

That game and that series will always be my favourite Canadian Hockey moment. I just wish I could find all three games on DVD some place to relive the excitement and watch some legends on both teams play the game with passion, heart and guts.

Until I can get my hands on a copy, this goal recap from Game 3 will have to suffice. I hope you enjoy it.

Power Outage Causes Brain Damage

2010-07-28T21:16:00.005-04:00

I was both terrified and baffled on Wednesday night (July 28th) as I drove home from an evening of golf.

A storm earlier in the day had knocked out power on the east side of town which meant the stoplights at all intersections were not working.

As I approached the first intersection, which is normally quite busy, I saw no police presence to direct traffic. Therefore, as is the usual procedure and I'm quite certain the law, I proceeded to treat the intersection and the next six I came to as four-way stops.

It became painfully obvious and at the same time horrifying that many people don't have a clue what they're supposed to do in this situation. The majority of drivers weren't following this procedure and were just flying past me in both directions. I was nearly hit from behind three times and almost broadsided twice. If we made it through the entire outage without an accident in town, I'd be amazed. Actually, I probably wouldn't be surprised since most of us are used to dealing with these same bad drivers every other day and always have our heads on a swivel.

I've known for quite some time that the area is filled with some of the absolute worst drivers around. They either don't know the proper procedures when behind the wheel or just choose to disregard them. But this was reckless and dangerous behaviour and not a single member of our local OPP force was in sight to control the intersections or even ticket the offenders. At least if they're given a ticket and fined, they might learn something for next time...but I doubt it.

Every day I pull out of my driveway I feel like I'm putting my life at risk having to share the road with these impatient, law-breaking and clueless drivers. They'd be wise to pick up the latest edition of the drivers handbook and brush up on the rules of the road. Of course that would take time and obviously they're in too much of a hurry to get some place despite the number of lives they put in peril on the way.

(Also submitted to the local newspaper as a Letter to the Editor)

NHL 11 Looks Awesome

2010-07-27T21:45:00.003-04:00

I'm not a big gamer like other people. In fact, other than playing a bit of Tiger Woods golf on my PC or a couple of old sports games on my original XBox a few times a year, I don't play many games.

That may change in September.

I just watched a few preview videos for the new EA Sports edition of NHL 11 and it looks amazing. Of course, if I buy any games it's usually sports games. I'm not a big fan of "shooting" type games.

The graphics and the new things and realism they've added to the new NHL 11 is fantastic.

Of course the downside (depending on how you look at it) is that I'll have to buy a new XBox 360 since the new game won't play on my old antiquated game console. So I suppose I better start saving now to get it if I want the game.

Here are a couple of clips that were produced by the game developers and folks at EA Sports that allow you to get a sneak peak at what's in store with the new game.

Goal Waived Off

The Referee's Decision

Semaru Acquitted...Sort Of

2010-07-19T19:48:00.004-04:00

If you're Canadian and you follow the news than you've probably heard about Captain Robert Semaru and his court case.

He was found guilty today by a military panel of disgraceful conduct but not guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a wounded Afghan insurgent.

The charge of behaving in a disgraceful manner carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. His lawyers are expected to present a Charter of Rights argument over military sentencing procedures.

The decision was handed down today in Gatineau, Que. after three days of deliberations. The court martial of the Canadian Forces captain came after he was charged in a battlefield death in Afghanistan. Apparently there are rules to killing someone during a war.

The 36-year-old Semrau was accused of firing two rounds from his rifle into a dying Taliban fighter in Helmand province of Afghanistan in October 2008.

Semrau never testified, but an Afghan army captain, who was on the patrol with Semrau, testified the Taliban fighter was "98 per cent dead" when he was found.

In addition to the disgraceful conduct charge, Semrau was charged with three other offences, including second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 years, the alternate charge of attempting to commit murder with a firearm and negligent performance of a military duty. He was also found not guilty of the latter two charges.

I for one am glad he was acquitted of most of the charges but I honestly felt this never should have gone to trial to begin with. All is fair in love and war as far as I'm concerned and the Taliban fighter was going to die anyway. If anything, Semrau should have been commended for doing his duty and for putting a suffering enemy out of his misery.

We ask this man and and the thousands of other men and women in uniform to go to war and defend not only the people of Afghanistan who can't fight for themselves but the millions of Canadians back home as well. This is thanks they get.

I have no doubt that Captain Semaru wouldn't have pulled the trigger had the gravely wounded Taliban scumbag not been injured as badly and could have been saved.

Did he follow proper military conduct? Obviously not but from what I've read on the incident he followed the proper humane conduct. It's easy for people to sit in their comfy chairs in front of their big screen televisions and pass judgment after having time to think about things. It's another thing entirely different to make decisions in fractions of a second during a war or battle with an enemy on their own turf.

I'm quite sure that had the roles been reversed the Taliban soldiers would have tormented, tortured and inflicted inhumane pain on a Canadian soldier. Remember, these are the same chicken shit SOB's who sneak around at night planting bombs rather than fighting like men for their cause. How can we possibly give them respect while at the same time disrespecting one of our own?

This man deserves our gratitude for his service to our country, not jail time and I support his actions 100%.

Live Aid 25th Anniversary

2010-07-13T13:08:00.002-04:00

Twenty-Five years ago on this very day I witnessed one of, if not the greatest concert of all-time. I am of course speaking of Live Aid which took place on July 13, 1985. The concert was held in two different countries in both London and Philadelphia and was seen by a record worldwide audience.

I’ve written about Live Aid once before on my blog so I won’t go too deeply into the details and my memories but this was the concert for my generation. You can read my Live Aid blog from 2007 here.

Sir Bob Geldof of the band The Boomtown Rats was the driving force behind the show. He saw the shocking images of people starving in Africa and felt compelled to act in some way. Money needed to be raised to help those who were starving to death. The “Global Jukebox” was his idea. Not knowing if it could be done or if people would be interested in getting involved, Bob went about contacting fellow performers both young and old and one by one they answered the call. Any artists who didn’t take part likely wished they had after it was over.

I don’t think I fully understood how truly amazing the concert was as a then 16-year-old music fan. To me it was something that had never been done before with separate concerts on two different continents and performances from other locations. Live satellite feeds were still relatively new and untested for something of this magnitude and there were a few minor glitches but nobody seemed to care.

Sitting in front of my television from the early morning hours until late in the night I was tuned to the concert on Much Music; the relatively new Canadian music video channel. Every so often J.D. Roberts (now known as John Roberts on CNN) would come on between sets and talk with other VJ’s about what we were seeing and who was yet to come.

The line-up of performers was as star-studded as it could possibly be. Anyone who was worth listening to at that time in history made their way on stage. Among my personal favourites were Queen, U2, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Phil Collins, Duran Duran and Howard Jones. Of course they were all fantastic. Freddie Mercury was at his best with Queen and sadly we lost his amazing talent only six years later.

It was a concert that defined a generation; much like Woodstock had in the 60’s. Many others have tried to duplicate the impact of Live Aid but none have succeeded. It was one of those events that happened at the exact moment in time it needed to with the right cause to unite the world.

Keep Monarchy in Canada

2010-07-12T16:48:00.006-04:00

If for no other reason than to ensure a piece of our national history and identity isn’t erased, I feel Canada’s continued connection with the British Monarchy must not vanish.

I’m not a “royal watcher” and I certainly don’t care day to day what the British royal family members are up to but as I watch more and more “foreigners” enter Canada it seems our identity is being eroded.

Canada is a great country and is highly respected around the world. This is why so many people from impoverished and varying social, political and war torn countries are flocking here in such great numbers. Canada is a beacon of hope for these people and a place where dreams and hopes for families can be fulfilled.

For those of us born in Canada and whose families have lived here for generations, we can be proud of this land of opportunity. I’m not one to turn someone away when they are in need and are desperate to change their destiny in a positive way. What I don’t like is how people make Canada their home but fail or refuse to adapt and embrace their new country. Instead, they feel we need to change our Canadian ways, traditions, laws, beliefs, religions and way of life to meet their needs.

I don’t think I’m being racist. If these people came here and did their best to learn one of our two official languages, followed our laws while becoming a valued member of our society and assimilated, then where they came from and what they look like doesn’t matter to me at all. If they become Canadian citizens and do their best to be Canadian, that’s all I can ask for.

What I’m seeing more and more are every day Canadians being forced to be “politically correct” and that’s something I refuse to do. Defending our beliefs and history isn’t looked at as being patriotic but rather a slap to the face of those who don’t want to embrace their new home.

As an example, a Sikh child was required by his religion to carry a ceremonial dagger known as a kirpan to school with him. This is a mandatory religious commandment for the Sikh community. In most public places in Canada a kirpan is allowed to be carried. In 2006 the Supreme Court of Canada held that the banning of the kirpan in a school environment is against Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If I had a child going to school and I complained that another kid is bringing a knife to class making for an unsafe environment, I would be looked at by the politically correct people as intolerant or a racist for not allowing them the freedom to express their religion or culture. My argument would be; if they want to express their culture, then they need to do it in the country where this is considered appropriate.

Now let's put the weapon on the other foot...so to speak. If I gave my son a shotgun and sent him to school saying it’s our religious belief that carrying a loaded weapon is necessary to become a man, what do you think would happen? Something tells me the Supreme Court of Canada would laugh at me.

By the way, on April 2, 2010, Manjit Mangat, a fifty-three year-old lawyer and temple president was stabbed in the abdomen with a kirpan at the Sikh Lehar Centre in Brampton, Ontario. Police have Sukhwant Singh in custody over the matter.

OK, so maybe that might be an extreme scenario and I don't have a problem with people having different religious beliefs than me but not when it affects the Canada I love or threatens my identity. The point is every time we as Non-naturalized Canadians give away ground on issues and topics with respect to our history and heritage to appease other groups, we lose a part of our identity. Pretty soon we will become the minority and I can’t help but wonder if the new majority would be so accommodating to us.

Topless Security System

2010-07-01T21:18:00.006-04:00

UPDATE (April 2, 2011): This blog posting seems to be drawing a lot of attention lately despite being quite old. I would appreciate someone leaving a comment to let me know how they found it or why? Also, please take some time to read my other postings as well. Thanks

Growing up in almost any community you likely had some older lady in your neighbourhood that you avoided because she scared the bajeezus out of you. You know… the not so attractive woman in the old house at the end of the street or on the hill that you knew had to be a witch.

Of course as you got older you eventually realized she was harmless, or in my case, you found out she liked to be visited by strange men at all hours for “company”.

Often times she turned out to be a perfectly nice person who just didn’t like being bothered by kids irritating her. She frowned on having children trampling her flowers or yard while retrieving errant Frisbees, baseballs or soccer balls. Let’s face it, as kids we weren’t exactly keenly aware of flowerbeds and the like.

But our mischievous behaviour usually only resulted in a verbal scolding, phone call to our mothers or the odd soup can projectile targeting our heads.

In the year 2010, it would appear the tactics of the older generation are changing in regards to annoyances of the youthful kind. Take for example Marika De Florio near Kingston, Ontario who has been bothered for some time by a 6-year-old boy.

As I understand it, the young lad has an infatuation for riding ATV’s and his usual route in this rural community takes him past the De Florio home. Now anyone could deal with the youngster riding this motorized vehicle 100 feet away from your front door a few times a day but according to De Florio, the child rides “around and around the house for seven to 10 hours on a Sunday and four to five hours on a Saturday.”

This boy really loves his all terrain vehicle!

Nothing seemed to stop this incessant annoyance so finally De Florio took, what I can only assume, were drastic measures. She decided to go topless in front of the child. That’s right, the shirt came off, the bra snapped open and out they popped… and dropped, I imagine. This prompted the boy’s grandparents to grab him and swiftly shelter him from this new form of topless double-barrelled security.

While not a conventional deterrent, it seemed to get the job done, plus her tan is more even now. It should be noted that it is perfectly legal for Ms. De Florio to go topless in Ontario as women have that right in the Province…and I for one support it. Of course in my opinion there's "good topless" and "bad topless." I'm speculating that she would fall into the second category.

The parents of the boy still hope for peace with their not so shy neighbour and have taken steps to improve relations by limiting the kid to riding 15 minutes at a time and away from the De Florio property. This isn’t totally acceptable to De Florio who says she “doesn’t want (the boy) to be on the ATV when I am home.”

It would seem this story might not be over just yet and we can only assume the breasts will continue to swing freely in the breeze until a solution can be found and the situation perks up.

Happy Canada Day!

2010-06-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to take a moment to wish my fellow Canadians a very Happy Canada Day on July 1st.

This year we mark our countries 143rd Birthday...if my memory serves me correctly. Some days I feel that old.

While I'm working that day, I do hope everyone else is able to enjoy the holiday off with family, food and fireworks.

Diving Into The World Cup

2010-06-22T17:28:00.005-04:00

It never ceases to astonish me how popular Soccer (Football for you European types) is around the world. Even here in Canada people are going crazy insane supporting their teams.

I’ll set my irritation aside (for the most part) regarding “ethnic” Canadians cheering for their home teams. Suffice to say, as far as I’m concerned, if you live in Canada, are a Canadian citizen, work in Canada or have earned the right to enjoy all of the benefits of being a Canadian, then you should only support one team…CANADA! There are no part-time Canadians and you can’t be Canadian only when it suits your needs and purpose.

Of course Canada, being the soccer power that we are, failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. But I have no doubt in my mind that if Canada had qualified, all of the Italian, Greek, German, British, Brazilian, Argentinean, etc. Canadians by descent would still be cheering for their former respective countries…and that would have pissed me off beyond words.

In fact, not too long ago a team from another country (lets say Italy) came to Canada to play an exhibition match. I was watching the news and there were Italian Canadians beside themselves with giddiness eager to watch the game. That’s fine; but what really ticked me off was when these “Canadians” were interviewed on the TV news and said, “I’m so excited to watch my country play”. I double checked and nope, Canada wasn’t playing in the game.

These people, living in this great land, don’t even consider this their home country. I say if you’re not 100% Canadian then get the hell out and stop sucking at the Canadian teat.

Perhaps I’m just taking what these people said too literally, but my family has been in Canada for many generations. In fact, I’m having a tough time tracing them all to their origins in Canada for my family tree. I do know that my ancestors came from Scotland and Germany as well. Now Scotland isn’t in the World Cup but Germany is. I’m not cheering for them though as my home is in Canada and that’s who I support no matter what.

Well, I guess I didn’t set my irritation aside on that after all.

Back to the World Cup, even if Canada was involved, I’d only have a tiny bit of interest. I find the sport boring to watch with very little action to keep me entertained. I’m sure the soccer purists would inform me that I just don’t understand the nuances and tactics of the sport and they’re probably correct. Actually, there’s no probably about it, I don’t understand it.

I can appreciate the physical fitness of these athletes and their skills with footwork and using their head to propel the ball but it’s just too damn slow and there’s no “real” body contact. Even if I could get past the sluggish speed and relatively boring passing, I’d still be sickened and turned off by the continuous diving by the players.

Where’s the honour in the game? Where’s the toughness? It’s obvious that skill doesn’t translate into heart and grittiness with these guys. Soccer players make Baseball players look like Ultimate Fighters. Even in the NHL you see the odd dive from time to time which is an embarrassment to the sport but it’s nothing like a soccer game where the slightest physical contact results in one or both players writhing on the field in agony. I don’t know how they summon up the courage to continue playing after such horrific collisions.

Of course I’d never complain without having actually seen a good (or bad) example. I was watching Group W action on Sunday. I guess the “W” stands for wimps. Brazil was playing Ivory Coast. Luckily it was a mismatch so there was actually a bit of scoring (3-1 for Brazil) which made it a tad bit more tolerable.

Kader Keita for the Ivory Coast was lightly jogging toward Brazil’s Kaka. Yes, his name is Kaka and I can’t even tell you if he has a first name or not. Of course, Kaka means “poop” in Canada, but that’s neither here nor there.

Keita ever so slightly made contact with Kaka’s elbow which would have done little to a child let alone a grown man acting like one. Down goes Fraser! I mean, down goes Keita like he’d taken a knockout uppercut to the jaw from Cassius Clay. Of course Kaka’s elbow only made contact with Keita’s chest but he grabbed his face and fell to the ground as though Oswald himself had pulled the trigger.

The official, who had given a yellow card once already to Kaka, was sucked in as you’d expect from a European official (just like hockey). This resulted in his second yellow card which then means an automatic red card and ejection from the game. Wow, look at me describing the rules like I know what I’m talking about.

Anyway, my point is clearly made by this example. Soccer isn’t a man’s game, it’s a boy’s game and it isn’t even much of a game at all in my opinion. Give me hockey, rugby or any other manly sport and leave this soccer nonsense to the people with delicate sensitivities and low pain thresholds to enjoy. Luckily the World Cup of Snoring only lasts a month and the Canadian Football League will be back underway by the time it’s over. Somebody give me a wake up call then.

Shorter Is Better

2010-06-21T20:03:00.004-04:00

Finally women have come to their senses and know what's best.

It took a while but the new trend that seems to be catching on is... "Shorter is better than Longer."

I knew it all along!

CRAP!

2010-06-19T12:45:00.002-04:00

Well it appears as though I didn't win last nights $50 million Lotto Max jackpot. Actually, nobody won it for the second week in a row.

So that means we can all spend our money again as another $50 million will be up for grabs plus 55 draws of $1 million each. Does that mean my odds of winning are getting better?

In the meantime, it's back to work on Monday as usual.

.

I Found My Camera

2010-06-12T22:40:00.002-04:00

For the first time in what seems like months I was finally able to take advantage of a day off work and pick up my camera and use it for a change. I wasn't overly motivated but felt guilty that I hadn't produced anything lately.

It was a rainy, overcast and windy afternoon today and I didn't think I'd come home with much when the trip first started but I managed to snap about 80 photos and ended up with about five keepers that I thought were pretty good.

I've posted a few here for you to have a look at. Hope you like them.

Friends By Text Message

2010-06-06T00:07:00.000-04:00

As someone in my early 40’s I consider myself quite tech savvy and fairly up to date on the latest gadgets and gizmo's that propel this modern society. Having grown up in the 70’s and 80’s I’ve seen a lot of changes and advancements in technology over the years. I can’t help but wonder though if these innovations have hurt us in some way

Walking around town I’ve noticed more and more people, mostly 45 and under in age, becoming less social or friendly with their fellow man. Everything seems so impersonal. Frequently I’ll see people passing each other without so much as a friendly nod. The basis for this lack of cordial behaviour is most likely linked to technology.

These people are spending more time walking and texting or wearing earphones for their iPods and listening to music. Others have Bluetooth earpieces plugged into their heads and they’re talking on their mobile phones.

Maybe it’s because I don’t have any friends or anything important to say but I rarely use my mobile phone anymore and I never text. I think texting is ridiculous. If you want to have a conversation then just call that person or better yet, go meet them some place and talk face to face. If your only option is to text, then chances are you shouldn’t be doing it any way.

Do kids still call each other at home on the phone and go out and play sports? Road hockey games or football and basketball games used to be quite common in my neighbourhood growing up. I had a group of friends and we’d get together all of the time to play outside. I rarely see that anymore.

OK, I’ll admit there was a short period in the mid-80s when I went through a Dungeons and Dragons phase. We spent countless hours in a buddy’s basement casting spells and defeating trolls with our hit points and maces. But once my grades slipped, mom and dad put a stop to that.

Perhaps it’s just me but the whole world seems to be more antisocial. As an example, I have almost 500 friends on Facebook. Some of those are close friends from over the years, others are school friends and acquaintances, past co-workers and a myriad of other family and other folks I know to varying degrees. Of those 500 friends, I might run into or see a handful of them on a regular basis and another 20 I will run into throughout the year.

I’m not saying Internet sites like Facebook are bad. In fact, I think it’s great because without it I might never have made contact with some people I lost track of that I really wanted to touch base with again. I had some great friends in college that I never saw after graduation but thanks to social networking I was able to talk with them again some 20 years later.

These sites serve a purpose but I think they can also discourage real face to face communication thanks to the ease of being able to sit at a computer and chat rather than interact in person.

I’m just as guilty at times as everyone else who falls into this anti-social, Internet fuelled, technology loaded culture. I’d be lost without my computer, Internet, email, iPod Touch and mobile phone. I’ve become dependant on it and admit I get the shakes if I’m away from it all for too long. My computer is like the Mother Ship calling me home at times.

I suppose everything has its place and purpose but as good as new technology can be I question sometimes if we’re all turning into a horde of robots losing the capacity to interact with the other robots.

Space Shuttle Time-Lapse

2010-06-05T16:48:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wondered how the rocket scientists prepare the Space Shuttle for launch?

Well, as the final Shuttle launch quickly approaches, I found this time-lapse video that was obviously created by someone with all-access privileges at the Kennedy Space Center.

I have always been a "space fanatic" and am always intrigued by everything involved with exploring the heavens. My visit to the KSC many years ago was like going to the holy land. I even saw two shuttles return that day on the back of the modified 747's.

Any way, enough with my geek memories. Have a look at this video and I think you'll be quite impressed.

NOTE: There is no sound to the video until near the very end. Also, you can view the video full screen by clicking on the square with the four arrows.

The Choice Is Hers

2010-06-03T21:32:00.004-04:00

There are a few topics that evoke passionate beliefs and often times anger. Abortion is certainly one of those subjects. It’s a huge topic that can’t be covered completely, especially by me but there’s nothing wrong with some discussion.

Being a man I’ll never be forced to make a decision on whether to terminate a pregnancy or to go to term. My biggest concerns are usually centered around deciding on chicken or beef for supper.

This doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion on the subject. I am pro choice. A woman has the right to decide what to do with her body. I believe that if I were a woman and I became pregnant, nobody should be allowed to tell me what I can or cannot do with my body. I’m not going to get into the debate about at what point a fetus becomes a life. That can be discussed another time.

Now, before the anti-abortion activists and supporters jump all over me, allow me to elaborate. I’m sure what I say won’t make a difference but at least I’m being honest and forthcoming.

That’s right folks…we interrupt my usually light-hearted and laid back blog for some seriousness once again.

When I think of the ways a woman can conceive I come up with voluntarily, accidentally and forcefully.

Voluntarily would be when a woman lays down with a man and knowingly has unprotected sex that results in pregnancy. The intent to conceive was there and the resulting outcome was expected. In a case like this, I still believe a woman has the right to choose if she wants to remain pregnant. Depending on the circumstances (health issues or dangers to the mother) an abortion may be necessary. I’d like to think that if a woman in this situation can carry the baby to term that she would do so. I think in most cases this does happen.

Accidentally is when a woman has sex with a man but doesn’t expect to get pregnant. Perhaps the chosen method of birth control didn’t work but no matter the reason, the outcome was unexpected. As someone who is pro choice I see no problem with the woman aborting the pregnancy if that is what she wants.

Lets be honest, when I drive through my town, there are a lot of unfit mothers pushing strollers. I see these young women hanging out at the local Tim Hortons parking lot at 11pm or later with their child in a stroller. This is not a proper way to raise a child. What kind of an upbringing will this kid have? The point is there are a lot of women who have kids and they aren’t mentally equipped to deal with the responsibility let alone financially. Adoption would have likely been a better choice for these kids. Sometimes love isn’t enough to raise a child. Of course when the government hands these girls a cheque each month per child, that’s all the incentive they need to keep reproducing.

If a woman accidentally becomes pregnant and knows that there is no way she can properly care for and raise a child then her choices are abortion or adoption. Either choice is fine with me.

Forcefully is obviously as a result of being given no choice in having sex with a man with the outcome being the same. This may happen as a product of rape. The factors surrounding the rape are not vital. If a woman is forced to have sex against her will, drugged or under the influence of alcohol and proper consent is not attained, then that is rape.

I can’t imagine any woman wanting to carry her rapists’ baby to full term. That’s not to say it hasn’t happened before because I know religion plays a huge factor in the decisions surrounding child birth for many. I was hoping to keep religion out of this but the fact is abortion is a no-no with some faiths. That’s fine if that’s what you believe but if a woman doesn’t follow that religion, her rights as a human are just as important and he beliefs and decisions should be based on her choices and not some other religious group or organization. What makes your beliefs more important than hers?

As an example, if one religion believed that anyone over the age of 50 should be euthanized to decrease the population and to lessen the strain on our society, does that mean that everyone should be forced to follow their thinking?

Having said all of that, I would much rather have a woman give birth than have an abortion but rarely is it that simple. For me, having the choice is important and significant and a right as a human being. Nobody has a right to tell me what I can and can’t do with my body so why should abortion be any different.

There’s nothing wrong with education. As an example, in Oklahoma, a woman seeking an abortion will have to undergo an ultrasound at least one hour before having the procedure. She must listen as the doctor describes the fetus’s organs, lungs and heartbeat, even in cases of incest and rape. This may deter some women from continuing with the procedure but even if they do go ahead with the abortion; at least they do so with some knowledge.

It is my personal belief that the government, religious groups and other organizations should mind their own business. What may be good for them may not be good for others and if a woman wants to have an abortion, it’s her choice and nobody else’s.