My goodness. I swear I have not forgotten about you guys! I have been so busy I have had little time to blog for the longest time. I do come back with a vengeance though with some great news. Ok the deal is I have never really had a career. I have always worked at odd jobs, some that have been very good to me over the years, and others that have not been. For once in my life I get a fighting chance like everyone else. A wonderful opportunity has arrived at my feet in the form of a program out of Morrisburg, ON called the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario. It is a ten week long course for obtaining my heavy equipment operators license and I couldn't be happier as I have been chosen as one of the successful candidates yesterday. I leave Rankin Inlet April 10th 2010 and end the course on June 18th. Just in time to fly out to Newfoundland for July 9th to get married!
I have posted for you curious ones the link HERE. I am excited to go as is Melissa but at the same time, we done this 'apart' thing from one another last year under different circumstances and it was tough. I hope this year is a little easier knowing that we are doing this both for good reason. I gotta go as my time is cut short yet again but really had to do an update with you all. Keep in touch!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
La Chef Burton
Not a big blog tonight, just a picture of my first batch of palaugaaq (bannock). If your unaware of what this is, it is basically bread. Inuit style. I actually managed to make a batch of this addictive stuff and it sure goes great with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Tough Times
My goodness, it has been a week since I blogged. I am really slacking in this department. Something I want to discuss today; snowmobiling. I have watched in the past month as two friends have bought NEW machines right out of the Northern store here in Rankin and drive away with lose fitting nuts & bolts, skis dropping off, blown head gaskets and overall just lose parts. Unbelievable that for the amount of money spent on both machines in total in excess of over $20,000 that both would have so many issues. Safety issues. Both riders carry their wive and child with them.
I watched yesterday as literally the right front ski from a brand new Ski Doo Skandic dropped it's ski. Just, fell off. Not broken, just dropped off. The result of this has forced our friends who own the Scandic to return it to the store to get a refund. The refund was easy, but tough on the couple who just bought the new machine and sold me their old one. I feel horrible I am riding around enjoying theirs as they now are walking. The Northern couldn't trade in the machine for another because they simply didn't have that model available. Had his wife been driving with the baby and the ski fell off, could have made for much more horrible of a story than the one I have already told.
Today, without our friends we went to watch the Sunday races on the ocean. It was a blast and unfortunately I didn't have my camera handy as I usually would. I will next Sunday though. The machines they race are great sounding and quick. Rider experience is everything though from what I witnessed.
One final note, the way to make a friend is found by engaging in proper conversation because really you never know how nice of a person you could be talking to really is. I learned this lesson today.
I watched yesterday as literally the right front ski from a brand new Ski Doo Skandic dropped it's ski. Just, fell off. Not broken, just dropped off. The result of this has forced our friends who own the Scandic to return it to the store to get a refund. The refund was easy, but tough on the couple who just bought the new machine and sold me their old one. I feel horrible I am riding around enjoying theirs as they now are walking. The Northern couldn't trade in the machine for another because they simply didn't have that model available. Had his wife been driving with the baby and the ski fell off, could have made for much more horrible of a story than the one I have already told.
Today, without our friends we went to watch the Sunday races on the ocean. It was a blast and unfortunately I didn't have my camera handy as I usually would. I will next Sunday though. The machines they race are great sounding and quick. Rider experience is everything though from what I witnessed.
One final note, the way to make a friend is found by engaging in proper conversation because really you never know how nice of a person you could be talking to really is. I learned this lesson today.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Orca Love
Tilikum, the killer whale.
Tilikum the killer whale has killed. Again. Despite his name having meaning in Chinook as 'friend', (also named after the Tilikum boat) the marine predator is no stranger to making the news headlines in more ways than one. Aside from the fact this majestic creature is beautiful to watch on any level, let alone up close and personal, it also must be first noted this is a killer whale. A wild animal much like that of a lion or tiger. It has animal instincts.
Tilikum has taken the life of 40 year old Dawn Brancheau. Before we get into the criminal record of this animal, let's find out who Tilikum is. The orca was captured of the coast of Iceland in 1983 at the age of 2 years old. He has sired 13 calves, the first being Kyuguot born in December 24 1991. Tilikum has some of the most impressive measurements I have ever heard of for a killer whale in captivity. He is simply the biggest of his kind right now in captivity. At 22 feet and six inches long, weighing in at a whopping 12,300 pounds and his dorsal fins alone being 6 and a half feet long makes him very immense in size.
Tilikum is an impressive spectacle as seen here during his performance.
Tilikum has found himself in hot water after now building a rather dreadful record for human deaths circulating around him. He is currently at three. Dawn Brancheau was the top trainer at Sea World until earlier this week she was grabbed by Tilikum by the waist just moments after she was bonding with him. He thrashed about before taking her down with him into his world, deep in the tank at the bottom is where he held her in his mouth until she drowned. Dawn was just 40 years old. To her, Tilikum was her aquatic friend. How does a friend do this?
In 1991 her also took the life of another female victim after she accidentally fell in his tank doing research. In 1999 Daniel Dukes, 27 a drifter was found naked in Tilikum's tank floating with multiple bruises on his body. Near by the tank on dry ground his clothes were found in a pile with a joint of marijuana inside them. The bruises were thought to have happened as Tilikum believed Daniel was a toy for his tank and dragged his body along the bottom of the tank. It is unclear whether the man drowned first on his own accord, or Tilikum actually killed the man by drowning him. Daniel died of hypothermia apparently, although there were bite marks on his body from the whale.
Tilikum has become lost in a swirl of controversy over the killings. But it he really to blame? I question now, and have before about the condition of wild animals held captive in zoos and pens alike all over the world. What if we were to be held captive and taught to perform. Is this what we want? No. So what do the wild animals want? Most likely not to be put in funny little hats and forced to jump through hoops I am sure. I would guess they want what we want. Freedom. What freedom does Tilikum have in a tank equivalent to that of a bathtub? Examine the picture below for a minute.
As you see from the above photo, Tilikum has not a lot of room to maneuver for a whale who can easily swim up to 100 miles in a day. This animal has deep psychological damage. It has been studied in primates and humans alike. Confinement drives one to a severe state of depression, boredom and anger. Tilikum has displayed this. He has never been trained to be with humans. To him, a human in his tank is a play toy. He should not be held accountable for something we have created. Snatching up natures wild animals and driving them to the point of insanity.
They had looked at having Tilikum put down. This is a horrible thought, to think to cover up mans mistake by taking the creature out back in a pasture and putting a bullet through it's head is disgusting (though it wouldn't be done this way). The head people at Sea World have vowed Tilikum will not be put down. So they have decided the show must go on. So who will the fourth victim be? Another trainer? A child? Can we do what was done to Keiko the killer whale who was a star in Free Willy? Set free on the coast of Ice Land. He didn't fair well, he only kept coming back to find humans. He later died of pneumonia. Iceland doesn't want Tilikum due to his criminal record.
So Tilikum's future rests in the same hands of the people who brought him into the world of captivity. His demise will only rest on whether or not he can survive the wild on his own. Or whether or not he kills again. We didn't really expect someone to bring in this whale and jump on his back and yell go did we? We don't go jumping on lions and gorillas backs asking them to perform tricks in the jungle. So why are we removing them from their habitats and getting them to do things they really don't want to do and expecting nothing will come of it except revenue for a large corporation?
Sea World and other zoos alike should be ashamed of themselves. Tilikum is not the only orca who has killed. Nor will he be the last.
Dawn & Tilikum. Best friends?
Or wild animal with a lost sense of freedom?
Tilikum the killer whale has killed. Again. Despite his name having meaning in Chinook as 'friend', (also named after the Tilikum boat) the marine predator is no stranger to making the news headlines in more ways than one. Aside from the fact this majestic creature is beautiful to watch on any level, let alone up close and personal, it also must be first noted this is a killer whale. A wild animal much like that of a lion or tiger. It has animal instincts.
Tilikum has taken the life of 40 year old Dawn Brancheau. Before we get into the criminal record of this animal, let's find out who Tilikum is. The orca was captured of the coast of Iceland in 1983 at the age of 2 years old. He has sired 13 calves, the first being Kyuguot born in December 24 1991. Tilikum has some of the most impressive measurements I have ever heard of for a killer whale in captivity. He is simply the biggest of his kind right now in captivity. At 22 feet and six inches long, weighing in at a whopping 12,300 pounds and his dorsal fins alone being 6 and a half feet long makes him very immense in size.
Tilikum is an impressive spectacle as seen here during his performance.
Tilikum has found himself in hot water after now building a rather dreadful record for human deaths circulating around him. He is currently at three. Dawn Brancheau was the top trainer at Sea World until earlier this week she was grabbed by Tilikum by the waist just moments after she was bonding with him. He thrashed about before taking her down with him into his world, deep in the tank at the bottom is where he held her in his mouth until she drowned. Dawn was just 40 years old. To her, Tilikum was her aquatic friend. How does a friend do this?
In 1991 her also took the life of another female victim after she accidentally fell in his tank doing research. In 1999 Daniel Dukes, 27 a drifter was found naked in Tilikum's tank floating with multiple bruises on his body. Near by the tank on dry ground his clothes were found in a pile with a joint of marijuana inside them. The bruises were thought to have happened as Tilikum believed Daniel was a toy for his tank and dragged his body along the bottom of the tank. It is unclear whether the man drowned first on his own accord, or Tilikum actually killed the man by drowning him. Daniel died of hypothermia apparently, although there were bite marks on his body from the whale.
Tilikum has become lost in a swirl of controversy over the killings. But it he really to blame? I question now, and have before about the condition of wild animals held captive in zoos and pens alike all over the world. What if we were to be held captive and taught to perform. Is this what we want? No. So what do the wild animals want? Most likely not to be put in funny little hats and forced to jump through hoops I am sure. I would guess they want what we want. Freedom. What freedom does Tilikum have in a tank equivalent to that of a bathtub? Examine the picture below for a minute.
As you see from the above photo, Tilikum has not a lot of room to maneuver for a whale who can easily swim up to 100 miles in a day. This animal has deep psychological damage. It has been studied in primates and humans alike. Confinement drives one to a severe state of depression, boredom and anger. Tilikum has displayed this. He has never been trained to be with humans. To him, a human in his tank is a play toy. He should not be held accountable for something we have created. Snatching up natures wild animals and driving them to the point of insanity.
They had looked at having Tilikum put down. This is a horrible thought, to think to cover up mans mistake by taking the creature out back in a pasture and putting a bullet through it's head is disgusting (though it wouldn't be done this way). The head people at Sea World have vowed Tilikum will not be put down. So they have decided the show must go on. So who will the fourth victim be? Another trainer? A child? Can we do what was done to Keiko the killer whale who was a star in Free Willy? Set free on the coast of Ice Land. He didn't fair well, he only kept coming back to find humans. He later died of pneumonia. Iceland doesn't want Tilikum due to his criminal record.
So Tilikum's future rests in the same hands of the people who brought him into the world of captivity. His demise will only rest on whether or not he can survive the wild on his own. Or whether or not he kills again. We didn't really expect someone to bring in this whale and jump on his back and yell go did we? We don't go jumping on lions and gorillas backs asking them to perform tricks in the jungle. So why are we removing them from their habitats and getting them to do things they really don't want to do and expecting nothing will come of it except revenue for a large corporation?
Sea World and other zoos alike should be ashamed of themselves. Tilikum is not the only orca who has killed. Nor will he be the last.
Dawn & Tilikum. Best friends?
Or wild animal with a lost sense of freedom?
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Last Call For Alcohol
The 2010 Olympic Gold medalists of womens Canadian hockey team.
We all blog about things like, life, money, experiences, disinterest for a certain thing or person, or exciting times. Sometimes we blog about subjects others may not agree with or possibly do agree with. Either way, blogging is simply an open journal with others having the ability to respond if they wish. My blog today might just be one of those types of blogs. Because what I want to discuss, the latest hottest topic is the women’s Olympic hockey team for Canada.
To start, they deserve a big congratulations in their win and the effort it took to get to the podium to accept those gold medals. This certainly can’t be an easy task in any sport to climb all the way to the top of the hill to make the cut for gold. Regardless, they did it. Kudos to them girls. Now, on to the break down of a unclassy celebratory win. They played their hearts out and used sweat, skills and determination. They celebrated on ice just seconds after the win thereafter congratulating team USA on a well fought game. This is sportsmanship at it’s finest is it not. To recognize the other team’s efforts and knowing how hard it was to make it to that final round to do battle is honourable. So far so good.
Now here is the issue I have as do others. Ok, we know there were no fans left in the stadium seats, most reporters were gone...MOST. All but the one(s) who caught the champagne, beer guzzling, zamboni drivin, cigar smoking frolics on ice, including 18-year-old superstar Marie-Philip Poulin. Exactly what is wrong with this? Well, if your all for it, then nothing. Until we break it down a little further. Team Canada in many sports is recognized as a professional team, like any others should be. I for one am 100% Canadian and show my Canadian pride probably more than anyone I know. I stand behind those Canadian Olympians and their efforts over there in Vancouver.
The problem is this: People are always going to be watching. And with watching comes scrutinizing. Did these girls forget they have little ones who look up to them who no doubt by now has seen these photos or the video footage of them getting on they way they did, smoking and drinking? What example does this set for the children who wish to be the next women’s Olympic goaltender or the women’s next Olympic forward? It says that after winning you can showboat, rub it in, drink and enjoy a big fat stogie.
Had they done all this behind closed doors, with no cameras, no video footage, no one would be none the wiser today and the girls would still be happy, as they are now I am sure, and the media and public wouldn’t care. We didn’t see it. This was professionally unacceptable. I would not want to see my daughter getting on like that after winning on camera unless it was in the comforts of her home, my home, her friend’s home. Behind closed doors at least.
It is so bad that the IOC is launching an investigation into their on ice antics. Hey, you’re smoking in a non smoking facility. Way to go, fines all around right there. They are Olympic athletes, put your Canadian pride aside for a moment and understand the problem with they way they behaved for a moment. It was immature of them to think they could get away with partying it up on ice, still in their Olympic gear.
If you have yet to see some of the above mentionable's, take a gander below.
We all blog about things like, life, money, experiences, disinterest for a certain thing or person, or exciting times. Sometimes we blog about subjects others may not agree with or possibly do agree with. Either way, blogging is simply an open journal with others having the ability to respond if they wish. My blog today might just be one of those types of blogs. Because what I want to discuss, the latest hottest topic is the women’s Olympic hockey team for Canada.
To start, they deserve a big congratulations in their win and the effort it took to get to the podium to accept those gold medals. This certainly can’t be an easy task in any sport to climb all the way to the top of the hill to make the cut for gold. Regardless, they did it. Kudos to them girls. Now, on to the break down of a unclassy celebratory win. They played their hearts out and used sweat, skills and determination. They celebrated on ice just seconds after the win thereafter congratulating team USA on a well fought game. This is sportsmanship at it’s finest is it not. To recognize the other team’s efforts and knowing how hard it was to make it to that final round to do battle is honourable. So far so good.
Now here is the issue I have as do others. Ok, we know there were no fans left in the stadium seats, most reporters were gone...MOST. All but the one(s) who caught the champagne, beer guzzling, zamboni drivin, cigar smoking frolics on ice, including 18-year-old superstar Marie-Philip Poulin. Exactly what is wrong with this? Well, if your all for it, then nothing. Until we break it down a little further. Team Canada in many sports is recognized as a professional team, like any others should be. I for one am 100% Canadian and show my Canadian pride probably more than anyone I know. I stand behind those Canadian Olympians and their efforts over there in Vancouver.
The problem is this: People are always going to be watching. And with watching comes scrutinizing. Did these girls forget they have little ones who look up to them who no doubt by now has seen these photos or the video footage of them getting on they way they did, smoking and drinking? What example does this set for the children who wish to be the next women’s Olympic goaltender or the women’s next Olympic forward? It says that after winning you can showboat, rub it in, drink and enjoy a big fat stogie.
Had they done all this behind closed doors, with no cameras, no video footage, no one would be none the wiser today and the girls would still be happy, as they are now I am sure, and the media and public wouldn’t care. We didn’t see it. This was professionally unacceptable. I would not want to see my daughter getting on like that after winning on camera unless it was in the comforts of her home, my home, her friend’s home. Behind closed doors at least.
It is so bad that the IOC is launching an investigation into their on ice antics. Hey, you’re smoking in a non smoking facility. Way to go, fines all around right there. They are Olympic athletes, put your Canadian pride aside for a moment and understand the problem with they way they behaved for a moment. It was immature of them to think they could get away with partying it up on ice, still in their Olympic gear.
If you have yet to see some of the above mentionable's, take a gander below.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Lost In Thought
Hello.
I blogged here nearly a week ago. Since then, I've had no motivation to blog since. After reading fellow blogger Townie Bastard's blog I was reminded how any one of us can go through 'writer's block'. Though I am not truly a writer per say. I still get blocked like anyone else. Since reading his blog, I somewhat got motivated to blog. I have no subject particularly for you. Just sort of winging it today. I really don't want to touch on this issue of, what is an Olympic sport and what isn't, but how do we, the little people know what is or what won't ever be a sport period? Did anyone really think snowboarding on a half pipe would become an Olympic sport? I suppose really anybody can pick on and bully around any sport in the Olympics.
At the end of the day both you and I know there is no way we can ever do what we see those of the Olympics do in their sport. I can never put on long skies and slide down a hill only to jump off the end of it and land in the calculation point area, known as the K point. It is between 300 and 390 feet. 60 points to those who land exactly on the K line. So I'm not fairing well in this sport on my first, second or third try. Most likely, not in my first 6 months.
Men's figure skating. "Oh, it looks gay, men in tights, blah, blah, blah". Yea, it does look a little gay. Men in tights prancing around on the tippy toes of their skates lifting off doing triple and quad's. But can you do it any better? I can't even skate let alone get enough speed to hurl my body in the air to spin around 4 times, land, then launch myself into the air once more for another jump. If this type of routine skating is hard, and only few can do it, maybe it should be in the Olympics.
Now did Heracles, son of Zeus, go bobsledding down an icy hill at speeds to which he had never seen before? No. But is it a sport? It must be, it's in the Olympics isn't it? Ok, so we don't run naked anymore, but we still run in the Olympics. Why do we not question running? Who can't run right?
My firm belief is if it is as hard as it looks to do from the comfort of your home, it probably should be in the Olympics. I used to think curling was ridiculous. Then I tried it.
Ping Pong anyone?
I blogged here nearly a week ago. Since then, I've had no motivation to blog since. After reading fellow blogger Townie Bastard's blog I was reminded how any one of us can go through 'writer's block'. Though I am not truly a writer per say. I still get blocked like anyone else. Since reading his blog, I somewhat got motivated to blog. I have no subject particularly for you. Just sort of winging it today. I really don't want to touch on this issue of, what is an Olympic sport and what isn't, but how do we, the little people know what is or what won't ever be a sport period? Did anyone really think snowboarding on a half pipe would become an Olympic sport? I suppose really anybody can pick on and bully around any sport in the Olympics.
At the end of the day both you and I know there is no way we can ever do what we see those of the Olympics do in their sport. I can never put on long skies and slide down a hill only to jump off the end of it and land in the calculation point area, known as the K point. It is between 300 and 390 feet. 60 points to those who land exactly on the K line. So I'm not fairing well in this sport on my first, second or third try. Most likely, not in my first 6 months.
Men's figure skating. "Oh, it looks gay, men in tights, blah, blah, blah". Yea, it does look a little gay. Men in tights prancing around on the tippy toes of their skates lifting off doing triple and quad's. But can you do it any better? I can't even skate let alone get enough speed to hurl my body in the air to spin around 4 times, land, then launch myself into the air once more for another jump. If this type of routine skating is hard, and only few can do it, maybe it should be in the Olympics.
Now did Heracles, son of Zeus, go bobsledding down an icy hill at speeds to which he had never seen before? No. But is it a sport? It must be, it's in the Olympics isn't it? Ok, so we don't run naked anymore, but we still run in the Olympics. Why do we not question running? Who can't run right?
My firm belief is if it is as hard as it looks to do from the comfort of your home, it probably should be in the Olympics. I used to think curling was ridiculous. Then I tried it.
Ping Pong anyone?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
From A 'ROAR' To A 'meow'
Tiger who? Oh right, Woods. Forgot about him did you? Well if you tune in tomorrow at the right time, on the right channel, you just may catch him live for the first time in months proclaiming his...well, whatever it is he is going to proclaim. Whether that's his innocence or his guilt or his own disbelief he got caught, who knows. More importantly, who cares? Except his wife, close family and immediate friends, who really gives a hoot about Tiger Woods? I like golf as much as the next person and I am fully aware of the fan base he has brought in since coming on the scene. But let's get real about this shall we? He is still just another human being. One who apparently cheats.
Tomorrow he will arise from his own ashes to tell us what? He's sorry? Why is he even apologizing? Too whom is it addressed to really? Erin? His kids? His ex's? Or his fans? Either way, it is a waste of airtime and really if I wasn't working tomorrow when it came on, I would rather watch the white monotone guy with the afro on T.V who paints trees than watch Tiger's big conference. Are you serious Mr. Woods in the fact that you believe you can redeem yourself by an on air apology? Sorry buddy, but the Olympics are on, even if they are timed delayed, at least I can expect to follow a leader, or a hero, or even at least someone who has earned some respect to actually be watched on T.V.
Gotta go now, that tree painting afro guy is on right now and he's painting spruce's!
Tomorrow he will arise from his own ashes to tell us what? He's sorry? Why is he even apologizing? Too whom is it addressed to really? Erin? His kids? His ex's? Or his fans? Either way, it is a waste of airtime and really if I wasn't working tomorrow when it came on, I would rather watch the white monotone guy with the afro on T.V who paints trees than watch Tiger's big conference. Are you serious Mr. Woods in the fact that you believe you can redeem yourself by an on air apology? Sorry buddy, but the Olympics are on, even if they are timed delayed, at least I can expect to follow a leader, or a hero, or even at least someone who has earned some respect to actually be watched on T.V.
Gotta go now, that tree painting afro guy is on right now and he's painting spruce's!
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