Tag Archives: random

Never schedule a four flight trip, DPI update and Republican silliness

Leave a reply

If the first rule is never get involved in a land war in Asia, and the second is never get involved with a Sicilian when death is on the line, then the third must be never, never, never schedule a four flight trip, especially when Washington Dulles International is in play. Too many variables that can go wrong.

so… I’m currently chilling out at Dulles having missed my connection to Chicago and then home. Looks like my 33 hour trip is now going to be 39 hours.

In other news, it looks like it’s going to take a few months before I can slide cast my DPI presentaiton – just heard back that it will take the organizers a month or two to get me an audio copy of the presentation. I do promise to throw it up once I have it.

Finally, I have to post this quote from an article on CNN about a republican congressman who will not be seeking reelection. I’ve just started Kinsella’s War Room and am pretty sure even his genius couldn’t save this guy:

A New York congressman who admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock with a woman who bailed him out of jail on a drunk driving charge this month announced Monday that he will not run for re-election.

Of course, what made it even darker was the next line:

“This choice was an extremely difficult one…”

Really? I’m not so sure the GOP felt it was such a difficult decision.

Johannesburg: the good, the bad and the ugly

9 Replies

So I’m presently in Johannesburg – here for some negotiation work. It’s been a fascinating trip so far.

First the good: The weather is amazing (about 22 Celsius with a strong sun and no clouds – perfect for being outside, although I may have gotten burn today). Everyone is very friendly. The food in unreal. Last night I had Alligator and Ostrich carpacio – unbelievable. Alligator is like a cross between turkey and bacon, it’s delicious. I’m looking forward to a trip down to Cape Town at the end of the week to visit Mark S.

The bad: It’s been interesting following the news down here. Probably the saddest thing I’ve heard is the Health Minister’s repeated statements that people with HIV need only eat a balanced diet to be ok. I know the story has been covered endlessly but it remains shocking – even criminal – that this type of denial continues. Indeed, I’ve noticed that there is very little signage about HIV/AIDS. That which I have noticed has generally been put into place by private enterprises.

The ugly: Last couple of days have seen a spat of xenophobic riots in the Johannesburg suburb of Alexandra as clashes between black South Africans and refugees/migrants from other African countries – principally Zimbabwe – have escalated. Zimbabweans – and other Africans – are broadly blamed for stealing jobs and, more problematically, contributing to the country’s spiraling crime rate. Each evening it is surreal to feel safely ensconced in my hotel room and know that 20 4 km away roving bands of young men armed with machetes and bricks are looting stores and beating people up. No surprise that the city goes on as if nothing is amiss. Certainly the endless traffic jams that define Johannesburg’s roads don’t show any sign of nervousness.

South Africa is so many things at the same time. Its challenges are fascinating, but numerous and daunting – and yet I get the sense from the brief time I’ve been here – they are not overwhelming. This is very good news, not just for the country, but for the continent.

Food Cartels

Leave a reply

A global rice cartel? Someone tried this with coffee once. It didn’t work out so well.

Sadly, there are reports that exporting governments are hoarding rice supplies out of fear there may be a shortage. While understandable, this only further constrains supplies and drives up prices. More ominously, if prices start to fall, and these governments decide to sell their stockpiles while the price is still relatively high, the sudden increased in supply could flood the market, dampen prices suddenly and really hurt farmers. Boom and bust in the food industry… nothing most farmers aren’t familar with.

the long way home

22 Replies

So my drama for the week… I lost my passport somewhere between clearing customs to the US in Vancouver and arriving at my hotel in Denver.

First time this has ever happened to me – normally I’m borderline facist about constantly knowing where my passport is. Sadly, it never turned up.

I almost managed to sweet talk my way onto my flight home in Denver (armed with a driver’s liscence, birth certificate and aeroplan elite card). But literally at the last second a manager got nervous and pulled me back. End result, I flew to Seattle, rented a car and drove home. It strikes me as curious that you can cross the border by at ground level with a driver’s license and a secondary ID, but you can’t at 30,000 ft. I mean, don’t misunderstand me, I’m an idiot for not knowing where my passport is, I just think it’s a curious fact.

Since I’m supposed to be back in the US a week Sunday I suppose I’m also about to test the speediness of Canada’s passport processing system. I suspect I’m in trouble – but who knows! (possibly some intrepid reader with a story to share…)

As an aside: between this event and getting food poisoning between Mississauga and Wallingford, CT last week I’m beginning to doubt my status as a veteran traveler.

Pachelbel's Canon + Van Halen Guitar = Surprisingly Awesome

2 Replies

So I’m a little swamped with some writing this evening – more on that soon though.

In the meantime Etienne Laliberte emailed me this hilarious youtube video of Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major being played with electric guitar. Turns out there is an whole online youtube sub-culture dedicated to this – fantastic!

I have to tell you, these guys are real guitar heroes. It’s amazing to listen to. Long live remix culture.

My favourite:

A close runner up:

a fashion link on eaves.ca?

2 Replies

Yes, it shocked even me – I have a post on fashion. And women’s fashion to boot!

The other week I was in Banff conducting a negotiation workshop and one of the client representatives who (literally) made the event possible had this hand bag (pictured to the right). I thought it to be quite cool. Not only was it fashionable but it was both environmentally friendly and the art work was done by her husband.

The bag is manufactured by a company called Little Earth Productions. All the materials used are recycled from other products. For example, the strap on the bag pictured to the right is made from old tires.

For guys looking to give that ultimate purse/bag to their women, they also have a line of bags with NHL or NFL logos on them. It’s a special kind of women who’ll be looking for one of those…

As a cool aside, the photo of this bag was taken with an iPhone… not one owned by me mind you.

My “top 10″ 2007 blogging moments: #8

Leave a reply

Since it’s the holidays and everybody’s too busy shopping and seeing friends to read blogs – my meta posts will continue! Always nice to take stock.

Blogging moment number 8…

After reading a Globe and Mail report in which Harper mocks the Liberals for caring “too much” about the welfare of imprisoned Taliban insurgents I threw the paper down in disgust and banged out this blog post in literally 15 minutes. Four days later, the Star agreed to publish it as an opinion piece.

Here is the cool part:

For the first time in my life, something I wrote as a blog post gets published as opposed to something I published getting cross posted to my blog.

“If writing is a muscle, this is my gym.”

My "top 10" 2007 blogging moments: #9

Leave a reply

Part 1)

I write complimentary book reviews of

and the authors post comments and or drop me an email. Hurray for the internet.

Part 2)

I don’t write a book review but suggest, in complete violation of copyright, that a group of volunteers dictate and record the oldest of Newman’s works as MP3 files and publish the voice recordings online so as to create free audiobook versions of his work.

Peter C. Newman actually comments (note: he doesn’t protest against the idea) and justly notes that it is crazy that all but two of his works are out of print… That man is a legend.

Part 3)

Taylor and I publish what I think is possibly one of our strongest pieces – a critical review of Michael Byers, Intent for a Nation: What Is Canada For? in Embassy Magazine, and an extended version on our blogs.

Byers does not comment.