Month: July 2005

Beach Head

I have done something I have never done. I have beach bummed and will again today. Being albino between the freckles this requires SPF 50 or stronger taken with my tea and rubbed all over as well as a canny set of umbrellas and tarps to actually isolate myself from the slightest contact with any rouge ray of sunlight…but still I am bumming. We have been to three beaches on 4 of the 5 last days and will beach again today and likely tomorrow as well. It is like a week of being in and out of the sauna…over and over. I am appear to be losing contact with my muscular system and have started to forget things. Like what it is like to have dry pants on. Why is it OK to walk around with soaking pants only by the sea? It is like a great conspiracy with strangers. We will all look silly, damp and all be mostly naked but we will only do so when we lay down before Lord Poseidon.

Red’s Dairy Freeze, South Portland, Maine

Illustrated is the “Chocolate Boston”, which is a chocolate milkshake with chocolate soft serve ice cream topped with chocolate sauce. The “Boston” can be had with other flavours but it is always milkshake plus soft serve plus sauce. Eaten with a spoon and a straw, it is apparently known only to Red’s of South Portland and their customers but we stand to be corrected.

I do not love chocolate but this actually inched me a little towards that affliction. I ate it so fast I got an ice cream chest ache.

“Syrian” Sandwich

I was in New London, NH yesterday on the way down the
interstate 30 miles north of Concord and was at a place called Pizza Chef – or something like that – and had a “Syrian” which was basically a pita cut in half (destroying the pocket effect) with stuff between inside and baked. This was incredibly good. What happened was the cheese glommed into the veggie contents and the pita halves got a crisp consistency – all fed into my gaping maw for about 5 bucks and toasty warm. No messy tomato sauce or anything.

I have no idea if the Syrian was just this one shop’s specialty or whether it is a broader New Hampshire thing.

Time To Cut Equalization?

Is it time to cut equalization and other aspects of the massive Federal funding to the anti-constitutionalist PEI government?

It may be the law, but same-sex couples can’t get married on P.E.I. None of the provincial bills that cover marriage have been changed, and P.E.I.’s attorney general, Mildred Dover, said it will take an undetermined amount of time for the Island to follow Canadian law.

This was hardly unexpected in light of the general Charter fighting track record of the current suits…but isn’t it time to penalize those who would obstruct the enjoyment by Canadians of the full rights of being Canadian?

Wow

“…they pushed him to the floor and basically unloaded five shots into him…”

Amazing. Hot pursuit of a human bomb.

Update: More…

The Muslim Council of Britain said Muslims were concerned about a possible “shoot to kill” policy. Spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said: “There may well be reasons why the police felt it necessary to unload five shots into the man and shoot him dead, but they need to make those reasons clear. “It’s vital the police give a statement about what occurred and explain why the man was shot dead.”

Another passenger on the train, Anthony Larkin, told BBC News the man had been wearing a “bomb belt with wires coming out”. “I’ve seen these police officers shouting, ‘Get down, get down!’, and I’ve seen this guy who appears to have a bomb belt and wires coming out.

Garrity Of The Times

Ok – I know…we all know…I made The New York Times first (and the Business section is so much cooler than the Arts one) but… it is still very mucho neato that little Stevie Garrity, one of my once teen clients who I met back in 1998, got himself referenced in the global paper of record, too – just this morning on his non-iPod approach to “podcasting”…or what in reality is called web radio:

Producing downloadable audio shows – getting around copyright obstacles with music, creating syndicated content that suits a subscription model of delivery, possibly introducing video – poses fascinating questions that obsess podcasters. But none of this need concern anyone who just wants to listen to new music or independent talk radio in a car or in the gym, where podcasts are most enjoyable. (Many people use portable music players, especially iPods, to listen to podcasts, but others – like Steven Garrity, a Web developer in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, who has offered audio programming since 2003 – just hook a Pioneer stereo from the 1970’s up to a laptop.)

Other than the fact is that it is his living room lifestyle that is referenced as globe-worthy news, the neato-est thing is he is also getting married today and…and…ok, its the beginning of my vacation, too, and I am going to Portland, Maine to the beaches which is also where Steve had the best bowl of beef stew he has ever had at a lovely place called Katadyn. It was dubbed The Stew That The Lord MadeTM…and so it was.

I bought him a really neato wedding present that I have yet to send which will make him more of a rock star…if that is possible. Until then, this is my song is my gift for Steve on his big day which I really recommend as a first dance at the reception: [3.5 MB .wma file]. I really think his decision to go with the flesh tone body suit for that first dance is a brave move.