Wednesday, December 27, 2006

There and Back Again

What a strange working month December has been. I'd managed to save up two weeks of holidays, so I've only had to work one week to earn a full month pay. Works for me.

Refreshed the Maple Syrup portion of H+MS with a teasingly short trip back home. Cheers to my cousin Ally and her new husband Simon for the invite to their wedding. It was a really good time, and provided a great reason to get all the family together for an occasion other than Christmas. Cheers to the Ottawa boys who were able to make it to Toronto on a Monday - good times. Cheers to Steve and Rachel for having us over to their new place - it was great to catch up and be introduced to the newest member of the MacMillan clan. And finally managed to meet up with Lisa and Randy for the first time since I first came to Scotland (nearly 5 bloody years...madness!).

I experienced my first Christmas in Scotland this year, which perhaps unsurprisingly is pretty much exactly like Christmas back home but with different accents. Some great eating and drinking at Fi's parents place. Though admittedly a bit nostalgic about being away from home.

2006 is not quite done yet! Off for a quick getaway, and then one more concert to send off the year. And then 2007 (my last year as a 20-something...!).

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Pan's Labyrinth

A rare case of where the UK gets a film release before Canada!

But when it comes out, you must see this movie. Stunning.





Saturday, November 25, 2006

The Feeling w/ Captain @ Glasgow Academy

I know it's Scotland and I should expect rain, but it feels like it hasn't stopped raining in weeks. And of course, of the cold November variety. So with puddle dodging and hydroplaning in the dark a normal part of my daily commute, a little sunshine was in order.

Which was to come in the form of The Feeling and Captain, two bands leading the revival of unashamedly radio-friendly hook-laden guitar pop. Up first Captain, bringing to mind the Stars girl-guy call/response and harmony sound, with lovely shimmery guitars. Going to see them for their own headline gig (last of 2006!!!) next weekend. Then The Feeling who is making 70's Supertramp style rock cool again. They were solid last time I saw them, but since then they've morphed into proper rock stars, complete with windmill guitar playing, tight trousers and suit jackets and high kicks. Ridiculous but awesome.

Though I couldn't help but think that the two bands were swapping notes when making videos...

Sewn by The Feeling


Frontline by Captain

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Mitchell and Webb @ King's Theatre

I first came across David Mitchell and Robert Webb in Peep Show, which is probably the funniest show on British TV at the moment.



The BBC has also recently been airing the sketch comedy show The Mitchell and Webb Look. While a bit hit and miss, the hits are hilarious. We saw they were doing their sketch show live in Glasgow and had to check it out. I've never seen sketch comedy live before, but I loved it. These boys are pure class.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Glasgow Holiday

So Fi went off to Portugal for a week. Now don't get me wrong, I love her company and all that. But I was well up for a week with the flat to myself, though in the end I was hardly there. A few of the boys were given leave from the missuses, so some proper pub time in town was on order. And of course, a couple of ace gigs:

Phoenix @ The Arches: These guys have already clinched the top spot on most of my 2006 Best Of lists already (Album of the Year, Best Jacket by a Bass Player, Best Band Whose Lead Singer is Hooked up with a Famous Film Director, and it goes on...) but damn didn't they also just go ahead and get gig of the year too. This was magic -awesome crowd, amazing sound, and the band was just so much more tight and comfortable with the audience than the last time I saw them in Glasgow. Mix with a few pints and voila - fantastique! Even this video is brilliant.



Right, enough of the Phoenix love.

Rifles @ King Tuts: Didn't know too much about these guys going in as I went on a tip from a mate. Good tip though - indie rock that sounds a bit like The Jam. It was the day after Phoenix, so I was feeling a bit rough, but a few Magners at Firewater got me well in the mood again.



Of course it was nice to see Fi when she returned. And our first gig together for a while was soon upon us...

Flaming Lips @ SECC: This could never be as good as the legendary show they put on almost three years ago since that was a much smaller venue compared to the cavernous SECC. Plus, I sort of knew what to expect this time. By now you've probably heard about what a Flaming Lips gig is like - confetti and balloons and lasers and costumed dancers and Wayne Coyne rants, and sure enough there were no surprises. But hell, it is still proper feel good stuff - you'd have to be dead or a right asshole not to enjoy this. Good old Google Tube - some excellent clips from the show:



Saturday, November 11, 2006

An Apple A Day

My visa and Leave to Remain applications were both recently renewed, though due to the joys of British bureaucracy the latter was not approved until a few days before my old one expired, making for a few tense days. Then again, maybe some paid leave to Ireland wouldn't have been so bad after all?

So now that I'm all legal for another few years, I thought I'd get a few other things sorted. With my OHIP coverage well and truly a distant memory, I finally got around to registering for the NHS (the British publicly funded health care system). Turns out I was eligible way back when I received my first visa. How about that, eh? Since I don't have a file, I get to look forward to a physical next week. There is something distinctly uncomfortable though with the idea of walking into an office to give a vial of my urine to a nurse the same age as me, and then making small chat while sitting on a table in my boxers getting prodded at 8 in the morning.

Turns out I'm eligible to vote too! Unfortunately, the political options are equally as unappealing as they are back home. Yes, Labour is as stale as the Liberals ever were, but do you really vote for the Tories instead? No thanks. Maybe I'll just support the Scottish Independence movement instead. Vive l'Ecosse libre!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Val De Loire

Needing a bit of a getaway, we decided to rent a gite in France for a week. We found a great old converted farmhouse in the Loire Valley and decided to invite both sets of parents along, all of whom took us up on the offer. A bit of a scary plan in theory, but it worked out fine in execution! The holiday in a nutshell: eat, drink, and visit old stuff.

La Vieille Ferme in Cléré du Bois, south of Tours. Proper rustic in the middle of nowhere - cheese, red wine and boules svp.

The River Indre flowing through the medieval town of Loche. Right out of fairy tale.

Chenonceau, probably the most famous of the Loire Châteaux.

The town of Azay-le-Rideau. A wee wander between châteaux and cafés.

The château of Villandry complete with stunning gardens.

The village of Montrésor, one of "Les plus beaux villages de France".


Sunday, October 22, 2006

Three Shows

The Electric Soft Parade @ Brel: One of the bands that I was introduced to several years back by the Global Pop Conspiracy. This was an acoustic set in a small pub/restaurant in Glasgow's West End. I love the idea of an acoustic show, but for some reason there is always a group of people in the crowd that just loves to talk and annoy others around them. Why are these people even there if not to hear the band? Anyway, the set was still fantastic and looking forward to seeing them again soon (but perhaps plugged in this time!)



The Automatic @ ABC: Proof that the crowd and the atmosphere can make all the world of difference. The band arguably had the anthem of the summer with their single "Monster", so that combined with a well up-for-it crowd, healthy beer buzz and the general buzz that was T in the Park ensured that their set was the highlight of the festival for me this year. Flash forward a few months. Monday night, annoying and subdued student hipster crowd, and sans beer buzz made for one of the more dull gigs I've ever been to. We even skipped the encore so that we could get home sooner. "Monster" is still a great song though.



The Dears @ Oran Mor: What can I say - pure class all the way. This band is definitely one of Canada's treasures, and still a bit of an undiscovered one in these parts. But this intimate gig was full of the converted, and nobody was disappointed. The albums are great, but the live experience allows you to appreciate the songs in a whole new way. Murray Lightburn's voice has to be heard in person to be believed. A strong candidate for gig of the year.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Sometimes In The Fall

Autumn has always been my favourite season, despite (or because of?) the melancholy associated with it. You know, end of summer (which was especially good this year) and new beginnings (must be all those years of starting school in September). And the weather is ideal with a freshness in the air that requires the wearing of a jacket.

I can't quite believe how fast 2006 seems to be flying by. August especially. Managed to catch several events in Edinburgh during fringe season, including a wonderful play called Past Half Remembered and the Tattoo. A few concerts too including Editors, Metric, and the always awesome Maximo Park. The Dears opened for Editors and damn near upstaged them and can't wait to see them do their own show in October. I was also introduced to The Research who opened for Maximo Park. Loving this song in particular.

Congratulations to the MacMillans (first baby!), Sara (married!) and Andy (also married!).

Good results on this year's Great Scottish Run. Achieved my PB on the half-marathon (01:49:36) and Fi made it in under an hour in the 10K. Thinking about stepping up to the marathon in Edinburgh next year...

Over 10,000 page views? Thanks Mom!

And with most folk finishing off their holiday allocation, I feel like I'm just getting started. Off to France shortly and can't wait! Pain au chocolat s'il vous plait?

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Speyside Way

I hadn't done a long distance walk since the Great Glen Way back in May '05, so I was very keen to get another one under my belt. Scotland has five official long distance walking routes, of which I have now done three. This time it was the Speyside Way which covers a distance of 65 miles from Aviemore to Buckie, and more or less follows the route of the River Spey until in joins the sea at Spey Bay. The Speyside region is famous for its whiskies (Glenlivet and Glenfiddich among many others) though admittedly I didn't touch a drop on this trip!

This was probably my most ambitious schedule yet, covering the 65 miles in only three days. The last two days in particular were tough going, with 11 hour days and very sore feet, so after a meal and a pint I was ready for bed. That said, completely worth it. A great combination of beautiful views, physical challenge, and brilliant company. They say a picture is worth a 1000 words...

Day One: Aviemore to Grantown-on-Spey (17 miles)

Through the woods near Boat of Garten
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Sheep farms approaching Grantown
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Day Two: Grantown-on-Spey to Charlestown of Aberlour (23 miles)

Several sections of the trail follow the trackbed of the old Strathspey Railway, and many of the old stations have been restored, including this one at Cromdale.
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Another section of the old railway, just past Ballindalloch.
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Day Three: Charlestown of Aberlour to Buckie (25 miles)

Spectacular views of the Spey and surrounding valley after climbing beyond the treeline near Ben Aigan.
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The old vine-covered stone staircase making the descent into Fochabers.
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Where the Spey meets the North Sea at Spey Bay.
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Very happy to see this after 25 miles!
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Thursday, August 10, 2006

Russian Futurists + Peter Bjorn and John @ Nice N Sleazy

Hadn't seen them since 2002 back in Toronto, so I was pleased to see that the Russian Futurists would be playing Glasgow promoting a new compilation CD to introduce them to the UK market. Fun set - nobody does low-fi synth pop better.



I'd bought these tickets simply to see RF, but since that time headliners Peter Bjorn and John have picked up quite a buzz on the strength of their catchy as hell single Young Folks. Didn't know what to expect really. Most of their set sounded less like their single and more like Twice Removed era Sloan (which is a good thing!). Great tunes - looking forward to hearing the album.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Antrim Coast and Derry

One of the advantages of bringing the car over on the ferry of course is that we were able to see a bit more of what Northern Ireland has to offer.

From Belfast we drove to the North Antrim coast. As the pics hopefully show, the coastline is absolutely stunning. Above is the view you can get after crossing Carrick-a-Rede, a rope bridge 30m above the sea, to Carrick Island.





A temple on the grounds of Downhill which overlooks the sea. We could see Scotland on the horizon.







The Giant's Causeway: naturally formed rock columns by the sea. I much prefer the legend - that giant Finn McCool built the causeway to get to Scotland in order to fight his Scottish equivalent.




Downhill beach as seen from the clifftops.




After a few days on the coast, we arrived in the walled city of Derry. Many old pubs to be found including one where we finally got to sample some proper Irish folk tunes (fondly known as fiddle-dee-dee music)






Walking along the old walls, you can see the same contrasts as you see in Belfast. Some areas prosperous and modern or filled with cosy wee pubs, other areas burnt out with sectarian graffiti. No surprise that evidence of the Troubles remain here as Derry is where Bloody Sunday took place in 1972.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Belfast

When announcing I was going to spend a few days in Northern Ireland, I received more than a few surprised looks. With the Troubles being so recent, many folk would still not consider Northern Ireland a place they would choose to spend their holiday time. However, things have changed and with all the recent investment, Northern Ireland is fast becoming a choice destination.

Thanks to Fi's brother-in-law, we were able to get a free trip (and bring the car) on the ferry to Belfast. Belfast is a beautiful city, and it is reaping the benefits of all the recent investment. However as we quickly discovered, the city has a strange juxtaposition of the old and new.

While the city is undoubtedly modern and funky while still showing off the Victorian charm, there is still a lot of evidence of the Troubles and the sectarianism which still lies beneath the surface. Just a quick walk from the Cathedral Quarter, an up-and-coming area with modern pubs and galleries, and you'll be in West Belfast, home of the Catholic Falls and the Protestant Shankill areas where the neighbourhoods are still separated by barbed wire rimmed walls. A pleasant walk to the Botanic Gardens near the university interrupted by an Orange Walk (where despite the colourful costumes and music is a thoroughly unpleasant thing to behold). And as we were told during a city bus tour, the reason the city centre is so modern is due to the fact that only a decade ago many of these buildings were bombed out, thereby making the property easy to reclaim and refurbish.

But these contrasts make up much of the experience that is Belfast. Mind you, so does watching England get knocked out of the World Cup at the pub with a Guinness in hand.

Since it was early July, we were close to the 12th of July celebrations (where the Protestants celebrate William of Orange's victory over King James II). Even knowing this, I was still amazed at the number of Union Jack flags flying on seemingly every street in Shankill. The picture to the right is one of many massive bonfire sites being prepared all across the country to be set ablaze on the night of the 11th. The wall in the background reads "Ulster will always remain British. No surrender."




One of the many murals found in West Belfast.

City Hall in the centre of Belfast

Bridge over the River Lagan.

The Crown Liquor Saloon: looks like a novelty Irish pub, but this is the real deal and more or less the same as it was when it opened in 1839.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Video Killed The Radio Star

The music video was dead to me. I haven't had cable for years, and still see no reason to. (BBC and Channel 4 is sufficient for me thanks very much). Without access to the music channels, I'm forced to actually listen to music rather than see the (often lame) visual rendition. Which suits me fine.

Good ol' Internet though. YouTube, among others, has made it convenient for folk like me to watch the humble music video again. And unlike the MuchMusic days, I don't have to sit through hours of crap to get to something good. Hell, I've finally seen a Cocteau Twins Video!



And a Tahiti 80 classic!



And the brilliant new Phoenix video!



And finally, a little something from a band called The Pipettes. I saw them play a few weeks ago, and have since picked up the album which I think is both awful and amazing at the same time. Tongue-in-cheek pop brilliance or gimmicky shite? I still haven't decided - what do you think?

>

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

T in the Park 2006

I've survived another year of T in the Park, and this weekend I'm doing nothing but catching up on my sleep. In summary - an absolutely brilliant event and the best of the four I've been to so far. Here's the breakdown. Warning: rubbish concert photography ahead.

Saturday

Guillemots: Normally it takes hours to get into the event after queuing for the bus, traffic, and then queuing again to get your ticket checked. Much to our surprise, it all worked out splendidly this year, and despite not catching the bus till 10:30 we still managed to catch the Guillemots at 12:30. A great way to start the day. Best described as a more artsy Keane, and that isn't a bad thing.

The Cribs: Unfortunately had to catch half of their set from the beer ticket line. But hey - you're not going to go to an outdoor festival without drinking overpriced pints now are you? Pretty good, but their sound works better for me on disc.

Maximo Park: The first, and turns out only, full Main Stage set we would catch as the cream of the crop for me was on the smaller stages. Maximo Park though - in my (not so) humble opinion, is one of the best live bands going at the moment. One of those rare bands that you can see again and again and not ever get bored. This was my third time, and going again in August.

The Kooks: Their popularity has grown rapidly since they were first booked to play the Radio One/NME stage, so it was extremely tough to get anywhere near the stage. No matter though, good vibes all around. These guys do the summer melody thing seemingly with ease. A band made for summer festivals.

The Zutons: Another perfect festival band where each of their songs sounds like a summer anthem. When they played latest single 'Valerie', it was one of those magical moments that gives you the shiver up the spine. Special bonus points due to the fact that the band contains the hottest sax player in the history of rock.

Franz Ferdinand: Not sure where this went wrong. Granted it was starting to rain. It also may be that I've seen them twice in the last year, and quite frankly the show was identical to what I've seen before. Disappointing.

Forward, Russia!: Probably more what I wanted at this point - intense wee crowd in a tent. Vocals that sounded like At the Drive-In and lots of energy. A rare setup with a female drummer in an all male band as well. Fun stuff.

Bedouin Soundclash: Only a few Canadian bands represented at the festival this year, and since I would miss Mobile the next day, the only one that I would catch. But this wasn't about just representing the Maple Leaf, this was about finally seeing a band that put out one of the best albums of 2005. The live set was phenomenal, making me better appreciate some of the album tracks and absolutely nailing the stand-outs. And when the crowd brought out the Canadian flags, yes I did tingle with pride. Hey, I was caught up in the moment!

Sigur Ros: The perfect denouement to the first day. This is not a likely band to pack thousands into a tent given they do 10 minute opuses and sing in Icelandic, but it all makes sense when seen live. The music was both anthemic and ethereal, and created a wonderful and wholly atypical atmosphere from what you'd expect at an event like this.

Sunday

Captain: What I would call my finest personal discovery of the festival. Shimmering pop songs with 80's keyboards and male/female harmony vocals. Some of these songs have stuck firmly in my head, and cannot wait until the album is released so I can hear them again. I couldn't have been the only one. Near the end of the set the rain poured down in buckets, but rather than the expected flee to the shelter of the tents, everyone just stayed and danced more.

Regina Spektor: A bit of a wildcard this one. Just she and her piano (and a guitar for a few tracks). Clever lyrics, and a performance that brought to mind Kate Bush or Tori Amos. Maybe a bit too "female singer/songwriter" for me though.

Delays: The band with the sweetest vocals ever to come from a bloke. Never ceases to amaze how he hits those notes. The sun had returned at this point, and the beer was going down a treat and the classic pop anthems these boys put out was the perfect compliment.

We Are Scientists: The classic three-piece guitar/bass/drum rock band. I still haven't figured out what makes them standout, but something about their music is very appealing. It must talk to my inner 90's self.

Futureheads: Probably the set I was most looking forward to beforehand. Out of all the bands I have been listening to for the past few years, this is the one I could somehow never manage to catch in concert. My fear that they could not possibly live up to my expectations was quickly quashed as they put on a brilliant performance. Big guitars, four part vocal harmonies, and the masters of the "oh oh oh" chorus.

Phoenix: Unfortunately for them, they were booked to go on at the same time as the Arctic Monkeys so their set was criminally under-attended. Also criminal was the fact they only received a thirty minute set time. Regardless, this was thirty minutes of pure summer magic. My love affair with this band and their new album continues.

The Automatic: This was our toughest decision of the night. The choice was Editors, Go! Team, Death Cab For Cutie, or these guys. Instinct said go with The Automatic as their newly released debut was excellent. The Futures tent was absolutely packed to the rafters. But we weren't prepared for this set. Simply put, the combination of the "up for it" crowd and the energy from the band made for one of the best sets I've ever seen in my life. By the time the summer anthem "Monster" came on, I was pogoing with strangers and for the first time ever actually welcoming the beer that was showering upon me(the chuck the plastic pint glass of beer phenomenon bizarrely still big in Scotland). I'm still buzzing from this one. Highlight of the festival, no contest.

The Fratellis: Also in the Futures tent, and also packed as the buzz around these guys is almost as big as the Automatic, plus they're from Glasgow. Simply put, this too was excellent, but through no fault of their own couldn't surpass the previous set. Still, good fun (the crowd dutifully performed the wah-wah-wah-wah part in the bridge of "Henrietta") and another band who is going to be huge.

We did have time to catch The Who if we wanted, but at this point we were pretty burned out and decided to call it a festival. Bring on T in the Park 2007!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

"I've been driving in my car/It don't look much but I've been far"

As I sat in traffic this morning, I noticed that since I bought my first car last year that I have driven about 38,000 miles. The vast majority of this distance being my daily commute to work.

The circumference of the Earth is about 24,900 miles.

So in under 15 months, I've covered enough miles to have traversed the planet 1.5 times.

The drive from Glasgow to Fife is nice and all, but I'm sure the global journey would have been much more exciting.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Ayrshire

The weather this weekend was fantastic, so we decided to take a trip down to the Ayrshire Coast which is only about an hour southwest of Glasgow. Took the coastal route and spent most of the day on the grounds of Culzean Castle.



Saturday, June 10, 2006

Phoenix @ King Tuts

Music that sounds like a perfect summer weekend: fun, full of sweetness and sunshine, and over much too soon.

The new album is an essential add to your record collection. First single Long Distance Call has somehow already managed to top my iTunes Play Count list.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Czech Mate

This post is far too many months late, so just the bullet points:
  • Cheap European flights make long weekends to the Czech Republic a resonable option.
  • Prague is gorgeous in the snow. In fact, it's gorgeous full-stop.
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  • Leaving one cold place to go to another is a legitimate holiday option, despite what British people tell you.
  • Meeting old friends is even better when abroad.
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  • The beer does taste better (for whatever reason). For those who know Steve, he doesn't drink beer - but he seemed to enjoy it here. The thought that he was humouring me did cross my mind right enough.
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  • It may be more popular these days, but good value is still to be found. Pints under £1 were to be had.
  • The meaning of life can be found in an old smoky bar at the bottom of a glass of Becherovka.
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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Metric @ The Barfly

One of the advantages of the UK music scene is that you can catch Canadian bands in much smaller venues than you could back home. Case in point: Metric in front of about 100 people.

It was my first time seeing them live, though I've heard all the stories.

And what can I say? I tried not to be seduced by the Emily Haines persona, but failed miserably. Brilliant.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Matter Of Time

Just had myself a great little weekend.

Ran my first 10K of the year. This was an especially nice one, through the woods and along the loch shore near the Trossachs town of Aberfoyle. Achieved my personal best time too.

The weather was gorgeous, and since we were up there anyway, Robbie and I decided to tackle Ben A'an which provides views like this one.

Caught the Scottish Cup Final in a wee pub in Callander. While it wasn't the ultimate fairytale ending, it was pretty close as Second Division Gretna lost in a penalty shoot-out to second place Premiership team Hearts. Exciting stuff, and that comes from a guy who would hardly win football fan of the year. Finished it all off with pints in Glasgow.

But the real capper came the next day. This was, for me anyway, a dream gig. First up, the aptly named Holy Fuck because that is exactly what we thought after witnessing their set. Insane energy, and impossible not to nod the head and tap the toes, regardless of how indie cool you try to be. Next up - Tahiti 80!!! This band from Rouen has been on high rotation for me since 2000, and was top of the list of bands I wanted to see live. I feared that ridiculously high expectations would ensure this was a letdown, but they did not disappoint - a fantastic 30 minute set of sweet pop melodies. Fingers crossed for a quick return, and not in a support role next time. And then the headliner, Buck 65. My love for Mr. 65 is well documented, and despite having seen him only two weeks before as part of the Triptych Festival, this was one of his finest sets yet. Lots of (amazing) new material, a good sample of the classics, and the banter was brilliant as always. Awesome night - I'm still buzzing despite a horrible rainy Monday.

Friday, April 28, 2006

Go Sens Go


One of the unfortunate aspects of living in the UK is that it is nearly impossible to find North American sport on TV, even with satellite (which I don't have anyway).

So rather than get the excitement of watching Ottawa play live, my "Sens Fever" comes from checking the results online first thing in the morning.

That said, if the Sens can make it to the finals this year, I'll be able to watch the games live on terrestrial TV (live at 1am, but still...).

And as tempting as it may be, I'll not kick the Leafs fans while they're down. :)

UPDATE: Oh well, so much for that.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Run for your lives - it's BIRD FLU!
















Bird flu has come to Fife!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4881850.stm

Already I've seen the big, red, and block letter headlines in the tabloids. I've heard the water cooler talk ("better avoid chicken", "maybe we shouldn't go to the countryside"). Have I missed something? This has got to be one of the biggest non-stories in quite some time.

But the media love it. People are tired of hearing about the atrocities in Iraq (More killings? The war still illegal? The Bush administration is still a group of corrupt scumbags?). British politics are a bit too boring lately (Blair - Brown rift? Heard it!). Disease outbreak stories are exciting, but most of them are old news that don't sell papers. AIDS in Africa - same old, right? But bird flu? Brilliant - everybody loves a good story!

So we get articles that contain the basic facts, but are lead with sensational tales prefixed with keywords such as "potentially", "could", or "may" to ensure the report is journalistically sound. The result is gems like "may result into a pandemic, potentially putting millions of lives at risk".
And you better keep your eye on your pets too:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4878868.stm

Blair must love all of this - all of a sudden, Labour corruption and the ongoing saga of Iraq gets bumped out of the headlines. I suppose there is always a possibility that he had poor Gordon drop that swan off himself. His riding is in Fife after all, and that may explain why Mr. Brown is so grumpy with ol' Tony lately. Or not.

Anyway, been to any good concerts lately?

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Let It Snow

Went out last night to catch The Feeling at King Tuts, a band who is doing a great job rehabilitating the credibility of soft rock. We caught a taxi home, and noticed that it had begun to flurry which was slightly unexpected. However, I certainly wasn't expecting to see this out the window when I awoke:

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Apparently about two hours after we got home, the accumulation was such that the transportation network across most of the country was shut down, and up to 3000 people were stranded in city centre Glasgow and had to be sheltered in hotels and the bus station. Clearly not a nation prepared for significant snowfall!

Without plows, most of the roads are still in no condition for vehicles. But who needs a vehicle? This is a day for a walk and a wee visit to the coffeeshop!

Around the neighbourhood
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Queen's Park
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Sledging!
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