How 'Bout a Bay Street

Any real fan of the TV show, Seinfeld, remembers the episodes where a Manitoba raised actress, Francis Bay, appeared. She was the sweet old lady Jerry stole a marble rye from and in later episodes surfaced in Jerry's parents' condominium complex in Florida.
She has a long history of acting in Hollywood and why not name a street after her - Bay Street. It's not taken is it?

Jerry Seinfeld Mugs an Old Lady for her Marble Rye
Youtube post by ralbon http://www.youtube.com/user/ralbon


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Another "George Dangerfield" wrongful conviction in Manitoba - this one saw a guy 'wrongfully' suffer 20 years behind bars. Justice and egos can be cruel.

Solstice is Coming

I heard the news today oh boy, about a lucky man who coached our team.....Poor old Mike Kelly's gonna have to dig his way outta this one himself.
As for Bauer...you know, 2 Blue teams went to the big game under him. The first in '01 should have blown Calgary away but were not ready mentally. In '07 most people believe that Blue would have won with Glenn and/or an experienced QB playing (read: someone who had started 1 CFL game or more).
But he probably waited 1 or 2 years too long. Pity.
Meanwhile no snow, just cold and after the solstice in a few days the days will be getting longer.

♫ 'Christmas Solstice' From Home - The Wyrd Sisters

Lessons Learned

News:
Tom Brodbeck of The Sun, pointed out today our provincial justice minister has his head in the sand when it comes to how he views the "violent crime situation" in this town.
The Honourable Minister cited some stats suggesting violence in River City is on the decline. Hmmmm.
As Mark Twain said: "There are lies, damn lies and statistics".
Stats can be manipulated in so many bloody ways, from the questions being asked and how they are worded, to voice inflections, to who asks who, to the means by which the stats are collected, to the way they are presented to.....you get the picture.
My dear daughter did a survey in university for some paper she was writing and the professor didn't like the results..."How about we use another (mathematical) method of analysis" said the wise man. "That'll give us the results we need". Her young mind was shocked....and so it goes.
Glossy "News" rags like Macleans will often ask University professors, or people with Doctorates in "social psychotic awareness of children in third world countries whose parent are of Irish ancestry", or somebody wearing a nice Italian suit in a spacious Bay Street office, or someone "on the street" that maybe lives in Rosedale,.... what THEY think is the best way to help .....say....aboriginal students stay in high school longer.
They'll print the replies and stats (or the ones liked by the editors who went to some prestigious school with the head of the Toronto School Board) so that somebody somewhere can rest assured that their job isn't in jeopardy. And we'll all go along with it.
My feeling is that if the person you are talking to doesn't feel comfortable enough to swear like a drunken sailor while reponding, then they will be tailoring the reply to you somehow and you are wasting your time.

My buddy’s son, a student out at UBC, came back for Christmas this week. He’s been away for almost 2 years and one of the first things he mentioned to dad was how much the city (in particular downtown) has deteriorated. I asked the boy's dad what HE thought the chances were of his son returning to Manitoba after he graduated. "Zero" was the reply.
Yet there are lots of people, like our Justice Minister, who have their heads forever stuck in the sand, refusing to believe that there is nothing unusual happening here, that violence is on the downswing, that the poor in this town are better off, that fewer people suffer from addictions and that nobody pukes or pisses or spits on the sidewalks.
Go on, keep living in your (suburban) wonderland. But if someone prints up tee shirts saying things like “I survived one year of living hell in Winnipeg” don’t get upset....even if the shirt is 'corrected' to read ...North End of Winnipeg.

Sports:
Kirk Penton had a little chat with Mike Riley….er Kelly, which was printed up in today’s Winnipeg Sun. It was a good read.

You know, I haven’t said nuthin’ about the Ri …Kelly/Bauer situation because who the hell am I anyway. BUT because the year is coming to an end and all Bomber fans are looking ahead to next season, we just have to remember one little proverb: there are no mistakes, just lessons. Amen.
And if everyone from the B.B. board of directors to the boys in section S, to me to you, remembers that wise adage, then maybe we can put '09 behind us forever and get moving on with next year's entry in the Grey Cup Derby.

How do I feel about interviews where the interviewee asks themselves questions? I hate it. What do I think about overused clichés? Do the math! Do you think the Bombers have a chance with Kelly at the helm in 2010? Let’s be frank. Yes.

IMO he’s the man. C’mon now, the team is two maybe one player (QB) away from challenging anyone in this Northern Football Loop. ANYONE. That is, if the present cast comes back from the off season intact and in better shape mentally and physically then they were last year….and we all remember there are no mistakes – just lessons.
So give the guy a break, he may have been a bit "cheeky" at times with the media but let's face it, his butt's in the right place.

original butt logo site

Weather:
Today was so nice and sunny at -18C, we had a picnic at Kildonan Park. Beautiful.

Sign of the Times

One day it's a cabbie. Another day it is 2 promising university students. The next, a newly arrived immigrant trying to start a new life.
Stolen vehicles and senseless deaths.
It's not getting any better. In fact, in spite of the massive amount of dollars, people and spending more on the administration of those dollars and people, the problem is worsening. Looks like most just choose to shrug their shoulders and live with murder.
By the way, stealing a car and driving over and killing an innocent person is murder. Running away and even taking the time to search for 'valuables' at the crash scene while your victim lies dying a few feet away is inhuman. Inhuman!

From Bird's Hill to Gros Morne to Manhattan

Xavier Rudd is a performer who has taken on the topic of our planet's present situation. He also acknowledges the existence of the indigenous people, in particular, those of Canada and his native Australia.
You gotta love the presence of the didgeridoo.

The video uses Xavier's song Footprint as the soundtrack for the images of the granite towers of Gros Morne and the metal and glass towers of Manhattan.
Shortly after Xavier Rudd made a bunch of new fans at the Winnipeg Folk Festival last summer, I packed my bags and headed out to Newfoundland and Labrador (Gros Morne National Park) and then flew into a much larger footprint - Manhattan.
Compare and contrast.
NYC = Bigfootprint country.

Xavier Rudd - Footprint on West Newfoundland and Manhattan


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Pic of Xavier from here

Nutty Club People

Some say we're nuts to live here - which explains the "Nutty Club" building's prominent role visibly in the waterfront area.
I don't know if it is the cold winters, the "isolation", the sunny skies promoting clear thinking or the fact that Manitobans are so damn typically Canadian but there sure has been, and continues to be, a lot of noteworthy people that have come outa this place.
One of them is Stephenson, William Stephenson. Without a doubt the inspiration for James Bond.

Secret Agent (Asian?) Man


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Minus 45 Tonight wc

Taken on the 7th. You can see that hole over our heads where there is no snow. But in Eastern Canada around S. Ont and Quebec it was big white today.

I have to go to pick up someone at Terminal One over at the JAR. Terminal Two isn't finished yet. I wonder what kind of plane they are gonna hang from the rafters of JAR's Two? Maybe a DC9?
Anyhoo, Eastern Canada (the old Central Canada or Upper Canada) is really whining 'bout getting hit with winter. It's a bloody mess out thar in Toroton. Not only is that region the windiest, cloudiest, snowiest, rainiest, pollutediest, conceitediest, most miserable place to live in the winter, it is also full of faux Canadians. Ottawa and Montreal too. Slush, wind, snow.....cheer up guys. It'll only last 'till April.
Meanwhile, here in Central Canada it is ffffffreakin cold. To compare: On the coldest day of the year here in "the valley" the temp climbs to -13C on average. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be -20C. Or, to seem even colder, the local media reports lows tonight of -40 (whispering with the windchill). Don't matter. It's cold. But we have no snow. I don't consider it snow cover when you can still see the grass and leaves. And we really haven't needed to dust off the shovels yet.

Minus 45 Tonight Everyone with the windchill
pic credit

The Wilderness Kingdom of Manitoba

"Handsome Dick" Manitoba is a Bronx New York punk styled performer that had an almost cult like following in the NYC area. More evidence of the existance of urban wilderness.

Manitoba's Wild Kingdom - The Party Starts Now 1990
Right efffin NOW!
YouTube post by thunderbell92