Swine Flu has hit the ACT and in this smallish community, it has affected some people I am acquainted with, or at least, have probably been in contact with. A man on a city bus was recently ordered to quarantine himself after he tested positive for the H1N1 virus. As a precautionary measure, 3 residents of Fenner Hall have been billeted in alternate accommodations for a week to make sure they don't have the virus. You may have heard of the cruise ship in Sydney that had someone infected with the virus? Well, Murray, a guy I've worked with at ACTTAB was on that ship and now he's quarantined for a week. It's a little scary to think that I may have been in close contact with these people, apart from Murray whom I haven't seen in a while. Although the risk of infection is low, you can't help but wonder. After all, I'm going to Ottawa in June, provided they don't close the borders, which has had reported cases of Swine Flu. I only hope I don't get quarantined on the way back.
Speaking of ACTTAB, we recently introduced a new system for betting on sporting events. By recently, I mean yesterday and I didn't know that until I started my shift. Although it's supposed to offer more choice to the customers, we've received complaints about its complexity and elimination of some options. The change to the new system wrought absolute havoc on the computer system last night and we (the staff) were virtually powerless to correct or assist with errors. There will definitely be some teething problems as the system gets broken in and I can only hope that it'll be worth it in the end. I also received my union card in the mail, giving me conclusive evidence that I am now a member of the USU. Solidarity forever!
In 2004, just before coming to Australia the first time, I took a course in bartending. I didn't get a chance to use it in Australia but I now have a second chance. I'll be volunteering at the Warren, the "canteen" at Fenner Hall starting in August. I've actually done a bit at the Warren before but as this year is much quieter than last year, business has been pretty slow. First, I had to get a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Certificate which I completed online in about 1 hour. I am now qualified to serve alcohol in all states and territories of Australia save New South Wales and Queensland. I hope to make some of my famous cocktails for the residents very soon. I had the idea of a shot called the "Jack and Jim" which consists of one part Jack Daniels and one part Jim Beam; I have no idea what that would taste like.
At umpire training on Saturday I was very impressed with myself as I did a non-stop run of approximately 6km. This is the furthest I've ever run without stopping, although at around the 4km mark we did some calisthenics. I think I'm in the best shape I've ever been. According to my bathroom scale, I've levelled off around 82kg which is about average for someone my height. I really feel good about myself and the difference from when I first arrived in Australia at 92 kg is noticeable. After that long run, I got a very effective and painful neck massage from the visiting masseuse. She says I should get a whole body treatment as I've a lot of tension in my muscles. I might just go in for one, but not yet.
At university, the end draws nigh. There is only 1 week left before exams begin and it's a funny thing. When semester begins, you can't wait for it to be over but now that the end is here, you want a few more weeks to shore up your knowledge. I'll just have to make the best of it. I think I understand my subjects but that could just be me thinking I understand my subjects. We'll find out fairly soon, won't we.
Have you ever had a piece of music stuck in your head and can't remember what it's called or even if you've ever heard it? A few months ago, a little melody popped into my head and I couldn't figure out if I'd heard it or made it up. Then, a few days ago, I heard it in 2 movies, Bad Santa and Eyes Wide Shut, in the space of a few days. It turns out to be a jazz suite waltz by Dmitri Shostakovitch. It was really bugging me but now, at least I know.
And may I make one further recommendation. I think everyone should have a listen to the BBC shipping forecast over the radio or internet. I learned about it recently and have started to listen to it. It's more than a mere weather report; it's an experience. It follows a specific format and has its own jargon for those in the know. Essentially it is a sea weather report with various parts of the north Atlantic around the British Isles divided up into sectors. The sector reports are given in a specific order and if you know the jargon, in a few words, you can know the weather for the next 24 hours. It doesn't sound exciting but once you get into it, you learn to love it.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
It's been a fairly eventful week, especially in the realm of the news. I even got some money I was owed.
In international news, the big event was the elimination of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers. That these people still have the support of the expatriate Tamil community is beyond me. The Tigers were a band of unprincipled brigands who should have faced the justice system a long time ago. I only hope that they get fair trials, which something else to be concerned about. The Tigers, according to CSIS and the RCMP, extracted by various coercive means, CAN$1 million every month from Torontonian Tamil businesses alone. Some of this was along the lines that non-compliance would earn that person a black mark in the community, while other methods were of the more threatening variety. I think everyone should be glad that the Tamil Tigers are gone, and so should the Tamils themselves.
Another event I've been following closely via the CBC website is the trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien. After the 1st week, we've heard from Terry Kilrea, the man O'Brien is accused of attempting to influence, and John Baird, a current Cabinet minister who was responsible for political appointments at the time of the mayoral election. According to analysts, Kilrea maintained his ground and Baird's testimony corroborated Kilrea's affidavit partially. Kilrea had been grilled for days by Mike Edelson, the defence attorney, while Baird's testimony was rather brief, lasting barely a day. Baird essentially confirmed the part of Kilrea's affidavit where Kilrea maintained that the discussion of a parole board appointment never came up in a meeting they had. While this may score some points with Kilrea's credibility, it doesn't really add any new evidence, but not all witnesses have testified yet. All I can say is that this trial is becoming curiouser and curiouser by the day.
There was big news in the world of biology with the unveiling of Darwinius masillae, a lemur-like primate supposed to be one of the missing links in the hominid evolutionary chain. It lived about 47 million years ago, was the size of a smallish cat, had a long tail, opposable thumbs and fingernails, as opposed to claws. The fossil was discovered in 1983 but its significance was not established until 2 years ago. It's just one more thread in the tapestry that is the story of human evolution.
A curious bit of news was the referendum in Western Australia (WA) over whether or not to adopt daylight savings. WA trialled the system until this year when a vote was held on it. The No side won 55%-45%, which means that during the summer, WA, like Queensland, will not go forward 1 hour. That will put 3 hours behind Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart in the summer; those cities are all in jurisdictions which have daylight savings. I think, if you look at it, daylight savings makes sense since the day (09:00-17:00) is planned around 13:00, not 12:00. On the long summer days, it actually makes more sense to have sunrise and sunset "later" than they would normally be, though really, not daylight is "saved" by daylight savings. WA has always been a little strange though and they are the only state with a reasonable separatist movement; they're like the Québec of Australia.
I mentioned money earlier on and it was the long-awaited back pay from the government approved ACTTAB EBA. I got about $400 and was very happy about it. I bought a few things I needed, among them, a new pair of black cleats for $109.00. This is for AFL umpiring work and training. They're pretty comfortable and I had great run in them at training of Thursday. They grip the ground really well and I was able to get a lot of speed while running. These will last me for some time.
Following on from that, I have some aussie rules news. In my picks for game winners, I had a perfect round guessing 8-of-8, boosting my record to 39-17. At a game today, I also had an encounter with a player who voiced his disagreement with one of my calls. The ball was on the ground close to the goal posts when the player in question kicked the ball, but just as he kicked it, a player from the defending team touched it which meant it was a 1-point behind, not a 6-point goal. When I signalled this, the player ran over and told me in no uncertain terms that he disagreed with my decision. I just remained calm and continued about my business. The defending team was awarded a free kick at the center circle as a result and if the player had continued his vocalizations, I might have reported him. It's all part of the game and you can't let it get to you.
I also happened upon a curious irony. In Mandarin Chines the name for the Germans, "do gwo ren" translates to "the moral people"; do gwo is a transliteration of "Deutsch", the word Germans call themselves. When I first heard this I laughed hysterically. I then suggested that an alternate name, which still preserves the transliteration slightly, would be "da sha ren", meaning "the genocide people". I can have a very dark sense of humour.
In international news, the big event was the elimination of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers. That these people still have the support of the expatriate Tamil community is beyond me. The Tigers were a band of unprincipled brigands who should have faced the justice system a long time ago. I only hope that they get fair trials, which something else to be concerned about. The Tigers, according to CSIS and the RCMP, extracted by various coercive means, CAN$1 million every month from Torontonian Tamil businesses alone. Some of this was along the lines that non-compliance would earn that person a black mark in the community, while other methods were of the more threatening variety. I think everyone should be glad that the Tamil Tigers are gone, and so should the Tamils themselves.
Another event I've been following closely via the CBC website is the trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien. After the 1st week, we've heard from Terry Kilrea, the man O'Brien is accused of attempting to influence, and John Baird, a current Cabinet minister who was responsible for political appointments at the time of the mayoral election. According to analysts, Kilrea maintained his ground and Baird's testimony corroborated Kilrea's affidavit partially. Kilrea had been grilled for days by Mike Edelson, the defence attorney, while Baird's testimony was rather brief, lasting barely a day. Baird essentially confirmed the part of Kilrea's affidavit where Kilrea maintained that the discussion of a parole board appointment never came up in a meeting they had. While this may score some points with Kilrea's credibility, it doesn't really add any new evidence, but not all witnesses have testified yet. All I can say is that this trial is becoming curiouser and curiouser by the day.
There was big news in the world of biology with the unveiling of Darwinius masillae, a lemur-like primate supposed to be one of the missing links in the hominid evolutionary chain. It lived about 47 million years ago, was the size of a smallish cat, had a long tail, opposable thumbs and fingernails, as opposed to claws. The fossil was discovered in 1983 but its significance was not established until 2 years ago. It's just one more thread in the tapestry that is the story of human evolution.
A curious bit of news was the referendum in Western Australia (WA) over whether or not to adopt daylight savings. WA trialled the system until this year when a vote was held on it. The No side won 55%-45%, which means that during the summer, WA, like Queensland, will not go forward 1 hour. That will put 3 hours behind Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart in the summer; those cities are all in jurisdictions which have daylight savings. I think, if you look at it, daylight savings makes sense since the day (09:00-17:00) is planned around 13:00, not 12:00. On the long summer days, it actually makes more sense to have sunrise and sunset "later" than they would normally be, though really, not daylight is "saved" by daylight savings. WA has always been a little strange though and they are the only state with a reasonable separatist movement; they're like the Québec of Australia.
I mentioned money earlier on and it was the long-awaited back pay from the government approved ACTTAB EBA. I got about $400 and was very happy about it. I bought a few things I needed, among them, a new pair of black cleats for $109.00. This is for AFL umpiring work and training. They're pretty comfortable and I had great run in them at training of Thursday. They grip the ground really well and I was able to get a lot of speed while running. These will last me for some time.
Following on from that, I have some aussie rules news. In my picks for game winners, I had a perfect round guessing 8-of-8, boosting my record to 39-17. At a game today, I also had an encounter with a player who voiced his disagreement with one of my calls. The ball was on the ground close to the goal posts when the player in question kicked the ball, but just as he kicked it, a player from the defending team touched it which meant it was a 1-point behind, not a 6-point goal. When I signalled this, the player ran over and told me in no uncertain terms that he disagreed with my decision. I just remained calm and continued about my business. The defending team was awarded a free kick at the center circle as a result and if the player had continued his vocalizations, I might have reported him. It's all part of the game and you can't let it get to you.
I also happened upon a curious irony. In Mandarin Chines the name for the Germans, "do gwo ren" translates to "the moral people"; do gwo is a transliteration of "Deutsch", the word Germans call themselves. When I first heard this I laughed hysterically. I then suggested that an alternate name, which still preserves the transliteration slightly, would be "da sha ren", meaning "the genocide people". I can have a very dark sense of humour.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Money, Justice and Electronics
There is a saying that you don't really realize how much you need something until it is gone and I had a very practical instruction in this a short while ago. On Wednesday, I returned home from classes and turned on my computer only to receive the message that Windows had failed to boot. Try as I might to restart the system, nothing I did worked. For one reason or another, my operating system had crashed; the equivalent to my computer having a stroke. It was still under warranty so I managed to get it repaired for free, but at the cost of all the data I had on it. This would normally have been disastrous except that only 12 days before I had backed everything up and I hadn't really created any new files since. Nothing of any significance that I can find was lost. It did mean that I had to reinstall all of my programs and restore all of my settings, but with a few hours work, that was done. I'll now be backing everything up weekly just in case.
Big news in Australia this week was the announcement of the federal budget which calls for spending in some areas and cutbacks in others. For example, the pension age was raised to 67 while the age of independence (for government benefits purposes) was lowered to 22, I believe. All things considered, I think Australia is doing rather well in these economic times. Needless to say, this has caused quite a row in Parliament and I've watched some of the debates with great interest. Naturally, the opposition calls the government's budget ill-advised, the government is defending it and the Speaker is in the middle trying to maintain some semblance of order in this rough country. There is some speculation that Kevin Rudd (the PM) is having a bit of a gamble, another fine Australian tradition (which also happens to keep me employed), and that should the budget fail to pass the Senate where numbers are even, then he will as for a double dissolution precipitating an election. I don't think that's particularly well-founded and I think that the budget will go through, if it hasn't already.
In other money matters, the ACTTAB EBA passed the government authority's "no disadvantage" test. In Australia, whenever a collective agreement is signed by management and a union, it must be sent to the workplace authority for inspection to make sure it complies with all laws and does not contain any provisions which would be otherwise disadvantageous. It was with the authority for about 5 months and we were worried something was wrong. However, now that it's gone through, we go on a new, increased pay scale, backdated to September 1, 2008. Practically, this means I'm getting an extra $1.00/hr on normal days and $2.00/hr on Sundays and public holidays. It also means I'll get about $400 in back pay this paycheque. That's something I'm looking forward to. The EBA, which lasts until 2011, also states that we get raises of 4.2% every year. I'm glad we got this negotiated before the economic downturn. There's no way I'm letting go of this job.
I've been following the story of one Mr. Demjanjuk (dehm-yah-NYOOK), as I'm sure many other Ukrainians have as well. He was recently extradited to Germany to face charges that he assisted in the Holocaust while working at the Sobibor Death Camp in World War Two. Now 89 years old, he was flown from Ohio to a German jail where he will be held pending his trial. this is not the first time Mr. Demjanjuk, a native Ukrainian, has been charged with complicity in the Holocaust. In the 1980s he was stripped of his American citizenship and extradited to Israel to face charges of being Ivan the Terrible, a particularly vicious guard at Sobibor. While originally convicted and sentenced to death, the only other person I can think of other than Eichmann (the architect of the Holocaust) to be so, his conviction was overturned by the Israeli Supreme Court after new documentation surfaced putting his identity as Ivan the Terrible in doubt. His American citizenship was restored and he has lived in Ohio until now. I want to see the outcome of this trial and I guess it's comforting to know that no matter how much time has passed, one cannot escape the sword of justice.
There was another story buried amongst the economic news that made me stop. Apparently, due to low fan support, the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia is folding after the coming season. There just isn't the support base that the managers thought there was and so the league is disappearing. I don't watch basketball, even really know any team names in the NBL or have any association with any of them, but I always fell a bit sad whenever I read that a team is folding, let alone a league. Somehow, it feels wrong.
I've also developed a rather unusual ability or habit. For the last few days, I seem to be able to wake up well before my alarm clock goes off. It doesn't really bother me and I kind of like it because it means that I can just doze off again, but it is a little unusual. I do have the ability of a natural alarm clock, you know, the talent of thinking at what time you wish to wake up and then you do, unassisted. This latest phenomenon is new for me though, but it hasn't caused me any pain so I guess I'll just continue with it.
My parents called me from Toronto this morning and it got me thinking about the telephone being probably one of the rudest inventions in history. Just think about it for a second. If I came over to your house or place of work, started banging on the door and shouting, "Speak to me now! Speak to me now! Speak to me now!", you'd be liable to call the police and yet we tolerate this from an inanimate object. If I went back in time, I don't know if I'd shake Alexander Graham Bell's hand, or punch him very firmly in the spleen. Who actually invented the telephone is a matter or debate but I'll stick by fellow a Canadian, though he was really Scottish. I'd probably shake his hand.
Big news in Australia this week was the announcement of the federal budget which calls for spending in some areas and cutbacks in others. For example, the pension age was raised to 67 while the age of independence (for government benefits purposes) was lowered to 22, I believe. All things considered, I think Australia is doing rather well in these economic times. Needless to say, this has caused quite a row in Parliament and I've watched some of the debates with great interest. Naturally, the opposition calls the government's budget ill-advised, the government is defending it and the Speaker is in the middle trying to maintain some semblance of order in this rough country. There is some speculation that Kevin Rudd (the PM) is having a bit of a gamble, another fine Australian tradition (which also happens to keep me employed), and that should the budget fail to pass the Senate where numbers are even, then he will as for a double dissolution precipitating an election. I don't think that's particularly well-founded and I think that the budget will go through, if it hasn't already.
In other money matters, the ACTTAB EBA passed the government authority's "no disadvantage" test. In Australia, whenever a collective agreement is signed by management and a union, it must be sent to the workplace authority for inspection to make sure it complies with all laws and does not contain any provisions which would be otherwise disadvantageous. It was with the authority for about 5 months and we were worried something was wrong. However, now that it's gone through, we go on a new, increased pay scale, backdated to September 1, 2008. Practically, this means I'm getting an extra $1.00/hr on normal days and $2.00/hr on Sundays and public holidays. It also means I'll get about $400 in back pay this paycheque. That's something I'm looking forward to. The EBA, which lasts until 2011, also states that we get raises of 4.2% every year. I'm glad we got this negotiated before the economic downturn. There's no way I'm letting go of this job.
I've been following the story of one Mr. Demjanjuk (dehm-yah-NYOOK), as I'm sure many other Ukrainians have as well. He was recently extradited to Germany to face charges that he assisted in the Holocaust while working at the Sobibor Death Camp in World War Two. Now 89 years old, he was flown from Ohio to a German jail where he will be held pending his trial. this is not the first time Mr. Demjanjuk, a native Ukrainian, has been charged with complicity in the Holocaust. In the 1980s he was stripped of his American citizenship and extradited to Israel to face charges of being Ivan the Terrible, a particularly vicious guard at Sobibor. While originally convicted and sentenced to death, the only other person I can think of other than Eichmann (the architect of the Holocaust) to be so, his conviction was overturned by the Israeli Supreme Court after new documentation surfaced putting his identity as Ivan the Terrible in doubt. His American citizenship was restored and he has lived in Ohio until now. I want to see the outcome of this trial and I guess it's comforting to know that no matter how much time has passed, one cannot escape the sword of justice.
There was another story buried amongst the economic news that made me stop. Apparently, due to low fan support, the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia is folding after the coming season. There just isn't the support base that the managers thought there was and so the league is disappearing. I don't watch basketball, even really know any team names in the NBL or have any association with any of them, but I always fell a bit sad whenever I read that a team is folding, let alone a league. Somehow, it feels wrong.
I've also developed a rather unusual ability or habit. For the last few days, I seem to be able to wake up well before my alarm clock goes off. It doesn't really bother me and I kind of like it because it means that I can just doze off again, but it is a little unusual. I do have the ability of a natural alarm clock, you know, the talent of thinking at what time you wish to wake up and then you do, unassisted. This latest phenomenon is new for me though, but it hasn't caused me any pain so I guess I'll just continue with it.
My parents called me from Toronto this morning and it got me thinking about the telephone being probably one of the rudest inventions in history. Just think about it for a second. If I came over to your house or place of work, started banging on the door and shouting, "Speak to me now! Speak to me now! Speak to me now!", you'd be liable to call the police and yet we tolerate this from an inanimate object. If I went back in time, I don't know if I'd shake Alexander Graham Bell's hand, or punch him very firmly in the spleen. Who actually invented the telephone is a matter or debate but I'll stick by fellow a Canadian, though he was really Scottish. I'd probably shake his hand.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
More of the Same
I wish I had a little more excitement in my life. Lately, the routine of school and work has begun to wear me down. This semester isn't as fun as the last ones and the courses are difficult. I only take comfort in the fact that I am not the only one finding concepts of administrative and corporations law to be seriously obtuse. I guess it just gets to you after a while. I don't seem to be doing anything except that which is required, with no time for diversion. I'm second-guessing my choice of studying law but it's still "fun", so I can see the benefit in continuing. I figure everyone has second thoughts on occasions when affairs reach a point of drudgery. I think I just need some thing or event to lift my spirits a bit.
Perhaps to help me, I went with some acquaintances to the new Star Trek movie tonight. It was very well made and the references to the early Star Trek TV series, and the movies, made it enjoyable. The plot, which creates an alternate reality, is either the ultimate stroke of genius or insult. The movie felt more organic than the previous series, which had these characters who we all aspired to be; they were with few flaws and always the good guys. The Enterprise series, I felt, first brought in a more realistic interpretation of humanity by making showing some characters in less than favourable lights. This Star Trek movie continued on that vein, and it was quite exciting as well. I think any Star Trek fan would do well to see it and judge its merits for themselves.
I've also decided to volunteer at Fenner Hall's small alcohol dispensary, called the Warren. First, though, I have to complete an on-line government program to be certified to serve alcohol. This is called the RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certification. It's good for the ACT and Victoria, though not New South Wales, curiously. One thing, I found interesting, though, is that it is illegal to serve straight shots in Canberra. This was put in place some time ago in an attempt to curb binge drinking and its associated problems. While spirits can be mixed in to non-alcoholic drinks, they cannot be served in shot glasses on their own. I don't know if this has made any difference.
Speaking of unusualities, I have to profess a particular aversion to a practice I've seen cropping up in Australia, and that is the word "thankyou". I simply cannot stand it. "Thank you" is two bloody words, "thank" and "you". They are not to be amalgamated into a single word and anyone who does so deserves to be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Back in Ottawa, the trial of Larry O'Brien, the mayor, has begun, or really, the first part of the process. He's pled not guilty to charges of attempting to influence an election. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged His Worship in 2007, I think, in connection with the mayoral race. It is alleged that he offered a Mr. Kilrea, another prominent candidate, his influence to obtain for him a job on the National Parole Board, which in my opinion, is not exactly what I would call a plum government appointment, if Mr. Kilrea would withdraw from the race, which he did. To make such an offer is contrary to the Criminal Code, and Mayor O'Brien is facing 2 or 3 charges. For the duration of the trial, which will begin in June, he said that he will step aside as mayor allowing two councillors, one of whom, Diane Deans, represents my ward, to occupy the post of Acting Mayor. I can't wait to see how this plays out.
Lastly, I'll say that I do have something to look forward to, and that is my winter/summer trip to Canada. With the exam schedule more or less finalized, I will be travelling to Canada from June-July roughly corresponding to the winter break here. It will be good to get out of the Canberran winter and into someplace where it is warm, hopefully more than 30C. I leave June 23rd and arrive back in Australia July 18th, which is the Saturday before term starts. The flights have been booked and I've arranged for transportation to and from Sydney by bus. Maybe being back in Canada will do me some good.
Perhaps to help me, I went with some acquaintances to the new Star Trek movie tonight. It was very well made and the references to the early Star Trek TV series, and the movies, made it enjoyable. The plot, which creates an alternate reality, is either the ultimate stroke of genius or insult. The movie felt more organic than the previous series, which had these characters who we all aspired to be; they were with few flaws and always the good guys. The Enterprise series, I felt, first brought in a more realistic interpretation of humanity by making showing some characters in less than favourable lights. This Star Trek movie continued on that vein, and it was quite exciting as well. I think any Star Trek fan would do well to see it and judge its merits for themselves.
I've also decided to volunteer at Fenner Hall's small alcohol dispensary, called the Warren. First, though, I have to complete an on-line government program to be certified to serve alcohol. This is called the RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certification. It's good for the ACT and Victoria, though not New South Wales, curiously. One thing, I found interesting, though, is that it is illegal to serve straight shots in Canberra. This was put in place some time ago in an attempt to curb binge drinking and its associated problems. While spirits can be mixed in to non-alcoholic drinks, they cannot be served in shot glasses on their own. I don't know if this has made any difference.
Speaking of unusualities, I have to profess a particular aversion to a practice I've seen cropping up in Australia, and that is the word "thankyou". I simply cannot stand it. "Thank you" is two bloody words, "thank" and "you". They are not to be amalgamated into a single word and anyone who does so deserves to be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Back in Ottawa, the trial of Larry O'Brien, the mayor, has begun, or really, the first part of the process. He's pled not guilty to charges of attempting to influence an election. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged His Worship in 2007, I think, in connection with the mayoral race. It is alleged that he offered a Mr. Kilrea, another prominent candidate, his influence to obtain for him a job on the National Parole Board, which in my opinion, is not exactly what I would call a plum government appointment, if Mr. Kilrea would withdraw from the race, which he did. To make such an offer is contrary to the Criminal Code, and Mayor O'Brien is facing 2 or 3 charges. For the duration of the trial, which will begin in June, he said that he will step aside as mayor allowing two councillors, one of whom, Diane Deans, represents my ward, to occupy the post of Acting Mayor. I can't wait to see how this plays out.
Lastly, I'll say that I do have something to look forward to, and that is my winter/summer trip to Canada. With the exam schedule more or less finalized, I will be travelling to Canada from June-July roughly corresponding to the winter break here. It will be good to get out of the Canberran winter and into someplace where it is warm, hopefully more than 30C. I leave June 23rd and arrive back in Australia July 18th, which is the Saturday before term starts. The flights have been booked and I've arranged for transportation to and from Sydney by bus. Maybe being back in Canada will do me some good.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Pandemia
Returning to university life this week has been something of a drag. After 2 weeks of vacation, you suddenly realize how boring lectures can be, even in the most exciting subjects. It's especially troubling if you didn't actually manage to travel anywhere because of university assignments. I don't think it counts as a vacation if you actually have to work through it. However, I had 2 assignments due this week, one of them due the very day back from holidays. It just wasn't fair. Anyway, I got them done and I'm just happy to be rid of them. Now, nothing left to do but work towards the next one, which is, thankfully, my last bit of assessment until the exams.
At the beginning of the week, the weather turned frightfully cold, wet and windy. It was a quick snapshot of winter as temperatures plummeted to 10C. The temperatures at night are now hovering around 0C, though the afternoon high are around 17C. This is one thing that is so annoying about the autumn, it's early on, so you turn the heater on, but during the day it's warm enough that the heater makes it too hot. It's all very confusing. I've had a lot of fun telling people that winter in Canberra reminds me of summer in Ottawa. I'm joking, of course, but since so few people in Australia have visited Ottawa, I can get away with it.
Swine flu is catching and everyone is worried about a pandemic. Just to show you how serious it can be, Great Swine Flu is also known as Spanish Flu, which after World War One killed between 20 and 100 million people globally (records from the 3rd World are not good). According to my father, I had a great-grandfather die of the virus. On the plus side, those of us alive now probably have some sort of inherited immunity to that particular strain so it's unlikely to be anywhere near as bad as before. Still, there have been public service announcements and e-mails from the university warning of the symptoms and what to do should you suspect yourself infected. Personally, I wouldn't mind going down in history as a great spreader of the disease, but I haven't caught it yet; hopefully I won't. I'll just have to be extra cautious when I'm back in Canada.
There is one more bit of "information" I'd like to pass on. There is a little-known mountain range in Scotland known as the Hollywood Range. In it, you can find mountains named Ben Hur, Ben Affleck and Ben Kingsley, and there's a Glen Close nearby too. Did you get it?
At the beginning of the week, the weather turned frightfully cold, wet and windy. It was a quick snapshot of winter as temperatures plummeted to 10C. The temperatures at night are now hovering around 0C, though the afternoon high are around 17C. This is one thing that is so annoying about the autumn, it's early on, so you turn the heater on, but during the day it's warm enough that the heater makes it too hot. It's all very confusing. I've had a lot of fun telling people that winter in Canberra reminds me of summer in Ottawa. I'm joking, of course, but since so few people in Australia have visited Ottawa, I can get away with it.
Swine flu is catching and everyone is worried about a pandemic. Just to show you how serious it can be, Great Swine Flu is also known as Spanish Flu, which after World War One killed between 20 and 100 million people globally (records from the 3rd World are not good). According to my father, I had a great-grandfather die of the virus. On the plus side, those of us alive now probably have some sort of inherited immunity to that particular strain so it's unlikely to be anywhere near as bad as before. Still, there have been public service announcements and e-mails from the university warning of the symptoms and what to do should you suspect yourself infected. Personally, I wouldn't mind going down in history as a great spreader of the disease, but I haven't caught it yet; hopefully I won't. I'll just have to be extra cautious when I'm back in Canada.
There is one more bit of "information" I'd like to pass on. There is a little-known mountain range in Scotland known as the Hollywood Range. In it, you can find mountains named Ben Hur, Ben Affleck and Ben Kingsley, and there's a Glen Close nearby too. Did you get it?
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