We Saw a Chicken …

Category: goatee-stroking musing, or something

  • Phew …

    Looks like PAM has been dropped: http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/030729/w072940.html

  • Sick beyond belief

    It’s called Policy Analysis Market, and the blurb sounds fairly innocuous:

    PAM is intended to have a globally distributed population of traders. Individuals interested in the Middle East and in the involvement of the United States with the countries of the Middle East are welcome to register as PAM traders. Individuals who are interested in the use of market processes to manage risk are also welcome to participate in PAM. Whatever a prospective trader’s interest in PAM, involvement in this group prediction process should prove engaging and may prove profitable.

    … until you realise that it’s basically a stock-market system in which traders can bet on the likelihoods of terror attacks and assassinations in the Middle East. Eww!

    I’d heard that money was amoral, but this is straight immoral. How soon will it be before an investor consortium on this market hires hitmen to make their “investments” profitable?

    And all because They say that The Market can predict anything. If that’s the case, I’ve got a nice fish I can sell you, and you can tell the future by looking at its entrails.

  • The return of Mayor McCA

    Back on June 6, I lamented the lack of interest there is in determinedly indie Canadian musician Mayor McCA. How wrong — or premature — I was.

    I just heard from Mark at Sonic Unyon records that not merely does the Mayor have a new CD out, but that they’re sending me a copy! Whee!

    Better yet, the Mayor is playing a free show later in the month at The Horseshoe, Toronto. This is all on his website, mayormcca.com, along with a track from the new album. Great stuff!

  • the wisdom of chairman ralph

    You know, you can’t let people like this get away with stuff like that because if it’s a pie today, it could be something else tomorrow.

     — Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, after being pied at the opening of the Calgary Stampede. Thanks to The Globe & Mail for the sharp words.

  • and finally… Raudelunas ‘Pataphysical Review!

    Raudelunas 'Pataphysical Review CD cover

    Well, after many years of waiting, Raudelunas ‘Pataphysical Review has made it onto CD. It’s especially nice to see my name on the “Special Thanks” credits.

    So how did a Scottish engineer who was only 5 when the original performance took place in Alabama get a credit? Well, long ago, I had a site about Fred Lane. Various people got in touch with me through the site, and before long I was putting members of the original collective in touch with Ed Baxter, who runs Alcohol Records.

    So now, after about five years, I have the CD in my hands. It sounds even weirder than it always did. It’s still The Best Thing Ever

  • pinholes

    I would have told you about my success with pinhole photography last night, but Toronto Hydro decided we didn’t need electricity. Here’s our backyard during a thunderstorm, taken on a 8×10″ paper negative in a modified mailing box. Effective aperture is f/75, exposure time 24’45”. Photo paper makes slow film!

    backyard

  • fishepiphany

    We sampled Len Duckworth’s Fish & Chips (2638 Danforth Ave, just east of Main) tonight. Mmm. Though the halibut was not the Scottish customary haddock, it was really good. The chips were the best. I haven’t had ones this good since frequenting The Unique in Glasgow. All it needs is mushy peas, and it’d be perfect.

    I was pleased to hear a few Scottish voices in the crowds. We know good food when we see it.

  • Christian Anderson Smith, where were you in our hour of need?

    Norvin just lent me a great CD; Welcome to McCALand, by Mayor McCA. It’s exactly my kind of music — quirky, folky, trippy, witty. Think Robyn Hitchcock sings Of Montreal.

    What’s sad is that Christian Anderson Smith (aka Mayor McCA) doesn’t have a major recording contract. I had to go direct to the distributor, Sonic Unyon (phone 905-777-1223) to get his CDs. There’s no justice.

  • mmm

    Just discovered Reese’s White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. They are so good.

    For various reasons, I don’t eat “brown” chocolate. I love Reece’s Pieces, and so these are perfect. But with 910kJ per pack, I won’t be eating too many.

    Typically, these things are a time-limited edition. Sweets I like always get discontinued. I guess that’s why I make my own.

  • is this thing on, eh?

    Since this is my first entry in my first blog, I think I’m supposed to quote something clever:

    For imperial Britain, rapid expansion overseas was a sign not of economic strength but of underlying weaknesses at home. An empire that looked impressive and invincible on the map later proved to be remarkably fragile, shrinking much faster than it had grown. — Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation, Afterword.

    I’ve just re-read FFN, this time in the extended edition. It’s better the second time around. And he’s right about Conway’s burgers in Colorado Springs — they’re that good.

  • in which I invent disemvowelling

    I have made a new code where I miss out all the vowel's places like: Hll my nm s Stwrt Rssll
    I have made a new code where I miss out all the vowel's places like: Hll my nm s Stwrt Rssll

  • computer fire 1977!

    Last night one of my Dad's computers went on fire but they put it out
    Last night one of my Dad's computers went on fire but they put it out

  • the vertical hold was off, I remember

    On Monday our family got a colour television. It is a Murphy television and it is white and it has ITA1 and ITA2 and B.B.C.2. And it keeps on going funny. And it is very big.
    On Monday our family got a colour television. It is a Murphy television and it is white and it has ITA1 and ITA2 and B.B.C.2. And it keeps on going funny. And it is very big.

  • the mail to cro(y)don

    When I sent my first letter to Brooke Bond I sent it to: Brooke Bond Oxo L.t.d. Leon House high Street Crodon Surrey
    When I sent my first letter to Brooke Bond I sent it to: Brooke Bond Oxo L.t.d. Leon House high Street Crodon Surrey

  • Early concern for Alan Longmuir

    Did you know that one of the Bay City Rollers is resigning?
    Did you know that one of the Bay City Rollers is resigning?

  • unfortunate frog pyre

    Once we got tadpoles and they grew until they were little frogs. And there was lots of little frogs about the house and they all got killed so we made a little crematorium of matches then we lit it and then pooh what a pong! if any frogs get killed please burn them. (Please feed them live plankton.)
    Once we got tadpoles and they grew until they were little frogs. And there was lots of little frogs about the house and they all got killed so we made a little crematorium of matches then we lit it and then pooh what a pong! if any frogs get killed please burn them. (Please feed them live plankton.)

  • the unfortunate princess

    Tonight my Daddy is going to get his Austin-Princess.
    Tonight my Daddy is going to get his Austin-Princess.

  • quite an extensive record collection

    I will show you list of our LP's
    I will show you list of our LP's

    I think the ‘P&L’ refers to Peters & Lee.

  • steam trains

    steam trains are usually green, or are they?
    steam trains are usually green, or are they?

  • I want to be an e(n)gineer!

    I am six-and-a-half (nerly 7.). When I am growen up I want to be an egineer.
    I am six-and-a-half (nerly 7.). When I am growen up I want to be an egineer.