A place for my thoughts...

End of a cycle, thoughts and all that jazz...

2010-10-23T09:56:00.003-04:00

Those of you familiar with Toronto landscape will recognize the CN Tower. A reminder that I'm just at a rock throw's away from the urban world.

By that time last year, I went for the first time to the Islands. Been to Toronto many times, and I knew the islands, but I never thought that so close to the urban core there would be such a jewel.

I brought my camera with me. I always view photography as a way for the visual guy that I am to tell you visually the things I want to say.

So a year later, I figure it was time to return to the same spot. A year later, the end of another cycle of ... life.

And what a year it's been. The mental illness of my dad to its late stage, and out of nowhere the diagnosis of a generalized cancer and almost as if someone "upstair" heard our muted terrible wish... gone peacefully was my dad to that other world.

I'm still debating whether he knew that this was going to be it, as his mental illness and then being on powerful drugs to provide a "quality of life" that make you wonder in these circumstances... it is one question among soooooooo many that becomes answer-less and pointless.

When you see your dad going away, you feel like a giant in the middle of emptiness. A giant shadow of myself, very fragile, feeling terribly alone without the family around.

A cruel society that expects from you to perform zillions of administrative tasks.

Being given 24 hours by the nursing home to clean up dad's room was a prelude to many tough unpleasant tasks upcoming. Contrary to my shadow on the sand, I wasn't very strong on my legs...

As I walk toward the beach, the "clothing optional sign" made me smile. It is so cold this late in the season that it's not an option anymore.

In fact, as I near the cold water of Lake Ontario, I had to keep walking at a pretty fast pace to keep me warm.

We are born naked and we leave this world naked...

There nothing like the shifting banks of a sandy beach to remind me of the foundations I am on.

Just like I thought that I knew my dad and I was so sure of that...

Seeing all my world shifting once again, albeit in a wonderful way this time, to discover that my dad had a life I didn't know... to the point that 6 wonderful women who are calling me... brother ?!?

Whao...

I'm watching the sunset. One reoccuring question: Why ?

The person who could answer my question isn't there anymore, and I wonder: At this point in time in my life, does it still matter?

Isn't the point that we are all reunited?

No matter your reasons,

I love you, dad.

===
Live the present time and look forward for the future. That's my thinking.
===

Yup, there are going to be several more chapters in that book...

Colleagues who've been reading my blogs tell me that I should write a book about my caregiving era... While joking that a book is soooo... 20th century, I wonder who am I to tell others...

As I return to civilization, I was thinking of two famous phrases, one in French, the other in English:

"Je n'ai fait que mon devoir". I did my duty. The duty of a son.

Yet in French, the word "que" implies something restrictive. I did *only* my duty? No...

"It's a labour of love".

That's the whole point.

Cheers,

-J

Blogatus Interruptis ?

2010-10-02T16:13:00.005-04:00

My last blog entry here was months ago, which itself was after a long hiatus...

With the illness of my dad, followed by his death, I had neither the time, nor the willingness to blog anything.

And these days, my life has been violently rocked again, except that it is in a good, VERY good way.

It took dad's death and the announcement in the local newspapers... to discover that I have half-sisters. And I kept doing the maths: Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five... but S-I-X sisters!!!

(Photos of Toronto Islands, a sandy path to one of its beaches.)

In some religions, the tree represents life. If you've been on the west coast and you have been next to big trees... This is life spats at you, in full force. You could see it, you could *feel* it.

Between trees, there are paths.

I wish that my path, like this sandy path on the photo on the left... would have been a straight line.

Straightforward.

Straight.

Mhhhh...

You know, like everyone. That everyone, the silent unknown individual of the majority.

Not a chance. A non-standard family and I'm quite a non-standard guy. And the past few years...

Mhhh...

I guess that is one of the twists of life... that I've stopped frustrating about. Like it or not, I have to accept.

I had to do so with dad's illness...

Accepting the bad... which I thought was the summum of things to accept...

And now the good, the wonderfully good... the summum in the other direction, but still immense, still huge to accept.

Accepting that my dad had a prior life, and deliberately kept unknown to me for reasons that escape everyone, whose past is now becoming my present time.

6 wonderful women who are my sisters and who are calling me brother. Moi, un frère? A brother?!? Whew !!!!!

It's a re-birth, except that I'm born by the age of 46. :)

Accepting, welcoming...

... with open arms...

I'm sure there will be some blog entries ahead. If life doesn't keep me busy, there is that. :)

Cheers,

-J

Living differently... and a matter of human rights?

2010-05-21T06:18:00.009-04:00

If you're a woman, would it come to your "right" mind that you could breastfeed... your spouse? If you're a man, would you have a drink... that it's on (and literally from) your wife? :) Without nursing a baby, a woman can be induced into lactating and apparently, to the delight of both spouses.

The other day, both in local printed media and over the radio, I was (indirectly) reminded of my past, as a forum moderator... and why this old militant had his human rights chord being tickled .

I was also a bit intrigued (and pleasantly surprised!) that a seemingly taboo topic could hit the mainstream media, and essentially they didn't make of that story as a freak show.

A couple living in my province started this blog on Wordpress: Allaiter mon conjoint (breastfeed my spouse).

What has touched me is that among the reasons she has started this blog, it is to serve as a place for others who share similar interests. To overcome a taboo, to educate the population in order to fight ridicule.

Also, like so many things in Québec, articles written in French, especially on topics that are... off the beaten path are almost non-existant.

Upfront, I'd say... mhhh... that's absolutely NOT my thing. However, because I don't like something should not and should NEVER mean that others shouldn't enjoy it.

In a previous life, well... in the 80s when the BBSes were king, I was an avid forum participant. By the 90s, I graduated as a forum manager on commercial online services, the ancestor of today's internet. GEnie, Delphi, name it.

One day, on behalf of an ailing forum manager (and personal friend) that I temporarily took care of the Freemind forum on Delphi.. For just a few weeks I thought, 6 looong (and fascinating) months it went. Even after I gave back the forum to its original host, I stayed there 'til I retired entirely from the forum world, in the late 90s.

That was a forum in the "adult" category. Woah. By design, it was in that category in order to be able to speak more freely (hence, the "Freemind") without having management censoring us.

Religion often took a hard beating. (It was the time of tele-evangelists who made headlines regularly for their "immoral" excesses, so I had plenty of material for the forum). Also, maybe because of being in the "adult" category, sexuality was also a fairly recurrent topic.

This forced me to do searches on the 'Net, as well as pitching in my little Canadian 2-cent. Sort of being a reference center and also being a place to discuss about various issues on sexuality, in general.

Being open minded and eager to learn, let say that my mind got opened wider than I thought, and I learn a lot.

If you think people are crazy, yes they are. Yes *we* are. Yes we *all* are. You, me and everyone around. :)

A way of saying that the mighty word "normal" is the word to ban.

Sadly, "statistics" is a word I'd rather like to see it undefined, because people aren't just numbers. We're humans, made of flesh and we have a heart and a soul.

Anyway from that era, there are a few things I learnt and got stucked in my mind. Like one person out of two has a sexual fantasy, enough that the word "fetish" would apply. It is just that your fantasy isn't exactly appealing to others, and if you could know what happen in the bedroom, the fantasies of your neighbours and people you know would be shocking to you.

The danger is applying your moral values to others... and saddly, if you happen to be at the other end of the equation, it is about feeling the pressure of a ruling majority and morality.

There are times I wish the Freemind forum would still exist. Last weekend, Québec's ruling cardinal at a public gathering heavily complained about abortion and he openly wished to have abortion being banned, once again. That would be a good topic to discuss.

And isn't a case of ... human rights? Aren't we born equal, in *dignity* and in *rights* ? Why that moral pressure against you if you live in a non-standard way? Why being ridicule... for who you are?

Some of the reasons people came to the Freemind forum... are the very same reasons this Quebecer couple mentioned in their blog: Loneliness, the fear of "not being normal" because you do things that the moral majority would be against, to have a place to make informations available and to share experience...

Plus ça change...

New communication means... and same old issues.

My thinking is that between freely and willfully consenting adults who want to have some mutual fun and as long as they aren't harming themselves one way or the other, anything can (and should) go on, limited only by their imagination.

And no moralists should tell them what to do and what is approved or not. :)

PS: If you're a guy, you shouldn't laugh that much and you should wipe that grin on your face. :) While researching this topic, I've discovered that men could also lactate. So guys, beware! Your spouse may order you a drink from you one of these days!

Which in a way... feeding from each other, it is living in symbiosis, albeit being squished to a new height. :)

Vivre et laissez vivre, mes amis. That's the whole point. I'm serious.

Cheers,

-E

Nice try, but...

2009-09-25T23:33:00.004-04:00

Months ago, I blogged about those special locks that rat on TSA people (Mr. Obama, the devil is in (telling) the details).

There's a green/red dot. It turns red when the lock gets opened by the TSA people. Nifty, isn't it?

And I learn during the years of paranoia fueled by the Bush administration that my luggages were *systematically* opened by the TSA... and yet there were no notes, no sticker no nothing to warn me of what happened.

In other words, if I didn't have those locks, I wouldn't know that my luggages have been opened and searched by the TSA.

I would bet that there countless of travelers who are unaware that there luggages have been opened and searched.

Why not telling people? As if personal belongings are no longer personal. Well, a lot could be said about the Bush era, and I have to keep this blog entry short. :)

It's been a while that I haven't been in the US. Those of you who read me via FastCupid or BadSumo, you already know there was the big Blogfest event in Philadelphia. I managed to take some time off in the US... including Philadelphia. :)

It was a great blog event and it's been fun to put a voice and a face onto words. :)

All good things must come to an end, and here am I in Montréal.

Guess what? There was the usual *red dot* on my lock. Grrrrr... TSA again.

I open my luggage and lo and behold... there was a note!

Telling me that my luggage has been inspected by the TSA. After sneaking in for so many years, it's the very *first* time I was notified... officially.

Maybe the changes trickling in from the change of government, maybe...

Nonetheless, there are manners...

Why they have to open my luggage... without having *me* opening that luggage for inspection?

When I cross a border, I am asked (mhhh, sometimes ordered? :) ) to open my luggage for inspection. That's fair. It's in my full knowledge, and *I* open the luggage.

So why in the US soil, that same modus operandi can't be done? Why it is all done in the hiding, and until recently, without even telling the owners (unless you have those special locks, like those I have) !

I know some family members and friends from Europe who take offense, and that's the #1 complaint.

I am not happy either, but everytime I raise the issue, even in Canada, I'm told that I'm fussy.

Manners it seems...

And I can't figure out why it is so difficult to ask passengers to open their luggages...

Oh well. :)

Mini-rant off !!!

Cheers,

-E

Mhhh.. no, I won't sign your petition...

2009-08-20T23:26:00.005-04:00

... about the killing of baby seals. Oh, I'm a villain? Stay on. :)

I'm on Facebook recently (and it's a place I don't like much, I'm there only to stay in touch with FC blogfriends).

One thing about Facebook, you get bombarded of requests to support causes, sign petitions, that on top of many quizzes and games, pokes and superpokes.

For some reasons recently, I'm getting bombarded once again with causes and petitions against the killing of seal pups. One phrase that caught my attention, "about inhumane killing". This begs the question: What is humane killing?

Mhhhh...

True, you have seen plenty of videos... and yes, it is gruesome.

Here's a digression... that isn't one.

I'm what would be considered a "sport" fisherman, altough I royally hate the word "sport". (More on that later). If I were not such a clumsy guy with such a poor eye-hand coordination, I'd be a hunter too.

Though when I'm on the water, and fishing, while it is a wonderful opportunity to have quality time and enjoy myself, it is clear in my mind that what I will catch today... will be my meal tomorrow.

In other words, I'm doing my role, the way nature intended to, taking my place in the food chain. The life of a living thing has to be taken away, so I'll be able to stay alive.

Have you cleaned a fish? Have you done fillets? It is gruesome, and even though I'm used to that since I'm a little kid, you better be strong on your feet to do that.

Yet, this is part of the whole process of taking my place in the food chain and there's nothing to be ashamed of.

What I find really gruesome and definitively obscene are those weekend TV shows about "sport fishing". A bunch of guys having a devil of fun catching fishes...and releasing them, and these guys hoping for that big trophy fish. I've seen in person plenty of those guys too. Urrrgh!

Making fun from the suffering of a living creature, I find that obscene. If you have ever fished, you know the hook can inflict severe damages. Those fishes that go belly up because they didn't make it, that's gruesome (oh they won't show up to the camera, "thankfully").

Mhhhh....

But what about the grocery store?

It seems this society is so scr*wed up that with these stores, we have collectively forgotten where all the food comes from?

For instance, it is quite gruesome at a slaughterhouse.

The milk that you drink, you think that cows are all smiling and enjoying a quality life grazing in the open, enjoying the scenery and watching passing trains, as some TV ads want you to believe? Mhhh, not really.

Or that "organic food" calms down your concerns, while organic is just the name. It is mass produced in a non very healthy way just like their non-organic counterparts; the whole process is also quite gruesome and to add insult to injury, still with lots of contaminants coming from the soil and polluted rain.

To a point that depending on where they come from, some organic foods are more toxic than their non-organic counterparts? Ooch...

Of course, organic or not, multinational commercial interests drive all this. While I have some (minor) issues with the movie, by all means see "Food Inc" (official web site, IMDB database), if you still have some doubts. It's an eye opener.

Yet, the grocery store is the magical place which we get fed... and the fact we don't know little nor anything about the true origin of all that food seems to have isolated us from nature.

(And I don't want to shatter your heart about the huge amount of food getting spoiled, and also food that must get thrown out, even if they're still edible. Only a tiny fraction of that food goes to food banks. The rest is just thrown out).

To me, I find that quite disturbing. Far more disturbing than... well, you know what.

Humans have inflicted so much damages to nature, and yet he can also help to alleviate the damages he's been doing.

Fishing stocks along the east coast have collapsed. From overfishing and also from pollution. Our fault on all counts.

Scientists will tell you that the population of seals have grown exponently, from 1,8 millions to 5,6 millions in 30 years (link), and we're heading for a disaster if the seal population isn't brought down. By being a predator to them, we can help. Guess how...

Mhhhh....

Back to my original thoughts...

For many centuries, humans have been harvesting seals. For their meat, for clothing, for our own survival. We were taking the part we deserve on that food chain.

Gruesome? Yes. The cycle of life is that too, you know...

I'm also thinking that coats made of animal fur are far more ecological than similar clothes mass made from synthetic fibers, fibers which are often derivative of petroleum byproducts...

Not to mention the sheer amount of energy waste to make those clothes from synthetic fibers, and doing so in countries which cheap labour is prevalent and human rights NOT so prevalent.

Mhhhh...

All things considered, no, I won't sign your petition.

Thanks nonetheless.

-E

Garage sale !

2009-08-12T09:17:00.005-04:00

With the relocation of my parents to a "ressource intermédiaire" (nursing home), and only this >little< can get in their rooms, so I'm stuck with a couple of stuffs from their former apartment that I have to get rid.

I'm skeptical that my blog has such a huge audience (ooooh, sweet dreams!), but who knows? You might even want to travel to Montréal just to see me!

(Though if you help me clean my parents' former apartment, I'd appreciate! How's about free food at a good restaurant ? I might even wear my kilt just for you! :) )

So here's the stuff, all once big ticket items that I *must* get rid:

-1 20" TV Sony Trinitron, with 1 video input. Great picture, little used. Compact, take little room. Ideal for dorms, bedrooms, etc. $50

-1 24" TV Sony WEGA, year 2004. Great picture, superb sound. 1 video input and 1 video/s-video input. $300

-2 electric "hospital" beds, one single, the other double. Both have remotes. These beds can raise or lower themselves, or just the head or the foot. $200 for both.

I still have some tables, chairs, fancy cutlery, etc. All yours if you make good use of them. :)

Voilà!

This is a time-limited offer. Operator (moi!) is standing by for your call! ;)

Cheers,

-J

Via Rail: I miss an opportunity to travel, argh...

2009-08-02T13:40:00.002-04:00

Last week, while I was still in the US, I was watching their national newscast.

I was floored to see that Canada made their headlines!

Via Rail on strike. Sigh... Oh my, I can imagine the chaos at La Gare Centrale in Montréal and Union Station in Toronto.

While the strike lasted just a couple of days (thankfully!), now that I'm back in Montréal, I finished reading my mail, and I saw that a friend of mine has sent me one of their blurb.

VIA Rail ran a promo, to excuse themselves for the "inconveniences"...

60% off to any destinations in the Québec-Windsor corridor (including Ottawa).

Ottawa, just $20 away from Montréal, ditto for Québec City. Even far away Toronto at just $40 away from Montréal. For a weekend escape, that's ideal !

So why I'm still in Montréal, this weekend?

Their promo ended... yesterday.

Sigh...

I guess they call that... luck. :)

Paying personally the price for standing for human rights?

2009-08-01T11:30:00.007-04:00

I'm back in Montréal, after a lovely week in Massachusetts, on the beaches of Cape Cod, and then going further north in Lowell, for their folk festival and along the way, meeting wonderful FastCupid bloggers!

Basking in such an environment,

where everything is nice and cozy,
where at the beach, we wear little, if any

There is even a "clothing optional" beach which I went last year (and on FastCupid, it inspired me to write this blog entry), and I might have gone this year too, but with just a week of vacations, I ran out of time

And in Lowell,
so many cultures mixing in,
peacefully and for the joy of all of us,

It is difficult to NOT forget that we live a very shelthered part of the world.

Elsewhere, things aren't so rosy...

And when you have God on your side,
excesses can be so easily justified,
even if they are insult to everyone's intelligence.

Who would dare to say that God got it wrong,
Or the Holy Writings aren't decoded the way they should?

Mhhh...

Then you are reminded that human rights shouldn't be said too lightly.

The story about Loudna Hussein broke in many French-speaking papers here, and for some reasons was largely ignored by their English counterparts.

If you can read French, try this: L'indécence du pantalon féminin
(Although I found a brief article in the Huffpost: Ludna Hussein pants adjourns until Tuesday)

The story is taking place in Sudan, an islamic country. The police raided a cafe in Karthoum and arrested 13 women, one of them being a UN worker, Ludna Hussein. Their crime? Indecency. Wearing western clothes. In the case of Ludna, she had the heejab on, but otherwise she was wearing ordinary (western) clothes.

We're light-years away from the clothing optional beach of Cape Cod.

The sentence? Being flogged, up to 50 times according to some newspapers. That's the reason for the trial and Loudna is waiting for her sentence.

As a UN worker, she might have immunity, and she said that she wouldn't hesitate to resign, so the trial would go to through.

I get the hunch there might be some political motivations, or there are other things that aren't said. Nonetheless...

You would stand for human rights... even if it means you pay personally a physical price?

I admire her.

Altough my feeling is that nothing will change. Sudan isn't the most democratic country, and when you have the power of religion...

Though as a male, the situation couldn't ever apply to me...

However, I'm thinking that should I have been in a situation which my physical integrity is compromised *AND* I could make use of immunity to bail out, I _think_ that I'd take the immunity waiver and get the [bleep!] out of this situation as fast as I could...

But I am also thinking with my Western world minset too.

Mhhhh....

I'm crossing my fingers...

From A to Zed or Zee with your smart hands!

2009-07-19T09:19:00.010-04:00

If you've been reading my blogs, whether here, or on FastCupid or BadSumo, you know my love for Sign Language.

So I put the DeafRead feed on this blog. There's also the link to DeafPulse, another source of infos. While primarly for the deaf and hard of hearing people, hearing people would benefit too.

Today on DeafPulse, there was a link to a fun YouTube videoclip from http://www.mysmarthands.com/ . To hearing people who must learn ASL and have to teach it to their kids.

Believe me, your hands are smart. A lot smarter than you think!

Cheers!

Footnote to my hearing friends: In ASL, -even though this is a sign language-, the 26 letters of the alphabet are present.

Letters are commonly use when there isn't a sign for the visual concept that you want to express, or that sign isn't known to you (which is likely my case!!!). So you have to rely on English words for those visual concepts, and you "fingerspell" those words.

There are other usage for fingerspelling. For instance in the US, the 50 states are often fingerspelled using their 2-letter abbreviations. Imagine a vacation trip on Cape Cod, it would be insane to fingerspell that I'm currently in M-A-S-S-A-C-H-U-S-E-T-T-S. With a state with a name _that_ long, it's a lot easier to sign "M-A".

(External link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMQHd1UBkeI )

Mr Obama, the devil is in (telling) the details...

2009-05-25T09:34:00.004-04:00

This is one of my pet peeves when traveling to the US, by plane.

Two ordinary "TSA approved" locks (the now familiar red diamond logo).

Mr Obama, it isn't always possible to micromanage a huge bureaucracy, and when it is left on its own, it continues on its initial direction, or do silly things like flying Air Force One at low altitude over NYC... without telling the public. A photo op with the obvious consequences, except to bureaucrats, of course.

Since 9/11, everytime one has to fly to the US, he is required to leave luggages unlocked, or put these "TSA approved" locks. Supposedly for additional screening, should something odd appears on their scanning devices.

Like anything else, when you can do something, why not abuse of your privilege by doing it... all the time?

With apparent impunity, because they aren't required to tell you that your luggages have been opened. So not knowing... why would you suspect anything?

Mhhhh...

At airports, bus and train terminals, by observing the size of luggages some people carry, it feels like they're carrying their house with them.

In a way, as a traveler, we all do. Those are our personal belongings, after all.

Would you, in the name of security, be required to give your keys to your house to the police, "just in case" they have to intervene, for your own... security?

Mhhh...

And entering your house without a court mandate or without your approval, even without your knowledge?

Yet, this is "airport security" and that's what they do with your luggage.

Funny, when I cross the border, even the US border, it happens that an officer will *ask* to open my luggage for inspection. One might say that I have little choice, but at least, everything is done in my full view, and *I* open my luggage. That's fair.

Why so much secrecy at airports? And why luggages are systematically open? I can prove it.

I got those hard to find luggage locks that rat on those TSA guys.

Look at the dot at the lower right-hand side of these two locks. Can you tell which one was used on a luggage that went to the US by plane, and the other in Canada? Yup. A red dot will show up when it is open by a TSA guy. Otherwise, there's a green dot. Nifty, yes? Yes...

What bugs me, if I didn't use these gizmos, I wouldn't know. Most people don't have these gizmos, so they don't know.

Since they forced air travelers to use those "TSA approved" locks, I don't remember a single time seeing a green dot when going to or from the US.

Mr. Obama, the devil is in the details. The devil, is in *telling* the details. To keep people honest, there's nothing like things being done in full view, in full knowledge of everyone involved.

Assuming that those additional inspections are really all that required.

Oh, and the fact that it is really for my own security, that is.

Fear is so easy to sell... Bush did that so well...

You don't have to follow his steps.

Cheers,

-E

---

PS: This is a blog "simulcast" with FC and BadSumo. Not present on FC is the link to the Brookstone web site, where I bought those locks years ago.

They no longer sell those locks, but they have similar locks, still with an indicator, telling you whether someone... else opened those locks.

Human rights... over there.

2009-05-14T04:30:00.003-04:00

A comment, said I'm sure with all good intents, that got me into this chain of thoughts...

"You know, you don't have to visit your parents so often".

Of course, I don't have to, but I do hope that you aren't telling me something... else?

Here's the scoop: After 3 years of being a caregiver, first to my dad, and later to *both* dad and mom, it's been about 2 weeks that they got relocated, to what they called here, a "ressource intermédiaire". It's more like "assisted living".

Apparently, the facility got praise for its excellence, overall.

While my parents were at home, I got plenty of help from the CLSC, the "everything under the same roof" governmental social services. They provide at home health care of all kinds.

From time to time, especially toward the end, I hired up private help, so I could take a much needed break, and enjoy vacations away of Montréal.

From people bathing my parents, doing some laundry, then the nurse, then the occupational therapist, then people doing the cooking and some of household chore. At noon, then at 6PM. Toward the end, there were 4 to 6 different people *a day* visiting my parents.

Nearly all were super cool people. To have seen them in action during all of those years, it takes people with a *BIG* heart to do these jobs.

Nearly all.

For instance, I've blogged on FC last fall about a "préposé au bain", a person giving bath to my parents who literally ruled the house as soon as she stepped in. I learn later that this person has come a few times, and everytime it coincided that I was away of Montréal.

But not this time.

She was rude with my parents, even in front of me, and even after I told her that I'm their son... and the one who has *HIRED HER* (well, her agency) to bath my parents!

"Sir, you speak too much".

Wow...

Well, in no time she was speaking all to herself outdoor too. A verbal complaint, followed by a *written* complaint made sure that she won't ever come back. To my knowledge, she didn't.

Over those years, there have been a few cases like that. That's why I'm saying that "nearly all" of the many people coming to my parents' house were super fine, but...

So, there are exceptions. A few, but that's a few... too many.

My parents were just too terrorized to protest.

Those bad apples have been thrown out... because *I* happened to be there.

So that phrase I got from an employee at the "ressource intermédiaire" that "I don't have to visit my parents so frequently"... I'm sure it was said with a good intent, and my frequent visits are at first to ease the transition, -for all of us- in fact, and of course I would ease my visits a bit afterward. So far, I have nothing but praise for the entire personnel, but in the above context, mhhh...

When you are old and ailing... you are extremely powerless to those who have powers onto you.

Nor everyone can count on a relative to speak on their behalf either.

Human rights, it's not just at the other end of the planet, it starts right here at home...

-E

FYI: I was born Palestinian...

2009-04-18T23:42:00.003-04:00

No, I am not. :)

Clevergirl reported on her blog about Laila.

When you're a Palestinian,

When home is the Gaza Strip,

When you're a journalist and have to travel,

When you're a mother, with two young kids in tow...

Intenational dirty politics that seem so remote, so immaterial...

Suddenly takes a very ugly face when people do suffer.

Sometimes I wonder about citizenship and its value, especially on a passport. Nor to mention the passport itself.

Not to mention wars...

Have we evolved so much from the cave men?

Mhhhh....

I know that my blog has little readership, but I figure that even symbolically, I have to spread the words. Read Laila's blog.

I still believe in human rights...

... and still naive to believe that we're smart enough to eventually make it happens.

Cheers,

-E

Captioned telephone...

2009-04-18T21:04:00.008-04:00

Last February, I was in New York City for a weekend. To get some much needed respite from my caregiver duties and to see some blogfriends who I haven't seen in a long long time.

Anyhow, on a Saturday morning, I happened to watch TV and waiting for the weather forecast to come up. In the meantime, I saw ads for NY Relay.

To those not familiar, a traditional "relay" service is a way for deaf and hard of hearing people to communicate with the outside world, as well to receive calls. They have a device which goes to the phone. Pretty much a terminal, with a tiny screen and a keyboard. That device is called a TTY, or sometimes TDD (Telecom Device for the Deaf)

Incoming calls must go to a relay service, and the person talks voice with an operator. The operator in turn will call the other party, with the TTY. So, she will "relay" the voice conversion over the TTY device, and for the deaf person, she can type on the keyboard, which will be seen by the operator, which in turn will "relay" that text voice to the talking party.

There are variations of this. Such as IP Relay, which is the same idea, but over the internet, and there is also VRS (Video Relay Service) like Sorenson VRS which sadly is available *only* in the US, which, instead of relaying words, they relay *Sign Language* to spoken English. The video portion goes over the internet, and voice over traditional phone lines. I saw that in action, and I was absolutely floored! We should have that in Canada. Again, that's something our government doesn't see the need, but the the Americans do. (End of mini-rant here. :) )

But all these services operate the same basic way: If you want to reach a deaf / hard of hearing person, you have to call a special phone number *first*, in order to reach an operator. Ditto the other way around, for a deaf person to call an hearing person.

So I was genuinely curious at NY Relay's ad for... the Captioned Telephone (watch their video).

At first, I was thinking of voice recognition, which is a nightmare for computers to do, as anyone can notice that when calling some voice automated services like 411 directory assistance... with *very* varying success. :)

No, there's no voice recognition circuitry.

It's still a phone with a screen, and as the ad goes on, you dial *directly* the person you want to reach, as you would do with a normal call, and talk normally. Every word you say are captioned. I was wondering how.

This would be great for my dad who is almost completely deaf, and even for me, while I'm not deaf nor hard of hearing, but sounds do not translate well into "words" by my brain. Much like TV with closed-captioning was always on, I would love to listen to a conversation to get the gist of it, while reading the captioning on a screen.

I am also thinking of a few friends which this phone would be a wonderful gift. It would be great for them to call me directly and vice-versa. :) No more operators to dial in first!

There is a gotcha. Or even two, from a Canadian perspective.

The "Captioned Telephone" does two things. You call directly the other party so there's the convenience of a traditional phone call... but the phone also calls the relay service.

It shifts the paradigm of a relay service. The operator is no longer the person in the middle, relaying text to one side and voice the other side. The operator is set aside, and he just type everything that is heard on the line. In effect, this is the "closed captioning" like on TV, except that it's done over the phone.

I suspect there must be delays. First, you don't get an operator instantly, and throughout a lively conversation, I suspect the operator may fall behind, just like closed-captioning of live events, on TV. :)

The additional gotcha is that just like ip-relay, ditto for VRS, the "Captioned Telephone" works... only in the US, as always. So it's useless in Canada.

Anyway, there's a good idea. I wonder how it's going to evolve, over the time.

I suspect that at some point, phones will be equipped of voice recognition, which a keyboard could also be plugged in. Such an universal device would work every way possible, between deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people.

That said, if everyone knew Sign Language, the use of video would make the telephone obsolete. :)

Anyway, just sharing my joy of seeing technology helping people. In this case, to break the communication barrier. This is something that will always be of great interest to me (even more so here, since I have some vested interests, as a functionally hard of hearing person. :) )

Cheers!

-E

Internet on the go: I bite at the bait...

2009-04-14T23:36:00.009-04:00

I bite at Fido's offer for "broadband internet" (so called 3G), 1Gig for $30 per month.

This is getting decent, and closer to what the Americans charge.

For the upcoming months, I'll be traveling once to twice per month. (Those who know me, I'm a caregiver to my parents, and I need a break. Since it takes so much planifications with our social services to have such breaks, the deal I've done with them is to set ahead of times all those breaks, so they'll be able to do my job while I'm away (and on top of what they _already_ do, which is _a lot_)

The good side is now I know all my vacations all the way to September. The bad side of course is that it's rigid. I can't change days easily. Oh well... )

If you have traveled a little bit... and like me you bring your laptop, you know there are less and less hotels offering *free* internet service. And when it's free, it's so lousy that you congratulate yourself for not paying for it.

Then, on trains (and even some buses) Wi-Fi internet is becoming available (at a cost, of course), and of course it's already there at all major airports. When you have to kill time, internet is great for that. :)

When you have to pay for your internet access, it seems that most providers in the US and Canada have come up with a standard price: Around $10 for 24 hours.

Then, Fido's $30/month for broadband service would pay for itself after 3 days of use per month. Which is likely to happen, in my case.

ANd for work, I need a backup access to the company's VPN. I'd love to ditch my land line and the antiquated 56k modem for that reason. That would be the other reason for giving a try.

First hurdle: Fido itself. My cellphone can also act as a cellular modem to my laptop. So I ask the $30/month data deal to be added to my voice cellphone service. After lenghty search, the sales' rep told me that my cellphone isn't eligible.

Huh ?

No, I need to buy or get for "free" if I sign a 2-year contract with Fido a USB key that acts as a cellular modem.

-Ma'am, my cellphone does *already* that. I carry already too much electronic devices with me when I travel, so why I need your USB thingy when my cellphone can do the same thing ?!?

The problem is with Rogers, (owners of Fido). In other words, they're doing just about every illogical things they could do. (For instance, we were the *last* industrialized country to have the iPhone in Canada, because Rogers has the monopoly on GSM in Canada, and they thought that the iPhone wasn't important and no one would buy it. This got Apple people fuming at Rogers.

The same could be said when Rogers bought Fido, the first thing they did, was to ditch the Sidekick (called Hip-Top in Canada), which was the iPhone's ancestor (and still an aptly competitor today), while in the US, T-Mobile were playing big on the Sidekick, and even developping niche markets, (like the deaf community) with special rates for them. (Affordable unlimited data-only rates). There were also many fascinating applets designed for deaf Sidekick users.

Phone makers and cellular carriers in the US saw the potential of mobile internet, while in Canada, they didn't even bother until... it was almost too late, having to upgrade their network as fast as they could to provide mobile internet.

So, to make a long story short, I got their USB stick. Mumble...mumble...mumble... End of rant. :)

On the photo, it's the "Novatel Wireless". They tout heavily that it is "installation free". The part that they don't tell you... You *must* be logged in with an administrator account. Hello ?!?

Since it's out of question that I do this, so yes I had to install the software and use the "run as" trick, so their software would run with admin power while I'm logged in as a regular user. It's clunky, but it works. The documentation is so skimpy that it is almost worthless.

Now the acid test. Mobile... internet. Since there's nothing more mobile than a train... I thought it would be a good test!

When 3G service is available (the light turns blue on the Novatel USB key), throughput is almost as good as broadband. There is a noticeable tiny delay, but web pages load up fairly quickly. Essentially, it's just as good as the broadband internet that you're used at home.

First gotcha: 3G data service is available in big cities. As the train leaves Montréal, 3G also leaves. 3G service is incredibly spotty on the Montréal-Toronto corridor. A glimpse in Cornwall, Kingston, Brockville, and of course, it gets rock solid when I arrived in Toronto.

Then there's "EDGE", which is the next best thing when 3G service isn't available. Think of a 56k modem... on a good day. :) It's a sharp drop in speed, but it is still tolerable. I didn't tune up my web browser, but I figure that using a large cache would help tremendously. So most of my trip were on EDGE service. Personally I didn't mind.

"GPRS". G as in Gasp!!! If I remember well the specs, it's the equivalent of a 9600 baud modem... when operating in ideal conditions, which almost never happen. Access to the internet is almost unusable. You must surf with graphics off, for instance.

To my surprise, I saw a couple of times my USB key flashing me that its data link with the network has downgraded to GPRS when we were deep in rural Ontario, with no city, town nor villages in sight. Ouch. That tells you how Rogers/Fido are serious about mobile internet.

A few dead spots too, but not all that noticeable. I was too busy typing text on forums and the like, so by the time I was ready to hit enter, I got again a useable signal. :)

So my experience of "mobile internet", in its true sense, going from point A to point B... if the bus or train offers onboard Wi-Fi access, it's likely to be superior over cellular service. You might want to pay for the extra bucks and save on frustrations.

I figure that if I were in the US, the Novatel USB key would shine. Here in Canada, and the poor state of Rogers' network, all in all, my impression is that the key did its best given the circumstance.

Now, at the hotel in Toronto, I stayed for 3 days. It would have cost me $30 for 3 days if I used their Wi-Fi service from my room. So I stay on cellular. 3G service was available of course, and it was rock solid and speedy the entire 3 days. I love it!

So, as a substitute for Wi-Fi / wired internet access when you're sitting still, say at your hotel room, airports, etc... and in you're in a big city with 3G service is available, that USB key really shines. I love it!!!

Another negative point agout Rogers/Fido: contrary to broadband providers at home (cable, satellite, telcos), they have no web page nor any program to run that would measure your internet usage.

For light usage (my case), there's no problem, but if you're using it regularly, even without downloading files, that 1Gig limit could be reached easily.

My Canadian 2-cent...

Ah technology... when you're a caregiver...

2009-02-16T09:07:00.006-05:00

As some of you already know, I spend between 5 to 7 hours everyday at my parents' house. It's a labour of love yes... but it's a full-time job on top of my full-time paying job.

And there are just 24 hours in a day, and I have to get a few hours of sleep among a few things. You know, a few basic things.

I've been thinking this weekend, how technology, especially internet have made my life easier. To a point that it made possible to maintain my parents at their home, while things are working their slow way to relocate them to a nursing home.

Banking... no need to waste time at the bank. Over the internet, I pay all the bills, do fund transfers, etc. A few days ago, I've done my yearly contribution to my RRSP (Registered Retirement Saving Plan. Sort of our 401k here in Canada) in just a bunch of clicks. Total time: 5 minutes.

I am thinking that not too long ago, I would have wasted at least an hour or two to get physically at the bank and wait for my turn.

A few hours saved do not appear that much, but when you think of the basic things you have to do, when you have so little time for yourself, saving an hour here and there does make the difference... so I can be a caregiver... and have time for me.

Grocery? IGA accepts online orders. You can choose the store you want to order from and they will deliver to your door at the day and time you tell them to do. Imagine the time you normally spend at the grocery store. At least an hour if not more, right? For me, in about 10 minutes, it's all done.

One thing neato is that you can store up to 10 shopping lists on their web site. So I have a shopping list for recurrent things, week after week, so in just one click, I can put all of those items in my "basket". From there, I do my online shopping for the few items not on the list.

Of course, there's a list for my parents, and what the heck, I have also my own list for my own stuff. Me too, I want to save time on my own grocery!

Drawbacks? There are some. For instance, at the store... if the bananas are green, maybe you wouldn't buy them, but instead you would satisfy your craving with those seemingly juicy green raisins from California just next by. When I'm online, I've no way to tell. There have been a few surprises.

Also the online version of the IGA store is just a "subset" of a brick and mortar IGA store. Not all the brandnames can be ordered online. So you have to take what's available online.

All in all, considering the situation I am in, I can accept that.

All these sites charge a few dollars, from $2 to $10 which can vary according to the amount of goods you buy, or whether their cost or their size.

However IGA charges a flat fee of $7, and you have to order at least $35 of goods. With 3 persons to feed, that's not a problem. :)

Those fees are costly? Yes and no. If you have to take a car... how much it would cost you? From my perspective, I don't own a car, and time is a factor. How much time it takes, using the transit system, to get there, and to return home? Imagine if this is a salary, and even at minimum wage... how much it would cost?

Worse, if you buy lots of stuff (say at the grocery store) or you must buy bulky items, the taxi ride back home will cost you a lot of money.

Clothing, consumer goods: One site that is a life saver: Sears ! It takes a while to shop online about clothes (try to find stuff that _really_ fits) but I have been lucky so far for my parents. It would have been out of question to have my dad and my mom at the shopping center. Their online shopping brings the store to them... and for me, I also save a lot of time. Based on my experience, delivery time is usually 3-5 days. Decent.

Latest thing I bought: Absolutely decadent plush bathrobe. One for mom, one for my dad and what the heck, I'm allowed to pamper myself, no? One for me. Oh, sweet o sweet! :)

Hardware stuff: Two web sites I like: Canadian Tire and Rona. For various things. At my parents' place recently , I had to change their shower curtain, and they needed a new laundry basket, the old one gave up.

Drawbacks? Canadian Tire's web site is a tad clunky. The photos are tiny and the descriptions minimal. A few times, their online order section was down. Oops.

Rona's site was flawless and their delivery time is blazing fast, usually the next day or two. I recently ordered a set of mops and buckets to clean their floor (a chore I have to do everyday because of my dad's health conditions). The problem with Rona is that the choice is extremely limited.

There have been a few other sites, but those are the web sites I usually go for my online shopping.

I've been thinking that just a few years ago, these sites wouldn't exist... and I'm wondering how I would cope. It would have been unbearable.

As a computer programmer, I have to say that I am pleased to see the things made possible by my profession. :)

Cheers,

-E

Sprucing things up

2009-02-01T09:14:00.003-05:00

Poor little blog. I haven't written for the past several months!

Though, if you know my main blog at Fast Cupid, you know that I had my hands full for the past 6 months.

Things have been piling up, and the format of these blogs at FC doesn't exactly help. (Can't post direct link, can't post multiple photos, etc). Also it's a dating site. Do you really want to talk about mental illness (of my parents)? Or human rights (like the latest war Israel did in Gaza)? Or lighter stuff, like the latest electronic gizmos I've seen? Mhhh...

I've been "tagged" by Clevergirl. I figure that before tagging other people, this blog has to be up to speed again, and squeaky clean. :)

Cheers!

-E

What's wrong with this picture ?

2008-07-31T10:07:00.003-04:00

Indeed, one might wonder... after all, it's just a backroad among many on Cape Cod...

There are lots of "For Sale" signs.

In the America of George Bush, running a costly war on the credit card, their currency gets devalued.

Since oil is *imported*, it's no suprising to see gas at $4 a gallon (even $4.25 !) . Since the economy runs on oil... and also on many other imported goods...

And to make things worse for a place like Cape Cod that thrives on tourism, the Bush administration did everything to close borders... so the tourists aren't there anymore.

If you are European, who wants to go to the leeeeeenghty visa process and to top it all, to get fingerprinted like a criminal?

If you're Canadian, do you love spending hours at the border, not to mention spending a lot of time in very unpleasant interrogations with a US custom officer? There you go.

And this is on top of the housing market own woes, and those loans that banks knew too well that people could barely afford to pay.

I was cycling on these backroads, and couldn't help but thinking of the drama going on...

-E

Deafness and privacy...

2008-07-20T19:40:00.006-04:00

Why the silence on my blog? Oh, I spent a week and a half of vacations on "the Cape" and around, err... I mean Cape Cod, and then I venture to Boston and to the Lowell Folk Festival before going back home.

While on the Cape, I went to the beaches, and I cycled along the backroads of Eastham (and on their great Rail Trail). I had a great time.

While cycling on one of these backroads (notice the traffic "congestion". It sure beats Route 6!), I encounter that sign: "Deaf Child Area".

I had to pause. There's always a good intent in everything, but the way good intents percolate into reality, things go awry and miss the target.

Maybe I'm fussy because of my own work, I see privacy issues everywhere, but if I were parents, I wouldn't like to advertise the fact that I've deaf children. It's not a matter that my neighbours would know (I'm sure they would know!!!), but about people passing on that road, period. That's none of their business... and that might even giving ideas to bad people who might take advantage of my kids *because* they are deaf.

Yet, I can see the good intent behind that sign, for drivers to pay attention that there are kids who won't hear you coming.

The problem isn't with deafness, the problem is the road. The problem is the crazy drivers on that road! The problem is that there's no one enforcing the slow speed limit on these roads!

As you can see, this is a fairly deserted road and it parallels busy Route 6, the main thoroughfare on the Cape. So, the temptation to bypass the heavy traffic and to floor the gas pedal on these winding roads is there. So whatever is on the side of the road, kids, adults, deaf or not, walking or cycling... they all are in danger.

As a cyclist, my ears are my rear view mirrors. Problem is, when there's a car facing me, its engine noise covers everything else. I might not hear a car behind me. Or that car behind me makes so much noise, that it hides the fact that there are *several* vehicles behind that car.

A few times there have been very close calls, everytime because of vehicle speeding in excess of 60mph on these winding roads, and at that speed, they were just too busy attempting to stay on that road without hitting anything to even notice your presence.

I consider these backroads, while to be enjoyed (and *I* enjoyed cycling on them!), as far more dangerous than a busy street in downtown Montréal as a result. And I am a hearing person!

A sign that reads "Deaf Child Area" won't do much to vehicle speeding on that road. The driver doesn't care, and even to hearing people, things happen so fast there's no time to do anything.

And in the week and a half I've been cycling on these little roads, I haven't seen a single police cruiser. They were all busy ticketing motorists on Route 6. Maybe that's where the problem is...

Cheers,

-E

Where is George? The strange travel of a dollar bill...

2008-07-12T00:53:00.006-04:00

<--- To avoid problems with the law, I hide part of the serial number.

As some of you already know, next week I'll be back in the US! Just a tiny week of vacations that I could slice in. Given the situation at home, it's the best I can do for now. So I take all the respite I can.

So I figure it's time that I should check how much US money in my waller and when I'll have some spare time, I'll go to the bank and get some more before I leave Canada.

Checking closer those US bills, I stumbled on a strange looking $1 bill. (See both photos)

Stamped a few places on the bill, it said: "Track this bill", and then the url of a web site.

Oh dear, I thought I got a bogus $1 bill. At least I didn't lose much. :)

Apparently, this is legit. I learn this is a project that started 10 years ago, and thousands of $1 US bills have been tracked. Enter the serial number, and you'll see where your US $1 bill went.

Apparently, mine went from Ohio to Washington State. Not sure where I got that. Maybe during the time I was in California last May? Or it went back to the east coast and I got it at Blogadelphia (the bloggers' gathering in Philadelphia) ? Or in Boston?, both in June?

(Gee whiz, it looks like an STD, however with an happier outcome: Where and from whom I got that!!! ).

Fascinating to track the whereabout of a dollar bill. Already a round trip from the east to the west coast, it now has crossed the US border, now in Canada, and soon it will return in Massachusetts during my vacations.

The site is wheresgeorge.com .

I'm hesitant to let that $1 bill go, it feels like I met a friend who has traveled a lot and still has a lot to say.

On the other hand, the very purpose of these marked bills is that they continue to travel all over the continent....

So when I'll be on the Cape next week, I'll let that little guy goes, and I'll check its whereabout on the web site. :)

Out of curiosity, have you ever received such a marked bill? If so, did you know where it traveled?

Cheers!

-E

Cellphone monopoly...

2008-07-10T09:30:00.004-04:00

Sometimes, I wish our CRTC has teeth, like its US counterparts, the FCC. The airwaves belong to the public domain, and like radio and TV broadcasters, cell phone operators are given a privilege to use some of that precious resource for commercial purposes.

In return, they should make good use of it, and this is on that principle that both CRTC and FCC do rule.

Two frustrating news went on yesterday. It reminds you that these cellphone operators operate as a monopoly in Canada and therefore they are laughing at you big time, since the CRTC doesn't want to intervene...

1) Bell *AND* Telus, 2 of the 3 cellphone operators both announced *at the same time* that not only outgoing text messages are billed, you will also be billed for *incoming* text messages.

Since text messages are likely to come from either their own network or from the other network, you really want me to believe that Bell and Telus didn't talk to each other, and it was just sheer coincidence that they both come to the conclusion they must bill incoming text messages as well and also a coincidence they made the announcement... on the same day, yesterday?

Hello?

What about Rogers (who also own Fido)? No plans to do double dipping like Bell and Rogers. On the other hand, since it costs twice as much to send a text message.... Bingo! It's a monopoly (or more technically an oligarchy, or a triopoly, since we have just 3 cellphone operators in Canada).

2) Rogers announced that they have "listened" to the uproar of protests from their customers about the iPhone and how insane it is priced here in Canada. Ah.

They'll now offer a data plan for $30/month. Rogers is making a lot of publicity that they are slashing the costs of the iPhone by half, initially priced at $60/month.

Where's the gotcha? Actually there are several of them. First, it's a time limited offer (until the end of August).

Second, it's a *data plan* (therefore no voice) at $30/month. Since monthly basic cellphone (voice) service is about $30. ... we're back to $60/month, so there's no savings at all. Gotcha!

A footnote: A data-only plan isn't that bad, and it would make sense to deaf people. This is what T-Mobile in the US offers for their Sidekick. However, the Sidekick has applications for the deaf people, such at internet relay, a service which we don't have in Canada, nor VRS, thanks again to our government procrastinating. Since we have a Bush-like Conservative government, don't expect anything good coming from them anytime soon.

So a $30/month data plan for the iPhone won't bring much benefits to the Canadian deaf communities... except of a better rate, and even there, the plan will be available only for two months. Not much to cheer about.

About myself? For the time being, it's no, I won't bite at the bait. Later? Maybe.

Since I'm often in the States, I'm still thinking of buying a US phone and I'll cough out the roaming fees when I'm in Canada. :) It would still be cheaper.

Besides, I'm still debating about the Sidekick vs iPhone. The one key feature missing on the iPhone is a *real* keyboard, like on the Sidekick. Other than that, the iPhone would be the perfect phone for me!

That being said, I have ZERO sympathy for Rogers, Bell and Telus. The only 3 cellphone operators in Canada, they are merrily price gouging the market, knowing that they can do so with total impunity from the government.

Like its wired counterpart, those wireless cellphones have become so useful that you can't think of getting rid of them. That's the bet the 3 Canadian cellphones have made. Grrr.... :)

Cheers nonetheless!

-E

Donor card... worthless ?

2008-07-08T07:39:00.009-04:00

Indeed. This is what a colleague of mine, besides the grief of losing a sibling, discovered.

Personally, it's the *third* time I'm seeing this, so it comes as not a surprise, but everytime, it angers me the most, for many reasons.

You have certainly heard in your area some campaigns to donate your organs. In most provinces and US states, it is usually on the back of the driver's license, or healthcare card, or even specifically carrying a donor card,.

You can sign those cards, stating that you have indeed given your consent to donate your organs.

Usually, when there's a campaign going on, they'll make you feel guilty for not signing such cards, reminding you of so many lives that could be saved if everyone did.

So, you probably do like what I've done, and like thousands of people, including the colleague's *brother*, we all have signed those cards.

If it's the end of the road for us, what is more noble than agreeing that parts of us would help to prolong someone else's life? Conversely, if on one day we are at the receiving end, wouldn't we be thankful to that brave soul who did sign his donor card?

Usually, campaigns for signing such cards go along these terms. Except they forget to tell you one *key* ingredient... or if they address it, they voluntarily tone down its importance... and yet, this is the whole point which explains why such donor cards / transplant cards... are essentially *worthless*.

Have you realized that your signature on the back of these cards is in *no* way an authorization to do anything with your body? Yup. That's what my colleague found out the hard way.

Authorities have to contact members of your family. At this time of the year, everyone is on vacations.

Bingo.

Impossible to contact the family in a timely fashion... So the signature on the back of his donor card WAS NOT HONORED... since no one could be reached in a timely fashion.

And that was the end of the story, and in a tragic irony, a brother who was a very active proponent of those donor cards.

But it's the law as dumb as it is, even if you sign your card, someone ELSE has to give an ok.

And when you dig this further, you realize that the shortage of organ transplant is *NOT* because there are lacks of donors, in fact, they are indeed plentiful, but it is in contacting the family in a timely fashion that is the problem.

So the next time there will be a campaign, or when a volunteer, in his or her good will is seeing you in person to persuade you to sign that card, card that you have probably signed by the way, would you tell that person to redirect his or her good will to where it... matters?

To change the law, so when you sign a donor / transplant card, that there should not be time wasted, nor even a glimpse of an hesitation in questioning your signature?

Think about it.

On all the documents you have signed during your entire adult life, say from a credit card purchase to your yearly income taxes, even something as important and life binding as a marriage contract, no one ever came *later*, asking someone *else* whether it was really you who signed those documents, and whether you really intended to sign those documents?

So... why is it, when at the most crucial point in life, when it is literally giving life to someone else, even more so when time is a critical factor ... why anyone would purposely question your signature?

Nonsense.

You really want to hear from me on how to really make organ transplant working ? Do you really want to help to save lives?

Do help change the law.

Cheers,

-E

Post travel notes: When they didn't know they were geeks: Le musée mécanique in San Francisco

2008-07-06T18:22:00.010-04:00

The Musée Mécanique is located at the end of the Embacardero, a few minutes of walk from Pier 39 as well as from many hotels, including mine.

(Notice the traffic: Pedestrians, cyclists and ahem... seagulls. Definitively, we're in San Francisco, here. :) ).

On arrival in SF, I was intrigued. What a French sign, with the proper accents at the right places, in the USA ? Wow... By the way, In French it means literally "The mechanical museum". How curious...

One of the fun of traveling is to let your curiosity guides you. So, I got guided. :) Besides, how curious to enter a museum... through the mouth of a woman. Definitively sexist, if you ask me., Heehehe! ;)

(A little footnote on the timestamps of some of the photos: For some reasons, my digicam reverted to year 2007. Those photos were really taken in May of *2008*).

Entering the museum, you'll be greeted by these machines. From another time, where mechanical parts ruled.

Grandma who will draw tarot cards for you, and the machine on your right will tell you about your personality. See? I'm a sexy guy. I knew that, of course. ;)

Has it occurred to you... that we do the very same things today? There are web sites that will draw tarot cards and supposedly predict your future. Also all of those online questionnaires, telling you a bit about your personality...

I've been thinking that those people who crafted these machines, if they live today, they would be called geeks. Don't you think?

The sign on the right cracks me up. It reads: "To be happy, see what every married woman must not avoid!". How funny. :)

The machine on the left gives a clue. In the second half of 1800s through the early 1900s, the gold rush was going on. Cities like San Francisco were largely inhabited by men... who left their families on the east coast to become rich quickly and then to return home.

Men being men, and away from their official spouse, do I need to elaborate? It was the early era of moving pictures, so with the privacy of these "viewfinders", one could see some dirty pictures.

Dirty pictures which by today's standards are pretty tame. By the way, all these machines are functional. Toss a nickel, a dime or a quarter, and bingo!

There was a set of beautifully restored mechanical piano players. All functional. Drop a coin, close your eyes, and it feels that you're in a saloon!

(A bit on digression, a few days later I was on my way to Yosemite National Park. In the Sierra Nevada, we stopped briefly at what is considered to be the very last saloon standing, at least in California. And it feels like in the movies. To a point you have to pinch yourself. Where the De Loreans, I'm traveling in time, here! :) )

It was difficult to take the photo because of the poor lighting. I had to use a flash, but this is an entire village that got "mechanized".

Animals, people, over 150 moving "objects".

It was eerie to see this in action.

This has nothing to do with the museum, but a trip in San Francisco isn't complete without a trek on its famous bridge.

It was just two months ago...

If you ask me, I'd return there right away.

Sigh. :)

Cheers,

-E

Deaf world: Some debates that will never end...

2008-07-06T16:25:00.007-04:00

I was reading DeafPulse (which you get the 10 most recent headlines on this blog), and reading other Deaf web sites...

CI, aka Cochlear Implant. It's a big thing in the deaf world. I guess that it is alike to a Christian seeing Satan in person. :)

I'm fighting all I can on behalf of my dad, and the last thing on top of many illnesses is deafness... it goes without saying, pun not really intended that I have to rely on Sign Language to get understood. Or words on a piece of paper, but even then you have to write in big letters, as his eyesight is also getting worse. Also a miracle that my dad was able to remember a few signs and to make use of them.

On top of other illnesses, it feels like the last straw. At least for me. But it's no use to get angered, frustrated, or anything. It's life as it unfolds, with the best and the worst and you have to take that.

One thing I notice how the world, so wide and infinite, gets narrower for him. While I have also my own 'bouts (I hear well, but decoding human speech is a nightmare for me, so I sometimes appear to others as if I were deaf), but I haven't realized what it means being deaf.

We're in an audible world, from the doorbell, the telephone, radio, even television, when all these audible infos become out of reach, you live in a strange narrowed world, because all those audible you depend on during all your life... are no longer there, and you realize the sheer void.

I had that in mind when I was reading several heated debates about CI. Whether parents who took decision on behalf of their children, or as a grown up, to go for cochlear implants.

For my dad, it's way too late of course, but I have been thinking that in the very audible world that we live in, if I were in that situation at my age, I'd seriously consider the option.

Which doesn't mean I'd stop using Sign Language, far from it, but I have to realize that 99% of the people around me, from friends to neighbours to colleagues haven't learned it. So I have very little use of Sign Language (but I continue to wish that Sign Language should be taught at school, just like other languages, because it *IS* a full fledged language, with its own culture. It's *NOT* a sub-standard language, just for the "disabled", with the double quotes! )

I'm a fervent partisan of "Vivre et laissez vivre". It's a French phrase to just say to let people decide for themselves. I feel in cases like that, there's no right or wrong choices to take. These are just... personal choices.

But in the deaf community, it isn't different than other communities. There are always some outspoken (?) people monopolizing as many means of communication as possible, and claiming high and low that we should all go their way.

When there's a language, there is a culture. There IS a deaf culture. The dilemma is when you are a minority, then you are in survival mode.

Incidentally, this is the debate we keep having in my province (Québec). Anyone who wants to understand the language debate there, the key to do so is to view from the angle that we're a tiny minority in North America, even in our own country. 24% of Canadians speak French. Stated otherwise, that's 76% who does NOT speak French, and the numbers have been steadily declining since Stat Can began to do statistics, a hundred years ago...

So I see in the deaf community the same patterns of self-defense. The debate against CI is also that. It is perceived as removing people from the deaf culture, which is not entirely false, but it isn't entirely true.

It is my understanding that the deaf culture while being a minority and having to beg from the majority for its needs, is far from going extinct.

The geek in me, who sees technology progressing, I have to say: Who could have thought a few years ago that there would be plenty of "vlogs", video blogs, people signing merrily in ASL? there are web sites in ASL, and already movies in ASL? Who would have thought there would be plenty of materials on the internet to feed things like DeafPulse?

Aren't these things... an expression of a *culture*, that is vibrant and dynamic? I would think so, and thanks to the technology, for providing a support for which a language can be transmitted. In this case, *visually* transmitted.

I was looking at the millions of channels on digital cable. I was joking a bit, but I am serious, what about an ASL channel? I'd sign for it right away. What about newscasts, game shows, sitcoms in ASL? There are millions of deaf and hard of hearing people across the US and Canada. Sorry, but closed captioning doesn't cut it.

There are TV channels that are on the air with an audience less than that. Besides, there are already linguistic channels, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, German.

I think it's a matter of time someone who has the money will come up with a nationwide ASL channel? (and put closed captioning for the NON-hearing impaired? ;) )

I'd be the first to sign up, that's for sure.

So it seems that debates like against CI are so futile and such a waste of energy... it's being at standstill while the world keeps moving forward.

What else to say, or sign for? PEACE and ILY? Maybe...

That's a way to sign Vivre et laisser vivre, I'd say...

-E

Blogatus interruptis ?

2008-07-01T09:41:00.010-04:00

<--- Hugfest at Blogadelphia. You should recognize the guy in kilt. I think. Oh that, and the Fluevog shoes worn by the huggee. :)

It's been a month I haven't blogged here (and not much on FC either) except for the "Blogadelphia" reports.

When things move on professionally, when you have also to parent your own parents, sometimes you just appreciate... some time off.

Also, life as a single for this long, and I'm not eager to go back to the dating scene for as long as I barely have time even for myself... it does compel for more time off... and to enjoy the sweet feeling of being alive.

On the other hand, I *do* have things to say, and it's piling up! About my stay in San Francisco in May (such as the Musée Mécanique, or about geeks who didn't know they were geeks when they crafted these incredible machines)... and also geeky stuff while at Blogadelphia, as well in Boston, and a few things in between.

I'm just back home, right in time for Oh Canada (July 1st is Canada Day). I saw blurbs from Rogers and Fido about the iPhone. This is from the same guys who a few years ago have nuked the Sidekick, the iPhone's ancestor (and still a very apt competitor today... everywhere else in the world, *EXCEPT* Canada. Grrrr.... )

So it goes without saying from people who don't understand what these devices are all about, nor the huge market for those devices, the fact they delayed the arrival of the iPhone in Canada by a year, and the rumors flying high that Apple officials were royally pissed off at Rogers and Fido for the GSM monopoly they have in Canada...

Those are hints that as a customer, Rogers and Fido will scr*w you royally. In other words, paying top dollars for a brain damaged iPhone... unless you are willing to pay even more $$$ to get... essentially what eveyone else in the world do get from their iPhone, at a fraction of the cost. Sigh...

I was in the US just days ago... and sigh! Ok, I'll go with big with stereotypes, but it's like women with flagrance (I'm tempted to add Fluevog shoes as well. Tee hee!!! ;) ).

I'm a geek who can't resist electronic toys. I saw the iPhone in store in Boston, also the newest (and coolest!) Sidekick at a T-Mobile store in Hyannis...

One word: Sigh!!! :) Even more sigh that these guys were willing to sign me up right away, even after I told them that I'm Canadian and live most of the time in Canada. How *TEMPTING* is that? :)

Other little silly news I've heard: VIA Rail is not able to keep its trains on time. Mhhh, ok, they call that... news? :)

The worst line? Toronto-Ottawa. The 2nd worst line? Ottawa-Montréal. There must be something with Ottawa, I guess. ;) Seriously, it's all single track upthere, and freight trains always get priority... so no wonder. The day the Canadian government will get serious, things will change.

While in the US both in May on the west coast and June on the east coast, I rode Amtrak a couple of times. Now I feel good about VIA Rail. :)

On the geek front, I was surprised, even in first class, that there's no Wi-Fi access on their train. On the west coast, I rode between LA and Sacramento a few times, then from Sacramento to Vancouver BC.

On the east coast , I was on their popular "corridor" section, between Philadelphia and Boston. (This would be somewhat equivalent in Canada with our corridor service between Montréal and Toronto). So we can badmouth VIA Rail on many things, but we're one step ahead of the Americans by providing Wi-Fi access on all their corridor trains. Besides, with all those delays I've just mentioned, isn't it fun to kill time on the internet? Wise move for VIA Rail. ;)

Happy Canada Day everyone (Also a belated Saint-Jean Baptiste Day... a week ago! :) )

Cheers,

-E

Greetings from Yosemite, California!

2008-05-16T04:30:00.009-04:00

Leaving Québec, welcome California! Leaving damp grey weather, welcoming, enjoying, treasuring... sunny California weather. It is H-O-T! Around 100F even in supposdely cool San Francisco, and 85F here in cool Yosemite Park, at an atltitude of 4000'.

Leaving San Francisco and its clogged freeways, it's California route 120 all the way to Yosemite Park.

Route 120 is a fascinating road.

Past the glow of San Francisco and its urbanity, the scenery flirts with the desert.

Of all times, men have been fascinated by wind, and how to harness it.

A common sighting on route 120, are those modern windmills.

It is a hot debate in Québec, while in California, they're doing it.

Ugly? Who defines beauty? The Eiffel Tower was once deemed by many Parisians as the most ugliest pile of steel.

To me, it is an eerie sight. Neither ugly nor beautiful just... mhhh... well, with the desert and the blazing heat, just eerie. It is *also* audibly eerie. Wind turbines are a tad noisy. The sound they make is difficult to describe.

On the way to Glacier Point, at some 8000' of altitude. Notice the tall trees...

Oh, my digicam is working all right, it is S-N-O-W on the ground. Snow at an ambient air temperature of 80F.

Got a problem? Not me. :)

After driving through the desert, now those tall trees. Going through snow during a California heatwave makes sense, right? Right. ;)

Life isn't a string of contradictions?

The view at 8000', at Glacier Point.

Doesn't it inspire... respect, serenity, peacefulness? Away the craziness and ugliness of the urban city? Before your eyes, the wonders of nature, in her full beauty.

Time to dream... of a better world, isn't it?

One would wish to stay for a little while. However, hiking in altitude, every little step reminds me... that I'm a sea-level creature.

While hiking, this little guy zoomed by just before me.

Hey my friend, be careful!

As if he understands what I'm telling him. Oh silly me. :)

He's now basking under the sun, I think he got it right. It's good for reptiles, it's good for humans too. :)

A trip to Yosemite isn't complete without a photo of its famous waterfall.

Not appearing clearly on the photo was a rainbow at the bottom of the fall.

If you're planning a trip to Yosemite, they'll tell you the best time to see the waterfall is now, in May. In the summer time, the waterfall dries up.

You know what? It's been a few days that I'm in California... I'm not eager to return to Québec. Naw... :)

(I hope that I've made you jealous. :) )

Cheers from Yosemite National Park, California!

-E

Artificial deafness...

2008-05-11T19:29:00.010-04:00

If you are reading my other blog on FC, you know that I'm about to travel. A tour of the west coast, as far south as San Francisco, and then the slow ride all the way to Vancouver. From the coast to the desert. An Eskimo in the desert definitively strikes my imagination. ;)

Suffice to say that I had it rough for the past couple of months, and taking a break from Montréal is definitively welcome.

On this blog, I'd rather like to focus on the geeky aspect of travels...

In case one wonders, San Francisco is 6 hours of flight from Montréal. Just as far away as... London, England. Add 30 minutes and you're in Paris. :)

And I wonder whether it was from excessive travel by plane (I completely max out last year), tinnitius (aka "ringing ears") has become an unwelcome guest, and the more I flew, the more it lingered.

Last summer in Seattle, I spotted this pair of headsets at an electronic store. "Quiet Zone" from Koss. It can act like a regular headset, plugged to your iPod/MP3 gizmo or like here with the adapter, plugged to the plane's PA system. But you wouldn't shell US $100 + a pop for these headsets. Besides, I'd say the sound quality is just average.

In fact, the best way to enjoy these headsets is when they are *NOT* connected to any sound device. Not bad eh?

Enter the wonderful world of active noise cancellation. In other words, artificial deafness. :)

Sound travels in the air as a sinewave. Like any sinewave, if you apply to that sinewave another sinewave that is 180-degree out of phase, both sinewaves cancel each other. The result? Silence.

Short of implanting an on/off switch onto my ears, this is the next best thing, at least in theory. (oh sweet dreams! I could be deaf to politicians and not just figuratively when they do speeches during an election. Neato, n'est-ce pas? :) )

In reality, these headsets cut down the noise considerably, but they fall short of the promised artificial deafness.

Also with the Koss, supposedly for my own safety (?), the headset will allow the human voice to go through. This is partially true. It filters the higher pitch voice of women, while male voices tend to get through in a bit muffled state.

Nonetheless, they cut down noise enough to make a long flight trip enjoyable. Enough to finally enjoy that in-flight movie, news bulletins or whatever is coming out of your iPod-like gizmo without having to boost the volume to the max, if you want to hear anything.

I lend my "deaf ears" to a few colleagues who had to travel by plane, and they all love it. The drawbacks, because there are always some, the thing is bulky (because it has to cover each ear completely) and somewhat heavy to wear. The battery doesn't last long. Just a few flights. All in all, a small price to pay to avoid tinnitius and major headaches.

These headsets also work very well on buses and trains.

On a philosophical side, isn't an irony that there are lots of research done and money spent in hearing aids and cochlear implants to help deaf and hard-of-hearing people to hear... and on the other hand, there's also a lot of big bucks invested to help hearing people... to become deaf.

All in all, my idea of an on/off switch implanted onto my ears isn't all that far out. :)

Cheers,

-E

My feet are dry, and it's a good thing. :)

2008-05-03T12:20:00.003-04:00

Things have been quite hectic (what's new?!?) and I'm awfully behind my mail. I'm wondering how you guys manage to spend hours answering your mails. I can't !!!

Anyway, just to report that... my feet are dry. My house too. :)

As friends know, I live next to the Rivière-des-Prairies, the river that seperates Montréal from Laval.

You've probably heard of the big floods affecting Eastern Canada.

This week has been New Brunswick's turn, but last week, it was our turn... and we got out of this mess fairly lucky.

Sometimes a drought is a good thing. :)

I'm pleased to report there were just *minor* floodings in Montréal, and on my street, we all stayed dry.

Sure, it's a fantasy to have an indoor pool, to live like the rich and famous, but you don't want *that* kind of pool...

Cheers,

-E

PS: If I can find some times to update this blog. OLPC links to add (thanks Clevergirl!), a few links to fellow FC bloggers, etc...

PPS: I can't believe that in about a week, I'll be in Saint-François. What? Ah ok.. That's French for... San Francisco. California, here I come! Hehehe...

Gotta see the Golden Gate one of these days. ;)

The iPhone is coming to Canada...

2008-05-02T11:40:00.004-04:00

youpi. You see my enthusiasm. :)

I was surprised when I've heard the announcement( CBC: Rogers says iPhone coming to Canada this year).

I haven't forgotten that Fido once carried the Sidekick (called Hiptop), which is the ancestor of the iPhone, and the very first thing that Rogers did when they bought Fido... they squashed the Sidekick and at the same time, they torpedo their low-cost unlimited internet access.

Rogers is carrying the competing Blackberry, and many many users have been complaining for years how Rogers was charging insane amount of money for the use of the Blackberry on their network.

Of course, if you use your Blackberry as a phone... it costs no more than a regular phone. But who is crazy enough to buy a Blackberry and to use it strictly as a phone?

During my travels in the US and in France, I was given the opportunity to play with the iPhone. The geek in me was shouting: I want one! I want one! Hehehe...

As a traveler, I carry... a cellphone, an MP3 player, a laptop. That's a lot. I'm also carrying their chargers and cables. That takes a lot of space in my luggage and they add some weights . So to have all these devices into one... oh, what a dream!

And traveling half a spin of the world, and many flights later... I don't want to have so many gizmos tied on my belt... and I also realize how an iPod-like gizmo is paramount. Music, music, music! :)

About the iPhone, In January I had a chance to play extensively with the French version. I love the way to navigate, using finger gestures. It's intuitive and easy.

I also love its web browser! I think it would be doable to surf the 'Net without my laptop. The big big drawback is what makes the Sidekick so desirable: The keyboard. On an iPhone, the keyboard is "painted" on the screen. On a Sidekick, you flip the screen and bingo, you have a *real* keyboard. That makes the difference. The drawback of the Sidekick is its clunky interface and a somewhat small screen (when compared to the iPhone).

So, I should be thrilled about an "all-in-one" device, and a device that is small, powerful and lightweight. So, why I am less than enthusiastic about the iPhone coming to Canada?

I suspect some foul plays from Rogers. Especially since they bought Fido a few years ago, they act like a monopoly.

First, the dataplan. Will they give *unlimited* internet access at a *reasonable* cost, like iPhone users around the world currently enjoy? After what they did to Sidekick users in Canada and the price they charge for their Blackberry? I want to see that.

(Beside I'm curious. I want to see what they'll do with their Blackberry line, in this context).

Secondly, there should be the next generation of iPhone coming in a few months. These phones will be 3G, meaning a lot faster internet connection than the current EDGE technology.

So what kind of iPhone we will have in Canada? The older slower iPhone that no one will want, or the new one? It's funny, knowing Rogers mhhh.... I've a good hunch at the outcome.

Beside the data plan, it remains to be seen how they'll price the iPhone. Our dollar is on a par with the US dollar. It will be tough to justify a huge price difference, but knowing Rogers, nothing would surprise me. :)

A colleague of mine was mentioning recently that Ottawa is about to allocate new frequencies for cellphone services, and apparently the Canadian government isn't too allergic to the idea to allow other operators to invade the Canadian market. Wow. I wish it's going to be true. Time will tell.

So would it mean the end of the current near-monopoly... and for that reason, Rogers finally has locked that exclusive deal with Apple... before someone else? Mhhh... I'm skeptical, but I like the theory.

Seeing is believing, so I prefer to wait... and see and then I'll believe... and get excited. :)

Cheers,

-E

What a difference a month makes...

2008-04-20T16:00:00.005-04:00

Well, like past summers, I'm blogging from my patio. Aren't laptops and Wi-Fi great? :)

First real weekend of decent weather. 23C (mid 70s F) with a mix of sun and clouds.

After the absolutely whacky winter we had...

I have absolutely no shame whatsoever. Global warming? Nawww...

Besides, where it was for the past 6 months, when it mattered the most? Heh. :)

I'm planning... some trips, now that my vacations have been approved. It's funny, I am taking some vacations around some gatherings.

Mid May: The California forumfest in San Francisco. I'll be arriving a few days early, so I'll have time to visit the city. The highlight is a 2-day trip to Yosemite Park. You know what? I think that I'm going to like this.

Late June: Blogadelphia. If you are from FC, you already know what it is. We'll be a bunch of bloggers gathering in Philadelphia. Actually, I planned to do, almost like a pilgrimage, a visit to Cape Cod first, then Boston and from there... Philadelphia.

I know little about Philadelphia (after all, I'm a Canadian, I don't have the chance to live in the US 12 months a year :) ), so it's my chance to see the city.

Philadelphi, like Boston are historic towns in many ways. For one, part of the history of the United States got written over there. Instead of reading it in history books, you'll see it as you walk in the city.

On a more down to earth consideration, I love trains, and it occured to me that I never had a chance to ride Amtrak's high speed Acela trains (and what a shame, since these trains are Canadians!). Since Amtraks offer direct train routes to Philadelphia from Boston, and everytime I go on the Cape, I have to spend a day in Boston... I'd say that things are lining up pretty well. :D

(Not lining up well are reservations, as it begins to be their high season, but I'll figure out something).

Finaly,
Late July: Lowell's blogfest/music festival. There are some bloggers which I've been chatting and corresponding for two years, I figure we ought to meet in person. Lowell being half-way of many cities, from Montréal to Portland Maine to Boston to NYC... On that one, after the blogfest, I'm tempted to visit the Berkshires instead of returning to the Cape. I'll see how things will go

Anyway, all these vacations planning... on such a summery day today...

This was the scene just a month ago, from the infamous "bedroom webcam".

What a difference a month makes!!!

Cheers,

-E

Must be something in the air in Afghanistan...

2008-04-20T10:31:00.009-04:00

View Larger Map
Mhhh...

I was a little bit busy this week, so I didn't have much time blogging, but I was taking notes!

I was amazed by the diplomatic blunder of Minister Bernier, openly complaining that corruption is so widespread especially in a province in Afghanistan, that its government should replace the governor of that province.

As a diplomatic faux pas... this one is hard to beat. The next day Bernier, in a laconic press release, just said that we got all wrong and he didn't say what he said. The usual flip-flop of clueless politicians caught pants down. Okay.

About at the same time frame, a Canadian army general, who was so outspoken for the war in Afghanistan... all of a sudden has called it quit. He resigns from the army... and we're told we shouldn't read between the lines and see things that do not exist. Okay.

Must be something funny in the air in Afghanistan, don't you think?

Radio-Canada and TV5 for the past several months have greeted us with thorough reports from Afghanistan, sending their journalists in the population... and of course way way *outside* of army camps.

There are some glaring consensus: Massive disillusion. The hopes we gave them have been blown away. Also the fact that NATO troops are going for a massive defeat if things continue the way they are.

In a way, Afghanistan is our Iraq, in a sense that what seems to be a just and noble cause... and a war that would be an easy win and by some magical wishful thinking everything would be back in order... well the reality has settled in. Even NGO people are now perceived not as liberator, nor helpers, but as occupants, even squarely as enemies and are being targeted.

There are more and more people thinking that during the time of the Taliban regime, things weren't _that_ bad. People had food, a house, a living. Infrastructures were there and the country was running ok. Not so today.

We should have known better. In the current news, there's a lot about the upcoming Olympics in China ... and of course, Tibet. Have we forgotten that we, people of the western world, and that include us, Canadians, we have boycotted the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980... because the Soviets have invaded... Afghanistan? Have we also forgotten how the big mess the Soviets went...

Now, it's our turn... and we're all that... surprised?

In his better days, my dad loved to comment about Afghanistan. His pastime was history and mostly about WW2, for a good reason, since he was in France when WW2 began in 1939. He went into the French Army, then demobilized in 1940 and from then, suffered like millions of French people the occupation of the German Nazi. Once the war ended, he became curious and wanted to know more, and how a passion for history was born.

At first glance, it is a bit of a stretch to draw parallels between the liberation of France and Afghanistan, but somehow, looking at how things are going today, my dad was right on the money, then.

It has fallen a bit into oblivion, but France's future, as a country was extremely uncertain for many years after 1945 (A reason why my dad went to Canada in 1952).

There were several mistakes made.

Liberating France was of course the main goal. However, little thoughts and even less $ were given... to rebuild France, figuratively and literally.

When the enemy was there, it was running the country, it kept things going, and carrying the essential things the population needed. When you storm the place with the power of a war, you oust the enemy, then it becomes *YOUR* burden to keep that country running.

And you should put at least as much effort to oust the enemy in rebuilding the country, in infrastructures, in having a stable government, in everything.

And of course, the colossal cost of WW2... it was utopic to think of that.... and that was France's problem. There was also France's national pride, which didn't help too.

So at first there were the immense joys and dreams of Liberation, with a capital L.

Then as time goes by, people understood that there will still be lots of sacrifices to do, before there will be better time.

Then, as years passed by, came disillusion. When infrastructures are still in shamble, life stops. Difficult to have a job, therefore to afford a roof, get heat during winter for that home. There were many restrictions. Food supply was iffy and unaffordable.

The seed for anarchy settles in, and civil war becomes a real possibility. The foe back then was the Communists. Things happen for the better eventually, but it is simply by sheer luck, and not because of anything concerted or coordinated.

However, in the meantime, France has lost millions of its youngest brilliant people... in exile. My dad is one of them.

(I'm speaking from France's perspective because of my family ties, but the same could be said of many war stricken European countries like Italy for instance).

When I see the war in Afghanistan, it seems obvious (like Iraq), there were no exit strategy. Storm the place, and all things were supposed to happen, "automagically". It didn't happen that way.

There is also that nonsense that you can NOT rebuild and fight a war at the same time.

And as the war drags on... disillusion settles in...

And when disillusion settles in, when the infrastructures are in ruins making impossible to do anything, whether having a job, affording a roof and being able to eat everyday, when "we" as western people we fail on our promises...

Bingo.

We repeat the errors of the past...

Cheers,

-E
Links:
Cyberpresse: La bourde de Bernier soulève un tollé
The Kingston-Whig Standard: Talking to the Taliban
CBC: Hillier refuses to talk legacy despite ongoing efforts to help soldiers' families

Hospital, technology and being given a chance...

2008-04-16T06:41:00.002-04:00

Since it's been a while that my dad is at the hospital, I couldn't help... The geek in me is eyeing those cool gadgets they have.

Sacré Coeur hospital, besides being my neighbourhood hospital (which at one time or another saw all of us, dad, mom and I for various ailments), it's also one of the best trauma hospital in the province. My dad couldn't be at a better hospital than this one.

It is also for this hospital that last September, I ran for a good cause. Little did I know... that it would pay some dividends.

Just a few weeks ago, the hospital opened its new ER (Courrier Bordeaux-Cartierville: Nouvelle urgence à Sacré-Coeur).

Since my dad spent several days there and they were in transition from the old emergency to the new one, I also saw the contrast!!!

Ultra modern multi-functional equipments of course. Also real rooms for patients. (At the old emergency, it was just a large hallway that got converted as an emergency. A pudic curtain delimits your "room" in the hallway. :)

So... I was looking at that monitor and the different wires. Howdy, an RJ45 jack. Wait a minute, this is a CAT5 cable? Is this... Ethernet?

A nurse came by... and caught me examining those wires closely. I explained that I'm a computer programmer and my unofficial job is to play with multi-million dollars technology. She chuckles. :)

Yup, Ethernet. All the fancy schmancy stuff are on a local LAN. She said that from her office, she can see on her computer the data coming from all these monitors. She can even reprogram them remotely if she wants to.

In the old emergency (as well in the rest of the hospital), where it would cost a bundle to run CAT5 cables... if you look closely at the ceiling, at regular intervals (say 100ft) you'll see... Wi-Fi antennas.

They have multi-purpose carts with laptops on it which obviously use that Wi-Fi feed. Some of their electronic gizmos also seem to run on Wi-Fi.

Quite a contrast when I was there the last time (in August 2000 for my mom). Also quite a clash, high tech in a century-old hospital... that is otherwise showing its age glaringly. Mhhhh...

(In case one is wondering, while there are still some big big question marks whether there will be any permanent aftermats of his fall, my dad is recuperating well... and he should leave the hospital by the end of the week).

----

Now the giggle part...

My mom and I were at the Montréal bureaus of the Régie de l'Assurance-Maladie du Québec, aka the RAMQ. The mighty powerful people who will decide whether my dad will be insured again by the government... or not.

My mom noticed the music was playing in the background. A '60 oldie. "Donne-moi ma chance" (literally "Give me a chance") by Richard Anthony. We both chuckle. Indeed, gives us a chance, oh mighy bureaucrats!!!

I found this clip on YouTube so you could hear the song. What is striking, like many of the oldies of that era... They would play it over the radio again and again, and I'll never grow tired. I'll dance on it non-stop! Probably it's the same for you. :)

It's sad that today's songs... are so... forgetful, shall I say? Too mainstream? Mhhhh...

Let's dance! Donne-moi ma chance!

(*) I'm not _that_ familiar with the American culture. I've no idea whether that song existed in English first. However, if you listen to the piano, it's clearly Chubby Checkered and Fat Domino-esque, shall I say. :)

We would twist and twist and do the twist non-stop, I think. :)

Go Habs Go !

2008-04-12T08:27:00.004-04:00

It's been a long long time I haven't seen that in Montréal.

Montréal *IS* a hockey town. Now that the playoffs have begun... and for us, it has begun between two rival hockey teams. Our mighty Canadiens against... the Big Bad Bruins (Boston).

I had to do some shopping downtown...

Wow, you should have seen Ste.Catherine street! Absolutely crazy. Many cars waving a Canadiens flag and honking their horn full blast. There were also many festive pedestrians (probably with the help of ahem... alcohol) wearing the red "CH" jacket, some had a blue-white-red "CH" painted on their cheeks, even on their hair and probably elsewhere but I won't dare to check. :)

It reminds me when I first met Clevergirl in Ottawa last May. Ottawa is also a hockey town and they all got crazy when their Senators went into the semi-finale rounds.

Yeah I know, it also shows that Ottawa is the capital of the country. Only in Ottawa that its citizen would get excited about their "senators". Harumpf! ;-)

I remember that it was a warm evening and we were at a restaurant which had set tables outside. It was calm and cozy. So what could happen?

All of a sudden... Boom! Cars honking, people roaring LOUDLY... it got to a point we couldn't hear each other. It was amusing to see that.

It was like that in downtown Montréal, the other evening.

The craziness has even hit the workplace. A colleague of mine was all excited. He got tickets for the first game, Canadiens-Bruins. Price? $800.

I'm speechless.

Ooooooookay, I'm a Canadiens fan too... but up to a certain ahem... financial limit, you know? :)

So... if the Canadiens go all the way to the finals... We'll hear (in many ways!!!) about the Canadiens from now to mid-June. Whoppy. "Go Habs Go" indeed!

Oh my poor ears!!! :)

I'm thinking that life is sometimes way way way too serious...

... and sometimes, it is *very* healthy to get silly. Even collectively silly. 3 millions of Montrealers, in fact. Yikes!!!

Cheers,

-E

Dalai-Lama in Seattle...

2008-04-12T01:08:00.005-04:00

Even though I'm not a Buddhist and I tend to stay away from religion, there are some people which... I would feel being blessed, if I were able to meet.

Such as the Dalai-Lama. He's currently in Seattle, a place I visited a few times and where I met great friends.

(one such friend who had her marriage blessed by the Dalai-Lama no less, years ago. Such a small world. :) ).

Not a word about China nor about Tibet, nor I would expect that he would. Contrary to China leaders, the Dalai-Lama got class. :)

His conferences in the US? About compassion...

Given the hell I am going through, this topic certainly strikes a chord.

Also how the minds of kids are shaped by the experiences and early relationships.

Sigh... I wish I were in Seattle.

Cheers,

-E

PS: You can read more from the CBC web site.

Monsieur, je voudrais le laissez-passer A-38!

2008-04-11T23:39:00.009-04:00

If you have seen Les 12 travaux d'Astérix or in English, The 12 tasks of Asterix, you know that Astérix needs a certain permit... à la maison qui rend fou, the "house that sends you mad".

Hello bureaucracy!!!

Yesterday, I took a day off and I went downtown with my mom in order to get my dad registered again with the Quebec's healthcare system.

We understood that his "Carte Soleil" lapses... but we did learn there that he was somehow running on a 6-month "grace period" which ended... shortly after he was admitted at the hospital. Talk about timing. It sucks...

While I still don't understand why I haven't seen any renewal notice in the mail, it at least explained a mystery: Why my dad had at home all the free help from the public healthcare... and why all of a sudden, once he got hospitalized, the hospital would balk.

If you're curious, as of yesterday, the hospital bill was up to $35,000 . Have you ever felt your heart literally skipping a beat... if not SEVERAL beats? :) Or picturing yourself sinking in a quicksand of debts? :)

So we have to re-register my dad to the Québec healthcare system as if it was his very first time. Since he can't do that by himself, my mom has to do it for him. To do that, my mom has to prove who she is and that my dad is her spouse. Easier said than done.

Then we have to find the original lease of the apartment, to prove that they are living in Québec for at least a year. ANd so on and so on...

See, the permit A38 that Astérix needs? He needs to fill up the blue form which requires that he gets the yellow form first which will be given if he gets the pink form, all in order to get that permit? It felt that way today.

A bit like in that Astérix task, there are some supposedly shortcuts if you can't end up at the required booth with the required papers. We had to go through there, since we couldn't find all the required papers. Whoopy. :)

Not to mention that like in Astérix, there are some very clever clues: "You'll find the port by the seaside". Have you ever seen a port... at the top of a mountain, for instance? :) We got some equally great advices too, along the way.

My mom (who is also around 85 like my dad) is thankfully in good health, has a good sense of humor, and she knows her classics too. Err... Astérix. :)

Many times during those long waits in line, we were chatting about Astérix and that specific task he had to accomplish... and giggling.

To say that we "enjoy" the walks in "the house that sends you mad" (yup it exists in Montréal) and the many waiting lines, it is quite a stretch.

However, by the end of the day... we did FINALLY obtain that official paper, stating that my dad is officially re-registered. In just ONE DAY? It felt surreal. Nawww... that can't be it. Not that fast! And yes... it is!

So this has been a mad mad mad day... that ended very very well. I think that I will sleep well, VERY well tonight, no longer picturing myself drowning in debts. :)

(In case one wonders, my dad is recuperating. He's out of ER. He has a room and a real bed, and he should be sent back home sometimes next week. Thanks heaven!!!).

So... here's in French, that scene... Getting a certain permit, at "the house that sends you mad."

(If French is too much, while the image quality isn't there, you can try this link, in English)

Cheers,

-E

It's been a hell week...

2008-04-05T00:48:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I wonder...

I've been spending time between work, time spent with my mom... and time spent at the hospital. Yup, my dad is at the hospital.

His illness has nothing to do. It's a stupid fall... as it could have happened to you and me. A wet floor, the foot slipped and... bingo. Smack on the ceramic tiles in the kitchen. Ouch, you bet.

He's getting better, nothing broken, but he got some severe bruises. At his age (close to 85), there's a bit of luck in his badluck...

Needless to say, I'm running on adrenalin for the past few days.

I'm also caught in a bureaucratic nightmare and most likely by my own fault. It's been a while that I'm checking all their mail coming in.

Apaprently, either the notice was lost in the mail or somehow I haven't paid attention, but his Carte Soleil has lapsed. Since last September, in fact.

This card (literally the "Sunshine Card", because you see on that card a beautiful sunset over a forest) comes from our provincial health care system. As a Québec resident you are entitled to have one... and get free health care.

Since his card has expired... Do I need to elaborate?

I've been told by the hospital as of today, I'm already over $25,000 in health costs... and the counter goes up everyday by $1700, which is the daily cost of a no-frill hospital bed in a standard room. Not to mention all other exams that he'll go through, nor the med, nor many things. Oh, for the good measure, hospital food is included in that $1700 a day. :)

Yup, my heart did skip a beat when I got the news over the phone....

Dealing with the emotional toll is one thing, dealing with the physical toll, as I am exhausted (never TGIF Friday meant so much this week!)... and now my mom and I will have, on my dad's behalf, to get him enlisted to the provincial health care coverage... as if it was the very first time. He's 85, arrived in Canada in 1952 and paid taxes since then. Do the math. It's insane.

Oh the lovely bureaucratic nightmares ahead... and the hospital people were kind: you have 3 months to pay. So sweet.

Since he's obviously unable to make the demand by himself, there are extra hurdles to us. We have to prove who we are. For instance, my mom has to prove that she's legally married, that she's living with my dad, that we have to find the lease for the appartment to prove that they're living in Québec... among other things...

Not to mention that we have to go through a special procedure when we get billed first and then for us having the government pays the bill on our behalf. Special procedure means of course... more time wasted, like anything else with the government.

But like an athlete, as if we didn't have emotional issues, as if we didn't have... a life, we have to do all of that in 3 months. As for myself, I do expect that in the upcoming weeks I'll have to take some times off from work, at my own expense...

The last time I had a fight with bureaucracy, it was for my passport... and it took me more than a year to get all the required papers in the right format and funky colors they want before I get that [ bleep! ] dark blue booklet with a not so pretty picture of humble moi on it.

Not to mention that I took a shortcut by filing for my passport over the internet. It could have been even longer. No joke.

So, this time, we get just 3 months, and the clock has begun to tick.

Have you ever seen a bill with lots of numbers after the $ sign... and have you ever felt your heart going crazy as a result?

Oh, the hospital accept cash or certified checks or so I'm told.

Ok... I'll try to get some sleeps...

Cheers,

-E

R.I.P. Rosita Salvador...

2008-04-05T00:03:00.002-04:00

I was sadden to hear today that Rosita Salvador has passed away. She died of cancer, at age 75. (Radio-Canada: Rosita Salvador n'est plus (in French).

Who is she? A Québec singer, she sang from the late 50s to late 70s. Her real name is Victoire Bergeron. As French-Canadian as it could get. :)

Deep deep in my memory... many things linked with her songs.

For instance, "Mon coeur est en prison" (literally "My heart is in prison" ) was a song that meant a lot to my mom. She sang over and over... and over.

To me, the little infant I were... I couldn't understand words, but it got recorded in my memory. The music and the words seem joyful. It was of course much later and then when I grew up as an adult that I truly understood... and also I understood why that song was special to my mom...

It gets scary when people who are about the age of my parents... are fading away. Brrrr....

From YouTube.... Rosita Salvador and one of her hit songs, "Mon coeur est en prison (1965)".

Giggle of the day: Guess the ASL sign for government...

2008-04-02T01:14:00.006-04:00

<--- Here is the answer from the LifePrint (ASL University) web site. It's a very good web site if you want to learn ASL.

Yup, they're all that crazy at the government!

Anyhow, I stumble on that sign tonight...

... and for some reasons, I just couldn't stop giggling. :)

Cheers,

-E

Sign Language revisited...

2008-03-29T08:23:00.007-04:00

It's already re-run season on Radio-Canada.

Last November, I've blogged about "Le moment de vérité". On that edition of the show, contestants had one week to learn... 250 signs. No less. :)

I'm learning at my own pace, so between November and March, I've probably augmented my sign vocabulary by that much. These guys had to do that in just one week. Oops. :)

Last Saturday, I saw the preview for tonight show. The preview was presented... by René Simard. A popular singer and TV host here in Québec.

I was thrilled to see René Simard signing in LSQ (Québec Sign Language). The ASL signer would notice that there are some surprisingly similarities between the two sign languages.

Then, I was reminded that his two sons are... deaf.

If you want to learn more, I've done some searches on the internet. I've found this article (in French) about René Simard and Marie-Josée Taillefer and their two deaf sons.

On a personal note, I've been trying to teach some basic signs to my dad. He's completely deaf on one ear, and I might say that since his last exam, the other ear is quickly going deaf too.

Is teaching some signs to someone who is in his 80s and Alzheimer... Mission Impossible? To some extents... yes. :)

(But he has picked up some signs, like Toilet! Fine, Bad etc). The doctors approve my attempts. Actually, anything to keep him intellectually active is welcome, so why not sign language?

In a way... it's a labour of love. He's my dad... and it seems to me that what is the most precious thing in life... to someone who means a lot to you, someone who is in fact 50% of you...

Communication.

To stay in touch in him... Fighting with him... against all illnesses that are robbing my dad...

Sigh...

The love of a son for his dad.

-E

Earth Hour...

2008-03-29T08:17:00.002-04:00

Today is the day... or rather, tonight is the night.

"On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.

Earth Hour was created by WWF in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and in one year has grown from an event in one city to a global movement. In 2008, millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organizations in nearly 200 cities around the globe will turn out for Earth Hour. More than 100 cities across North America will participate, including the US flagships–Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco and Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

We invite everyone throughout North America and around the world to turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8 p.m. (your own local time)–whether at home or at work, with friends and family or solo, in a big city or a small town."

You can read more from their web site: Earth Hour.

What I'll do tonight at 8PM? Mhhh... I'll be at home. Already, I don't keep much lights on, so I won't have much to shut off. If it isn't too obscenely cold, I'll bring a chair on the patio and observe the sky... or more likely the neighborhood. :)

Cheers,

-E

GPS for the blind...

2008-03-25T06:55:00.003-04:00

This is a blog entry I have to "somewhat" simulcast. On FC, I put the emphasis on the human aspect. Here, I can get geeky all I want... and post links and mention names. :)

Sunday night, I was watching Radio-Canada's Découverte, their science show.

They ran a story about talking GPS. No big deal as you might say. You can get one installed on your car. Beside their screen, they guide you verbally. "Turn right on 4th avenue. Go 300ft and turn left".

The folks at a small local company, Humanwear thought: Why not bringing that technology to the blind?

This story touches me. One of my naive... ideals when I began programming, is that computer could help... humans. Especially with our handicaps. I guess it's the Good Samaritan in me speaking. :) Anyhow, and this was way back in the 80s, there were researches on visual recognition.

Some hard facts of life (such as $$$ and the urge to have... a life) the academic world wasn't exactly for me, so like many students freshly out of the university... I worked for businesses. I refined my craft there and here I am today. Nonetheless my interest was and still is about computers being programmed to help us cope with the real life... despite our handicaps.

And it seems to me that the worst handicap... is being blind. Close your eyes, and try to get outside and walk a few blocks. Have fun. :)

So the story touches me deeply, for the human aspect. As a software programmer, it gets interesting to see how computers are programmed to do wonders. Also, there's that dilemma that all programmers face: To be able to *fully* understand the problem, so a programmer could work on a computer model.

We can second guess all we want based on observations, but only blind people could express their need. They're the ones who can't see.

One surprising comment that kept coming: The need to know where they are. It's one thing to have a service dog, but you must have in your head a map of the city, and to be able to pinpoint where you are... and your only clues are tactile feels (such as intersections) and audible clues.

Often blind people had to ask people where they are.

So they work on a prototype. They used a Compaq iPaq PDA (ironically, it's exactly the same model I have), a GPS receiver, a map database, and an extra battery pack, because all these things eat lots of energy. So, they went from the straight talking GPS for cars and augmented with data that blind people need to know.

Street intersection. There might be a traffic light or a stop sign. There might be an island half way. Perhaps to warn that the street has just one sidewalk and it is on the other side.

Then they augmented the database by including bus stops, then some obstacles like fire hydrants.

Now their goal is to augment the database again by showing where businesses are.

The technology has its quirks and shortcomings. It can't tell that sidewalks haven't been plowed (and boy did we have a lot of snow this season), nor it will tell you when it's safe to cross the street, even when you have a service dog.

To the amazement of programmers, when they ask blind people to test drive their prototypes, there were new uses that were found.

-"When I ride the bus, I'm no longer dependant on the bus driver to tell me when I should get off. The talking GPS keeps me updated about where we're going."

-"I didn't know there was that café next by, so I can stop and have a cup of coffee. Nor I was aware of that bakery. So this technology gives me eyes. I can SEE my city... again, and no longer missing what is there".

Probably the story won't mean much to you, but to me, in many ways, it does.

Links:
Radio-Canada Découverte. Look for the Sunday March 23rd 2008 show and for "GPS pour aveugles". Click on the link and you'll see the story. The story is in French, and sadly, there's no closed-captioning.

Humanware. A bilingual French/English site. Besides their talking GPS, they have all sort of funky equipments.

I was shoveling snow...

2008-03-15T10:16:00.002-04:00

Q: What were you doing for the past two months?
A: I was shoveling snow.

Q: Did you go to the movies?
A: No, I was shoveling snow.

Q: Did you read books, magazines, anything?
A: Too tired. I was shoveling snow.

Q: What are you going to do today?
A: I'll shovel snow. (On the roof, with my landlord).

Q: Do you have a life?
A: Sigh.... Nope, I was shoveling snow !!

I wish I could forget my shovel. :)

Winter... did someone say winter? :)

2008-03-10T00:48:00.011-04:00

Got about 40 cm of snow, and we're the lucky ones. Ottawa, 51cm. Trois-Rivières and Québec, both near 60cm. For our American friends, we're talking of a foot and a half of snow to *2* feet of snow! Welcome to Canada! :)

This is the 3rd major snowstorm in a week (last Saturday, Wednesday and this Saturday).

For Montréal, it's the 29th snowstorm of the season. Ayup. *29* snowstorms... so far. The 30th is scheduled to hit us by mid-week... if the weathermen have their way. We're close to historical amount of snow. I can say that I haven't seen this much snow in my entire life.

What a difference a day makes...

The image on the left is the leftovers from the Wednesday storm. I didn't have time... or rather my courage ran out for shoveling my patio.

The image on the right was taken today, after the storm.

When they say that a picture is worth a thousand words... I'll let those words speak for me.

Can you say... ARRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!! :)

(to give you a scale, I'm holding a standard 8 1/2 X 11" notepad.

Then... and now !

Regulars from FC will recognize my unofficial "bedroom webcam". I love nature and I find important when I get up the next morning... to see the outside world.

The image on the left was taken last November after our very first snowstorm.

The neighbor's fence is 4ft tall. So I'd say we're between 5 and 6ft of snow on ground.

I'm a little bit worried when all this snow is going to melt.

<--- During the storm, last night... The dilemma I see... during and after a snowstorm... Snow does embellishes the city. It is beautiful, immensely beautiful.

Especially when seen from inside, where it's warm and cozy... :)

When so you don't have to feel the bitter wind, or like last night, you are spared from the ice pellets grinding on your face,

When you don't have to shovel the snow....

When you don't have to go outside... to go to work, or bring food and other supplies in.

However, when it's the 29th snowstorm of the season that you're shoveling, and your arms and your back are killing you... The beauty of winter fades a bit.

That's understandable, yes... but nonetheless a bit sad. We're in March, this is the baroud d'honneur for winter. Spring will arrive very soon, regardless of what the calendar will say.

From there, it's bye-bye snow...

So...

Welcome to Canada and I hope you have appreciated this quick trip to my world, today!!!

PS: Stay warm! :)

-E

PPS: Just to chill you, click on this link and see the photos of Québec City's Ice Hotel. Would you believe that a lot of their clientele comes from people... living in warmer climates? A lot of Americans from... Florida, California, even Hawaii !!! I'm speechless.

PPPS: I _might_ have a chance by the end of this month to visit the Ice Hotel. It's very iffy, but if I'm in Québec City, I'll do everything to stop by the hotel! I'll let you know how it turned out. If you think I'm a bit weird... you're probably right. :) Cheers! -E

Signing in ASL... or trilingual woes...

2008-03-09T01:49:00.008-05:00

It's been a while that I'm brewing this project: having a little "vlog" of my own, aka video blog.

In this blog, I've been mentioning that I'm learning ASL. At a slow pace, it's true. If life wasn't so busy, I'd spend more time learning.

Anyhow, I feel that I'm ready. I am at the point which... instead of watching others signing in ASL, it's *MY* turn to sign in ASL.

I have a vocabulary of ... about a 4-year old. But enough vocabulary to sign short sentences.

So I was thinking of a welcome message to my blog... in ASL.

My plan was to sign AND speak at the same time, in English. This would avoid having to do some post-productions (like adding closed captioning). I already have some editing softwares that would do that, if necessary.

By trial and error, I found out that the digicam I already have, in its "movie" setting give very decent results. It would quickly fill out the memory card, on the other hand for small projects like this one, it isn't a problem. The supposedly hi-res Logitech webcam was the worst. Oh well..

So I tried a rehearsal tonight... Yikes.

Well, I could sign... or I could speak in English or course, but I couldn't sign AND speak at the same time.

People who are interested in the way our mind works, this is interesting. Yeah I know, for everyone else, that's boring stuff.

It's a struggle for me to think in words. I think in images. So I have some affinities with a visual language, such as Sign Language.

I could think directly in ASL and French, my mother tongue... but English? I have to think in French and then translate in English.

So it means that at one time, I was juggling with THREE languages.

ASL: HELLO! NICE MEET-YOU. ME NAME J-A-C-Q-U-E-S. ME HEARING. I LEARN-LEARN A-S-L. CAN SIGN A LITTLE. WELCOME B-L-O-G MINE.

French: Bonjour, heureux de vous voir! Mon nom est Jacques. J'entends et j'étudie présentment l'ASL. Bienvenue à mon blogue!

English: Hello! Nice to meet you! My name is Jacques. I'm hearing and I'm learning ASL. I can sign a little. Welcome to my blog!

So going in my mind 3 languages at the same time. After a few words, I was overwhelmed!

Hehehe...

When I'll figure how to add closed captioning, I'll shoot a silent version with me just signing and upload it here.

If you see a guy in kilt doing weird things with his hands, now you know. :)

Cheers,

-E

International Women's Day...

2008-03-08T17:54:00.005-05:00

... or "Journée internationale des femmes" in French. There were events like these all over the country (do notice the snow. This is Montréal, after all. :) ).

It is one of those days, which my mhhh... militant fiber is there and screaming.

Those days? Whether Martin Luther King Day, whether... the Pride Day... whether too many days...

And THANKFULLY these days exist... yet I'd wish that someday, the raison d'être would vanish.

Maybe it's the Good Samaritan in me... maybe I have this seemingly naïve ideal... that we're all... humans.

So naive, it seems...

There shouldn't be humans penalized, because they happen to live in a not so welcoming country, shall I say...

No matter where on earth, there and here,

There shouldn't be humans considered as less of an human,

based on race,
based on sexual orientation...
...and based on gender.

It is on days like this one, I have this urge to shout to the top of my lungs, these very words...

All human beings,
are born equal,
in dignity and rights.

Those are the very first words... of the Universal Declaration of... Human Rights.

We can pride ourselves that we we live in a supposedly modern world, and yet in the very way we behave... it's still the dark age...

Cheers to all my fellow female companions. It's your day!

-E

(The last two photos were taken during a quick trip to Ottawa last September. The monument is... of course the Human Rights monument located on Elgin Street near city hall, and also within a few minutes of walk from the Parliament. If you happen to visit this monument, you'll be told that the monument has been blessed by the Dalaï Lama and presumably, some of his good spirit is lingering...

... and that concludes my tip to the savvy travelers. :) )

Mobile internet... a tiny step closer...

2008-03-06T23:46:00.006-05:00

In the meantime, we still do not have the iPhone nor the Sidekick...

I change my cellphone recently and I kept the old one as a backup. The beauty of GSM phones (which are also the lot of the iPhone and Sidekick), you just remove the SIM card from one phone, put in the other, and voilà!

The new phone was for the trip in France last January, so it would work there (and it did, and it was a lifesaver at Roissy / Charles-de-Gaulle airport. :) ).

The frustrating part is that nearly all new cellphones... are internet ready. Mine does that. It has some applications (web browser, Yahoo/MSN Messenger, mail, etc) and the phone itself can work as a modem to a laptop.

Sadly, our cellphone providers haven't beefed up their network, so they charge insane amount of money even for light use of the internet. This is why Apple didn't launch their iPhone in Canada, and this is why the Sidekick is being phased out. The use of a "Crackberry" in Canada can be costly. What an irony, considering that RIM, the makers of the Blackberry is... Canadian.

Frustrating.

Today, I was playing with my still quite brand new cell phone, and somehow I accidentally activated its internal web browser. I know too well what would happen next. A warning page that anything I would do past that point will cost me an arm and a leg.

It's the feeling of being at a candy store... empty pocket. :) All the candies you want are there... you have no money to buy just even one candy. :)

Lo and behold, this time the text has changed. I'm invited to sign up for their "unlimited internet" plan. Cost? $7 per month. (If you can read French, click on the photo).

What? No monthly 3-figure amount of money? Unlimited internet that is truly... unlimited? For just $7 a month? There must be a gotcha, somewhere, right? :)

Well, I checked. Indeed unlimited internet for $7 per month... with only the applications that are stored on the cellphone... and as long as the phone doesn't act as a modem for a laptop. For those purposes, the "arm and a leg" plan still apply.

A bummer, but that's a start, so I sign up for their somewhat unlimited.. Mobile dirt road access to the internet. It's still better than nothing. :)

I have issues about human speech, and voice over a cellphone, is my absolute nightmare.

South of the border, when you see the things deaf persons do with their Sidekick, and how handy such devices have become in their day to day life... It is difficult to imagine that these devices are just a dream here in Canada, and have to live... without them.

And for me, dreaming to have a Sidekick. Sigh...

Also as a traveler, whether checking planes, weather, or last minute searches at the place I'm going, I can vouch that internet on the go is very useful.

An iPhone or a Sidekick is a tad... more compact than a laptop, nor they need to be close to a Wi-Fi access point to work. :)

One last digression: When I was in France last January, one of my cousins had a French iPhone.

Their data plan? Unlimited internet for the equivalent of $35 CDN. Restrictions? After the first 500Meg, the service provider (Orange) reserves the right to slow down the access to the internet. Wow.

By the way, they are currently testing high quality video live conversations.. They openly invite deaf people to try their service. Yup, having conversations... in Sign Language.

This is how spiffy cellphone services have become in France...

What a contrast with Canada.

Sigh...

-E

Another XO laptop is on the way ?!?

2008-03-06T13:06:00.003-05:00

I checked my mail this morning... and I was floored to read this mail from OLPC:

---------- 8< ---------

Your XO laptop is on its way.

We're happy to inform you that your XO laptop has shipped. In order to help you get the most out of your experience with the XO and One Laptop per Child (OLPC), here are some important links. Please save this email for reference.

To find out everything you need to know to get started with your XO laptop, please click here or visit www.laptopgiving.org/start.

Your order reference number: 700000xxxx

Please click here to track your order on our website.

---------- 8< ---------

What's the problem? I got my XO laptop *2* months ago, and it arrived without fanfafe. No e-mail, no nothing. Now they're telling that it's on its way ?!?

I hide the details but the tracking number they supplied is invalid. I called my credit card company, I explained what is happening, and they assure me that there were no charge made.

I don't know what to think: Will I get another XO laptop, and this one for free ?!? Is it the e-mail I should have got last January? Your guess is as good as mine.

It seems it's total chaos at OLPC. Many complaints that the laptops still haven't shipped We're in March, for orders placed in November and December. What a waste of good will. Now they have plenty of pissed off people.

It makes me wondering that if they can't deliver laptops in the US and Canada, where we have top notch infrastructures... how do they manage to deliver laptops to third world countries, and to support their laptops? I'm scratching my head.

Clevergirl reported that Nicholas Negronpote is leaving OLPC. Probably for good reasons. I guess it's one thing to design a laptop (and the little XO is a marvel. I'd say this is text-book "rightsizing" and that thing is incredibly *rugged*!)... and it is another to operate a company.

Again from Clevergirl, if you're wondering what a $200 laptop looks like, and it is no-toy laptop, see the video here. Also, see the XO laptops in the field (limited closed-captioning).

Personally, I'd say it's an incredible laptop. VERY rugged hardware like I've rarely seen. It is the ideal companion to a traveler.

(I'm looking for external hardwares, like an ethernet to USB, because the access to the internet is just Wi-Fi. Also, I have to figure out how to copy files from a memory card to an external hard disk or memory key. Once these glitches solved, my fancy schmancy (and fragile) Vaio laptop will get pampered at home, while the XO will travel with me, and probably where few laptops I've been. :) )

Not bad for a $200 laptop, eh? :)

Cheers,

-E

Travel, travel...

2008-03-06T00:42:00.002-05:00

Well, it seems that I'm going to travel, after all.

Mid-May: There's a "forumfest" brewing up in California. Either Sacramento or San Francisco. Personally, like the song, I wish I can say that I left my heart over there. ;)

Now, I have to figure out whether I can take a 2-week vacations. I wish to go to California the slow way. Maybe by train, and then returning by plane. Might take too long time, especially if I want to spend some times in SF, but I'm checking things.

Mid-June: Blogadelphia. The mid-Atlantic contingent of bloggers will be there (in Philadelphia).

End of July: Lowell festival blogfest. This time, the Northeast contingent of bloggers. :) On this one, I hope I can combine with a visit in Boston... and a stay on Cape Cod.

Funny, they all say that I have to bring my kilt. Sheesh...

Do they think that I sleep with a kilt on? :) Take a shower or go to the beach with a kilt? :)

Hehehe....

PS: As a side-note, dreaming of *summer* events when I'm deeply buried in the snow...

This is sweet. Very sweet. :)

Cheers,

-E

A straight questionnaire :)

2008-03-06T00:22:00.005-05:00

<--- During the Montréal 2006 Outgames, there were many other events... which were targeted to straights. Photo taken on Ste.Catherine street, in the Gay Village.

I saw this questionnaire circulating from bloggers to bloggers and it landed at FC. (you probably have seen it, or some variants in e-mail too).

Pass this questionnaire to people you know... who would enjoy it. :)

-----

This questionnaire is for self-avowed heterosexuals only^*. If you are not openly heterosexual, pass it on to a friend who is. Please try to answer the questions as candidly as possible. Your responses will be held in strict confidence and you anonymity fully protected.

1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?

2. When and how did you first decide you were a heterosexual?

3. Is it possible your heterosexuality is just a phase you may grow out of?

4. Could it be that your heterosexuality stems from a neurotic fear of others of the same sex?

5. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexual tendencies? How did they react?

6. Why do heterosexuals feel compelled to seduce others into their lifestyle?

7. Why do you insist on flaunting your heterosexuality? Can't you just be what you are and keep it quiet?

8. Would you want your children to be heterosexual, knowing the problems they'd face?

9. With all the societal support for marriage, the divorce rate is spiraling. Why are there so few stable relationships among heterosexuals?

10. Considering the menace of overpopulation, how could the human race survive if everyone were heterosexual?

11. Could you trust a heterosexual therapist to be objective? Don't you fear s/he might be inclined to influence you in the direction of her/his learnings?

12. Heterosexuals are notorious for assigning themselves and one another rigid, stereotyped sex roles. Why must you cling to such unhealthy role-playing?

13. Why are heterosexuals so promiscuous?

14. There seem to be very few happy heterosexuals. Techniques have been developed that might enable you to change if you really want to. After all, you never deliberately chose to be heterosexual, did you? Have you considered aversion therapy or Heterosexuals Anonymous?

A glimpse of serenity and peacefulness...

2008-03-05T22:32:00.016-05:00

Beauséjour means "nice stay" in French, and boy it was indeed a nice (albeit short) stay, last Sunday.

With a pair of (loaned) snowshoes, I went to Beauséjour Park. The good thing is the park is located close to my home.

The park is the pride of our neighborhood. You'll see why in a few minutes. It's a heavily wooded park and it is located along the shore of the Rivière-des-Prairies.

The day was nice, sunny and warm, and after the last snowstorm that has dumped another foot of snow, it was an opportunity to get outside.

This is the entrance to the park (which is plowed. There are some plowed trails in the park too).

In the distance the "chalet".

PS: Notice the height of the snow. :)

Above waist high snow.

Note: today (wednesday), we had another snowstorm...

... and yes, we were graced or ahem dumped with another foot of snow today, and guess what? Another foot of snow is forecasted for the upcoming weekend. I kid you not!

So what you see on these photos is already... very passé. :)

It's winter wonderland...

Path... path... path...

Sun peeking through the trees...

Calm, peacefulness...

Silence, serenity...

And one wonders why I love nature? :)

Well, my friends, I hope you enjoy this walk in the park. Canadian style. :)

Cheers!

-E

Nini la chance... or a mighty nostalgia trip!

2008-03-02T01:36:00.004-05:00

I don't watch television _that_ much. News bulletins, weather, at times some documentaries and that's that.

It seems that for the weekend they unscramble more channels, so I got one of those "nostalgia" channel.

And boy I was yanked... in a past that I didn't suspect it got that far. A delightful hour with singer Annie Cordy, and the songs she sang in the 70s.

It's been already 30 years, almost 40 years ago. Wow. That doesn't make me feel young!!!

And it's amazing that after a few hesitations, all of a sudden it comes back to you.

I had that same feeling, and probably at the most oddest place, singing in duo at 10 000km away from Paris, in front of an English-speaking public. Not bad eh? :)

A street artist by the name of Joshua, a former Frenchman... at the Vancouver's Grandville Island Market, on a warm day of December 2006. He spotted my "Québec" jacket. He invited to join him and to sing along in front of the public. And I dare to say YES!

Singing in French... songs from Yves Montand, Charles Aznavour and Michel Sardou of that same era, in front of a (small) public who obviously never heard anything in French but were curious at us. An impromptu duo. It's one of those crazy things that makes you love travels.

Boy I thank him for "priming" me, so i wouldn't look too silly. Those songs were tucked deep deep in my memory, as I haven't heard them in decades, and then after a few seconds, poof it's all fresh.

Many crazy things also happened during that trip to Vancouver, good and bad, but I digress. Suffice to say that of all my travels, I have highly fond memories. You can read my original blog entry at FC about that crazy trip to Vancouver. End of digression again. :)

So... when you need a video for your blog, say about Annie Cordy, where do you turn to? YouTube, of course.

The snippet I have chosen looks like from the show I saw earlier this evening. "Nini la chance" is the kind of easy going music, with style that were prevailing in the 70s.

Somehow, with all the techno, and all the modern music, which to me it's awful noise... I kind of regret those songs from the 70s.

Also, look at the orchestra. Back then, they had $$$ ! Today's television wouldn't be able to afford so many live musicians. Also the use of *real* instruments back then, and no electronic keyboard around.

Sometimes, when one wonders about culture, well this *is* culture. A snapshot of our world, how we live, and when delivered later, it makes you dreaming all over again.

I was a bit sad that the show lasted just an hour, I'd take an additional hour or two or even three with Annie Cordy. Sigh. For the songs themselves, for the memories that they brought to the surface... and about an era that seems getting incredibly distant.

So, here she goes, Annie Cordy with Nini la Chance.... (Sorry, no close captioning, I couldn't find a clip with it).

Cheers,

-E

Montréal Nuit Blanche...

2008-02-29T21:47:00.003-05:00

It seems that I won't make it to that event. The other year, I had an awful bad cold, and this year, I'm on call.

What is Nuit Blanche? It's a cultural event. Many shows to see, all night long.
There are also fun activities to do throughout the night. The highlight of that event is a night at an outdoor swimming pool. Heated pool, I should mention... but still surrounded with snow for some added effects... and observing (I hope) a starlit sky.

Sigh. :)

Web site: Nuit blanche.

Cheers,

-E

OLPC user group in Ottawa!

2008-02-29T21:40:00.003-05:00

The little XO laptop is getting some momentum in the nation's capital.

I'm passing along the official announcement from Clevergirl.

Sigh... I'm on duty for this week and next week, otherwise, highway 417 is tempting. Or VIA Rail.

Cheers!

-E

Being hugged by a stranger...

2008-02-27T08:55:00.004-05:00

The doorbell chimed in yesterday evening.

The snowstorm had subsided a bit, but it was still snowing and it was quite windy. No one is outside unless one has to. A neighbour? My landlord? Mhhh...

So I opened the door. I saw a tall man in his 60s, lots of grey hair and wearing worn out clothes. Mhhh... in this snowstorm?

Overall, the guy seems shy, and it's obvious that a lot of doors have been slammed on him.

He didn't say a word, but he waved a card at me. So I looked at his card...

A card, with letters A to Z, with drawings of a hand for each letter.

Dang, I immediately recognize... fingerspelling.

Fingerspelling is the alphabet... in *Sign Language*. The guy in front of me is most likely deaf.

On the other side of the card, there's a short text telling me that he's selling these cards for a living and asking me for a donation. I also noticed that it was for Valentine's Day. It's a bit late.

I was genuinely surprise, and he saw my surprise.

So I *signed*... DEAF YOU ? (with the proper facial expression for a Yes/No question). Textbook ASL. :)

You should see his face lighting up. Really, he didn't expect that someone who could sign!

What I didn't expect... he came to me... and hugged me!

Mhhh.. there are things in life which... you accept, no matter what. Can you refuse a hug? Of course not!

Hugged by a stranger, right at home. Home delivered hugs. :) Got to say, there are far worse things that can happen when answering the door!

Gee whiz, he isn't dressed warmly. He didn't want to come in nor drink something hot.

So I learn that he's born deaf, and he's trilingual, French, LSQ (Quebec Sign Language) and ASL (American Sign Language). He found absolutely amazing that I'm a hearing person and learning ASL for the fun of it during my spare time.

The conversation didn't last long... He wanted to continue his run. In this crazy weather? Yup...

So I gave him a substantial amount of money. That's the very least I can do.

So we "Muaaaaaaaaaahh" each other and he left. I stayed on the front porch for a little while, observing him, walking in the snow toward the next home...

In the snowstorm... I felt bad for him.

What can I do?

Now, it was me who was getting cold.

So I closed the door.

Sigh...

-E

Ahhhhh.... Ha ! Familiprix!

2008-02-26T05:19:00.005-05:00

It says something about television... when ads get more fame than the show they sponsor. :)

On Quebec television, both French and in English, there are those "Ahhhhhhhhhh... HA!" ads, for the "Familiprix" drugstores. They all crack me up.

Such as this one:

The thing is... when you hear that "Ahhhh... HA!" something is bound to happen, like to this cyclist who didn't pay attention...

Here's the grand finale, 4 ads in one, with subtitles in Portugese, no less!

Those local advertisings have won many international prizes. Not bad, eh?

Ahhhh HA!

Cheers. :)

( Be well! )

-E

Casse toi alors, pauvre con!

2008-02-24T18:41:00.008-05:00

Well, I figure it's the kind of news that will reach the English-speaking press.

It's French argot (slang) for: "Get out of my way, dummy!"

Those are the not very diplomatic words French president Sarkozy has uttered today at a French agriculture show.

In the brouhaha, it appears that someone was not exactly a fan of Sarkozy and he stood in his way... and Sarkozy didn't appreciate.

Le Parisien is a well known national newspaper. So I went on their web site, and yes... they got the video of the event.

Oops. :)

There's a non-written rule. A French president should never treat a French citizen as "pauvre con". No kidding. :)

That being said, if the French had heard the many not very diplomatic words from our former prime minister, Jean Chrétien, whoopy!!!

Enjoy,

-E

20 Chinese Deaf dancers perform...

2008-02-24T15:29:00.003-05:00

This is why I like the DeafRead feed that you see on the right-hand size of my blog. Sometimes, you see some newslinks that are simply mind blowing.

Check this blog page: 20 Deaf Dancers Perform . There are two YouTube videos. It's eerie to see, and when you think that all these dancers are deaf, so they have to rely on timing, visual clues, and the feel of vibration of loud music.

Enjoy!

-E

PS: After you saw the videos, remember that we call deafness... a disability. It makes you wondering, n'est-ce pas? :)

Juno...

2008-02-24T14:49:00.005-05:00

The other day, I had the chance to see Juno. The movie, that is. :)

I come from FC, which several fellow bloggers upthere didn't like the movie. Personally, it's not my kind of movie, it's a bit sombre for my taste, but it's a good movie, overall. I'm also quite pleased to see that it might get an Oscar.

Not sure whether it's our Canadian accent, or our culture? Juno, aka Ellen Page is a young Halifax native, and the movie was entirely shot in Vancouver.

Sure, there's no Bruce Willis, and no wall to wall big Hollywood-style special effects. A low budget movie, so you have to go straight to the point. This is also why I like low budget movies. :)

Teenhood, at a time when boys become men, and girls, women. With the sexual freedom we enjoy, what was bound to happen... happened.

Topics like teen pregnancy... and its potential consequences, like abortion and adoption... it's a bit heavy, albeit the movie makes it palatable, nonetheless.

But I can't help, but thinking of my own teenhood and the men and women of my generation. This was a pre-HIV era, and also at a time the pill was a reality.

Were we all saints... and always using contraception? Mhhh.... I think a lot of us would have to plead the 5th amendment, isn't it?

It seems that a generation later, in a time that promiscuity can be a deadly proposal, there are some topics that are universal.

I don't have kids, but at this adult age, the parenting fibre is present and strong. So I can't help but thinking of what would happen if my teen daughter got pregnant, or my son did so to his girlfriend. Abortion, Adoption? Ewwwww....

Of course, if it was up to me, my answer would be:
1) Oh thank you for making me a grandfather!

2)Keep your baby. He or She will still be better in your hands... and take care as much as you can... and yes, the grandparents are there... sigh.

So all in all, a movie that makes me stop and ponder about a few things... it's not a bad movie. Not bad at all. :)

Cheers,

-E

Almost there... and itching...

2008-02-23T02:15:00.004-05:00

What's in common: A Canadian passport, a used Trans Link transit ticket from Vancouver, various currencies (Euros, US and Canadian $), some frequent flyer cards and rail cards...

Travel.

It's funny, I'm getting a slew of snail mail blurbs all telling me... that I'm "almost" there. Almost there for a free trip to Japan (thanks Air Canada and Aéroplan").

Almost there for another transcontinental trip by train, that one free (Merci VIA Rail!), while I'm almost there to maintain my "silver" VIA Rail Privilege status for the 2008-2009, etc...

Almost there. Le sigh...

So I was sorting my papers tonight, and somehow lining up these things as I found them, each of them a reminder of various travels I did.

It's itching like a rash, while I'm still grounded for several months to come.

Did you have a frequent flyer card begging you? A passport that feels lonely? :)

Mine do cry. :)

Oh, I think that I caught the travel bug. :)

Cheers!

-E

Worst nightmare for a parent...

2008-02-21T12:23:00.002-05:00

Since I have my own issues about hearing (and also the fact that I'm learning ASL), this is why from my blog, I subscribe to "DeafRead".

So, "automagically", everytime you read my blog, you'll also see the latest from DeafRead, with their selections of stories off the Internet. Interesting text readings. (To my non-signer friends, not all these links point to ASL video blogs. :) ).

So I saw this title, Every parent of deaf child's worst nightmare, from Berke's Outspoken blog.

Imagine, being in a school bus and you're deaf. The bus driver is a substitute, therefore doesn't know you nor understand sign language. The bus assistant who could communicate in sign language wasn't there either.

This is what happened to a 13-year old deaf girl, and she was dropped off 2-miles from home, in pouring rain. Everything that could turn bad, did. Thankfully, there's a happy ending, but it's been indeed a nightmare.

Maybe because of my own issues, I always carry a pen and a piece of paper everywhere I go. If in the unlikely event that I don't have these items with me and I don't understand something that seems very important, I often make the gestures of touching my ear and then writing on an imaginary piece of paper. That's something non-signers will understand right away.

Yes, I could have stated so verbally, but it seems the visual aspect while I stay *silent*... speaks for me louder than my own voice. :) Besides, with friends, it's the fun of being tangential. Being straightforward is too boring, but I'm digressing terribly here.

Anyway... what seems glaring in this story.. is the lack of attempts to communicate in *other* ways.

The schoolgirl is obviously under BIG stress and of course she could be forgiven for not readily thinking about it, but why the bus driver didn't come up with a pen and a piece of paper, so she could write down the address of her home? And for him, to write down other questions to her? Is she ok? Does she need help? Etc...

Conversely, if the bus driver didn't have a pen and paper (which is highly unlikely, as they seem to always have to fill out various reports while they are on the go), why he didn't make... the signs I've just mentioned? Such as the gesture of writing on an imaginary piece of paper.

Especially with someone who makes use of sign language, that person more than anyone else will catch the visual clue.

Deaf people aren't dumb, and deaf people do learn how to write, just like everyone else. Besides, going at school... don't we all have to carry pen and papers,... unless things have changed since my time? Very unlikely, but one can hope? :)

But I also remember my childhood years, and bus drivers too. Some were really super... and then there were those... which remind you that bus companies hire anyone, and they _really_ mean anyone.

So disasters are bound to happen...

Ay ay ay...

-E

XO Laptop, re-revisited...

2008-02-21T10:18:00.008-05:00

Busy life, busy weather (one storm after the other. Someone got to shovel all that snow!!!), so the little XO laptop waited patiently.

What is worth mentioning, is the shift of paradigm. PCs like Macs, despite all the hype are pretty much the same. A graphic interface... and you run applications. Applications have files and you manage files.

The XO puts the child at the center of his universe.

For instance, the "neighborhood mode" Like stars spreaded everywhere... are Wi-Fi "access points", hence the various dots in different colors.

It seems the colors are generated randomly for others' Wi-Fi access point, while mine is always blue. I wonder how it is on other XO laptops...

It's even more obvious in "Home" mode, with the big "XO" icon at the center, representing a child. So, around me, there are my journal, my piece of paper (a text editor), my world (a web browser) and so forth. Beneath are the battery (charging) and the Wi-Fi access points that I'm logged too.

At the bottom, are the activities I may like to do.

In a way, I have to "unlearn", to "untrain" myself about the traditional ways computers work, to begin to truly appreciate the XO.

Not showing in these photos are friends. Friends with XO laptops of course! :)

Since I have no one with a XO laptop around, I have to take OLPC's words. :) The idea of friends represents a shift in the computer paradigm.

Isn't for nothing that the P in "PC" stands for "Personal". You're in your own bubble, isolated, and you do your own stuff without worrying, nor being aware what others are doing.

However, the XO laptop assumes that there are other children... with a XO laptop (which would show up in these pictures as other XO icons, all of different colours).

Children have friends, and so are recognized by the XO laptop.

With friends, you can do things together, so is the XO laptop. You tell who are your friends, and you tell the XO what you want to do together. An essay? The text editor is fully shared. A whacky audio jam session? Sure. Apparently, all applications can be shared, and doing so is ahem... a child play, pun intended. :)

Sure, there have been "groupware" before, but they feel clunky, and those are just specific applications that have been built specifically for that purpose.

On the XO, it's the entire laptop and therefore everything on it that was built with sharing activities in mind.

Now, I have to let my inner child comes to the surface, and to find other XO owners to really see how well it really works. :)

The IT guy in me is amazed. For a $200 laptop, this is no toy computer. Its shell is rugged, it feels solid, there are many things that come built in (even a webcam, usually found on pricey top of the line PC and Apple laptops), tons of USB ports, there are decent built-in applications... not bad at all.

Then there's the guy in me. As a teen, I was in organizations like Marche 2/3 and the like, believing in projects to help the lesser fortunate of us.

When I grew up and began programming, my approach to computers has been the same too.

Computers are there to help us, humans, whether to compensate for our deficiencies, whether to help us to learn, whether to simply let loose our creativity, whether anything one could possibly want to do.

(These days, it seems the other way around, computers are controlling our life, but I digress terribly! :) ).

Given my background, it's no surprising that the XO laptop strikes a chord. In the long run, I don't know... how such computers will fare. I think they are on the right way by hiding as much "computer stuffs" as possible, and to present to a child... a world that is less intimidating, a world that is familiar to him, a world that is also fun, inviting, and a world that would stimulate his mind?

I'm also wondering about the social interactions of humans through computers. I come from the forum world, and if I count my BBS years, I've been online since 1984. That doesn't exactly make me feel young, and yes I do have grey hair... but I have seen a lot, and saw the evolution, since the ancient time of 300 baud acoustic coupler modems. :)

I've never been a big fan of computers in class school, yet... this is the intended usage of the XO laptop. To be used at school and being brought home later.

For all the good things unleached, there are bad things being unleached by computers. Also computers are sophisticated pieces of equipment, and too often, there isn't the expertise, both IT skills as well as *human* skills. This is too often true in our western world... So imagine elsewhere...

There's also a matter of culture. Those XO laptops are western designed, therefore with our mindset and our way of seeing and understanding things. Western solutions to problems... even in our own world do not always work, so again, imagine elsewhere...

I still believe that local solutions to local problems are the best. However, that's not always possible, especially in the short term, so all help is welcome, figuratively and too often literally.

In the case of computers like the XO... if they serve as a springboard for future generations, they will serve their purpose.

I'm also thinking that in countries with little infrastructure, in countries with ahem... dubious governments, one has to start somewhere. Why not with computers like the XO ?

Today's kids are tomorrow's adults...

... and better educated adults having more chances to be at key places... to allow things to happen? How's about better leaders? That's a long-term goal... but what is something like 10 or 20 years in the lifespan of a country?

Finally, I'm tempted to say bad words against OLPC. Hehehe...

For the way they royally scr*w up the distribution of XO laptops, it's a complete disaster. Also, how ahem... misinformations were being carried by that organization. There's a huuuge pool of good will that has been wasted, for nothing.

It makes me wondering that if they can't deliver laptops in countries like the US and Canada, nor able to even tell us donors what is going on with our orders with a reasonable amount of accuracy...

Gee whizz, in the very two countries which we have optimal infrastuctures... should delivery *NOT* being an issue, and communication should be flowing... easily?

So imagine in African countries... whether to have those XO laptops delivered, whether *to train* and *to support* teachers, when the infrastructure isn't there.

Mhhhh....

... and that's my comment about OLPC. :)

Nonetheless, I have big hopes for the little XO. The 3 persons in me (!), the IT guy, the online guy and the guy with a big heart and big dream are all impressed by this little green and white kid.

Cheers!

-E

Carbon tax and Fluevogs... :)

2008-02-21T09:51:00.006-05:00

Thanks to my cable provider, I'm getting their "western feed". In other words, TV channels from Vancouver British-Columbia, and with these TV channels, their local news. Talk about living there.... by proxy!

Note: Partly sunny, +10C . Flowers are already blooming upthere. This beats our -20C this morning and 4ft of snow on ground. :)

I still miss my morning jogging in Stanley Park... oh well. Someday, I'll live there... *full* time. Ok, I'm terribly digressing, but it's my blog, am I allowed? Merci! :)

The other day, it was budget time for the province. After Québec, British-Columbia is the 2nd province to come up... with a carbon tax.

I'm highly skeptical it will do anything. If Québec's experience is of any indication... indeed we saw the impact at the pump... and not much else happened. So much for being "green". Time will tell...

However, sharp-eye and fellow blogger Clevergirl has noticed the real newsworthy event about this budget. As it is customary, the finance minister was wearing a new pair of shoes. However, this is no ordinary pair of shoes. We're talking of Fluevogs shoes, no less. :)

Ok, I'm a guy, so there are things which... will always escape me, and I have to accept that. :)

Sure, they are nice shoes and they please my eyes too, but I don't understand the craze about Fluevogs. Oops. Heresy!!!

Ok, it's time to hide in my igloo! :)

Cheers,

-E

Weird recorded message from Bell Canada...

2008-02-19T01:07:00.003-05:00

When I came back from work, there was this strange message waiting on my answering machine:

(Translating from French)

"This is Bell Canada. We would like to talk to you regarding your phone number. Please call at this number between 9AM and 9PM. Thanks".

Ohhh, how rude it is. Intimidating too. "we would like to talk to you". I beg your pardon ?!?

I figure that if they want to pitch for more gizmos, there might be some kinder ways to do so.... if they want to make a sale.

Other things were weird. The recorded message says that I should call a 1-866 number, obviously a long-distance toll-free number, and yet on the Caller ID display, I see a local phone number within the 514 area code.

Curious and somewhat pissed off, I called. :) After all, the cost of the call is free, and I don't mind deliberately generating expenses when others have to pay the bill. Especially Bell. O:) I was also in the mood to let them know of what I think of their recorded message. :)

This is what I've heard:

-"Hello! Ici Bell Canada. Mon nom est xxxx. Comment puis-je vous donner un super excellent service aujourd'hui ?"
(Hi! This is Bell Canada. My name is xxxx. How can I give you a super excellent service today?")

Jaws dropped here!!! A *super excellent* service ? It's thick on superlatives, I'd say....

Ok, I'm on Candid Camera and the cameras are rolling, or I'm daydreaming all this and I SERIOUSLY need to catch some sleeps. It's getting crazy here!

-Well, there's a message on my answering machine and it says that I should call, regarding my phone number, I said.

-Is that so?

-OF COURSE, since I'm telling you!!!

-Please wait...

I'm wondering of what the heck I ate or drank this evening. I never thought that there were magic salads, or there could something in the Montréal water. I want to know what it is, because it's potent! I must be hallucinating, it's just too crazy!

-Oh, I see that you're calling from home.

Wow... With guys who are clever like that, it's going to take a while... and all of a sudden, I'm just glad that *they* are paying the long-distance charge, not me. :)

-What else do you see on your computer screen? I said

(I was tempted to say: What else do you see about my future... but as much as I felt it was a large scale prank, there was something telling me it could be true.)

-Oh, I see that we have to talk to you.

I had that sinking feeling that it's getting circular. Ok, I'm game!

-Isn't what we're doing right now? , I said

-You mean?

-Aren't we talking right now?

-One moment please.

For some reasons, I was thinking of Woody Allen. Only him would think of scenes that are _that_ crazy.

-Oh, I see that we have to talk to you.

I had this immense urge for _that_ nervous laugh... I'm going to burst, here!

-Again, I think that this is what we're doing right now, sir, I said with a cool calm voice.

-One moment please...

I'll spare you the details, but this is how crazy the conversation was on the phone...

SO this is serious and it's no laughing matters. A list of 3.5 milllions of customers in Québec and Ontario have been stolen. It contains the list of names, address and phone numbers incuding of customers with *unlisted* numbers (incidently, my case. My phone number is not listed, and it always irks me that I have to pay an extra $2 for NOT being listed in the phone directory). No credit card numbers or other personal infos were found, thankfully.

They arrested the guy (and he's not a former Bell employee) recuperate the data... and now experts are wondering how the data could have landed in the hands of bad people.

Bell Canada recovers stolen data on 3.4 millions customers

And Montreal man arrested in Bell Canada data theft case

So the alert *is* serious... and apparently, the entire desire of Bell Canada is to "talk" with their customers.

Given the kind of talk we had... mhhhh...

So this is it. If you get a weird call from Bell regarding your line, this might be that.

Good luck!!! I hope for you it's not going to be as crazy as it's been for me. :)

Cheers!

-E

Hôtel de glace / Québec's Ice Hotel

2008-02-17T10:16:00.002-05:00

If you have a weird sense of humour... you can send this link to your friends and relatives.

I did that with my family in France. I could hear jaws dropping from this side of the Atlantic. :)

Yup, near Québec City, there *is* such a thing called "L'Hôtel de glace" (Ice Hotel). Buildings that are made entirely of ice (and snow).

Hallways, bedrooms, even the "furniture" *incuding the bed* are all made of ice, and yes you can sleep there for the night or spend a weekend.

According to their own sales pitch, a lot of their clients... come from places like Japan, Hawaii, and the US Southern States, from California and Florida.

Ice is exotic, it seems.

I'm telling you, this is a mad mad world!!! :)

That being said, no one in my family is eager to visit Québec... and staying at the Ice Hotel. Chicken! :)

Enjoy!

-E

Enough, shall I say ?

2008-02-17T09:56:00.004-05:00

<--- Photo taken this morning. Again, that's my bedroom "webcam". :)

Note that the neighbour's fence has now entirely disappeared in the snow. The fence is *4 feet* tall. That gives you an idea of the crazy amount of snow we have here in "Southern" Québec.

---

I like snow... to a point.

My country is also known as the Great *WHITE* North for a reason, my handle is Eskimo *also* for a good reason...

But, I'm a little concerned, you know?

I haven't seen this much snow in my entire life, and we're near the all-time record amount of snow for the *entire* winter season... and we're just in mid-February.

PS: More snow mixed with dabs of ice pellets and freezing rain are forecasted later in the day.

PPS: Global Warming, anyone?

PPPS: The urge to hibernate never felt so strong.

Cheers,

-E

XO Laptop, revisited...

2008-02-10T21:43:00.001-05:00

Right from my return from France, I got a bad cold.

You know what they say: Treated, it lasts 2 weeks and untreated, 14 days. :)

So I'm catching up with the OLPC's XO laptop. First about the latest news, it seems that distribution of a XO laptop is a total mess. A lot of donors are still waiting for their laptop.

Clevergirl reported recently in her blog that *3* months later, she is still waiting for her XO laptop. It is sad, very sad... and difficult to excuse. So, why such huge delays?

I don't know if it has something to do, but I found out that the XO laptop I got was poorly assembled. Is this what to expect from a "Made in China" computer? I don't know.

For instance, the battery didn't quite fit in the compartment. It needed considerable force for the right latch to hold the battery in place.

Removing the battery is not easy, as marks aren't exactly aligned.

Also the on/off wasn't properly aligned, so turning the XO on or off was difficult. I solved that problem with some manipulations and the persuasion of a tiny screwdriver.

This makes me wondering... are some XO with defects that are so bad... that they can't be shipped, and this is why there are such huge shipping delays? Your guess is as good as mine.

That being said, the XO laptop has been working A-1 since then. Of course, operating in an ideal environment from the comfort a western world home, err... my home is one thing!

However facing torrid temperatures (for a computer) of Africa, and being used and abused by children, is its circuitry still up to par? I wonder.

However its shell is rugged, it can withstand severe shocks, well beyond my fancy schmancy Viao. I still believe the XO will be a good travel mate. Its small size also helps. Time will tell whether computer problems will show up.

<---Under the hood, the XO laptop runs... Linux. There's nothing like firing up terminal and running "top"! The familiar display is there to prove that it's no Windows laptop.

(To all 'Nix nerds, yes I've checked, there's also... vi. Gasp! :) )

According to "top", the XO runs with 256 Meg of RAM. By today's standard, it's not a lot, but for the XO, that's plenty.

I see two users. The traditional "root" and "olpc" is the anonymous user which all applications run.

After using the XO for a while, I saw an inordinate amount of "zombie" process, but the XO kept chugging along with no ill effects.

I'll continue to report about the XO laptop. :)

Cheers!

-E

I'll take 15 Khallid and 10 Mursal...

2008-02-10T15:13:00.000-05:00

This could have been the title of Chroniques Afghanes, a documentary aired by Radio-Canada last Friday. (you can see a clip here).

Khallid means freedom or liberty and is the name of an independant newspaper and Mursal, a women's magazine, both based in the suburbs of Kaboul... Afghanistan. The storyline is about these newspapers and through them, the population.

Radio-Canada/CBC cost us a bundle, but this is where they shine. Have an hour, it's yours and take the time to explain things. Something commercial television can't.

That being said, how to summarize 3 years in Afghanistan in just one hour? There is that. An hour is an eternity on television, while it's so short lived in reality.

Nonetheless, the documentary is at a slow pace. Enough that you could feel the day to day life. It certainly feels like another world... and the little and big frustration and the ingenious way to side-step them.

It is also a glimpse of Afghan culture and their way of thinking. And a way to make us think about our own culture, and somehow their way to see thing, there's a lot of wisdom in it... that we could borrow, I'd say.

It is about the rise and fall of dreams of a population, after 30 years of war, when the Talibans were overthrown, there were hopes, BIG hopes... and a country in shamble, dreams of reconstruction. A dream that the country would recover, and shine again.

Such dreams were still present in 2004, when Chroniques Afghanes began and when these chronicals end in December 2006, disillusion was getting widespread. The feel of freedom was gradually replaced with fears, and the influence of the Talibans getting omnipresent.

How could it happen? Corruption getting widespread, also broken promises from our own governments, sheer frustration of the local population in part fueld by our complete misunderstanding of Afghanistan of its people, its culture, even its economy... (and of course the *underground* economy) and when you leave it to the military calling the shots, well it's a recipe for disasters...

The documentary arrives at a good time, when our presence in Afghanistan is being questioned, and once again by our Conservative government, *strictly* from a military aspect, mhhhh....

I feel heart broken...

My XO laptop has arrived!

2008-01-18T09:35:00.001-05:00

<--- Side by side, the XO laptop and my old Sony VAIO laptop.

From time to time, I've mentioned in this blog about "zero-cost computing" and the "$100 laptop". Well, this is the XO laptop, Nicholas Negroponte's contribution to education in the third world.

For a limited time, Americans and Canadians could participate in their G1G1 program, Give One Get One.

My contribution has helped to give one XO laptop... and from that deal, I also get one for myself. The price went up a little bit ($200 per laptop), but nonetheless, this is one heck of a laptop for that price.

<--- again, side by side, the XO laptop, seemingly dwarfed by fancy schmancy VAIO... with all its war marks. :) On the far left, the XO's 110V transformer and on the forefront a 30cm / 12-inch ruler.

One powerful impression... the XO is *very* sturdy. On a whim I would trade my VAIO for that little laptop!

When traveling, the stuff we carry can take a severe beating and a few times I've been worrying for my old VAIO. It makes you wondering why they don't build those expensive laptops like the XO!

After I unpacked the XO, there was a bit of deception. Why? Well, you were supposed to get a taste of how it's going to be... in the field.

For instance, the 110V wall transformer is nice here in America, but infrastructure being a problem in most third world countries, finding a wall outlet can be a problem.

On the internet I saw long discussions about solar panels, hand-crank generators and how XO's electricals have been designed to tolerate an extremely wide range of DC input voltage. There's none of that in the shipment.

Also missing is documentation. (There's a small flyer telling you very basic things, and then you're instructed to log on their web site for more infos. Mhhhh... )

For the same reason, to have a feel of what it's going to be in real life, I would love to see some educational materials (or to cut costs, links to the electronic version of these documents) that would come with the laptop.

So basically, from the G1G1 program, you get a laptop... and that's that as far as you are concerned. I hope for the donated XO laptop, it's another story.

In evaluating the XO laptop, you have to remind yourself that it's operating... in the Western world, which the XO is *NOT* designed for. So certain things are bound to happen, such as this screen, immediately after booting up.

<--- It remembers the wi-fi access point it was on the previous time... but *NOT* its password! So everytime I boot up the XO, I have to type the password of my wi-fi access point. Dang, another password to remember. :)

In Africa, most likely it wouldn't be a problem (who would be crazy to password protect an access point? Even more so... in a school ?!?).

Besides, the XO has a "mesh" wireless system to talk to other XO laptops (which seems to be the old Wi-Fi peer-to-peer mode), so an access point isn't really required.

One good thing, its Wi-fi antennas (those rabbit ears) have excellent range. It sees a lot more Wi-Fi signals than my VAIO laptop!

One feature I like, the screen can swivel, just like with those high-end laptops, and then you navigate with those buttons on each side of the screen.

It takes a little while to get used, but I love it!

I didn't have time to play much with the XO. There are some fun creative applications I want to play with (TamTamJam and Turtle graphics to name a few).

Its web browser is decent. Most web sites display well. One footnote: It doesn't handle Flash animation, but again, I'm in North America, so to be fair, I shouldn't apply our standards.

I might even add that there are some hidden benefits. Some of the most annoying ads are done in Flash... therefore they become invisible with this browser, heh! :)

All in all, this XO laptop is a great laptop. I'm impressed!

Wanna play with my XO? :)

Cheers,

-E

Chaotic triumph...

2008-01-09T17:08:00.001-05:00

<--- Again, do I need to say anything? :) L'Arc de Triomphe. (Also called "Place de l'Etoile", and I was a bit surprised it got renamed again as "Etoile-Charles-de-Gaulle". Huh ?!? It always surprises me, with this crazy traffic whizzing all around L'Arc de Triomphe , and how discipline is a word that exists only in a dictionary, and this is especially true in Paris...

I was there observing for a while, this sheer docile maddness...

Amazing, just amazing...

An amazing nothingness! No accidents! No one injured!

In total chaos, comes order. People do get from point A to point B... apparently safe and sound... seemingly against all odds!!!

Cheers from Paris!

-E

Douce France.... / Modern " arts "...

2008-01-09T17:02:00.000-05:00

<--- Do I need to say anything? :D

This is Paris' Inutshuk. Cough cough. :D

Yow... Talk about a cultural clash... and yet, at 10,000km away from each other and also being about 100 years apart (I'm referring to Vancouver's *true* Inukshuk on English Bay Beach, they both mean the same.

Inukshuk, they can be found in Western Canada and they mean "I was here".

Now, if you're a tourist and you come to Paris... what is the symbol you're looking for, the most striking one, of all... even it's been taken in photos a million of times?

[i]La Tour Eiffel[/i]. The Eiffel Tower. Probably close in second rank... [i]L'Arc de Triomphe[/i]. But I'm allowed one photo here.

Why the Eiffel Tower?

*I* was there. That's why! You have to be there, to feel its weight (well figuratively, of course! :) ).

To feel the distance from where I come from.

To me, to feel the boomerang effect. I'm back to my origins, in a way. Home in Montréal. Home is also Paris.

So, for that one mighty photo that FC allows me to put... What photo represents Paris? Yup, _that_ tower.

It's interesting, like many modern buildings, its art wasn't appreciated.

You probably know, without even visiting Paris, that when the tower was built, many people said that it was the most ugliest "pile of metal" sitting in Paris... and it was a very close call that The Eiffel Tower got demolished.

Imagine today! Paris without its Eiffel Tower? That tickles the imagination, a little bit.

So like many things... that defy orders, rules, conventional wisdoms... things that were deemed... ugly, provocative, shocking...

... are valuable, nice... are fully appreciate... *later*.

I was thinking of CongueroSeattle... and about the Seattle Library downtown, and things he said about that new building...

... Yet, it's a construction that recalls a bit the Montreal's biosphere (Expo'67) or even Vancouver's Science World (on a smaller scale for Expo '86). A simple geometric design, repeated millions of times.

And the sharp criticism all these buildings have gathered during their construction.

A pile of metals, people said. Ugly! Get rid of that junk!

And yet later... how we treasure them.

La Veille Dame, The Old Lady... is going well. Very well for her 100th year. :D

(Not showing on the photo, there was quite a light show to observe).

Cheers,

-E

PS: It was a balmy day today in Paris, after a rather damp and rainy morning. The sun came out, and it was a mix of clouds and sun all afternoon long... along with a nice +12C (mid 50s). No complaints.

Oh my feet!!! Walk and walk and walk, and grateful for Martine to show me Paris, with her own eyes!

It would have taken many days, along a tour of the museum... but what could be done in a day, from dawn to dusk... has been done.

Oh... enjoying bistrots while on our way.

It felt good, very good.

Voicemail to SMS text message...

2008-01-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

I'm awfully behind in checking my mails.

A friend of mine has sent me this link. Rogers (who also owns the Fido brand name) is one of the three cellphone service providers in Canada. They announce a brand new service for cellphone users: Voicemail to SMS text messages.

(Of course, knowing Rogers, they'll charge top dollars for that service :) ).

They have implemented voice recognition software on their voicemail service. It understands several languages (English, French, German, Spanish).

So you can receive as a text message, what people are leaving on your voice mailbox.

Ahh... the wonders of computers. :)

Since Canada is trailing terribly, compared to the States and Europe, I would bet that they all have that for a long time... but it's coming to Canada. At last.

In the article I mentioned earlier, there's something that ticks me off:

-------

“It’ll appeal to a broad customer base … people who are in meetings quite regularly and can’t take a phone call; it’s very useful in those settings,” commented Alltel’s senior vice president of product management, Wade McGill. “It was one of those services that once you get it, you don’t want to give it up,” he added, describing the reaction of a product test group.

-------

Ooookay. What about people who are functionally hard of hearing (my case). What about deaf people? I'd bet they'd be delighted

It's often the problem with new technology. What their inventors think of the real audience of their new technology... and how it really turns out in reality...

Anyway, that's probably old news to everyone else, but I figure that's news still worthy enough for mention here.

Now, time to pack my luggage... or I'll miss my plane!!!

Cheers,

-E

Think spacially, express yourself spacially!

2008-01-02T02:04:00.000-05:00

If you've been wondering why I like computers... :)

It's a bit by accident that I went to computer programming. It challenges my mind in a great way, and I'm paid for that. It's difficult to find a better job!

When I went to the university, my approach was that computers can help us, human beings. Whether to compensate for our own deficiencies... whether to provide an environment, to fully express ourselves and to organize our thoughts in ways that make sense. Computers have become powerful enough... that we are getting to that point.

Think spacially, express spacially. Also a matter of going beyond words... beyond links. It's all about... people.

Zubie has sent me the URL of this YouTube video:

PS: The music is pretty cool! The question is there: Is the machine us/ing us or are we using the machine to be... ourselves? (I rather think of the latter). A new breed of humans will result? Mhhhh... not so sure.

PPS: I enjoy a lot the end of the video. I agree that we need to rethink a lot of things. Enjoy the video!

PPPS: Have you noticed how writing text has been... non-linear? Up and down, left and right? Welcome to the realm of visual thinkers! :)

On a related topic:

Are you left brain or right brain? Here's the link to an interesting article: Right Brain vs Left Brain. Is the female dancer spinning to the right or to the left? It depends. (To make the dancer spinning, click on the miniature photo on the left).

If you think the animated .GIF picture is rigged, try this experiment with a laptop, or with an LCD screen which you can hold... sideway.

All of a sudden, you'll see the dancer spinning in the other direction. (If it doesn't work, place the monitor or laptop the other way around).

Better, if you can hold the monitor at the point the dancer spins in opposite direction, you'll likely see the dancer spinning one way and then the other way.

A proof that the .GIF animated picture isn't "rigged". It's up to your mind, and how it decodes reality.

Oh, my cubicle!

2008-01-02T01:34:00.000-05:00

If you've been wondering why I traveled so much last year...

See Clevergirl's blog entry. The danger of the mighty cubicle world!!!

Since I value my sanity... this is why I spent so much time on the road, heh! :)

I hope you'll enjoy the giggles. :)

(And the fact that it's so true!!!)

Cheers!

-E

Hibernation... on the fast lane.

2008-01-01T23:42:00.001-05:00

I love those quirky titles. :)

First thing first, to all my fellow bloggers... a Happy New Year!

Yup, we all made it. It's 2008. Incredible, isn't it? :D

I wish to all of you... Health, Happiness. The rest is also nice to have, I agree. :)

----

<--- Photo taken this morning. I don't remember seeing so much snow so early in the winter season. Still four looooong months to go. If it continues to snow at this rate... mhhh, it's going to be interesting!!!

My house will _really_ be an igloo!!! :)

----

-I'm back from celebrating the new day with my parents. It goes without saying I couldn't leave Canada, on such an important day.

I've millions things to do, and on day like this one, it's windy, it's cold and it is snowing...

The urge to stay in my cavern, err... igloo is there. Sigh!!!

- Just finished the job (Yay!). However, I've to make preparations for the trip to France... and of course I have to hunt for those little sweet treats we have "in America" (I wish they say Québec, or as a last resort, Canada. If you have family relatives on the Old Continent, no matter where you are on the NEW Continent, it's America, and that's that! Whether basking in an igloo or wearing a sombrero, you come from America! :) ).

- Got the luggage packed with my stuff.

- Last tour of e-mail. Sigh... it's scary the amount of new mails. I must get done before leaving.

- I must see my landlord. Again, she will check my apartment everyday (and for Albertine, the garden spider. She has a big kick on her!).

It's not that I'm overly cautious, but in winter time in a nordic country like mine, there are extra steps that must get done while you're away at this time of the year. Otherwise, insurance companies won't pay. Mumble... mumble... mumble...

- A talk with Gamin and Filou. Once again, they'll be in the hands of my mom. Nor they understand much, but "the talk" is important for me. After all, these cats are my babies :) (If you're a cat owner, you understand what I mean. :) ). There's also the big guilt trip to leave them behind... even if I know they'll be in *VERY* good hands. :)

That being said, there's another weird feeling, because my cats don't miss much my absence. With my mom, they are pampered. She cooked for them all sorts of great meals (I wish I had the time to do so!), they are groomed and groomed (and they love that!) and they'll get all other niceties. Did I mention that my mom loves cats? :)

It feels as if they want to stay with my mom, when I come back. Sheesh. :)

- Laptop? Check. It will work on 220V.

- I have a bunch of adapters for those round wall outlets in Europe. It's in the luggage. (Yeah I know, I'm sure you have done this: leaving them at home!!! :) )

- Digicam charger? Check. It will also work fine on 220V.

- Ditto for the cellphone charger, and I spent a good deal of time with customer service yesterday, to make sure that the cellphone I have will work in France, and then to activate international roaming... and then asking a few basic things...

How do I dial an European phone number on a *Canadian* cellphone, if I have to? And vice in the versa, which numbering scheme I use when calling back to Canada when I'm in France? Answer: It's bisexual. :)

A bit of both numbering schemes. Not exactly like in Europe, not exactly like in Canada, but it's a bit of both. Roaming rates? Nawww... you don't want to know. I just hope there won't be any emergencies requiring the use of my cellphone, whether in France or in Canada.

-Got maps, guides all tucked in said luggage

-Now, if I can find time to sloooooooooow down and relax!!!

Yup, hibernation on the fast lane, it feels that way.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Cheers,

-E

Balmy Paris...

2007-12-31T17:11:00.000-05:00

Ahem! NOT Paris... Hilton. :)

In my book, neither she's hot, and balmy isn't a word that would come to my mind, about describing her. :)

No, I mean Paris... La Ville-Lumière, the City of Lights. You know, that unknown place in France with that big utility pole in the center? That's the place!

(Gee whiz, I speak like a Republican. I should stop watching FOX News. :) ).

In preparation for the trip to France, earlier this morning I was on an IM chat session with one of my cousins, and along the conversation, questions were flying back and forth about the trip.

So I innocently asked... how I should get dressed?

There are those innocent questions which... the minute you asked... you should bite your fingernails from ever asking that question!!!

(Translating in English...)

-It's cooooooooooooold in Paris, right now! Dress warmly!

Somehow, I had some suspicions. You know, I'm back from Seattle... and I've heard a similar complaint from Seattlelites.

Heck, they had no snow on the ground, and I had to unzip my jacket while I was there. That tells you how "cold" it was in Seattle!

Here in Montréal, I'm drowned in a sea of snow and I better cover up and wear *winter* boots!

So, I bite...

-Ok, I said. How cold it is in Paris, right now ?

- +7ºC That's coooooold!

(For my fellow Americans: +7ºC = about 45ºF ). In other words, just as "cold" as Seattle. :)

Ooooookay...

Balmy Paris!

PS: I think that I said something similar about Seattle. I think. :)

Nor I was fully understood, both in Seattle and now in Paris.

Must be my Eskimo accent. :)

Cheers!!!

-E

------

PPS: While in France, I may not blog often... for one good reason: Not all my cousins and uncles have internet access, so there will be long lapses. Please, do not panic! I'll probably be just fine... just enjoying (perhaps a little bit too much) the French gastronomy... and French wine. ;)

IF I disobey the law of gravity...

2007-12-31T08:13:00.000-05:00

Does the law of the land still apply ?

(Originally posted on Dec 13rd, on my arrival on the west coast. A blog repost from FC. I realized later that they censor my blog entry. Sheesh!)

Air Canada has decided to do a festival of Canadian student movies on board of their west-bound planes, instead of showing the usual brain-dead movies from Hollywood. I approve wholeheartedly the move! Besides, our own cinemas, that's a welcome change from always seeing foreign movies, especially on *Canadian* planes. :)

Enter the "Upside-Down Girl" (photo above) The movie was done by grad student James Vandewater at Ryerson University (a well known university located in Toronto).

There are days, you know... *those* days... when you wake up, you feel being upside-down. Those hangover days, you know...

Well this is what happened... literally to a young woman. One morning, she woke up... stuck to the ceiling. Walking on the ceiling certainly feels like being upside down... with the rest of the world... not to mention a certain weird feeling about disobeying the law of gravity.

To make matters worse, she has just begun to date a guy (the story doesn't mention FC, I've checked! ), and of course today was the day which the guy would show up at her apartment, just to make matters worse.

So there are some hilarious moments.

For instance, she tried valiantly to appear... normal to her date, therefore trying to appear upright like everyone else. However for her, it means being upside down in an upside-down world.

Think about it... it will eventually make sense to you. :)

Also rare for a movie shown in airplanes, there was a brief sex scene. Ohhhhhhhh... nothing unmentionable really showing up. Or rather, we didn't have time to see much, so our imagination had to kick in. :)

The poor guy is stuck on the floor and her on the ceiling, so they had to be creative. Even kissing proved to be mhhh... somewhat cumbersome.

PS: Finally a good use of the missionary position, to use the weight of the guy to bring her down, and for him to go ahem... up. Weightless sex on earth, a fantasy that tickles the brain, if you ask me. This was a waaaay too brief scene, but the imagination can fill out the dots. :)

All along the movies, there were those amusing lines.

As a photographer, it's also a devil of fun to build a set upside down with the intent to make it look upright, and to make people seemingly defy gravity.

If you have studied photography, it's a fun project to do... but rarely we can do that, to such a large scale, like they did with Upside-Down Girl.

The dialogs were somewhat uneven, but there are some gems, worth saving.

Cheers,

-E

(Addendum: Since I'm not on FC, I can post links. Heh. :) You can read a review of Upside-Down Girl here... and about the hurdles they had to overcome.)

Bhutto and Pakistan...

2007-12-28T00:47:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map

I don't know what to think...

It's funny how in the media, the announcement of her death was presented... as if this has caught everyone by surprise.

Hello ?!?

Wasn't something... glaring obvious? It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when... and most likely *BEFORE* the elections?

What has been an enigma is why Benazir Bhutto decided to return to Pakistan. Besides, she saw her dad and a couple of relatives leaving this world a bit prematurely.

She's savvy, she's smart, got a good education in the best schools in the west, and she knows politics since she's been at the helm of the country.

I don't believe a minute it is by patriotism and on high and noble principles she went back. She isn't suicidal, nor _that_ stupid. What's the whole point of being killed before even having a chance to have a taste at power? There is that.

She must have been fooled by someone whose words usually are trusted... and my hunch is once you have answered that question... the murderer(s) aren't that far.

Sometimes maps speak a lot (hence why I posted a GoogleMap here). Pakistan isn't just the proverbial quirky neighbour to India. There's a heck of mighty neighbours, from Iran to China, not to mention Afghanistan. Even some neighbors are within shooting distance, such as Saudi Arabia.

Besides, sitting on top of the many "'stan" is... Russia. I'm also thinking of certain trades, licit such as oil (in pipelines), and illicit, such as certain drugs (derived from certain cultures)...

And it must make some people nervous for a country that has a nuclear bomb... is going out of control. Mhhhh...

Sometimes, I wish that our media, instead of just merely reporting the news... without even understanding what they were reporting... they would sit down... and start analysing.

Heck, we have people getting diplomas out of universities in geopolitics. Might be time to hire them? They know what they're talking about... (or should know! ;) )

Nor that I believe one second that Bhutto was suicidal, nor she would make consciously a fatal mistake by returning to her country... while it was a sure thing she wouldn't see the elections alive.

In the meantime, you should see the silliness FOXNews and CNN are uttering. And they call that... "news channels". Wow...

Cheers,

-E

12 days of Christmas!

2007-12-26T00:46:00.000-05:00

To all my friends, online friends and fellow bloggers,

I wish you happiness, I wish you health,

May your dreams, even the wackiest ones come true!

Now... if you are partying merrily... go easy on booze, ok?

Remember... This is the time to ahem... celebrate? If this becomes a chore, something is probably wrong. :)

And what the heck, a "twofer". Hint: Check their pile of bills! :)

Merry Christmas !

Huh ?!?

:)

-E

A year of "Special Comments"...

2007-12-22T07:46:00.000-05:00

It's the time of the year that TV channels switch in neutral... with reruns.

It was true for MSNBC and for Keith Olberman's Countdown...

A year's worth of "Special Comments".

Critical of the Bush administration,

Critical of the Democrats, who were lacking balls to stand up. They still are, today...

Going back a year, and following the time line...

Whew!

Olberman was right on all counts, then and now. What pains me... in the media, he's the only one standing up.

Sigh...

-E

Everything is relative!

2007-12-22T06:58:00.000-05:00

<--- Photo taken from my bedroom window, yesterday. Gee whiz, it looks just like Seattle, n'est-ce pas? ;)

To give you an idea, the fence that is almost disappearing in the snow... is 4-feet tall!

I don't recall ever seeing this much snow on the ground so early in the season.

That being said, since my return in Montréal, I've been shoveling snow (and clearing out my windows too. :)

<--- Did someone say... snow?

I _think_ it isn't a stretch in any way...

But we're going to have a white Christmas.

I think...

But who am I to say that?

Ah... Balmy Seattle, where are you? I miss it!

It was just a few days ago...
<--- Photo of my street.

Gee whiz, just like Seattle, isn't it? ;)

Snowboots, hat, scarf, glove, real winter clothes...

Exactly what I was wearing in Seattle!

Well, sort of... ;)

Cheers,

-E

Seattle by night...

2007-12-21T03:12:00.000-05:00

These photos were taken on my last night in Seatte...

<--- 4th Avenue and Pine Street. The big Macy store.

The big shiny star is impressive!

Weather: About 45F, at 9PM, overcast.

It felt good, VERY good to have a walk in downtown Seattle. I can't imagine that I'll be in 3ft of snow very soon, back home!

<--- Lighted trees on Union street and 6th Avenue, just next to the Sheraton hotel, where I was staying.

Actually, I should be packing my stuff for my return trip tomorrow, but it was good to be outside...

PS: Do notice the tremendous amount on snow on the ground. ;)

<--- Union Street, next to 3rd Avenue.

In a distance, a life saving to any traveler: the US Post Office.

Again, have you noticed the amount of snow on the ground? ;)

<--- Carousel, on Pine Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, sponsored by Qwest (the big telco here) and King 5, a local television station.

Those things are now rare.

<--- Just across the street, the Westlake Center, a big shopping mall and their Christmas tree.

In the far right, the Nordstrom store, a landmark in downtown Seattle.

<--- A little while later on Pine Street, heading toward Capitol Hill, trees are lighted in different colors.

PS: I hate to _really_ insist, but have you noticed the huge amount of snow on the ground, and how people are dressed? Exactly like in Montréal, right? ;)

So long... from *BALMY* Seattle!

-E

More Seattle birthday / blogfest...

2007-12-21T02:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, it's tough to take a group photo. Sometimes, there are technical glitches... and sometimes *we* are the glitches who ruin a group photo. :)

In the forefront, Gird, Illjay64 and me. In the background, Illjay's beau, Dae314, Tarnaargh, Tantrika, Crowfriend, and Congueroseattle.

It appears that Tantrika had something to say to Crowfriend... for some reasons!!!

Dae314, Tarnaagh and Illjay64 saw what happened and they were laughing big time! Of course, I'm the guy who tries to be serious and who strives to elevate this photo session to a certain level of ahem... nevermind!!

I have to say on the last two photos, I was struggling to keep a straight face. :)

Behind me, the party was going on!!!

(On the table, we had Washington port, some French white wine, and California red wine. In the "peace" box, some... brownies). The curry was excellent and the birthday cake... yummy!

I think that Tantrika enjoyed her party... and I think the feeling is mutual. We were just too busy giggling and laughing! :)

Cheers!

-E

The Seattle blogfest report!

2007-12-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

(Due to FC's inability to handle more than one photo per blog entry, I've sent to my fellow bloggers the URL of this blog)

Crowfriend and Tantrika, extremely elegant in black. They were radiating love and happiness. So beautiful to see!

Such a joy for me to see Tantrika again, and after near misses to finally see Crowfriend

So in photos, here's the report:

From left to right, Tarnaagh, Dae314, Crowfriend, and I _think_ Tantrika's hands. :)

Dae has been ahem... quite a phenomeon. We kept giggling and laughing... and it's a wise crack one after the other. (I think it's visible on the photo!)

And all this, even while being sober! If Montréal wasn't so far away from Washington State, she would do a killer job at our aptly named "Juste pour Rire / Just for laughs festival!". :)

(On the table, we had red wine, white wine, and Washington Port. The content of these bottles quickly ahem... "evaporated" in our glasses! ;) )
Time for a toast!

From left to right, Taarnagh, a laughing Dae (she's been like that all night long. I never laughed so much in an evening!), Crowfriend and Tantrika going for a toast and Gird.

Again from left to right, humble moi (!), Illjay64 and her boyfriend, Taarnagh, Dae, and the hands belonging to Crowfriend and Tantrika. :)

I was the only one who has brought a digicam. So I lent my digicam to Gird who took a couple of pictures, including this one.

This picture speaks for itself, I think.

Cheers!!!!!

-E

The joy of the Slingbox: Being in Montréal by proxy !

2007-12-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Seattle! It's about 9AM Pacific time when I'm typing these lines. We're having a mix of sun and clouds (not bad, considering they usually have lots of rain!)

For about a month, I have a Slingbox. What it is? well you can watch TV... on your computer. Any computer that is plugged to your internet router. A router with Wi-FI, it will make a laptop shine.

To keep an ear on Keith Olberman's Countdown when I'm doing my dishes, it's kind of cool. :)

But it can also work... over the internet. I had to fumble a little bit, as it was the first attempt to do so... 5000km away from home... and Bingo! Of course, the images aren't as sharp as at home, but who cares! I'm in my hotel room in Seattle, and I had Montréal on my laptop!

(I think that I'll repeat that stunt in January when I'll be in Paris with my family. I'm the computer geek, so a computer geek has to impress his host with geeky stuff. Right? Right. :)

Here are some computer screen snapshots, as they appeared on my laptop. I'm watching MétéoMédia (The French-speaking side of the Weather Network).

I was there, watching their images in complete disbeliefs. 40cm up to 50cm of snow for today, Sunday (that's 14 inches to a 16 inches of new snow on top of what we already have!).

One word:

WHAT ?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

(Sound of jaws being dropped here!)

Gee whiz, great timing for leaving Montréal! Supposedly, Seattle is extremely rainy at this time of the year. So far, it has rained a bit, but we had a bit of sunshine too!

Temps are in the mid 40s, (between 6 and 8 Celsius) and of course no snow on the ground. Heh!

Look at the screen shot on the left. Hint: -12 Celsius is in mid 10s Fahrenheit.

All in all... I maintain my words:

Ahhhh!!!! Balmy Seattle!!! :)

(At the blogfest, one asked me: You must had quite a dose of special brownies to utter Balmy Seattle. Gee whiz, our winter has been so crazy so far, I wish I had those brownies!!! That's the point!)

Cheers!

-E

Balmy Seattle!

2007-12-15T03:11:00.000-05:00

I'm in Seattle!

And I took some pictures, just for you guys, stuck in the snow, and shivering in the cold.

I'm thinking a lot about you guys. Really! :)

Here, it was cloudy most of the day, with temps around 45F. About 7 or 8 Celsius.

Sweet o sweet, if you ask me. :)

The first two photos are taken on 4th Avenue, near Columbia Street. Notice how the trees look like and the absence of snow on the ground.

(In case you haven't noticed. ;) )

The 3rd photo is the famous Utilikilts store, 1st Ave and Cherry Street, in Pioneer Square (further south, from the downtown core).

See? There are some "landmarks" that are MUST see in Seattle. Such as the kilt store. :)

Finally some Christmas lights that seem very lonely. No snow on the ground. Heh!

I can say that I had just my spring/fall jacket, and I had to partly unzip it. That gives you an idea how warm it was in Seattle.

Do I regret winter? The cold stuff and the snow you're all having...

You really want the true, or you want me to be polite, nice... and not being *too* ahem... cruel? ;)

You know what I'm going to say!!!!

So, I'm enjoying my stay in Seattle. Every minute, of it, heh! :)

Cheers,

-E

Ciao Darwin ?!?

2007-12-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, you see strange things on late night shows on TV... and TV that comes from abroad.

Once in a while, my cable provider gives "free preview" of various TV channels they carry. Last night, it seems that all international channels were unlocked.

TV from Italy (several channels, including the RAI), Greece, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and on this side of the Atlantic, Central and South America. I saw also something in Japanese. (No, I haven't seen Al Jazeera either in Arabic nor in English, nor France 24).

I was watching an Italian TV channel... and there was a really really weird TV game show. A cross of Jeopardy and the Gong Show. :)

Two contestants in ordinary clothes, each of them is sitting in a tube tank. Every time a contestant missed a question... the tank is filled with water.

Oopsie!

In the show I saw, there was a guy in ordinary t-shirt and jeans, the lady with long hair wearing a very nice dress. (but nothing revealing being shown. :) ).

The questions weren't that hard either. (Well, my Italian is rusty, but since it's so close to French, I could get the gist of these questions. I think I would have just my feet wet. :)

In the Italian show, there seems to be a "sprint", when the contestant becomes entirely submerged and holding his breathe, the other contestant must answer a bunch of questions as quickly as possible. Dunno, I think I would take my time, just to see how long the other guy is going to hold. ;)

International TV... and the crazy thing you see. Imagine when our TV stations will get fed up of "Big Brother", or they'll convince Alex Trebek to wear his swimsuit.

That being said, what's all that fuss about taking a dip in a water tank with all your clothes on? With boys and girlfriends, we did that many times in the summer time in the pool and we had a devil of fun. :) That's also how I learn underwater photography, each of us "modeling" underwater for the camera and I'm not kidding. And that was in the '70s, when I was young and sexy. Sigh. :)

So if you're curious about "Ciao Darwin", here is what Wikipedia is saying. Apparently, they sold the rights to several European countries. Since seeing is believing, I did some researches on YouTube. I've found a short 3-minute video, I _think_ it's in Hungarian or Polish, but this show is quite similar to the one I saw last night in Italian, minus the sprint when the other guy is completely submerged.

PS: The effect of curved glass and water... suddenly, you are at peace with your waist line. :)

PPS: Wanna bet that this show will appear in North America in a few years?

Cheers,

-E

I need a blow job! :-)

2007-12-09T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hehehe...

Be honest, you were thinking of THAT blow job, right? The job that sucks, right? ;)

You have a dirty mind... well... as dirty as mine and a lot of people. That's not all that bad, come to think of it.

No, I haven't posted that blog entry at FC... yet. I'm still giggling!

Sooooo.... of course, I'm thinking of a blow job of another kind.

To blow... the snow away from my little street. *That* kind of job. By the way, where are the snowblowers?

We got the storm on Monday, and it's now Sunday... and we (the residents of that street), men and women alike, we're all collectively waiting for our collective blow job to occur. :)

(You know, there are certain things that are done in groups, and you can bet that in this case, we'll all rapidly climax of joy when it's going to happen. We've been waiting for soooo long, you know! ;) )

I also wonder whether next Monday, I should call City Hall. I can imagine the conversation on the phone.

Sir, I need a blow job, and it's an emergency!

Ok, it's Sunday morning, the week has been though...

Am I allowed... to record some moments of silliness?

Thanks. :)

PS: Credits for my immediate neighbour about the word play on blow jobs... and for contaminating my mind since then!!!

There are lights... and there are lights.

2007-12-09T11:17:00.000-05:00

This is the time of the year that you see Christmas lights everywhere.

Personally, those lights are a downer in shopping malls. The mercantile aspect of Christmas is so glaring obvious.

However, those same Christmas lights... when they are decorating homes and trees, that's something else.

They are there... for the sheer pleasure of its owners. There's nothing to buy. They are there, free, to be enjoyed.

With the foot of snow that we just had... those lights give a great festive look to our streets.

I like that!

Cheers from North Pole, Canada!

Poor America, a special comment...

2007-12-09T09:50:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder whether 1 + 1 = 2. Sometimes I wonder, period.

It's not my intent to do a political blog, and certainly not about a country that I am not currently living in. So consider that blog entry as the exception that confirms the rule, (that's what we say in French. :) ).

What happens elsewhere... can happen here. To some extents, it has already happened (ie, Stephen Harper).

Also when that very elsewhere is our closest neighbour, also the country that self-portrayed as the watchdog of democracy... Ooch.

When it is a country you admire, and a country you'd love to live in, to see the country so rapidly dropping their principles, on the aftermath of 9/11... rapidly turning as a police state, when individual liberties have been ditched in the name of "security", and there was very little protest, one wonders...

But there is more.

I was watching Keith Olberman the other night, and listening intently to his "Special Comment" (transcripts: The Neocon job . By all means, do read it).

This was on days after the NIE report was leaked to the media, stating that Iran's nuclear plans have been put on-hold since 2003, and Bush got that report last August.

You certainly remember Bush's recent statements about WW3, nuclear holocaust and other similar niceties, at the time he knew that none of that could possibly happened. With the NIE report now leaked into the media, Bush was caught again pants down, openly lying to his population. It is blatant, it is as obvious as a nose on one's face. And so far... not much is happening.

I'm a fan of Olberman, and whenever it happens that I'm home, I watch his broadcast. Of all of his Special Comments", it is probably the harshest of all. His ending words? "You, sir (Bush), have no business... being president." Loud and clear, and to the point.

And that could be said back then in 2004 when the 9/11 commission published its report (more on that later).

But... where's everyone? Why Olberman is the only one openly stating what many people think?

And there's one word missing. Even from someone as verbose as Olberman... and I always wondered why on many of his "Special Comments" he didn't use it, because it was the logical conclusion to everything he said. Even more so now.

I'm also thinking that in 2004... when the 9/11 commission published its report, and when it stated, that *NONE* of the reasons invoked by Bush for the war in Iraq were true... NONE of them, not a single one of them...

So what it says about the capacity of the man, being at the helm of an extremely powerful country... and with the job, as commander in chief of the army, when it got stated blatantly that he has sent the army on a war... for *NO* valid reasons?

There's only one word for that... and that very word was also missing in everyone's comments, back then.

Not only that, but Bush got re-elected, defeating the purpose of that word.

Oh, it's too easy to blame the media, printed and electronic.

Also, it is true that we deserved and we should be held responsible for the politicians we elect. For instance, I blush when I see Harper making a fool of himself on every international tribune (these days, on how he torpedoes the Kyoto accord. It's just one humilation among many others).

One wonders: we have elected... THAT ? Ooch...

So I wouldn't blame the Americans for electing and re-electing Bush. We're just as bad, and the way it's going, we're going to re-elect Harper. So much for learning from our mistakes, even collective ones.

So there has to be something else.

And I wonder what is that very "else". I've no idea.

In the meantime for my fellow American friends, here's the missing word. Cut and paste it, use it, everywhere. Freely. Oh my, even... liberally? ;)

Impeachment.

And that concludes my "Special Comment". We shall resume our more or less normal programming. :)

Cheers,

-E

Alzheimer... a new treatment? Mhhhh....

2007-12-06T01:10:00.000-05:00

I heard this news yesterday on Radio-Canada: Industrie pharmaceutique: Péripétie d'un médicament.

In a few words, a Laval-based pharmaceutical, unhappy with the decision of the US' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to not approve a new drug used as a treatment against Alzheimer, will now market its drug... as food.

Woah.

Months ago, I've blogged this: Sometimes, I want to scream. You should see the mailbox of my parents (photo on the left). Weeks after weeks, it's an avalanche of miracle cures, for various ailments, from Diabetes to... of course Alzheimer.

(Of course, not mentioning "spiritual help", all offering trips to various places. From bucolic Berkshires in a Massachusetts retreat to the Joshuah trees in California, to the French Alps and a meet with the shamans living in the mountains in Peru. It would have been neat if they weren't so heavily into... money. Visa and MasterCard, our new spiritual gurus. :) ).

All these guys follow the same pattern: "They" don't want you to know. "They" don't want you to have access to that miracle cure.

Who are "they" ? Of course, the US' FDA is one such bad villain.

Yesterday, I was floored to see that a locally known pharmaceutical. -with a *good* reputation -, is using the very same argument as these bad guys.

What to think of all that? I don't know...

Sure, a lot can be said about the US' FDA, or here Health Canada / Santé Canada. Somehow, they have been batting well above .500 , so they aren't all _that_ bad.

Rather, in the light of various lawsuits going on against some big pharmaceuticals for some very popular drugs, I think that "they" have let drugs they shouldn't have. So the approval process of a new drug doesn't seem such a formidable hurdle, at first glance.

So, when the FDA turns down a drug on a basis that it's ineffective (which is the case here)... It _really_ has to be ineffective, otherwise they would have approved that drug. That's what I'm thinking.

Bottom line?

It's no party time, having to take care of someone who is Alzheimer. It's a daily pain to see a beloved person slowly fading away, and Alzheimer is one ugly disease, because it affects the very identity of that person.

Have you noticed that it's always against people who are vulnerable... that there are people around, telling you exactly what you want to hear? Even impossible dreams?

So, I'm thinking of... decency? How obscene it is, to fill us with false promises of a better world, in exchange of big lumps of money?

By all means, spare us of all this bullsh*t, good grief. But there isn't a law against that, sadly...

Cheers,

-E

Deafness is hitting home...

2007-12-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

No, not me. (Although I may appear to you as hard of hearing. I wrote a long blog entry, a few months ago).

No, it's about... my dad.

Since he has Alzheimer, getting to know with the disease, one of the things it does, it affects the mood. It isn't just all about memory recollections. Far from it, in fact.

So when we saw the first signs, we all thought, me first, that he was playing games on us. "Don't want to listen, don't want to talk, I'm in my bubble, and that's that." Okay dokay...

I had some suspicions. But I had to battle. "Oh, you know, your dad isn't young, it's kind of normal to be a bit deaf". I've heard that many times.

Mhhhh... I had a hunch there has to be something else. My mom too it isn't buying that argument.

Well, today the results are in. Left ear: Completely deaf, and there's serious hearing loss for his right ear.

Sigh...

When you see someone slowly fading away... and that someone is 50% of you... There's _that_ shock.

Then... it comes quickly obvious that there's a very something that becomes paramount as times go by: Communication. When he's with us...

To the point you look forward, for *those* times that he's with us.

Tonight, it seems that I've been robbed.

A wall of silence is getting established between us.

Sure, a lot can be conveyed with touch. We're warm blood creatures, with feelings... touches and feelings...

Visually too. From body language to sign language, yeah I know all that...

So, there are ways to side-step silence.

But nonetheless...

Sigh...

-E

Dial S... for Stupidity?

2007-12-05T03:15:00.001-05:00

While the east coast got lots of snow... on the west coast... they were coping with lots of rain, and unusually warm temperatures.

So there have been massive floods in British-Columbia, as well in Washington State and in Oregon

Thanks to my cable provider, they have their "western feed", so I can watch local Vancouver and Seattle TV stations, as if I were living there!

So I was watching a Vancouver station tonight. I saw on national news how British-Columbia got hard hit, so I was curious to see what's on their local TV stations.

The lady you see was complaining that for days that her house was surrounded by deep water. So she asked repeatedly to all government agencies she could think of for... help.

"Yeah, I've asked for... help, and I got... help today. They give me a help sign. "

It's hilarous... in a movie! However, when it's happening for real...

It's screaming obvious that this is not the kind of "help" she was thinking of...

-E

PS: I'll be in Vancouver and then in Seattle by the end of next week. It seems the absolutely wacky weather they had last year... is back again this year. I'm crossing my fingers... -E

Sweet time. :)

2007-12-05T03:00:00.000-05:00

After a hard day shoveling...

How's about a hot bath?

For all those aching muscles...

The feeling being so good,

It's been such an open invitation... for a nap.

So...

There are some good things to say about snowstorms, and having to shovel snow. :)

Cheers!

-E

Snow! 14 inches later. :)

2007-12-05T01:54:00.000-05:00

<--- Front page of today's La Presse. "The most important storm in 60 years to strike Montréal in early December, shutting down all schools".

(THe kid in me says: YAY! :) )

The cost of snow removal? $17 millions. The adult in me says: Ouch!!!

<--- snow covered trees and a mess on my street. :)

I figure that I needed a break. so I went inside, grabbed my digicam, and I snapped those pictures.

It's beautiful, nonetheless. A beautiful mess, heh. :)

<--- Backyard of my neighbor. Look at the thickness of the "snow pie" on their table. :)

My arms and my legs are still screaming from all this intense shoveling. I guess I'll be able to appreciate all this beauty, when I'll get some rests. :)

Cheers!

-E

SNOW !

2007-12-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Snow is a 4-letter word. :)

It is also 30 cm perhaps up to 45cm of white fluffy stuff.

Where's my shovel? I'm just an eskimo lost in the blizzard. Heeeelllpppp!!!!!!

:)

Cheers,

-E

Did someone say... SNOW ?

2007-12-02T01:45:00.003-05:00

<--- Don't fret, this is a "file photo" of my backyard. This photo was taken some years ago.

At the time I'm typing these lines, it's -16 Celsius. Brrrrrr!!!!

Bitterly cold temperatures so early in the season. Where's Global Warming when we need it?

However, clashing with this bitter cold air from Arctic... there will be warm air from the Americans.

Results?

30cm of snow... a FOOT of snow is forecasted for tomorrow.

Welcome to Canada. Bienvenue au Canada! :)

I think we'll get a white Christmas this year. Nous allons avoir un Noël blanc cette année!

Citoyens, citoyennes.... à vos pelles!
Citizen... at your shovels!

:)

-E

World AIDS Day... food for thoughts...

2007-12-01T03:55:00.000-05:00

<--- AIDS Day in downtown Vancouver, on a bitterly cold day of December 2006. Photo taken on Howe Street near the very chic Robson Street.

This is one of those days, which the time has come to pause and ponder.

To think of brothers and sisters who have already fallen...

To think of those who are infected...

To think.

Of the past, the present and the future.

A friend of mine who is HIV+ once told me: "It's like sleeping at the top of a giant volcano that you know to be active. You never know when the eruption is going to happen and to take you away. This is my life."

And he's right. For instance, if you skip meals and have to skip medications, whether you don't feel ok, whether you were traveling and fighting jetlag, you can skip so many times without problems. But it can happen that the next time... this will be one time *too* many. As science has discovered, as a result, the virus can become resistant and your treatment is now ineffective.

Disaster.

It is only recently that there are have been a handful of alternate treatments and you have to count your blessing that one of these alternate treatments will take. You dearly hope of being given another chance at life. If not... it's AIDS and its slow spiral...

Even having your twice a day cocktail of pills isn't fun. There are good days and bad days, and some really bad days. To some people, there can be some very crippling nasty side-effects.

Besides, all sorts of minor ailments have been popping up here and there. None are life threatening, but it isn't the "business as usual" type of lifestyle as you may think it is, from taking these medications.

This comes as a result of the cumulative use of these medications for years. As people live longer with HIV, it is only by now that science has begun to discover these long term effects... and of course have little answers to that, at the present time.

HIV still kills people. As simple as that.

And it doesn't happen to... others.

It can happen to people who are dear to you.

It can happen to... you.

Can one do something? Sure...

Whether to support financially research,

whether to donate time and money to organizations who are helping people coping with HIV.

Also, medications cost a bundle, and some organizations will subsidize its cost. They will pick up where insurance won't. But to do so, they need your money.

I'm also thinking of illiteracy. I'm also thinking of moral and religious rules. HIV isn't a sex disease, nor a gay disease, nor that it reflects anything about your morality. It's been said ad nauseam for so many times...

And yet...

I'm also thinking that perhaps the most important thing you can do...

is to take steps to avoid getting it.

Have fun, but play safe. :)

Cheers,

-E

Is it bad, is it good? A matter of opportunities...

2007-12-01T01:44:00.001-05:00

At the workplace, some colleagues were teasing me today.

A year ago, about on this day... this was the scene on my arrival in Vancouver. A big snowstorm, followed the next day by bitterly cold temperatures followed by the next day by 100 km/h winds and followed by another snowstorm. Whoopy!

A place not used to see a real "Canadian-strength" winter... and a guy from the east coast (moi!) who said foolishly: "I wonder how Vancouver looks like in winter time".

Well... I came, I saw... I froze. :)

And back home, I got plenty of "friends" and colleagues giggling. Today, they were reminding of that. OK, I'm sport. :)

Beyond the giggles, people were really sorry for me, as if my trip was completely ruined. To them, this was sheer... bad luck.

To me, this has been a good thing. This has been sheer LUCK.

Sure, my plans were trashed by this incredible weather. (but not completely trashed. I could make it to Victoria, as planned) .

However... have you ever seen Vancouver under the snow? It's rather rare. I was there. :)

A walk in Stanley Park?

It felt like a walk in winter's wonderland.

Photos don't do justice.

Snow covered trees. Big big BIG trees, all dwarfing you. I really felt like a kid.

The seawall anyone who has taken a walk... The Pacific Ocean on side, Stanley Park on the other side, and in a distance the mountains, and as always, stunning sunsets.

It inspires serenity, it inspires peace.

Add snow... it's even better.

So... is this really bad luck? is this all that bad? Of course not!

This trip to the west coast last year was memorable... and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I'm thinking of several things that happened in my life which obviously bad things turned out otherwise.

It was up to me to adapt, up to me to seize opportunity...

However, if I kept complaining and sat idle, none of that would happen.

Cheers,

-E

-----
Photos
1) Downtown Vancouver, from the Metropolitan Hotel, where I stayed last year. In the forefront, Howe & Georgia streets. On the left, the entrance to the Pacific Centre Mall.

2) One of my favourite photos! Snow covered benches at English Bay Beach, near the end of Davie Street.

3) A walk in Stanley Park

4) Seawall, somethere near the Lions Gate bridge

Giggles: Get a raise, and go to vote! :)

2007-12-01T00:15:00.000-05:00

The wonder of internet newsfeeds. :)

If you have a working knowledge of French, by all means, do check this story from the Agence France Presse (AFP) : Une pilule de Viagra pour aller voter en Thaïlande.

Yup, it means what it means. Literally: "A Viagra pill in order to go to vote in Thailand".

Thailand is slowly returning to democracy, on the aftermath of a short lived military coup in 2006. This is going to be their first legislative elections, to be held on December 23rd.

Politicians being... politicians, you know that some of them have been trying to buy votes. With money. Other politicians have found mhhh... some rather creative ways to buy votes.

Citizen of Prathumthani, a suburb north of Bangkok have reported that some candidates are distributing free pills of ... Viagra. Yup, _that_ blue pill.

In order to buy votes? Mhhhh... Nawwww. Of course not! ;)

According to electoral laws, a candidate, if found guilty of buying votes, could face a 5-year jail sentence.

Here is where it gets hilarious:

Charungwit Phumma, an investigator for the electoral commission said: "So far, we haven't received a single complaint about those free Viagra pills. This is rather unusual", he said.

Tee hee!!! Who is going to complain, really ?!? :)

You know what I'm thinking? Our politicians should learn from their colleagues in Thailand.

Finally, politicians who start REALLY doing something for the ahem... "wel being" of the people they pretend to represent.

Who would complain? :)

Hehehe...

-E

Cheaper cellphone usage in Canada? Mhhhh....

2007-11-29T03:13:00.000-05:00

<--- Newest Sidekick. Like the iPhone, it isn't available in Canada...

With great fanfares, the news went out: CTV News: Ottawa's wireless auction could cut cellphone rates.

The promise of a bigger pipe (spectrum), and a good chunk of it set aside for new wireless telcos... supposedly, this would promote competition and better quality of service and from there... lower price. My first thought was: Oh.... yeah ?!?

This is coming at the same time a cousin of mine living in France is teasing me (CTVNews: Apple's Iphone hits French stores).

To them, I live in "America". I'm "le petit cousin d'Amérique", even though I'm 6' 4". So much for the small cousin. To the French, it's no use to mention that there's Canada, or even Québec. This is America, and that's that. In a way, this is not entirely false, continentally speaking. :)

In America, we're supposed to bask in technology. He couldn't understand why I can't buy the iPhone, nor why the Sidekick is disappearing from the Canadian market, while it's immensely popular in the US and all across Europe (I've blogged about this recently: New Sidekick: Why Canada is still late in the game)

It is frustrating.

When I was in Seattle last July, I had a chance to test drive an iPhone, which just went out, at that time. I also remember at a shopping mall in downtown Seattle, there was a T-Mobile kiosk, and I asked for a few infos about their Sidekick. The guy was ready to sold one to me! Even when I mention that I'm Canadian, even when I say that the only street address I can give him is a street address in *Canada*.

Heck, unlimited MOBILE internet access at $30/month... a device that is portable and very well done (decent tactile keyboard, contrary to the iPhone which the keyboard is just "painted" on the screen), a decent screen, and a device that isn't too bulky... and to top it all, it's also a cellphone... the geek in me was saying: I want one! I want one! I want one!

But usage from a US Sidekick or iPhone from Canada would mean stiff roaming charges. It's only when I'm in the US that I could really enjoy these toys. Since I'm more often in Canada than in the US...

Frustrating.

The Harper government says that by auctioning more spectrum to cellphone companies, this would bring price down. Problem is... there's no such obligations to lower prices, so why they should?

Years ago, we used to have a very good cellphone service at a price that was cheaper than in the US and Europe.

However, the Canadian government has also authorized mergers of cellphone companies. So rivals were allowed to buy ClearNet and MicroCell (the "Fido" brand name). As soon as these companies were bought, prices went through the roof.

Since there's no mandatory rules, even less incentives put in place by the government to lower prices in exchange for that use of extra spectrum, why on earth any of the 3 big wireless telcos would budge?

They understood that they have a captive market, therefore they're milking us as much as they can.

Oh, there are laws in Canada against that? Sure. Mhhh... since the Conservative government is not willing to step in, to enforce its own laws, is there any citizen with some millions $ in spare change to sue these companies?

In the meantime, if things go according to plan, I'm going to return to Seatlle in a few weeks from now. I'll probably have some times to do some shoppings in the downtown area.

When I'll see those cool iPhones, or that even cooler new Sidekick on displays...

Usually, material belongings escape me. Usually. :) However, I'm a geek, and a geek is a geek is a geek. Rule #2, see rule #1. :)

So there are some exceptions, and this is one of those... exceptions that confirms the rule, as French-speaking people would say. :)

Sigh...

Travel wise, it just hits me that around December 15th, I'll be in Seattle, and not even 3 weeks later, I'll be... in France.

It all began with a small hop to Ottawa last May... and I kept travelling for 5 months all over the continent. When September arrived, I really thought that it was the end of it. At least for the rest of the year, maybe even more.

And look at what is happening... I'm on the go again!

I think that I'm hearing Félix Leclerc singing...

"Moi mes souliers ont beaucoup voyagé..."

You bet that my shoes have traveled a LOT ! That's the understatement of the year, I think. :)

Travel is sweet,
Human contact, unforgettable.

Cheers,

-E

Seattle bound ? Maybe...

2007-11-28T10:11:00.000-05:00

<--- Downtown Seattle, Pine Street near 5th Avenue, July 2007

Well.... it is not a sure thing, but it appears that I maybe in Seattle around December 15th for a couple of days. :)

If you aren't checking news at FC, December 15th is the birthday of TantrikaGoddess, and invitations have been sent.

It coincides with a lull in my work, before things pick up madly during the Christmas holidays. (Yeah I know, a bummer, I'll be working. On the other hand, I'm happy to still have a job!)

So to compensate for having to work during the holidays, I've been already thinking of traveling (well, I do so in January, visiting my family in France)... but I might be able to squeeze in a few more days in December. Seattle... why not?

Masochists. Being laughed at my pathetically attempt to converse in ASL. Oh well. :) Tantrika is good sport. I should see Crowfriend too.

I'm wondering... anyone willing to fly with me to Seattle? Hehehe...

- Ladies, I can show you where is that famous FlueVog store in downtown Seattle,

- Guys, I know you're shy, but I can escort you to that famous kilt store in Pionneer Square, the Utilikilts. ;)

Funny, I have never understood why guys are so shy about wearing kilts. Wimps. I do wear a kilt. The proper way. Ayup. Be a man, do it! :)

I'd bet they're even more shy to shop for a kilt, -in person-, at a kilt store. Hey, it's just a clothing store, not a sex shop! Oh well... They don't know what they're missing. ;)

(Last summer, there was an hilarious event happening while I was at the kilt store. I've blogged this at FC, but one of these days I'll repost here. It's just too funny).

So, that's how it goes. I'm VERY tempted to access the offer. I'm checking whether it's feasible (work, parents, flights, and hotel room).

Would be fun if I have a travelmate, there is that. Oh well... Catch the guy with the kilt!

Cheers,

-E