Kev

So I’m riding the bus to work this morning (I was lazy, I admit it), and I saw another ad for Clean Air Day. The ad encouraged people to walk, bike, run, etc. to work on Clean Air day to help the environment, and I guess to try and drive a point home. It displayed the sponsors of the initiative quite nicely, and had some nice blues and greens which gave it an “earthy” feel. The only thing it didn’t do was give a date of when Clean Air day was. I had seen the ad before and meant to look up the date on the wurld wyde weeb, but had forgotten. Today I looked it up.

Apparently, Clean Air Day was yesterday. Looks like we missed it.

I guess this is why the government usually outsources that kind of thing. Very effective marketing. Nice job, Environment Canada.

Some great parody ads at the expense of Diebold. The underlying theme is that Diebold technologies can help maintain your democracy. Very well done.

Thanks for the link, Coop!

Why is it that the majority of people who leave a message in voicemail will speak in slow, measured tones right up to the point where they say their phone number? Following a usually-intelligible message, they put their tongue into overdrive and blurt out the seven to ten digits of their phone number so quickly that it blurs into a nonsensical monosyllable.

Why? This is usually the most important part of the message, and almost everyone does it. Usually after replaying their message 5-10 times I can narrow it down, but not always.

Infuriating it is. If you call me, and I don’t call back, this may be why (well, that or I don’t want to talk to you, which is just as possible).

kj came up with a gem today that captures my feelings on the upcoming election pretty effectively. He’s right; it’s the same old issues with the same old gang of idiots schlepping the same old bullshit.

I was speaking with a few friends yesterday who work with a minister’s office in town. Apparently, once the elections are called, the minister no longer does any work until the election is over. This is because once an election is called, they are no longer the policy makers because what they say from the time the election is called may not represent the policy of the government that will take power following the election.

Ok, I buy that reason, and it makes sense from a certain point of view (not mine, but I’m not going to get into that now – maybe later). My big question is “Why do they continue to get paid?” If they are no longer representing the taxpayers, then said taxpayers should be informed that there will no longer be any policy decisions made, and that all the ministers (and their DMs and ADMs)are on unpaid leave until the election is over.

Their primary role is to set policy, because the thousands of folks who work under them are the ones who keep things rolling day-to-day. If they’re no longer setting policy, then they’re superfluous since no one will be making any “big decisions” until well after June 29th. I know it’s not their fault they’re in this situation, but that should be one of the risks associated with being a political hack.

I’m being unreasonable and unrealistic, but I don’t care. I just find it amazing that they stop doing anything, and it’s ok by everyone. One more reason why I’d wish our gummint would actually stop focusing on issues such as healthcare and education, and focus on the administrative mess that manages the end product. That’s where the efficiencies need to be made, because that’s where a huge portion of the money goes.

It’ll never happen, though, because all the attention is pushed to the end products that people care about. *sigh*

…and it seems like folks ran some pretty good times in the half marathon. Jenn finished 156th overall, and 12th among women, in 1:31:36.5. Sylvie finished in a kick-ass 2:10:18.5, and Kerri finished up in 2:21:54.6. Congrats, folks!

I walked Kerri to the starting line, and it was amazing how many people were out. Lots of folks having a great time, and the folks cheering along the race route was impressive. It was a perfect day for a run, with the temperature around 13 degrees at the start with nary a cloud in the sky. I wish I had been there, but as everyone has pointed out multiple times, there will be plenty more in the coming years. Feeling sorry for myself stops now.

I got to watch a bit of the marathon as well. I went and grabbed some bagels from the best place to get them in the city, and hung out on the Bank Street bridge watching the leaders head down Colonel By Drive on the second leg of the course. Amazing how they can keep that pace up the entire time, kick it up a notch with 10k to go, then kick it up again in the final 2k.

Fan support was good, media coverage was ok, and you couldn’t ask for a better day. The whole experience (both the good and bad) has helped to strenghten my resolve for making it to New York in November.

Today was a pretty decent day, starting off with brunch at the Pump, and followed by a round of disc golf at the Jacques Cartier course over in Hull Gatineau. I played with “real” discs for the first time, and managed to play bogey golf; I’ll take it. The hardest part was getting accustomed to using a power grip, which is essential if you like the skin on your throwing hands’ index finger.

Kerri and her daughter Jessica, who were staying with us for race weekend, arrived around 14:00 and we took off to the Fieldhouse at Carleton University to pick up our race kits. Very well organized, a tonne of people were there, and the expo was not too bad (although it needed more freebies 🙂 ).

Jessica ran the 5k at 17:00, so she and Kerri took off to the start line, and I went to grab some ingredients for dinner. Dinner was New York strip sirloins marinated and then grilled on the barbie and accompanied by baked potatoes and a salad with a diijon-vinaigrette. Was very tasty.

A good conversation followed the face-stuffing, and now I’m watching a little bit of toob before retiring. Not a bad day, at all.

…is no running for kev.

I’m pretty upset, and words can’t describe the letdown I’m feeling at this moment.

I’ve been training for this event since December and now that it’s here, I can’t run. Like kj says, there’s only one ankle and many half marathons, but I really wanted this. For once, I am going to do the smart thing and listen to something other than my brain (and Sylvie’s “you could spend 6-8 weeks in a cast” statement was also convincing). In this case it’s my solerus doing most of the talking, so I guess I’ll listen to it.

suck.

Every so often a clip comes along which depicts some twit who is doing something stupid or is in some sort of trouble. Their friends have no problem filming the event, and usually goad them on or laugh at their misfortune while offering zero assistance. They’re usually pretty funny, but if it were me I’d be pretty pissed after the fact.

This is one of those clips. Please note: It’s a little bit rude. Work safe, but nasty. Thank god someone saves this moron from himself and his “friends” in the end (in a “my-four-year-old-is-smarter-than-you” kind of way).

This is too fucking cool. I love scale model RC planes that have turbines – if you’ve ever seen one-or more importantly, heard one-you’ll know why. This model of a B-52 is, however, way over the top. 300lbs. and a full complement of eight engines (at 3k apiece, according to some of the posts) out-gun anything I have for “most expensive toy”.

You could have sooooo much fun with something like. this around the ‘hood. I wonder what the significance of tail number 57-6483 is, though? The real plane this one is modeled after is in the boneyard. Very, very, very cool. I would just like to see it live.