bort's blog

The other day I met my 40-something neighbour who lives in the suite below me as he sat outside smoking and talking to his lady-friend. He talked at me for quite some time about the company he owns, and although it was all very dull I feigned interest in my most friendly manner. Eventually, they asked where I was from. "Saskatchewan," I said cheerfully. "Oh!" said the lady, "Saskatchewan!

Here follows my attempt at trying new things this weekend.

Today was Victoria's 18th annual Symphony Splash, which is where the orchestra plays a 2-hour concert from a barge anchored in the inner harbour, the finale of which is traditionally Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, complete with cannons fired by the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, bell-ringing from the carillon by the parliament building, and fireworks at just the right moment (incidentally, it was just like on V for Vendetta, except the parliament building didn't blow up). All I knew was that the concert was today at that it would involve fireworks at some point, so I ended up showing up roughly three hours early. It's actually an all-day event, but the pre-orchestral part didn't interest me so much, so I wandered downtown for some much-required ice cream.

By David Michael Green
The Regressive Antidote

"One day you’re gonna wake up, America.

"And, like every other one since last you can remember, it’s gonna be an ugly morning.

"One day you’re gonna wake up and go to your lousy job with its lousy salary and non-existent benefits. You might even remember the good job you once had. Or that the government you once supported gave tax breaks to companies like the one that exported that good job of yours to the Third World (which is what they’re now starting to call your country). Or that that same government undermined the labor unions which fought to get you your good wages and benefits.

My English class read an essay about Live Aid concerts for Africa today (which you can peruse here, if you so choose). One student said that she was highly offended the first time she read it, but that when she read the author's biography (who happens to have written for National Lampoon) she assumed he was being comedic, but she still didn't like the essay because it was offensive.