Hero's Quest

There's this guy...

and his quest is to enjoy a tasty beverage in one thousand bars in 2005.

A man worthy of honor!

A man who has too much time on his hands!

I must confess, I am a little jealous of this guy. Sounds at first that his year is going to be one big party. His liver is not going to be very impressed with him.
Three drinks per day (on average in order to meet his goal) sounds like a lot. I'm not a heavy drinker though, and three or four glasses of wine can get me feeling real goofy real quick. Obviously, I'm just jealous of the perceived lifestyle. Who wouldn't like to spend their days planning which bars they will hit?

One of my favorite booze-association games is the "case-per-round". Round of golf, that is. You take an eighteen pack of your favorite brew, and consume one can per hole. My brother tried it once, and by the time he got to the back nine, his clubs felt like a 100lb barbell. A friend and I tried a modified version one time, but petered out after the fifth hole. Like say, I'm not a heavy drinker. By the time I got to the 18th though, it was a sad sight to see. I was still shooting fairly straight, and as I recall I bogeyed the final hole, but it wasn't pretty.

That's the only time my friend has beaten me in golf. And as I later found out, he didn't even match my number of drinks consumed.

Shouldn't I get a handicap increase for that? Maybe I actually won that game.

Sweep away, Sweeper! 

TORONTO (CP)-The Toronto Blue Jays swept past the Boston Red Sox into a tie for second place in the American League East.

Nice work, boys!

Librador

Say, did anyone hear how that by-election in Labrador ended up?

*Checks a few Red Ensign Blogs*

Oh,The Raging Ranter did. I hope it was good news...

But most of all, I am absolutely ashamed. Ashamed that we have in this country, so many people who have become so dependent on government, for so long, that they can no longer imagine, or even dream about a time when they might stand on their own two feet. When faced with the choice between a corrupt, thuggish, immoral, and shamelessly deceitful government, and a party that some fear might try, however squeamishly, to wean the masses from the public teat, the people of Labrador opted for the criminals in a landslide.

*Sigh* guess not.

More Baseball Blogging

I missed a fantastic baseball game today between the Jays and and the Sox. That nasty little thing called employment and all...

Reed Johnson hits a walk-off homer to win the game for the Jays, who are 4 1/2 games back of Baltimore in the AL East, and 2 1/5 games back of the Wildcard-leading Twins.

Dang, I hope this keeps up.

Responses to Cheese

Answers to Cheese:

Easy- A small medium at large.

Medium- One, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

Hard- A cow.

M'heh.

Standard 22

The Monarchist and Walsingham have raised a Victoria's Day Standard. But it is a Standard unlike any other.

You'll have to go read the whole thing to find out what I mean.

Oh yeah, and part two is here.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.

Complete Cheese

Easy: What do you call a midget psychic who has escaped from prison?

Medium: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?

Hard: What has four stander-uppers, four puller-downers, two hookers, two lookers, and a swishy-wishy?

Answers coming soon.

Sanctuary

Sanctuary.
Part One.
Part Two.

Michael Moore has called these ruthless cowards the moral equivalent of our revolutionary Minutemen. I would point out to Mr. Moore that when confronted by an overwhelming enemy force, our Minutemen grabbed their guns, put their elderly, their women and their children behind them, and went out to face their adversary as far away from the weak and vulnerable as possible. These people do precisely the opposite. Our Minutemen fought for Freedom and Liberty; these fight for repression, state torture, and the right to force everyone to behave as they see fit. Am I surprised that Michael Moore cannot see this difference? I am not. The man has not seen his own toes for two decades, and they are a good deal closer to him than the streets of Fallujah.

You would do well to read all of it. An hour of your time well spent.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Brigade, Canadianna!

Bumpy Ride

A quarter of the way through the MLB season. It has been a bumpy one for the Jays, but did anyone expect them to be two games over .500? Halliday pitched a gem today, and if the Jays' bats can keep swinging like they can, we could still be in the thick of it at the all-star break.

That would be nice.

Good Times

Look Ma, No Country to Terrorize! 

I love this photo, so very much. It's release (as well as the others) will probably mean a severe reprimand and/or dismissal for whoever leaked them, but I still love it.

All this was made possible by George W. Bush.

Hello, Googlers

To anyone who finds this site via Google search on Alison Roberge (and there are a lot of you), the article I posted regarding her tragic death can be found here.

Look Ma, No Spine! 

The Bottom Line

From Stephen Taylor:

Today, there are a number of people who must feel personally betrayed by Stronach's decision. Personally, I'm glad that I am able, and glad that this party is able, to finally wash our hands of Belinda and move forward with this party under the leadership of Stephen Harper.

And don't forget to check out his "Belinda quotes" post.

Sore Loser

Doug Donaldson, NDP candidate to Bulkley Valley-Stikine, would not talk to reporters on election night:

NDP candidate Doug Donaldson’s campaign has shut their door on a Bulkley Valley news reporter.

Why would he not want to speak with the local press on election night? Well, let me refresh your memory.

Nicole Million, a reporter at The Interior News, arrived shortly after 6 p.m. to cover election night at the Smithers headquarters of Donaldson’s campaign.
However, shortly after arriving, she was told Donaldson was “too busy” to speak with her. She was also told not to take photographs and asked to move out of the election headquarters and to wait in a front area of the room.

Awwwwww. Po' wittle Dougie is a wittle angwy because his campaign fell apart two weeks ago. Dat's tooo baaaaaad. Naturally, he would've opened the doors if only Braverman and Hamilton had, you know, printed only good stuff and ignored those nasty little things called facts.

I'll be glad to see the end of his election signs in my town.

Sad, Funny, Geeky

Sad: "Frank Gorshin, aka The Riddler, dead at 72."


Funny: "Ok then. I'm being schooled on LZ from my 12 year old kid?"

Geeky: "Carnival of the Force!"

All this and more at: A Small Victory.

You've got to be joking

Political Opportunism, thy name is Belinda Stronach.

OTTAWA - Belinda Stronach, the millionaire businesswoman who ran for the leadership of the Conservative party in early 2004, has crossed the floor to the Liberal party and will sit in Paul Martin's cabinet as minister of human resources and skills development.

Now is the time we need the Monger back. Seriously.

She also said Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is not sensitive to the needs of all parts of the country, and is jeopardizing national unity by allying himself to the Bloc Québécois. "The country must come first," she said.

Her desire for political advancement has finally clouded the remaining vestiges of intellect in this sad, deluded woman. Would someone please remind her that since the Quebec Referendum, the Bloc has maintained its hold on Quebec primarily because of the Liberal Party's scandals, lies, and mismanagement of the country. It is the Liberal party who has put their own coffers, not the country, first.

She also said she is looking forward to tackling the Gomery recommendations when they are presented.

"Only when the people of Canada have renewed confidence and faith in the systems of government can we return to economic prosperity."

What systems of government would that be, Belinda? Please enlighten me. Would that be Liberal Party Hegemony over all aspects of our life? I'll never, ever have confidence or faith in that.

I guess I should have seen this coming. But dang it still stings. Scott Brison has a female counterpart.

Update 5:40pm- As always, Dana at Canadian Comment has a great, well, comment: First off, would someone please explain to me what conservative principles Belinda ever stood for? I can't remember any. Her entire political career to this point has consisted of nothing but her attempting to be a liberal without actually being a member of the Liberal Party. Does anyone disagree here? The simple fact is that she has found her true home. She always has been a liberal and as such she belongs in the Liberal Party. My real point of contention though is with those conservatives who somehow led themselves to believe that she was a conservative, and who for some bizarre reason are upset by this entire episode. I think I'm more upset at her comments, and the timing. Any idiot could see that she wasn't exactly Miss Crystal Conservative, but for her to say she is doing it for "the good of the country" is absolute shunt. And why now? The Liberal Party is finally being called to account for its mismanagement of the country, and the answers they are provided are wanting at best. I'd say it's political suicide, but then again, the treacherous bastard Brison still got elected.

Update 5:51- Colby's got it right when he says, "If the Liberals win Thursday's confidence vote by virtue of Stronach's presence on the government benches, we will continue to have a government openly acknowledged to be illegal by most if not all of the major constitutional authorities in the country."

Yankee Imperialists

Curse those vile American Imperialists. Vile Villians, all of them!

It's all about OIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!

My tomorrow, in a nutshell

I will vote for Dennis Mackay, Liberal incumbant in the riding of Stikine-Bulkley Valley, in tomorrows election. I will also purchase a bottle of Pepto-Bismal, in order to relieve the nausea and vomitting that will commence once I have voted for said Liberal.

I will also vote in favor of the referendum on reforming our electoral system to the Single Transferable Vote method. This will also cause me great angst, since I know it will assist the NDP, and will increase the number of seats they receive in next election. As far as I'm concerned, the three seats they currently occupy is three too many. However, it is my supreme hope that this change will also bring about the emergence of a united, conservative, legitimate, right-wing party in British Columbia.

Game on.

Heavenbound

Teen hero mourned after whitewater tragedy

SQUAMISH, B.C. - A B.C. community is grieving after a teenage girl died while helping to rescue two younger girls in a whitewater rafting accident.

If there is a heaven, and I'm inclined to think there is, then this girl is enjoying paradise right now.

When the raft carrying Roberge and nine others hit Devil's Elbow – a treacherous section of the river known for its rapids – it hit a rock and flipped.

Squamish RCMP Cpl. Dave Ritchie said Roberge scrambled to grab two young girls, helping them stay afloat until rescue crews arrived on the scene.

(Emphasis mine, and yes, you read that right)

She risked, and ultimately gave, her own life to save two others. There is no act more noble than this.

"When they came back, she was gone."
Roberge was later pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the scene.

It is my solemn prayer that I might live and die with such honor.

Friends and family said Roberge – who would have graduated in 10 days, on her 18th birthday – always gave her time and effort to help others.

That's just the kind of person she was. Put the needs of others above herself. Imagine that, there are still people like that in this world. Thank God.

At Howe Sound Secondary, where Alison was a Grade 12 student, the flags were lowered to fly at half-mast on Monday.

There is no act we could perform that would fully honor this young woman. But I steadfastly resolve to live my life with courage, integrity, and honor. Qualities most evident in Alison Roberge.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (NASB)

Update 5:32pm - Here's more on Alison from a girl who met her at a guiding camp.

We need a Wal-Mart

There has been "furious" debate lately in my hometown about whether or not we should allow another big box store, such as Wal-Mart, to annex a portion of the town and open up shop.

This town needs a Wal-Mart. You never hear stuff like this coming out of Canadian Tire.

Furry Woodland Creatures agree: Wal-Mart for low prices, everyday.

Put to bed

It seems the crazy case of Wendy's Fingertip Chili has finally been solved. About time too.

I've been a big fan of Wendy's for quite a while now, and it was definitely my preferred fast food choice while I lived in Abbotsford. Sadly, Smithers does not have one, but it is probably for the best, since I'd most assurdly spend scores of dollars there.

What is an appropriate punishment for this scam-artist? Her story most definitely hurt Wendy's financially, though they will recover. Jail time? Probation? An ass-kicking?

Or perhaps force-feeding her the Filet-o-Fish from McDonalds. Egad, after a week of that, she'd be begging for fingertips.

Pirate's Pity Party

The Pirate is asking for a favor. And I aim to please.

Done and Done.

Sight for sore eyes

Best wrapping paper ever.

I've gotta get me some of that.

Just ain't the same

I've been trying to get into the World Hockey Championships, really I have. But my interest is waning at best. It doesn't help, of course, that Canada has been fumbling and bumbling it's way through the tournament. Today's game was no exception, as a fluke goal by Joe Thornton saved the day for the Red & White.

From Rick Nash' brain cramp, to Martin Brodeur's lacklustre play, to a team defence that that has been sloppy at best, this year's team Canada is definitely not a Wayne Gretzky creation.

A team that, by rights, should not be advancing to the semi-finals.

But a team that will still win the whole thing anyways, just for kicks.

Blood boiling already

This day isn't starting out very well for my blood pressure:

On Wednesday, a judge denied bail for Jerry Hobbs, 34, after prosecutors said he admitted in videotaped and written statements to beating and stabbing Laura and her best friend, 9-year-old Krystal Tobias.

The girls were found dead Monday in a park in Zion. They had more than 30 stab wounds between them, and Laura was stabbed in each eye, prosecutors said.

If anyone ever, ever tries to sell me anti-death penalty tripe arguments again, I'll remind them of this story.

Stanley Cup Ring to Michele. Go read her post.

BC Election question

Guess which candidate I will not be voting for on May 17?

I'll give you a hint.

Sheesh.

Big Dipper

BC NDP leader Carole James is in Smithers right now, campaigning for Doug Donaldson. I just drove by his office on my way home for lunch, and saw a small crowd of about thirty people. They weren't making much noise, but there were two teenagers standing on the sidewalk attempting to arouse the traffic and passers-by. The male was holding a Doug Donaldson sign, while the female was waving a sign saying "Let's Stick Together".

If that is the best that Dipper's can muster when Medusa comes to town, it's gonna be cake walk for incumbant Dennis Mackay.

Red Ensign Standard 21

The fine folks at London Fog have raised the latestt edition of the Standard.

Yours truly didn't contribute much in the past two weeks, but a lot of others picked up the slack.
Truly a Linkfest. Now go click 'em all.

Twenty Five Grand

and counting.

Lets push it up even farther.

Election Hilarity

Bwahahahahahaha!

Doug Donaldson would most likely want to forget last week ever happened.
Donaldson, the NDP candidate for Bulkley Valley-Stikine, has been trying to put out fire after fire ever since the writ was dropped on the provincial election last month.

(note: link provided does not have entire story... stupid online Interior News... grrrrr...)

Its been a rough week for ol' Dougie. The Communist Worker's Party NDP candidate for Stikine Bulkley Valley has been busted for spewing out dumb-assed comments regarding everything from police funding in Smithers, to the NDP's apparent withdrawl of funds for a second sheet of ice. But the absolute best was brought about by his own party:

To add insult to injury, the NDP's major provincial policy publication announcing all of the party's candidates misspelled Donaldson's name - as Donalson.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What's happening here? Did the Provincial Dippers take lessons from the Federal Conservatives on how to blow an election campaign? If anyone out there has a copy of this publication, I am seriously willing to pay CASH MONEY for it. I'd love nothing more than to duct tape it on the front window of his main street office.

As an aside, does anyone else think this is the creepiest picture ever?

A History I am Proud of

I tried to imagine the response in Canada to schoolchildren being educated about their history by participating in programmes that maintain and beautify foreign cemeteries. I tried to recall one universal example of what Canadian parents point their children to and say, "look at them, they are why we are free." I tried to think of what the answer would be now to that admonishment: "Canada needs you." I didn't dare to even try and imagine what it would be like to have spent months at a time covered entirely in mud while stray bullets and falling shells constantly promised a horrible, random death.

Most of my friends have a Dutch background. Often I find humour in their often lengthy last names, and the way "Bakker" is pronounced "bucker" instead of "baker" like it should be. Not to mention the repetitious "Van" this and "Van" that, and their creative use of the letter "Z" :-)

But all kidding aside, Canadians and Dutch folk share an important historical tie.

Let's never, ever forget it.


Roosendaal 

Still Alive

No, I have not died.

I'm in the process of switching ISP's. Will be up and running Monday night. Right now I'm scamming and begging all of my friends with internet access!

But in the meantime, be sure to check out the newest member of the Brigade, Self Rhetoric.

A quality blog, to be sure.

Catch ya later, I promise.
(Say, wouldn't it be great if Pei Yusei would make an appearance?)