By now most of us are well informed

about the terrorists in the middle east. Murderers is a better term. Yesterday one of these would be terrorist drove a car into some Canadian off duty military personnel killing 1 and eventually himself, and earlier the tragedy in Ottawa. Is it  time for us to close the boarders from people coming from countries like Iraq or Syria? Do we need to go that far with these people? Not all of them hold radical ideas. How many other Zehaf-Bibeau's are there out there? For security reasons I've often wondered why does the military insist on have our off duty military dress in their uniforms, especially when mixing with the public? Its an open invitation for something like this to happen. Is this another armageddon? The murderers are not just in the middle east, they're right here. Only difference is they're not in black masks and waving black flags.

I don't know how long I'll be on this shift. I hope its for the duration but I'm just day-by-day on this current project.

Our District meeting is Saturday and I had a chance to skim over our District lodge report. The whole thing takes about 2 minutes to read. Apparently my secretary will be giving it to me there. In the meantime I'm going to print off a copy of what I have on hand. There, I'm having a adult beverage (beer) and possibly a bite to eat, depending on what my JW is bringing. But again, I'm up early. I haven't had a good sleep in since last Wednesday. I could use 3 days off but I also need the money. I don't mind having Saturday off, I just wish this thing was later in the afternoon so I could sleep in.

We've got another beautiful day out there. Sunsets at 6:22pm now as our "summer season" is about to come to a close. Daylight savings time, when we set our clocks back an hour will be November 2nd. Anyway, that's about all today.

This is unbelievavle with 3

first round #1 draft picks within 5 years the Edmonton Oiler's are currently 4-14-2. If that's not enough, their last 5 games on home ice at Rexall place have been losses and they have been shut out in their last 3 games out of those 5 earning a franchise record. Sure they met a hot goal tender but DD kept Dallas within 1 goal for 99% of the game. Our goal tending was for the most part ok. The 3-0 score was due to 2 open net goals. The Oiler's were booed off the ice, again. I see a coaching change coming. 

I went into work no problem and I got a Visa gift card at the Baker Centre pharmacy for someone for providing me with a service. I couldn't get the gift card converted into euro's and I checked before hand on the Canada Post website that I could at 2.8% exchange rate I even said to the counter girl that it's part of the gift card service but the woman behind the counter had no clue as to what she was doing and I said pretty much let her know that as I left.

Other then that work went well so my night was not a total loss. The train was packed with Oiler jersey's up to Rexall. I had to walk home from Clareview because there were no buses there, and at 7:40pm I'd miss my wife's call but it was +3. Not to bad night to walk home. It was almost a Spring-like today. This weekend we're supposed to get a lot colder weather but it's not staying. I got home shortly before game time. What a waste of time that was. Next game is San Jose` at the Rex.

In case you missed it the big Nasa scary moment "announcement" had come and gone. Just about every conspiracy theory in the book was out there regarding what this big moment could be. I even heard that Nasa found copies of the "Ten commandments" on Mars! Yeesh. Then there were the asteroid colliding with earth speculations, and the massive solar flares heading towards the earth. Oh and then there was how Nasa had discovered a wormhole and a city on the moon. The other one was that a massive fissure underneath the earth was opening up letting out gasses that would wipe out all life on earth, and on and on it went. Finally it was over. The most surprising thing about all of this was Coast 2 Coast, never said anything about it. Usually this sort of thing would be right up their alley. In other words folks it was a ll a hoax (like what else is new?)

I think tomorrow night after work, I'm going to head out to Freemason Hall as there is a lodge happening. I'm not going to get dressed for it or attend or anything. Which means the bar is open. I just might stop in for a beer and see the bartender have a beer and head home. Anyway, that's about all for now.

Sometime this morning

we're having management inspectors knocking on our door to come in to check our "suite for repairs" and see what has to be done. Its a little more then that but at this point that's all I'm going to say. It's mostly preventative. I don't think they'll be here at exactly 9am sharp. 

If it holds according to the forecasts for the next 10 days we're supposed to have temperatures like +0's and +1's, some 2's etc are in there as well. We could be in for a unusual mild November. 

Canada sent a response team to the recent typhoon disaster in the Philippines. It was sent to the hardest hit areas. The US and Nations around the world are responding with relief aid. I feel bad for the Filipino people there but also here as well.

Tomorrow Nasa is supposed to make this huge announcement about a earth shaking discovery. They're probably going to announce that they're bankrupt and need more money. Most likely it's a big hoax, which is why Nasa isn't responding. The armageddon nut casses are having a field day with this one. We'll know tomorrow sometime I guess. If at all.

A couple of days ago I've been fooling around with Cam Studio. It's a free open video/audio screen capturing device. I'm still tinkering around with the settings. The video works ok but I'm not getting audio. It's got to do with my computer's sound card as I need "Realtek HD audio manager." From some of the "YouTube fixes" for this I need the above HD item for my laptop. Otherwise I can't use Cam Studio. Microsoft's movie magic maker isn't too bad either. Anyway, that's all for now.

I'm in for a near full day

today as I'm leaving an hour early to go to Lodge.I'll leave at 4pm head home have enough time to eat clean up and head out. It's going to be an easy night.

This story from i09 caught my attention: The growing fear of having your brain hacked -- for real. With all these new brain implants on the market, it's becoming increasingly important for manufacturers to make sure they're safe. Brain-computer interfaces, like the ones produced by NeuroSky and Emotiv, allow users to control objects and video games with their thoughts. So could this be a type of armagodon if say millions of people like those suffering from epilepsy have their implants hacked? You can read more here.

Yesterday after work, I was glad to get out of the office even though the air was still brisk many were wearing Spring coats. I headed over to Rexall to get some Motrin and I bought a pair of snazzy Sun glasses. I like these kind rather then the others because I have a lazy eye that makes me look like I'm always angry, since I had my cataract operations 2004:

 I was debating if I should get that Visa gift card to get the VST RealLPC but I'm so insecure about my job I don't want to waste my savings, which could keep me going for 8 weeks before and if I get my EI claim. If it comes down to that. Most likely if I'm laid off after this project, I'll be able to continue on my week-to-week expenses for at least the time it takes until I get my first EI check. I wouldn't mind taking 4-6months off, then what? 

So after I got my glasses I got a 6/49 ticket, I went to Subway and got a 6 inch sub to take home..  

I got the Clareview train home wearing my new shades. I wont wear them to Lodge tonight though. I watched a bit of hockey,listened to YouTube and relaxed. Anyway, that's about all for now.

I'm having a lot of fun

with Machine. I discovered Machine has a built in mic but I can't use it's external features because my laptop didn't come with a internal mic. My iPad though has one and I can without too much difficulty with iTunes file sharing, can convert most audio to Wav files.

Saturday was my day to relax and "enjoy" figuring out how to use Machine. It's a pretty cool device I'll be using for a long time. If I don't owe the Feds any income tax, I'm paying it off in one lump some. 

Other then that the Oiler's are in Chicago this afternoon for another loss. I'm no expert or anything but something's not right with the Oiler's. Other then Glen Sather, Craig MacTavish had won more games as head coach then any coach in the Oiler's organization history. All of this (Oiler's situation) is on the coach. I can see 1 or 2 of the big players like Hall, Eberle and RNH's in a slump, but all of them? This season is another write off. The Oiler's will get better when they get rid of Steve Tambolini, Kruger and get a better goal tender and move out of the Rex. With the worst loss this seasons on Friday. I think other turning points were when Kruger benched Smitty for a couple of games and Horcoff got injured.   

Premier Redford released the Provincial budget Thursday. The Government spending "deficit" is after they borrow about $40B with be a "deficit" of $2B. Redford say's this will be the status quo for years to come. Yet, the Tories won't flinch at giving themselves pay raises, while making cutbacks in essential services because of the Tories "bitumen bubble" syndrome. They want us too think the Sky is falling. Not. 

Hey, we just changed the clocks ahead due to Daylight Savings time. The day's are getting longer. Anyway that's abut all for now.

About this time of year

I reflect back on the year that was:

I got to admit, 2012 had its ups and downs. I got a nice bit of vacation pay (from December 2011) and began my JW post in January but lost most of that vacation pay when Sparky my cat had to be put down in February. I began my 3rd novel to read. March Davy Jones of The Monkees died at the age off 66 (very sad) and it was Anne's birthday. April I got the New iPad from my income tax return. I had a week off. The Alberta election had come and gone. In May not much was happening but in June I went and got my Government ID which we needed to try and get housing subsidy (which we never got and were turned down for) and still reading my 3rd novel. In July I bought from LM a cheep electric guitar and amp at LM, which was nice and we signed up for Scotia banks Scene for free movies. In August I organized the Lodge BBQ which was stressful on me and later that month Dan and I did our volunteer thing at Fort Edmonton Park for the Lodge the weekend of my 60th birthday. In September I had another week off and faced with no NHL hockey. Still struggling to read my 3rd novel. October I began a lay-a-way plan to rebuild my credit and got Komplete 8 thanks to a colleague, which said bill I'm paying off. Also out of nowhere in my email in a conversation with a Susan Shannon I learned some very interesting things about my fathers side of the family I never knew before, which added a bit of closure to my life. I still need to validate this information. In November I won the (4th Gen) iPod touch at work and stashed it away for my wife's Christmas present. Warren and I went to see a Oil Kings hockey game at Rexall. A first for me. Anne and I went to see the latest James Bond movie in November and in mid December I lose my job and we lost our Budgie bird Sugar, which really upset me but I managed to finish reading my 3rd novel. So, this year really had it all. Add that and there's still a few days left to go for the end of the year and I think I'm in for another let down before it's all over. Yet Anne's right, I should count my blessings. At least I'm onto my 4th book!

This year I'm into another chair at the Lodge called the Senior Warden, or SW. This chair isn't that hard but I'm preparing for my WM year. After that it's the IPM and the IPM (look it up) So, including this chair (SW) I have 2 more to go before I cycle through the chairs again. I don't think I want to go through the JW chair again though.  

There were some excellent things going on this year that I missed. I missed Robert J Sawyer's book signing in April our SF Edmonton Expo in October and Pure Speculation that same month. I hope it's all over, I've had enough for one year. 

One thing is certain (I hope later then sooner) 2013 will see a new job for me. That one is self evident, unless I get run over by a car or a bus. Anyway, that's all for now.

Ok so the big

“End of the World” even is supposed to be tomorrow: 12-21-12 the day of the winter Solstice. Or just about anytime give or take a couple of days. A caller on Coast called in last night claiming how he was working with a quasi government organization collecting solar data suggesting that major solar activity 100 times more in magnitude of the Carrington Event of 1859. Now I‘m no expert on this but according to Wikipedia on the Carrington Event from August 28, 1859, until September 2, for 6 days the soar storm was active, shorting out Telegraph lines etc. At one point Gold miners up North began to prepare breakfast because they thought it was daylight. The caller said that major coronal mass ejection will take place within the next couple of days. The caller said that a cme 100 times more powerful could wipe us out. Sunspot activity has been very active lately. According to Wiki we get about 2 every 100 years. We had 1 in about 1921 but nothing like in 1859.

On this date December 20th the world got its first look at the Zodiac murders, December 20th 1968. Lots of crazy things going on huh?

On Coast tonight Expert in theology, Biblical languages, and world civilizations, Mike Heiser will discuss the history of apocalyptic beliefs, why for millennia we have predicted "end times," and which ideas have some validity. I’ll listen in on this for tonight.

Anne said, she’d run down to the ban for me to deposit that $40 in my Scotia bank for my Telus account. The last of the plan 35 for awhile. I’m still considering Ivanhoe Lodge’s installation but nobody knows me there or can vouch for me. But it depends on how Friday turns out as far as my severance pay goes and if my direct bank deposit form went through without complications. So if My Friday turns out ok, then I might just head over to Ivanhoe. We’ll see.

This weekend depending on how My Friday goes I hope to go down to Audrey’s for another Warhammer Space Marine Battles book. I’m hoping to do this maybe Saturday morning and get some breakfast at Tim’s and head home. My LM monthly payment is ok up until the end of march. I was hoping to have it paid off by this weekend or at least by the end of the month.

I’m not doing anything with my CPP until the New Year. There’s no point on doing anything right now. I’m more concerned how My Friday is going to go tomorrow. If my severance forms were sent out as J said they were last week, then I should get something in tomorrow. If there was a complication on my Direct Bank Deposit form (DPD) then the cheque would have been cut and mailed out Monday meaning I won’t know anything for a couple of weeks yet. If I don’t get my cheque in my account Friday, then I know it’s in the mail this Monday/now. Meaning to say, I might get it next week. If by 4pm Friday there’s no indication that nothing is in my bank, then I’ll know that it was mailed and J didn’t get the form out or there were complications. But I’ll be checking and I should know by this time tomorrow. For all I know, it might even be in today but I’m not going to hold my breath. Christmas mail is notorious for being slow like this.

On Coast last night as they were talking about the electrical grid and how a massive CME would take it out, I began to do some research and the first street lights that went up here in Edmonton were in 1891 along Jasper Avenue and were turned off at 1am. They were turned on 24/7 in 1902. In 1905, Edmonton Light Department had 53 customers! In 1982, work began on the Genesee Generating Station, 50 km southwest of Edmonton.  The project cost was $1.2 Billion. Recently the Alberta Government went ahead with the Heartland transmission project but that’s a whole other topic.

Sometime around next August or so (2013) I’m looking at getting a new digital camera. In researching wifi cameras from the main brands I’m liking the new Kodak Easy Share M70 but I don’t think Walmart has the new wifi easy share versions yet, maybe they do but once. Future shop and Best Buy as far as I know I don’t think they carry them in stock. 

Seems that our Mayer Mandel and NDP leader Brian Mason are in a war of words here as Mandel claims that Mason doesn’t seem to support Edmonton very much when it comes to gaining funding on the proposed downtown arena. Mason said that while Mandel was making his money he had spent 12 years on City council. He doesn’t care about Edmonton? Sorry Mandel as much as I think you’re the best City Mayor we’ve ever had here in Edmonton in all my 35 years here, while I don’t like his politics I have to give this one to Brian Mason.

I've been hearing smatterings and bits of

rumors but when I went to Wikipedia yesterday, imagine my surprise when I discovered SOPA and its consequences. After reading up some more about it I'm  more fearful about the demise an armageddon of the internet then ever before I hope it doesn't pass.

The other thing: I watched the news last night and Obama turned down the Keystone pipeline. It can reapply again and another attempt will be made in 2014. The thing that bugs me is that the pipeline was stopped at Nebraska. I'm asking if there was no opposition to the pipeline beyond that, why don't we just stop there why don't we build the pipeline just before Nebraska ship the oil out from there? Seems like Americans would rather have conflict oil then oil from Canada. So I'm asking myself, why do we need to ship any of our oil to them at all, ever!

I'm calling LM in the morning and if they don't have Komplete 8 I'm getting the Korg SOS and the Vita game system. They might not have both but Future shop will have Vita and the Itouch 4th gen.

I went in for 4 hours last night and I had a decent night. It was cold going in but I bought a 6/49 ticket at the Redimart I brought my power supply and cable to Vinny so hopefully I'll have have my laptop Friday or Saturday morning and if LM has K8 I might just get it or the SOS and then go to Future shop and get the Vita. Anyway, that's about all for now.