The only problem with blogging

once a week, is there are events that unfold in the world, that go missed in this blog. I'd like to cover as much as possible. While I'm not a socialist, my eyes cut to the death of Fidel Castro. His death and legacy brought the attention to the world stage. Castro was a friend of Canada (not of me) but this country. There are many in my generation remember the Cuban missile crisis. Later many Cubans left Cuba and fled across to Florida in what's known as The Mariel Boatlift. It wasn't until recently US President Obama brought the two countries closer together.

Closer to home, a few yards away from us on our side of 137th ave, there was a Police presence and first responders flashing lights just as Anne was coming through the door. This is just across the street from "Chianti's." Its a dangerous heavily marked 4 way. We latter learned during evening news this was another traffic fatality but there were few details. So, this morning I'm checking local news and the fatality indeed occurred at the 4 way on 40th and 137th involving another ETS bus. The fatality involved a 13 year old girl as she was crossing alone as she must have done dozens of times before facing South crossing to the other side of 137th. The bus apparently was crossing as it must have done hundreds of times as well at about 7:45pm last night. The girl might have been shopping at Walmart. Apparently the bus was found at Coliseum station later that evening. So the bus was apparently trying to cross 137th facing South on 40th turning onto 137th Eastbound and the driver doesn't see the pedestrian in a marked crossing? The driver's field of view covers a wide area and ETS is blaming the bus's blind spot? Is this just a case of careless driving on behalf of a ETS bus driver or something else? The bus driver might have been about to go on a shift change most likely at Abbotsfield and didn't know he/she hit somebody until ETS informed the driver. However, another ETS bus driver that was involved in another collision last month involved a collision with a 83 year old woman and the bus driver was charged in that situation? Something doesn't add up here. This doesn't look good for ETS that's for sure. Most of these bus drivers are okay and are good at their jobs except when they become distracted by bus patrons standing behind their shoulder chatting away at them. I'm not sure but I think that's what happened in this case last night. Many of these bus patrons stand right behind the fare box, blocking the driver's point of view as the driver is trying to make a lane change. I've done it myself and often chat with the driver as well. If anyone is to be charged, charge the person distracting the driver. The "blind spot" has nothing to do with this case, its distracted driving. This is a real eye opener for me today.  

My day yesterday was a lot better on the job, however I missed my bus after work as it pulled up by Tony Roma's. Even if I wan for it, I'd not have made it. And I missed my train at Southgate. A trip that should have taken me an hour, took me almost 2 hours to get home. I had a great night playing with the Korg Gadget app. I need to get the sampler as a in app purchase called Bilbao. For $7 its a good deal. There's not much bass options without Bilbao. Also, I'm trying how to see if the sequencer can have the play head scroll across the tracks and down the scenes. Gadget's sequencer options are limited.

Anyway, I sent a email out to lodge saying I won't be at the practice tonight. I'm not required to do anything at installation anyway. This afternoon in about half an hour is the Arizona/Oilers rubber match game. Also, I'll be following the Grey Cup game as well. I think that's a 4pm start as I'm enjoying my weekend. Anyway, that's about all for now.

Not that the boss could confirm but just from what I could see

after loging in and out last night there is work coming up. I'm to call Tuesday, and he might have a more definitive answer for me then. I was surprised on my pay, and I felt good heading back home stopping off briefly at Audrey's. I let the them know I'd be picking my book up at the end of the month. They're ok with that. Always have been. 

Mr. Hockey aka Gordie Howe past away. I got the news in my email today. Gordie Howe was a bit before my time and many consider him the greatest that ever played the game of NHL hockey. Making his NHL debut for Detroit on Oct. 16, 1946, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Howe played 32 professional hockey seasons, more than any other man. He also was the oldest player to score in the NHL and made hockey a family affair when he skated with sons Mark and Marty. I never met the man but his post death accolades obviously are significant to the hockey world. He passed away at the age of 88.

On local news last night there's a scam going around, how some scammers are claiming to be from Canada Revenue Agency. They call unsuspecting people claiming they are from the CRA, and that they owe a specific amount of money. They bully and harass their victims over the phone even threaten them that if they don't pay up with iTunes gift cards, they will be arrested. From this Global report: “We are currently investigating a file where a woman was convinced she owed the CRA $22,000. The woman visited two grocery stores and purchased $10,000 worth of iTunes gift cards at the first location and then purchased and additional $12,000 in iTunes gift cards at the second location. The woman then sent photos of the cards to the scammers.” The Canada Revenue Agency doesn't make phone calls to their clients nor ask people to pay up using iTunes gift cards or requests prepaid credit cards. My first clue something was wrong would have been iTunes gift cards? 

Well, it looks like I have a few more days off but I'm hoping to get back to work this week. Its still a pay period and I could use as many hours as possible. So I hope there's something sooner then later. I'm still going to followup on plan B on Monday. I'm not risking anything to chance. Anyway, that's all for now.

I'm slowly moving all my stuff from Windows Xp over to

Windows 10. Today I got my sound card working properly in my usb hub. Happy about that and I've got my diary transferred over as well using Windows Word pad. It has a few features that Works Word Processor didn't have, which is nice to have. I've got Paint built right in. 

Some sad news today. Canada lost another celebrity. Few people under 30 probably haven't heard of Bobby Curtola. He was one of this country's first Canadian teen idol's. He's best known for his song "Fortune teller." Curtola was popular here in the 1970's. I remember when he was here doing one of the ACT telethon's, the ACT Telerama back I think it was 1990. He had a home here in Edmonton. He died at the age 73. Cause of death unknown.

Despite all of what happened yesterday with work and all, my week ahead looks ok. I'm just taking it one day at a time. Anyway, that's all for now.  

Three days late better then

never on this one but early Friday morning ex Premier of Alberta Don Ghetty passed away. he was Premier from1985-1992. Ghetty was a Edmonton Eskimo and won a grey cup. His legacy was Family day and since then every Province in the country adapted this special holiday. He died at the age of 82 of heart failure.

There were just 2 of us working on the cell phone Northlands project yesterday. 95% of those calls were answering machines, busy, nis, no answers etc. Conditions were changing through out the day. At the end of the day we got new conditions updates and I misread them and screwed up that portion of project. With 3 days to go and a limited sample rate, there is no way we were going to get those last 11 completes anyway. With my mistake we ruined the chances of trying to get some of them but something from nothing is still nothing. If most of that sample were missed calls yesterday, we're going to get more of the same today anyway. Its fatiguing work coding answering machines, no answers etc. At least with fresh numbers to call my complete rate goes up and talking to the respondent makes the day go by faster. The only thing keeping my job I think is according to super, I'm a good interviewer. At least that's some positive reinforcement. I asked how do we resolve this? He didn't have a solution for me as there were other things he was juggling. Later I'm going to suggest to super next time new condition updates are given on the same sheet of paper, super should use a highlight (at least for me) marker on that whole condition update. That way, I'll enter the complete condition. Of course I didn't come to this realization at the time. I felt like shit with the last half hour left and I requested to leave early as my head was just not into doing the other project. My error took a lot of the wind out of my sails and sank my moral. I'm ok for today though. I'm sure I'm going to get shit for this one. I like doing market research and I'm good at but I make mistakes. With the cell phone sample rate we have left I doubt we'll get 11 completes out of that bunch regardless. 

Its hard to tell from today's Rogers Place arena webcam Rink view but the seats are being installed along the right west side of lower bowl. There's still work to do near the "end zone" area. The concrete seat supports have yet to be installed. Anyway, that's all today.

Next Thursday is

lodge night. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things again. Its been a long summer.

One of my favorite television shows as a teen was F-Troop. It lasted 2 seasons,1966 and 1967. I was saddened to learn Melody Patterson who played the "love interest" role to Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) Wrangler Jane had passed away August 20th at the age of 66. Just 3 years away from my age. The rest of the story is here.

Last nights Argo/Eskimo game was a real home team blow out: Argos 15, Esks 38. Next weekend will be different because its the labour day classic. Its always in Calgary and we get the rubber match the following Friday. Should be a good one. Anyway, that's all for now.

Not that I'd ever go see

BB King in person if he was here. He passed away at the age of 89. He died in his sleep Thursday. I can relate to BB King only because he was diabetic. Still to live to 89 while being diabetic gives me hope. Yet Anne's sister Rose died from diabetes at the age of 68. I could go tomorrow or live to my 80's like BB King. As for his music, not a lot of people play the blues like he did. 

Talk about not seeing the forest before the trees kind of thing: Its all fine and well to have studio monitors and all but what about audio capture? I always thought my iPod touch would pick up the audio. Maybe that would be ok for audio voice dictation but not to pick up audio from my monitors. I'm going to try just my iPod but chances are I'll need a field recorder. I've been looking at a few like the Sony and Roland H2's. If my iPod can pick up the audio ok, I might just stick with that and or get the iRig mic. It could be a cheap solution to record my jams without the use of a computer. 

A little on the breezy side today. We haven't had any rain or very little. This month. Hopefully we'll get some rain overnight but not on my morning commute tomorrow. It seems though that Saturday's shift will be short because of the long weekend. In a way I hope so. It'll give me 2.5 days off. Anyway that's all for now.

Underway at this moment is NAMM 2015

National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade shows. Every year its a different city. This year NAMM 2015 is in Anaheim, California. What I like so far from NAMM this year is Roland's JD-X1 synth. The price is something I can afford. Teenage Engineering has released these cool Pocket Operators. The size of a calculator these mini step sequencers fit in the pocket and have a big sound. They sync up to each other and can sync to a daw for about $60 bucks each. They have 3 units in their line up so far.

Saudi Arabia's King abdullah bin abdulaziz al saud passed away. The SA King was instrumental in having SA increase oil productivity last fall. How this will play out when Opec meets in June will be very interesting.

If I'm not working Sunday Anne wants me to go to the WEM Scotia bank theatre, and use our scene points so I can see Royal Rumble. That sounds like a great idea. I can get a bite to eat use my Chapters/Indigo $25 gift card to buy a Warhammer 40k book. Then go to the show. Sounds like fun. 

Finally we know what's going to happen to the old Greyhound bus depot location downtown: Cinneplex (after the site is demolished) is building an adults-only multiplex theatre where patrons can reserve seats and order food and beverage from them. There's going to be a bar in there etc. Tickets might cost more then the City Centre theatres at the CC mall. Its a good fit for the EAD as the new 50 story Delta hotel will be virtual across the street from the theatre district.

So if I don't get schedule for next week in my email later today, (I can take 3 days would be an exception) then Monday I'm making a few phone calls. I'm looking to get something to fill in for a couple of days instead. I know of a few disposable type jobs I can "sign up" for. If I can get them that is. Update: I got a schedule (of sorts) I've got 4 hours Wednesday, Thursday and 10-6 on Saturday. Anyway, that's all for now.